The word Osaka immediately conjures up an image of neon lights, skyscrapers, bustling shopping streets and the city’s friendly and exuberant people. Osaka city is so big and sprawling that it’s hard to believe you can hike through thick forests and enjoy one of Japan’s top ten waterfalls, only half an hour north of Umeda … Read more
In the past few years, a movement has quietly begun to take shape in Japan. A subtle but undeniable growth of the fitness-focused lifestyle has bloomed, planted in a country some might deem barren of fitness education. Images of muscular, tanned Japanese men posing at bodybuilding events are plastered on social media, a stark contrast … Read more
Mt. Fuji: Climbing the Japanese Icon Mt. Fuji looms large in Japan. The mountain’s iconic silhouette appears in everything from Edo-period woodcuts to Hello Kitty charms. The mountain is easy to get to. You can see the massive volcano from Tokyo. Any relatively fit person can manage the climb. It’s not uncommon to see Japanese … Read more
Shikoku, the smallest of the four main islands in Japan, is home to the longest pilgrimage in Japan. The 88 temple pilgrimage trail circles around the outskirts of the entire island. The temples were all visited or founded by the first pilgrim, Kukai. Kukai is also known as Kobo-Daishi, and he founded Shingon Buddhism. He … Read more
An Easy Hike with Sights Along the Way For hiking enthusiasts and nature lovers, life in Tokyo (as in any big city) can easily get you down. But only an hour away is the quiet town of Kamakura which has a short hiking trail – easy access and an abundance of tourist information online make … Read more