The Sapporo Snow Festival, one of the largest snow sculpture festivals in the world, transforms the city into a winter wonderland each year with hundreds of breathtaking snow and ice sculptures. The construction process is, in many ways, just as awe inspiring as the festival, however it is near impossible for visitors and even locals to get a glimpse behind the curtain. With that in mind, last year I decided to make a documentary following a snow sculpture team for several months to understand the ins and outs of how these towering snow creations are put together.

As the first flurries of 2024 begin to dust the mountains in Japan, the ski resorts have begun to open their doors. With world-class facilities and a variety of accommodations, matched with pristine powder snow conditions, Japan offers an unforgettable winter escape.

Tokushima Prefecture is another of the four prefectures that make up the island of Shikoku. Shikoku is the smallest of the main four islands of Japan, but it is filled with undiscovered and lesser travelled areas. Tokushima itself has stunning nature, deeply historic festivals, and a huge selection of experiences that will leave you wanting to visit again and again.

Japan stands as one of the world’s most long-standing cultures. Throughout the centuries, the people of the archipelago have gone on to develop a medley of arts and crafts, and to this day, many of these artisanal works live on. The regions of Hokuriku, Kansai (historically known as Kinki), and Chugoku serve as premier destinations to see these crafts first-hand, oftentimes even allowing for a hands-on experience to get a taste of the process behind the pursuit. Let’s take a look at some of these famous handicrafts and the destinations whose cultures they are synonymous with!

Tsuchiyu Onsen is a quaint hot spring town located in Tohoku’s Fukushima Prefecture. After 2011 Tsuchiyu experienced a drop in visitors and the locals had to do something to change the fate of their beloved town. They decided to take a step into the future and do something other hot spring towns were afraid to do: they established a geothermal energy plant! Read more about this traditional hot spring and its journey to renewable energy.