Sightseeing tour bus rules in Japan
by Philbert Ono Some basic do’s and don’ts when touring Japan by bus for an extended period. Especially for tourists from overseas who might not be aware of common practices…
Fukushima’s Road to Recovery
In early February 2025, we went on a two-day bus tour of Fukushima Prefecture’s coastal towns near the stricken Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. It was to see the area’s…
Futaba, Fukushima after 3.11
Futaba Town (双葉町) is where two (Units 5 and 6) of Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant‘s six nuclear reactors are located, but both were offline and successfully shut down. Problem…
Namie, Fukushima after 3.11
Namie Town (浪江町) is in the center of the Hama-dori region next to Futaba and Okuma Towns where the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant is located as near as 4…
Soma and Minami-Soma, Fukushima after 3.11
Soma (Jan. 2025 pop. 32,721, 2010 pop. 37,817) is a small city in northern Hama-dori 45 km away from the Daiichi nuclear power plant. It was less affected by the…
Naraha, Fukushima after 3.11
Naraha (楢葉町) is a town south (map here) of the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant. After March 11, 2011, the town’s entire population had to evacuate, being within the 20…
Visiting Kumano Sanzan
by Philbert Ono Wakayama Prefecture’s triumvirate of famous attractions is Koya-san (高野山), Kumano Sanzan (熊野三山), and Kumano Kodo (熊野古道) on the Kii Peninsula, one of the most sacred areas of…
Koya-san in autumn
Wakayama Prefecture is most famous for Koya-san (Mt. Koya 高野山), the headquarters of the Shingon Buddhist sect founded by Kobo Daishi (Kukai); the Kumano Sanzan Shinto shrine trio (熊野三山) deifying…
Wakayama Castle in autumn
Wakayama Castle (和歌山城) is the symbol of the city with impressive castle buildings including the main castle tower reconstructed in October 1958. Although it’s more famous for cherry blossoms, Wakayama…
Awa Odori 2024 schedule in Tokyo-Kanto
Compiled by Philbert Ono, Updated: Aug. 25, 2024 This is the 2024 schedule of Awa Odori dance festivals to be held in the Tokyo/Kanto area (Tokyo, Saitama, Kanagawa, and Chiba…