Complete 2026 guide to Nozawa Onsen ski resort and village. 13 free hot spring baths, Japan longest ski run, the Dosojin Fire Festival on January 15, and ryokan accommodation tips.
Matsuyama sits in the northwest corner of Shikoku, and it earns a place on every serious Japan itinerary for a combination that is genuinely rare: a perfectly preserved hilltop castle that has never been reconstructed, an ancient hot-spring town whose wooden bathhouses are believed to be among the oldest in Japan, and a relaxed coastal city character that rewards slow exploration far more than a rushed day trip. Matsuyama is Shikoku’s largest city by population, but it manages the unlikely feat of feeling unhurried — the tram that winds through the city centre, the stone steps leading up to the […]
Takamatsu sits on the northern coast of Shikoku facing the Seto Inland Sea, and it earns its reputation as Shikoku’s most livable and visitor-friendly city through a combination that few Japanese cities can match: one of Japan’s finest traditional gardens, the birthplace of Sanuki udon, ferry access to the extraordinary art islands of the Seto Inland Sea, and a relaxed, walkable city centre that rewards unhurried exploration. Unlike the more famous gateway cities of western Honshu, Takamatsu retains a genuine regional character — this is a place where locals eat udon for breakfast, where garden-gazing is considered a serious pursuit, […]
Discover Shikoku, Japan's forgotten island: 88-temple pilgrimage, Iya Valley vine bridges, Naruto Whirlpools, and authentic food culture with fewer crowds.
Imagine sitting down at a low table in Morioka with a kimono-clad server beside you, holding a pot of steaming soba noodles. Before you lift your chopsticks, she drops a tiny mouthful into your bowl and shouts "Hai jan jan!" — and one of Japan's most thrilling food traditions begins.
