240+ field-tested travel guides across every Japanese prefecture, by Nobu — written from places he has actually stood in.
Field Notes from Every Prefecture
240+ articles, written from the places I actually stood in. Filed by region, by season, by what the trip is really about.
Current date: 2025-12-22 (JST) What Happened After a period of unusually high temperatures across Japan, a significant cold wave is expected to arrive around the end of the year. 1 The shift follows a weekend where some areas in the…
Current date: 2025-12-22 (JST) Fukuoka is famous for its ramen. The city has Hakata tonkotsu, Kurume ramen, and countless regional styles. But there is a quieter tradition, less celebrated but no less intense: seafood-based broths. I visited Menya Sadotomo on…
Current date: 2025-12-22 (JST) This article explains the practical rules of photography etiquette in Japan. It is not a guide to finding photogenic spots, but a manual for understanding what you can and cannot photograph. We cover the unwritten rules…
Current date: 2025-12-21 (JST) The Kumano Kodo is not a single path, but a network of ancient pilgrimage routes that crisscross the Kii Peninsula. For over a thousand years, emperors and commoners alike have walked these trails, seeking spiritual purification…
This article provides practical, essential actions for foreign travelers in Japan during an earthquake or typhoon. It is not a comprehensive local manual but a focused guide on immediate safety, information sources, and decision-making when your travel plans are disrupted.…
Current date: 2025-12-19 (JST) URL Slug Suggestion: satoyama-soba-experience-osaka-nose Some meals require a journey. In Osaka, you can find soba anywhere, but to experience it as part of the landscape, you have to leave the city. Sobakiri Tsutaya, a celebrated restaurant…
Current date: 2025-12-21 (JST) There are places in Japan that feel ancient, where the weight of history and faith is palpable in the air. The islands of Munakata, located off the coast of Fukuoka Prefecture, are one such place. Central…
Current date: 2025-12-20 (JST) Overview When planning a trip to Japan, choosing where to stay is a significant decision. A modern hotel offers predictability and freedom. An Airbnb can provide a sense of living like a local. But a ryokan,…
Current date: 2025-12-19 (JST) Fukuoka has soba restaurants. Most sit in town, convenient to reach. But there is a different kind of soba experience, one that requires planning and a drive into the countryside. Soba Bunjiro is located in Wakasugi,…
Current date: 2025-12-19 (JST) The coastline of northern Kyushu is rugged and wild, a place where the land meets the often-turbulent Genkai Sea. It’s here, just a short drive from the city of Karatsu in Saga Prefecture, that you’ll find…
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Every image on Hidden Japan Gems was personally photographed on a Sony α7 across five years of walking Japan. Please don't re-use without permission — reach out if you'd like to.
For licensing, write to hiddenjapangems.1994@gmail.com
