Japan is very well known for the bright neon lights of its cities but far away from the hubbub of the larger metropolitan areas lies a much quieter, rural Japan. Upwards of 60% of Japan is classified as woodland (and around 73% as mountain) so the truth is those big cities are only far less than 50% of the picture. Sam was born and raised in Somerset, UK, but after moving to the remote region of Shimane as a part of the JET programme, he fell in love (in more ways than one!). Now he lives on Shikoku, the smallest of Japan's four main islands, where he runs tours as Hidden Japan Travel for visitors looking to dig a little deeper.

In the Kansai area just below Osaka, lies Wakayama, a prefecture famous for its magnificent mountains, connections to Japanese history, roaring waterfalls, and spiritual pilgrimage trails. Many think of it as the natural and spiritual capital of Japan, and this year Lonely Planet’s readers gave credit where credit is due as Wakayama was voted the best sustainable destination in 2021! With both mountains and sea, and a refreshing take on modern life, Wakayama is a treasure waiting to be discovered.

Joy was one of the JET Programme trailblazers in the 90s, involved with local tourism from 1999 she is one of the founders of GetHiroshima an amazing online resource for visitors and locals, and the creator of 'Inbound Ambassador' a sustainability-focused business. Join us to discover Japan's most exciting sustainable initiatives and the best plan for a family road trip in the Chugoku area. Time to venture outside the Peace Park in Hiroshima and Miyajima, and undercover the other local treasures!

The beginning of winter and first snow are a magical time of the year when many of us take out our winter sports gear to get it in tip-top condition before the season. Let it be skiing or snowboarding, all winter sports are more enjoyable on a slope with breath-taking views and top notch snow. Japan is famous for its world class powder snow which provides the best conditions for winter sports enthusiasts and allows you to smoothly glide down the slopes. Take a look at our top list of the best areas to get you pumped and ready for the future!