Minoo Falls and Minoh Brewery

Osaka can really get you down. The drudgery of everyday life, the rat race, the grind, the hustle; it can all really make you yearn for simpler times, simpler pleasures. Luckily, the weekend warrior can find his or her arena just a short train ride outside the city in a small town called Minoo. Go […]

Arashiyama Bamboo Forest and Kimono Forest

Whenever you see beautiful pictures from Kyoto featuring bamboo shoots soaring into the sky, chances are they were taken at the Arashiyama Bamboo Forest. There’s also a little know forest of fabrics just on the way known as the Kimono Forest. Braving the unbearable Kansai heat, my wife and I set out to take a […]

Hiking in Nikko National Park

Do you enjoy beautiful nature? How about waterfalls? Do you like those? What about a natural epicenter of a country? If you said yes to any of these, then Nikko is the place for you to visit in Japan! I did a bit of hiking up there in my continued training for Fuji with some […]

What is Hanami?

The term hanami gets thrown around a lot in Japan and conjures up different images for different people. The general gist is the same: You spread out a blanket and watch some flowers. The most popular time to hanami is usually end of March or early April when the cherry blossoms (sakura) come out for […]