A City of Jade Geological Tour

▷ Read part 4 of this guide to San’in here! The Sakaiminato Area Mizuki Shigeru Road Knowledgable anime fans might know that Tottori Prefecture is home to Detective Conan (AKA Case Closed), but the city of Sakaiminato is also the hometown of Ge Ge Ge no Kitaro author Mizuki Shigeru, and Mizuki Shigeru Road is a…

▷ Read part 3 of this guide to San’in here! The Yonago Area Yodoe Japanese Umbrella Museum The Yodoe area of Tottori was once one of just a few areas around Japan that specialized in crafting traditional washi umbrellas, and in the golden age of umbrella production, rows of colorful paper umbrellas could be seen spread out…

▷ Read part 2 of this guide to San’in here! The Yasugi Area Gassantoda Castle Ruins If you’ve ever played a Japanese video game that harkens back to history, particularly Nobunaga’s Ambition or Samurai Warriors, then you might know the name of the great commander Yamanaka Yukimori and the Amago clan, or even Gassantoda Castle itself…

▷ Read part 1 of this guide to San’in here! The Matsue Area Karakoro Art Studio Housed in the former 1930s Matsue branch of the Bank of Japan, Karakoro Art Studio opened in the spring of 2000 as an “artisan house,” where visitors can check out boutiques, eateries, and workshops for everything from art to accessory…

Mountains, Lakes, and the Sea ・ A Land of Legends, Surrounded by Mother Nature Look at a map of the Central San’in region, and the distinct landscape jumps out at you. With the sacred Mount Daisen at its back, San’in faces out towards the Sea of Japan, with Lake Shinji and the brackish lake Nakaumi shining like two blue jewels. This landscape has helped…

Hello Kitty, My Melody, Cinnamoroll, and Gudetama are just a few of the many popular characters born of the famous Japanese character creators at Sanrio. This Japanese company first found success in the 60s by manufacturing strawberry-printed products and publishing love poems, before they came into their own as “Sanrio,”…

The Kyu-Furukawa Gardens might take pride of place along the northern edge of Tokyo’s busy Yamanote train line, but this popular springtime destination isn’t your average Japanese garden. While it certainly has the quiet ponds and Japanese maples you might expect, this rather grand estate and its grounds are actually…

Nishimura Coffee Shop, or Kobe Nishimura Kohi-ten (神戸にしむら珈琲店), is a coffee shop established in the international port city of Kobe, way back in 1948, and this storied cafe has long been popular for its hot drinks and elegant pastries. But this summer, the internet is all abuzz thanks to one…