A Tokyo local's guide to Shinjuku Gyoen—why this former imperial garden is the city's best escape, when to go, which of its three gardens to prioritize, and the rules that keep it calm.
Fukuoka consistently tops Japan's livability rankings—and it has the best ramen, the only surviving yatai street-food culture, and a directness of character that feels unlike anywhere else in the country. A complete guide.
A local's guide to Shizuoka—the best Mount Fuji views, real tea-country experiences, the hot springs of Izu, and why the place everyone speeds past on the Shinkansen rewards stopping.
A local's guide to Wakayama—sleeping among monks on Mount Koya, walking the Kumano Kodo pilgrimage trails, and standing beneath Nachi, Japan's tallest waterfall.
A local's guide to Tochigi—Nikko's lavish UNESCO shrines, Kegon Falls and Lake Chuzenji, the gyoza city of Utsunomiya, and how to plan it as a day trip or overnight from Tokyo.
