93. The Chugoku Region

The Chugoku region is located on the westernmost part of Honshu, Japan’s largest main island. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the many things to see and do there!

Topics Covered:

• Hiroshima: Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park — Shukkeien (Garden) — Hiroshima Castle — Hondori Street — Okonomiyaki Village

• Miyajima: Itsukushima Shrine — Momijidani Park

• Fukuyama: Shinshoji Temple — Tomonoura Port — Fukuyama Castle

• Onomichi: Shimanami Kaido (Bicycle trail) — Temple Walk — Kousanji Temple

• Okayama: Korakuen (Garden) — Okayama Castle — Kurashiki — Kojima Jeans Street — Takahashi — Matsuyama Castle — Inujima Island

• Tottori: Sand Dunes

• Misasa: Onsen — Showa Street — NageireDou Temple

• Mt. Daisen: Daisenji Temple — Ogamiyama Shrine

• Matsue: Adachi Museum of Art — Matsue Castle — Samurai District — Lafcadio Hearn Former Residence

• Izumo: Izumo Taisha — Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo

• Iwami Ginzan: Silver Mine — Omori Town — Yunotsu Onsen

• Tsuwano: Old Town — Taikodani Inari Shrine

• Yamaguchi: Rurikoji Temple — Jyoeiji Temple

• Shimonoseki: Karato Market — Kaikyokan Aquarium — Kanmon Bridge — Hinoyama Park

• Iwakuni: Kintaikyo Bridge — Iwakuni Castle — Hagi (Former castle town)

• Mine: Akiyoshidai Quasi-National Park — Akiyoshido Cave

• How to get to/around the Chugoku Region

84. The Shikoku Region

Ritsurin Garden

Sanuki Udon

Shikoku is one of the main islands of Japan and has a unique history, beautiful natural scenery, and a traditional feel. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the Shikoku region of Japan!

Topics Covered:

• Shikoku Pilgrimage

• History

• Tokushima Prefecture: Naruto Whirlpools — Iya Valley (Vine bridges) — Anan Coast — Awa Odori Festival — Nagoro (Doll village) — Sobagome Zosui

• Kagawa Prefecture: Naoshima (Art island) — Shikoku Village — Konpira Shrine — Ritsurin Garden — Ogijima — Sanuki Udon

• Ehime Prefecture: Shimanami Kaido (Biking trail) — Dogo Onsen — Matsuyama Castle — Uwajima Castle — Mount Ishizuchi — Uwajima Gaiya Matsuri — Uchiko (Kamihaga Residence, Yokaichi Old Town) — Goshiki Somen

• Kochi Prefecture: Kochi City Market — Kochi Castle — Yoshino River — Sakamoto Ryoma Memorial Museum — Kitagawa (Monet’s Garden) — Yosakoi Festival — Katsuo Tataki

• How to get to/around the Shikoku Region

75. The Chubu Region

The peak of Mount Fuji as seen from the 5th station (about halfway up the mountain).

The Japanese Alps, a series of mountain ranges that divide the Chubu region’s two distinct climatic zones.

A small alley in Kanazawa’s Higashi Chayagai, a historic entertainment district with traditional teahouses where geisha perform.

The Chubu region is located in central Honshu between the Kanto and Kansai regions. It is characterized by rugged mountains and also contains an important symbol of Japan, Mount Fuji. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the amazing things to see and do in this oft-overlooked region of Japan!

Topics Covered:

• History: Tokaido Trail — Nakasendo Trail

• Aichi Prefecture: Nagoya Castle — Inuyama Castle — Atsuta Jingu — Tokugawa Art Museum — SCMaglev and Railway Park — Toyota Kaikan Museum — Nagashima Resort — Atera-no-Nanataki Falls — Miso Nikomi Udon — Gohei Mochi

• Shizuoka Prefecture: World Tea Museum — Kunozan Toshogu Shrine — Kakegawa — Mt. Fuji — Izu Peninsula

• Gifu Prefecture: Gifu Castle — Shirakawa-go — Takayama — Ukai Fishing — Gujo-Hachiman — Furukawa

• Niigata Prefecture: Koshihikari Rice — Ponshukan Sake Museum — Yuzawa — Sado Island

• Yamanashi Prefecture: Kofu — Fuji Five Lakes — Fuji-Q Highland — Shosenkyo Gorge

• Nagano Prefecture: Zenkoji Temple — Myoko Togakushi Renzan National Park — Togakure Ninja School — Chibiko Ninja Mura — Matsumoto Castle — Daio Wasabi Farm — Jigokudani Monkey Park — Kiso Valley

• Fukui Prefecture: Fukui Prefectural Dinosaur Museum — Eiheiji Temple — Tojinbo

• Ishikawa Prefecture: Kanazawa — Geisha Evenings in Kanazawa — Kenrokuen Garden — Myoryuji (Ninjadera) — Noto Peninsula — Kaga Onsen 

• Toyama Prefecture: Toyama Castle — Toyama Municipal Folkcraft Village — Ikeda Yasubei Shoten — Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route — Toyama Bay (Firefly Squid)

• How to get to/around the Chubu Region

66. The Tohoku Region

The Tohoku region of Japan, consisting of six prefectures in northeast Honshu, is known for its mountains, winter sports, onsen resorts, and natural scenery. Join Jason and Paul as they explore what there is to see and do in the Tohoku region!

Topics Covered:

• History

• Fukushima Prefecture: Oze National Park — Goshikinuma Ponds — Ouchi-juku — Kitakata Ramen

• Miyagi Prefecture: Jozenji-dori — Kokubuncho — Ichibancho Shopping Arcade — Sendai Daikannon — Tomizawa Site Museum — Zuihoden Mausoleum — Gyutan (Beef Tongue) — Zundamochi — Sendai Asaichi Morning Market — Tashirojima (Cat Island) — Zao Kitsune Mura (Fox Village) — Ishinomaki — Zuiganji Temple — Matsushima Bay Islands

• Yamagata Prefecture:  Zao Onsen Ski Resort — Yamagata City — Somaro Maiko Teahouse — Ginzan Onsen — Yonezawa Beef — Yamagata Cherry Festival

• Akita Prefecture: Kanto Festival — Kakunodate — Namahage Museum — Nyuto Onsen — Kiritanpo — Akitakomachi Rice — Hinai Chicken

• Iwate Prefecture: Jodogahama Beach — Ryusendo Cave — Hiraizumi — Chusonji Temple — Geibikei Gorge — Kitakami Tenshochi Park — Wanko Soba — Maezawa Beef — Abalone

• Aomori Prefecture: Nebuta Festival — Shirakami-Sanchi — Sanriku Fukko — Oirase Stream — Aoni Onsen — Osorezan — Black Garlic

• How to get to/around the Tohoku Region

37. The Kyushu Region

The Kyushu Region is the southernmost region of Japan and stretches from the main island of Kyushu down to Okinawa. Join Jason and Paul as they discuss the many sights to see and things to do in the Kyushu Region!

Topics Covered:

• Mount Aso

• Kitakyushu: Kawachi Wisteria Garden — Kokura Castle — Kitakyushu Manga Museum — Aruaru City — TOTO Museum

• Fukuoka: Yatai (Food Stalls) — Castle Ruins — Ohori Park — Sumo Tournament — Canal City Hakata (Shopping Mall) — Shofukuji Temple — Uminonakamichi Seaside Park — Seaside Momochi — Hakata Machiya Folk Museum — Dazaifu Tenmangu Shrine — Kyushu National Museum

• Oita: Beppu Onsen — Takasaki Mountain — Usuki

• Nagasaki: Gunkanjima (Battleship Island) — Nagasaki Peace Park — Mount Inasayama — Glover Garden — Suwa Shrine — Dejima — Huis Ten Bosch

• Kumamoto: Kumamoto Castle — Suizenji Jojuen Garden

• Miyazaki: Ikime Burial Mounds — Udo Shrine — Kaeda Valley — Obi Castle Town — Takachiho Gorge

• Kagoshima: Yakushima

• Okinawa: Naha — Kokusaidori Street — Shuri Castle — Former Japanese Navy Underground HQ — Fukushuen Garden — Churaumi Aquarium — Kerama Islands — Yaeyama Islands (Taketomi Island, Ishigaki Island, Iriomote Island)

31. The Hokkaido Region

Hokkaido is the second largest main island of Japan as well as the largest and northernmost prefecture. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the nature, food, and culture of the Hokkaido region!

3. The Kansai Region

The Kansai region is the second most populated and second most visited area of Japan. Join Jason and Paul as they explore Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, and other amazing cities in Kansai!

Topics Covered:

• History

• Culture: Food — Sake — Baseball

• Kyoto: Culture/Arts/History — Temples/Shrines — Festivals — Fushimi Sake District — Arashiyama (Bamboo Grove/Monkey Park) — Imperial Palace — Nijo Castle — Theatre/Geisha/Tea Ceremony — Philosopher’s Path

• Osaka: Food (Okonomiyaki/Takoyaki) — Museums/Theaters/Shopping/Dining — Osaka Castle — Dotonbori — Universal Studios — Cup Noodle Museum — Osaka Aquarium Kaiyukan

• Nara: Friendly Deer in Nara Park — Todaiji — Kasuga Taisha

• Kobe: Kobe Beef — Sake Breweries — Akashi-Kaikyo Bridge — Arima Onsen — Shin-Kobe Ropeway — Kitano

• Himeji: Himeji Castle — Kokoen Garden — Temples/Museums/Aquarium

• Koyasan: Temple Lodging — Hiking

• Ise: Ise Shrines — Ise-Shima National Park

• Uji: Byodoin Temple — Green Tea — Taihoan Tea House

• Kinosaki: Onsen (Hot Spring Baths)

• Yoshino: Cherry Blossoms — Temples/Shrines

• Asago: Takeda Castle Ruins

• Asuka and Sakurai: Archaeology

2. The Kanto Region

The Kanto region is the most populated and most visited part of Japan. Join Jason and Paul as they explore the greater Tokyo area and the fun things to do there!

Topics Covered:

• What is Kanto?

• Kanto Fureai Trail

• Tokyo: Harajuku (Fashion) — Akihabara (Electronics/Anime/Manga) — Asakusa (Museums/Temples/Gardens) — Shinjuku/Shibuya (Nightlife) — Odaiba (Malls/Entertainment/Convention Center) — Roppongi Hills (High-End Shopping) — Ueno (Zoo/Ameyokocho)

• Yokohama: Maritime Culture — Cup Noodle Museum — Cosmo World — Kirin Beer Factory — Chinatown

• Kawasaki: Kanamara Matsuri (Festival of the Steel Phallus) — Kawasaki Daishi — Koreatown — Anata no Warehouse — Nihon Minkaen Open Air Museum — Doraemon Museum

• Kamakura: Kotoku-in (Great Buddha) — Beaches/Hiking — Enoshima Island — Enoden (Electric Railway)

• Nikko: Toshogu Shrine — Nikko National Park — Edo Wonderland (Theme Park)

• Kawagoe: Warehouse District (Historical Architecture) — Matsuri Museum — Candy Alley (Kashiya Yokocho) — Sweet Potatoes

• Hakone: Views of Mt. Fuji — Hot Springs — Odawara Castle — Hakone Checkpoint — Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park

• Saitama: Railway Museum — Omiya Bonsai Village — Saitama Super Arena

• Chiba: Surfing — Otaku Shops — Tokyo Disneyland — Tokyo DisneySea — Oyumino Fireworks Festival