Oshino Hakkai

  Seeking variations on the views of Mt. Fuji can fill a lifetime, but there is certainly one view which should not be missed. Oshino Hakkai in Yamanashi Prefecture offers views of Fuji-san against the foreground of its eight crystal clear ponds which are fed from the water of Fuji’s melted snow. Travelling miles underground…

Tohoku Week – Yamadera

Editors Note: We’re back from vacation and celebrating with a week of posts about our vacation destination: Tohoku! Beat the summer heat of Tokyo and the wall-to-wall crowds of Kyoto and visit Tohoku in northern Japan instead! Located just a half hour outside of Yamagata city in the Prefecture of the same name, Yamadera literally means…

Walk The Rainbow Bridge

Tokyo’s Rainbow Bridge connects the artificially-made island of Odaiba with the rest of the city and is used not only by vehicles and a monorail, but by foot traffic as well. The 30 minute walk on a nice day or evening affords spectacular views: the Tokyo skyline on the north side and the modern buildings of Odaiba on…

富士山 Mt. Fuji

For a couple months in Winter, Mt. Fuji is often visible from many locations in Tokyo at a suitable altitude, including Skytree, the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, and Roppongi Hills. While Mt. Fuji is probably the icon of Japan, it is surprisingly shy about appearing. Winter is the most likely season to see Mt. Fuji…