If you find Mt. Takao a bit too crowded and are looking for somewhere to enjoy nature without having to battle with hordes of daytrippers, Shiroyama might just do the trick. Though the mountain is home to the ruins of Hachioji Castle, a historical landmark and one of Japan’s top 100 castles, it keeps a ...
Where: Mt. Ougiyama (1,138m) and Momokurasan (1,003m), Yamanashi Prefecture Time: Approx 6 hours Route: Take the JR Chuo line to Torisawa (approx 80min from Shinjuku). Head straight out of the station, pausing at the convenience store to get last-minute provisions, and follow the signs for Mt. Ougiyama (扇山). The first hour or so is on ...
Boutique city guides are all the rage these days, promising an eclectic overview of popular destinations without the headache of trying to be comprehensive. À La Carte produces a range of hand-drawn maps printed on heavy-duty paper, accompanied by basic touring info and tips from the locals. My Tokyo À La Carte makes the city’s ...
We won’t say a trip to Rikugien is like stepping back in time. True, the young couples promenading in kimono complement the gentle hills, neatly-clipped keyaki trees and mirror-still lake of this Edo-period garden. The concrete towers of Bunkyo-ku, however, do not. Nevertheless, there’s a meticulously crafted beauty here, made all the more delightful by ...
The trees hang heavy with citrus fruit in Nebukawa, an unmanned stop on the JR Tokaido line that makes for an agreeable day trip from Tokyo. The Hilton Odawara Spa and Resort looms on the slopes above the station, but otherwise there isn’t much going on in this sleepy town. It takes two hours or ...
Here’s the perfect present for urbane jetsetters who don’t understand the meaning of—let alone the need for—budget travel. The Luxe Asian Grand Tour Box compiles eight guides to the continent’s hottest destinations—Bali, Bangkok, Beijing, Hanoi, Hong Kong, Shanghai, Singapore and Tokyo—in an eye-catching gift set. A far cry from the chunky comprehensiveness of the Lonely ...
PEPY (Protect the Earth, Protect Yourself) isn’t your average “voluntourism” company. Describing itself as an “educational NGO funded through responsible tour operations,” it organizes adventure travel and volunteer trips in Cambodia that supply much-needed cash and support to local schools and training initiatives. Over the Christmas and New Year period, the group offers a triple ...
After producing guides to Tokyo and Kyoto, iconic lifestyle mag Wallpaper* has turned its attentions to Osaka, that city of concrete, bonkers fashion and occasional spasms of eye-popping design. Wallpaper* City Guide Osaka follows the same format as other titles in the series, lifting the lid on some of the trendiest sights, shops, hangouts and ...
Veteran travel writer and photographer Stephen Mansfield knows a fair bit about Japanese gardens: he recently built one of his own at his home in Kanto. His latest book, Japanese Stone Gardens, offers an in-depth look into the history and esthetics of this most quintessentially Zen art form, before taking a tour of some of ...
Luxurious accommodation is probably the last thing you’d expect to find in the middle of the Gobi Desert. The Three Camel Lodge, however, promises just that. Run by tour operator Nomadic Expeditions, which has been providing trips to Mongolia for over 17 years, this deluxe development lets you experience desert life without sacrificing too many ...
A nice sense of the macabre pervades most fish markets, and Kawasaki’s is no exception. Lifeless fish eyes the size of our palms stared up at us on a recent trip, accompanied by sushi chef Sarkeo Shinya. And that wasn’t all: cleavers lie on bloody cutting boards; bones and gristle are scattered about; partially sliced ...
Where: Mt. Nabewari (鍋割山, 1,273m) & Mt. Tonodake (塔ノ岳, 1,491m) Time: 6 hours (leisurely), 4 hours 45 mins (hardcore) Route: Take the Odakyu Line express from Shinjuku to Shibusawa (approx 80 mins), then a bus to Okura (大倉,15 mins). From there, cross the road and follow the signposts for Omotetanzawa Kenmin no Mori (表丹沢県民の森) and ...
Pristine nature and gorgeous views are only ¥2,000 away