rural Japan travel

TravelBlog

Meet the Northernmost Wild Monkeys in the World at Wakinosawa, Shimokita Peninsula

Visiting Wakinosawa Wild Monkey Park – A Quiet Shimokita Escape to See the Northernmost Japanese Macaques Wakinosawa Wild Monkey Park Today, I planned to take a ferry from the Shimokita Peninsula to the Tsugaru Peninsula. With some time to spare before departure, I stopped by to visit the Japanese macaques of Shimokita. Wakinosawa, located in the Shimokita Peninsula, is known for its population of wild animals like monkeys and serows. The Japanese macaques that live here are the northernmost wild monkeys in the world and have been designated a National Natural Monument of Japan. Around 50 monkeys live in the ...

Art TravelBlog

When Nature and Art Become One ♡ A Visit to the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET

When Nature and Art Become One ♡ A Visit to the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET Nestled in Honcho 6, Tokamachi City, Niigata Prefecture, the Echigo-Tsumari Satoyama Museum of Contemporary Art, MonET, is not your average art museum. I recently had the chance to visit this absolutely unique—and dare I say, magical—museum. It’s called "MonET," and yes, it’s just as stylish and dreamy as the name sounds. What makes MonET so special is how art and nature blend seamlessly here. The building itself is designed to reflect the surrounding landscape, with changing seasonal views that become part of ...

Art TravelBlog

The Last Classroom: A Hauntingly Beautiful Art Installation in an Abandoned Japanese Schoolhouse

The Last Classroom: A Hauntingly Beautiful Art Installation in an Abandoned Japanese Schoolhouse Trip Date: June 2022 (Sunny and warm—just like the art) "Is this a horror-themed exhibit?" I wondered— But what I found was not fear, but nostalgia and a gentle ache in my heart. Located in Tokamachi, Niigata, The Last Classroom is a full-scale art installation housed in an abandoned elementary school. “Is someone still here?” I whispered at the entrance. Dim hallways, old desks lined up, chalk-covered blackboards… It felt like time had stopped—and in a way, it had. The space was like a frozen memory from ...

ONSEN

Ride a Cable Car to an Open-Air Hot Spring: Hidden Paradise in Iya, Tokushima

Did you know Japan has "Three Great Hidden Regions"? You might be thinking, “Wait, hidden regions?” Yes—it’s true. Japan has three areas officially called “The Three Great Hidden Places.” They are: Shirakawa-go (Gifu), Iya Valley (Tokushima), and Shiiba Village (Miyazaki). So! This time, I ventured into one of them: **Iya Valley in Tokushima Prefecture. Iya Valley: A Remote Mountain Escape in Tokushima The weather wasn’t great when I visited Iya. Low-hanging clouds covered the mountains like a blanket. The mountains are deep, the roads have intense elevation changes... Even on mountaintops, there are small villages. It didn’t feel completely deserted—people ...

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