Japan

The tragic events of 1945 can barely be appreciated without seeing the peaceful, dignified city of Hiroshima, Japan. Within minutes of stepping off the bullet train, a local resident offered us a free tour of ...

Located in the Saitama Prefecture of Japan, Ōmiya is just a 30-minute bullet train ride from Tokyo, yet the town feels much farther away from its hustle and bustle. Eye-catching features of Ōmiya include bonsai ...

March 11 was a cold, slow-moving Friday afternoon at our home in Sendai. As a freelance writer and translator, I was making a transition, familiar on such idle afternoons. Having finished a bit of urgent ...

Located near the tip of the Izu peninsula, this sleepy waterfront town is a great place to escape the hustle and bustle of Japan’s big city life. Shimoda was of central importance during the 1850s, ...

Osaka Castle (or Osaka-jō) has a long, interesting history, and what remains of it is a feudal reminder sitting proudly in the middle of a modern Japanese city. The charming park surrounding the main tower ...

In Japan, there are three major urban Chinatowns: in Kobe, Nagasaki and Yokohama. For travelers staying in Tokyo, the Yokohama Chinatown (Yokohama Chukagai) is the most accessible. You can check out the festively lit Chinatown ...