Japan
Want a taste of Shogun-era Japan? It’s harder to find than you’d think
There’s not much shogun-era history left in Japan but Matsumoto, north-west of Tokyo, is a great place to relive samurai rule and shogunate warfare.
- Ben Groundwater
Japan’s extraordinary answer to the Camino trail
Japan’s Kumano Kodo is one of only two UNESCO World Heritage-listed pilgrimages in the world.
- Rob McFarland
They say four days in Tokyo is plenty. I firmly disagree
You could hop from city to city, kids in tow, frantically ticking off Japan’s main sights. But here’s why three weeks of staying put in one city is perfect.
- Barry Divola
Japan’s version of curry came from India, but not Indians
Served one of four ways, the dish containing rich gravy is mild in spice but heavy on umami.
- Ben Groundwater
Sleeping in a bookstore seems romantic, but the reality is no fairytale
It’s an affordable stay in expensive Japan, which is a plus. But the room is functional and not much else.
- Julia D'Orazio
- Opinion
- Food and wine
If there’s one bad thing about visiting Japan, it’s this
Anyone who has been to Japan has no doubt had this experience: you find a great restaurant, only to be told you can’t come in.
- Paul Marshall
Stunning Japanese hike is like stepping into an (animated) movie
This is a forest preserved in time, a world where dragonflies flit, minuscule flowers bloom and giant tree roots hide the would-be tiny houses of forest creatures.
- Penny Watson
Swallowed by white, this is a different sort of hike
In Japan, but not for skiing, it’s amazing what comes into focus when you’re entirely swallowed by white.
- Steve Madgwick
- Opinion
- Opinion
The place where tourist scams and rip-offs don’t exist
To travel in the rest of the world is to be on your guard, wondering if you’re paying too much or being taken advantage of. That doesn’t happen here.
- Ben Groundwater
Asian tourist numbers to Japan are plummeting. A comic book is to blame
Holiday bookings to Japan from key Asian markets have plunged as a dire prediction made in a graphic novel goes viral on social media.