Temporarily Lost

The swath of nearly 7,000 islands that comprise the country of Japan is largely that of a forested and mountainous geography, with almost three-quarters of total landmass being unsuitable for residential or industrial use.  Further, given that the population totals over 127 million – a number that must be squeezed into the few livable areas that the geography offers […]

It is no secret that those from Osaka hold in their hearts a particular affinity for all things edible, an innate passion that each new citizen seems to be born with.  This enjoyment of food and drink has even evolved to the point in which a new term has been coined for their activities: Kuidaore.  Translated directly, it means simply to “ruin […]

Completing the mega-city trifecta on the island of Honshu is Japan’s second biggest city in that of Osaka.  Whereas it doesn’t carry itself with the same flash and style as that of Tokyo, nor does it boast the bevy of refined temples, shrines, and traditional aspects of nearby Kyoto, Osaka still holds its own, appealing […]

A short train ride away from Kansai’s duel overflowing-metropolises of Kyoto and Osaka lies the small, but memorable city of Nara.  Originally the first permanent capital of Japan in the seventh century (prior to this, the capital was moved every time an emperor passed on), Nara is now one of the countries most significant cultural and […]

Kyoto: simply mentioning the name evokes endearing images of kimono-clad, white-faced geisha using their colorful parasols to protect both their complexions from the sun and their modesty from the stares of those on the street, of leisurely strolls through an endless parade of vivid-orange torii gates gently winding their way up a sloping hillside, of the austere and contemplative nature […]

Almost due West from the mountainous escapes of the Japanese Alps, and flanked by the Sea of Japan, lies the historic and cultural gem that is Kanazawa, within the Ishikawa Prefecture.  The name “Kanazawa” itself translates to “Marsh of Gold,” which it a very fitting name for the city which, due to centuries of bountiful rice harvests, became an exceedingly […]

In the center of Honshu — the largest island in the Japanese archipelago — West of Tokyo and the Kanto region and North of Kyoto and the Kansai region, lies the mountainous area known as the Japanese Alps: arguably one of the nation’s most beautiful stretches, with crystal clear rivers crisscrossing through cedar and pine forests, paths and mountain trails […]