Like this post? Help us by sharing it! A stepping stone across the Seto Inland Sea between Honshu and Shikoku, Ikuchijima is an island where the gentle pace of life gets you the moment you arrive: you can’t help but slow down. Freelance writer and editor Kate Crockett recently explored Ikuchijima as part of her […]
Culture & History
The places in-between: Nagoya
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! The places in-between: Nagoya Most visitors to Japan could point out Tokyo and Kyoto blindfolded. But Nagoya? Many speed through on the Shinkansen bullet train without even noticing. Yet this is a city that has shaped Japan’s past and present far more than its modest profile suggests. […]
The places in-between: Nagasaki
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! The places in-between: Nagasaki For 220 years, Japan was largely closed to the outside world. Only those the Shogunate permitted could trade, visit or leave. All trading ports closed – except Nagasaki. The city was one of Japan’s few cultural and commercial exchange points for over two […]
Introducing Our Undertourism Strategy
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! As we celebrate InsideJapan’s 25th anniversary in 2025, it’s remarkable to reflect on how much has changed since our inception. What began as a passion project by Alastair and Simon has grown alongside Japan’s tourism industry, which saw inbound visitors increase from fewer than 5 million in […]
The places in-between: Toyama
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! The places in-between: Toyama It’s easy to categorise Toyama simply: a traditional, beautiful and charming corner of Japan. Known for its woodcarving heritage, incredible coast-side sushi and epic alpine landscapes, it’s all these things. But its true character goes beyond centuries-old temples and quaint shopping streets. It’s […]
The places in-between: Kyoto by the Sea
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! The places in-between: Kyoto by the Sea Just two hours from Kyoto lies the place where rice was first cultivated and sake first brewed in Japan, and where two of UNESCO’s World’s Most Beautiful Bays lie. It’s home to the highest concentration of people over 100-years-old on […]
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! The places in-between: Kyoto by the Sea Just two hours from Kyoto lies the place where rice was first cultivated and sake first brewed in Japan, and where two of UNESCO’s World’s Most Beautiful Bays lie. It’s home to the highest concentration of people over 100-years-old on […]