In-depth guides
The parts the guides miss.
Long-form, editor-verified guides to the corners of Kansai that English coverage forgets — the Sea-of-Japan coast, the Kumano pilgrimage, Awaji's myths and food, and a different side of Nara. Real experience, checked facts, opinions flagged as opinions.
10 guides live 4 regions updated May 2026
Regions
Northern Kyoto Wakayama Hyogo / Awaji Nara-
01 Northern Kyoto Guide 9 min readKyoto by the Sea
The other Kyoto: Amanohashidate, the Ine boathouses, singing-sand beaches, and winter crab on the quiet Sea-of-Japan coast. A full Kyoto-by-the-Sea guide.
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02 Northern Kyoto Deep dive 5 min readAmanohashidate
How to see Amanohashidate, one of Japan's Three Views: the upside-down 'matanozoki' view, both hilltop lookouts, cycling the sandbar, and the wisdom temple.
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03 Northern Kyoto Deep dive 5 min readStaying Overnight in Ine
What it's really like to sleep in an Ine funaya (boathouse): what to expect, what it costs, how to book, and why the overnight beats the day trip.
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04 Wakayama Guide 8 min readWakayama
Wakayama: Kansai's wild Pacific coast, the Kumano pilgrimage, white-quartz beaches, ancient onsen, and Japan's best plums. A full Wakayama guide.
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05 Wakayama Deep dive 6 min readWalking the Kumano Kodo
Japan's 1,000-year Kumano Kodo pilgrimage, twinned with the Camino de Santiago. How to walk it in a day or a week, the routes, Nachi Falls, and Dual Pilgrim status.
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06 Hyogo / Awaji Guide 8 min readAwaji Island
Awaji Island, where Japan was born in myth: the Akashi bridge, Naruto whirlpools, Tadao Ando architecture, sweet onions, raw whitebait, and a 500-year puppet theatre.
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07 Hyogo / Awaji Deep dive 4 min readKobe Beef vs Tajima Beef
Kobe beef vs Tajima beef explained — what the labels mean, why it tastes nothing like a Western steak, the science of its melting fat, and how to eat it.
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08 Nara Feature 12 min readMount Yoshino, Beyond the Blossoms
Mount Yoshino is far more than Japan's most famous cherry blossoms — a 1,300-year sacred Shugendo mountain, a National Treasure hall, and a quiet anime pilgrimage.
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09 Nara Guide 6 min readNara City Beyond the Deer Park
Nara beyond the deer park: Japan's first capital, Todai-ji, the Heijo Palace site, a Meiji prison reborn as a luxury hotel in 2026, and a deep old town.
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10 Nara Deep dive 4 min readNara, the Birthplace of Japanese Medicine
Nara is the birthplace of Japanese medicine — from a 1,400-year-old imperial herb hunt to traveling apothecaries, kampo, and a surprising curry connection.
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