What is that strange thing zipping across famous Gembikei Gorge in Iwate Prefecture, site of waterfalls and greenery? It's a basket of fresh little ...

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Tokyo's Akihabara neighborhood, at recent count, has between 50 and 60 "maid cafés," where waitresses impersonate the iconic, doe-eyed maid character found in some ...

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Japanese dining is about exquisitely simple food, yes, but it also involves a healthy dollop of high drama. Think about the flashing knives of a ...

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To experience the impressive Japanese rail system and get a look at Mount Fuji, go to one of Tokyo's train stations and board a ...

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In 1592 military man and pottery aficionado Hideyoshi invaded Korea. Among the spoils he brought back to Japan: master potters. The artisans ended up settling ...

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Not only do they sport grotesque masks (blue ones for female spirits, red ones for male spirits) and wear outfits made of straw, the Namahage ...

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Connected to the mainland by a bridge and filled to the gills with the Tokyo weekend crowd, Enoshima Island serves as a scenic retreat. Stroll ...

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After you've checked out the Imperial Palace, Nijo-jo Castle, and the Silver Pavilion's sand gardens in Kyoto, turn your thoughts to the classic ...

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Shikoku Island is the site of the country's most famous pilgrimage: a nearly 1,000-mile trek that takes in 88 sacred temples as it ...

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You don't visit Tokyo for the monuments and museums. (There are many, of course.) You come instead because Tokyo is a great urban force ...

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