Japan Photo Guide

This is the first of two posts on climbing Mount Fuji with this one playing devil’s advocate. Having doubts about climbing Fuji? A more positive post, can be seen here.

There is a saying about climbing Mount Fuji that goes something along the lines of, and I am paraphrasing here,

You would be a fool for not climbing Fujisan once in your life, but only the dumbest of all idiots climbs Mount Fuji a second time.

Well I didn’t wanna be a fool, so in August 2008 I “climbed” this mountain of all Japan’s icons and I have a new phrase.

I cannot think of one reason good enough to climb Mount Fuji and the person who thought up the other phrase probably had some financial incentive to start that rumor.

You might be thinking that I had a bad experience on the mountain, for example, had bad weather, or got sick but it was neither of these things that led me to my new saying about Mount Fuji. So what is the deal? See more photos and read the rest of this entry »

My favorite season is coming back! Even though I love cherry blossom season, in my opinion autumn is the best time to visit and travel around Japan. Below is a chart for the average dates to best observe fall leaves in Japan.

Along with cherry blossom season, fall is a great time to visit Japan. In any country, fall leaves are beautiful and make for great photos and this holds especially true with Japan. Japan’s most famous fall leaf is the Japanese Maple Tree which turns brilliant red in the fall. These red leaves are referred to as “kouyou” (紅葉) in Japanese.

Read more about fall in Japan and check out some of my favorite places to see the autumn foliage after the jump. See more photos and read the rest of this entry »

Takachiho is in Miyazaki Prefecure in Kyushu, Japan. There isn’t too much to do, but there is a lot of nature. Getting there isn’t exactly easy. If you can drive in Japan, I recommend renting a car but if you can’t check out the Japan Reference site for directions. There are a few places sightseeing spots, but the one worth checking out is Takachiho-kyo Gorge.

See more photos and read the rest of this entry »

Towadako is on the border of Akita and Aomori Prefectures. Towadako, which is Japan’s 3rd deepest lake, has beautiful water that depending on the time of year and the weather changes to various shades of blue. Towadako is situated in the crater of an extinct volcano and as a result is surrounded by small mountains. These make for nice overhead shots of the lake, but there are also trails that go around the lake if you feel up to some hiking.

See more photos and read the rest of this entry »

The Oirase Stream is a beautiful stream in the north of Japan. Starting from Towadako, the stream runs for about 10 km and is easy accessible by car. Maybe too easy actually if you are looking for a peaceful get away as the road runs literally right next to it; however, don’t let this stop you from going, especially in the fall. It will get a little crowded, but in the early morning and late in the afternoon things do tend to calm down a lot. Take a look at the photos, they speak for themselves. Oh, one last thing, bring a tripod.

See more photos and read the rest of this entry »

Before you know it, the fall season will be sweeping across Japan and the leaves will be turning brilliant shades of reds, oranges and yellows. Even though I love cherry blossom season, I think the fall is my favorite time of the year. Below is a chart for the average dates to best observe fall leaves in Japan.

Read more about fall in Japan and check out some of my favorite places to see the autumn foliage after the jump. See more photos and read the rest of this entry »

The first forecast for the 2008 Cherry Blossom season has been released!

If you can choose anytime of the year to come to Japan, cherry blossom season is the best time (also fall is a great time). During this time, the seasonal flowers can be seen all over Japan and make for great photos. The 2007 cherry blossom forecast will be released around late February or early March and can be seen at the site of the Japan Meteorology Agency.

When the winters are mild (like the winter of 2007 is) the cherry blossom trees tend to bloom a little earlier than normal. While the forecasts are usually pretty close, like the weather, when cherry blossoms bloom are still slightly unpredictable! Also, different factors such as how much sun a tree gets, play a large role as well.

See more photos and read the rest of this entry »

If you are one of those people who like to let your fingers turn wrinkly after a long swim or shower, you’ll love Beppu. Located on the western island of Kyushu, it is home to some of the most geo-thermal activity in the world. As a result, Beppu is the pinnacle of onsen culture. Thanks to nearby Mt. Aso, the entire town of Beppu is built on deep pockets of scolding steam. One might otherwise forget about this fact, and the charming little town built on it, if it wasn’t for the steam rising from cracks in the sidewalks, sewer vents and half-pipes. Leave it to the Japanese to have cleverly harvested it’s power by turning potentially dangerous cravats of heat to stellar onsens where one can get anything from a therapeutic sand bath to a steam inhaling session.

Beppu has marketed some of the largest–and hottest–bodies of water as “The Eight Hells.” These are not for dipping, however. Most of them are well beyond boiling point and serve better as a great place to take photos. While each are unique, the most noteworthy are Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell) — a vibrant cobalt blue — and Chinoike Jigoku (Blood Pool Hell) — which is a deep red and bubbles to the surface just below boiling point. Tourists can purchase tickets to each of the “Hells” for 400 yen, or they can purchase a ticket that includes all eight “Hells” for 2,000 yen. An afternoon is plenty of time to catch a bus to several of these “Hells,” although the more ambitious can walk to all of them.

The onsens at Beppu comprise some of the most diverse onsens in Japan. Sand baths, mub baths, fluorescent baths, outdoor and indoor baths, scented baths and more can be found here. One of the outdoor mud baths is so reputable, that even Mother Theresa paid it a visit. Beppu has mastered the zen of relaxation.

The steam has not only produced some of the best onsens in Japan, but it is also nature’s best boiling pot. Street vendors sit straw baskets of corn and raw eggs over cracks in the sidewalk for several minutes, and sell the finished products to locals and tourists. I have never had a juicier corn on the cob in my life. If you’re in western Japan, why not go to heaven in Beppu…or one of the hells?

For more information see the Beppu City Guide.