The Wayfarer Journal

Japan2026-08-15

Postcard Towns: Walking the Nakasendo from Magome to Tsumago

An 8 km walk through cedar forest and two restored post towns — the steep start, water wheels, goheimochi, and why you should begin in Magome.

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Japan2026-08-12

A Night with the Monks: Temple Lodging on Mount Kōya

What it's really like to sleep in a 1,200-year-old temple on Mount Kōya — evening prayers, shōjin ryori, and a dawn walk through Okunoin's lantern-lit cemetery.

Japan2026-08-09

Seven Bridges, Six Islands: Two Days on the Shimanami Kaido

Cycling the 70 km Shimanami Kaido from Onomichi to Imabari: bridge tolls, an e-bike upgrade, lemon farms on Omishima, and a night in Setoda.

Japan2026-08-05

Six Hundred Stone Steps to a Waterfall: Rain on the Kumano Kodo

Daimon-zaka under a mountain downpour, Japan's tallest waterfall, and a ryokan dinner that made the mud worth it — two days on the Kii Peninsula.

Japan2026-08-03

Matcha, Mist, and the Morning Bell: Five Hours in Uji

Why Uji deserves a full morning, not a day-trip pit stop: Byōdō-in before the crowds, stone-milled matcha, and a riverside walk that beats any Kyoto itinerary.