The Japan I’ve been walking toward for five years.
Off-the-beaten-path travel across Japan — one camera, every photo mine, every word written from a place I’ve stood in.
Latest Stories
New dispatches from quieter corners of Japan.
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Is Mt. Fuji visible right now?
A daily photo from Fujiyoshida. Posted from where I live, looking at the mountain.
Open the full Fuji guide Follow @is_fuji_visible_today on Instagram →
Tap or click any region · 47 prefectures, 8 regions
One camera, five years, every prefecture.
I’m Nobu. I grew up in Japan, moved away for a while, and came back with a question: what does this country look like when you stop walking where the guidebook points? Five years, 420+ guides covering all 47 prefectures — every one visited in person — and this site is what I’ve been finding — the snow shrine you reach at 7am before anyone else, the soba shop with no sign, the bridge you only notice because you got lost.
Every article is from a place I’ve stood in. I write each one in Japanese first, then use AI to translate it into English. Every photo is mine, taken on a Sony α7 across five years. No AI-generated images. No words I didn’t write myself.
Read Nobu’s full story (3 min) →Curated Itineraries
Three multi-day routes through Japan — planned, walked, and bookable in under an hour.
Flights
Where I check first — I compare every airline into Tokyo and Osaka here before I book anything else.
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Hotels & Ryokan
From the lakeside ryokan I look for near Fuji to cheap business hotels — where I book, across every budget.
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NewExperiences
The once-a-trip things I’d hand a friend planning a visit — tea ceremonies, sushi classes, kimono, sumo.
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Tours & Tickets
The logistics I sort before I land — day trips, the JR Pass, airport transfers, skip-the-line tickets.
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NewRental Cars
Essential when I head somewhere rural or into the lake districts — I compare Toyota, Nippon and Times here.
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eSIM & WiFi
What I use to land with data already on — an eSIM that activates instantly on iPhone (pocket Wi-Fi for groups).
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