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Travel to the Island of Hawai’i
This is post 1 of 5 in the series “Hawaii's Big Island” Hawaii’s Big Island is perfect for the typical outdoor enthusiast. There are not a whole lot of big cities on this island and access to nature and beautiful scenery is easily within reach! Most visitors come to Hawaii’s Big Island for the volcanoes, but there is so much…
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Okinawa Night Hike, Photographing Wildlife
This is post 12 of 18 in the series “Discover Okinawa” Discover Okinawa is a series of posts that has everything to do with all things Okinawa. Join us on our journey as we bike around islands, explore Okinawa’s wildlife, eat amazing food, and everything in between! Visiting Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium: From Coral Reefs to Whale Sharks Okinawa Battle Sites…
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Walking the Pottery Footpath in Tokoname
On a previous trip to Nagoya, we were headed back to Central Japan International Airport. At the last stop before the airport at Tokoname, we noticed a giant Maneki Neko (Beckoning Cat) head off in the distance. Quickly, we marked the spot and knew we had to visit in the near future. We didn’t know this was part of the famous…
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Sightseeing Around Gujo, Japan in Gifu Prefecture
Sometimes, the small and lesser known towns found throughout Japan are the most beautiful and surprising destinations. We got the chance to stop and do some sightseeing around Gujo while driving back to Nagoya from the city of Takayama. While touring Gifu Prefecture, Gujo might have been the most surprising destination. Gujo had everything a large city has packed into…
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Visiting Kanazawa – How we Spent Our Time in Kanazawa
Like Takayama, Kanazawa is a city that is a little bit off the beaten path. Kanazawa is said to have the best preserved Edo-style districts in the country. If you love food, especially seafood, then Kanazawa is the right place for you. Besides exploring the Edo-style districts, Kanazawa is most famous for it’s beautiful white castle and Kenroku-en Garden which is…
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Shirakawa-go and Surrounding Villages
Shirakawa-go and surrounding villages are one of Japan’s UNESCO sites. These sites span across the borders of Toyama and Gifu Prefectures in Central Japan 🇯🇵. These villages are unique as the Gassho-style houses are well preserved and have been untouched for hundreds of years. Gassho-style refers to the roof and that they resemble praying hands. The three villages that make…
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Top Things to do In Hikone, Shiga Prefecture
Hikone is a fairly small sized city located on Lake Biwa’s eastern edge in Shiga Prefecture. Hikone is most famous for Hikone Castle, one of the original castles of Japan dating back to 1622. Besides visiting Hikone Castle, some other top things to do in Hikone include a visit to Genkyuen Garden and exploring the Yume Kyobashi Castle Road. Also…
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Our Takayama Travel Guide, Hida Beef and Historic Districts
Located near the Japanese Alps in Gifu Prefecture is the city of Takayama. Takayama is known for its preserved historical districts consisting of Edo-style streets. Takayama is also famous for its food, most notably the “Hida-gyu” or Hida beef. Outside of walking the historical Edo-style streets and eating Hida Beef, visitors can pay a visit to the Takayama Yatai Kaikan,…
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Side Trip to Katsuyama: Japan’s Tallest Buddha, Pagoda, and Castle
Katsuyama, a lesser known mountain town in central Japan is located in Fukui Prefecture, not far from the city of Fukui and Maruoka Castle. Katsuyama is home to Japan’s largest sitting Buddha statue, tallest pagoda, as well as the tallest castle in Japan. With all these stunning statues and beautiful yet massive architectural buildings, why is Katsuyama unknown to most…
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Visit Matsumoto Castle, A National Treasure
Matsumoto Castle, originally known as Fukashi Castle is one of Japan’s greatest castles and is listed as a National Treasure. The distinct black and white colors of the castle along with the red bridge, large moat, and stunning backdrop of the Japanese Alps, makes Matsumoto one of the most beautiful castles in Japan. A visit to Matsumoto Castle is a…
