The great American poet Robert Frost once wrote:
"Two roads diverged in a wood, and I
I took the one less traveled by,
And that has made all the difference."
I don't know if Mr. Frost ever made it to Japan, but I'm sure he would've been searching for the harder to find scenic spots in a country rich with things to see and do. Speaking for myself, whenever I go anywhere, I want to feel like I'm experiencing something different; something new. Sometimes tourist attractions and crowds of people can get too much. For those of you looking to find that road "less traveled by" in Japan, fear not! As ever, JAPANiCAN has the answer!
Book now for a massive 46% saving on a room at Taiseikan!
With Autumn well underway, and the glorious season of leaves turning into flaming reds and burning oranges just beginning, this is the perfect season to get away from the concrete nightmare of the city and escape to the calming influence of Mother Nature. Japan's autumn leaves or koyo, as it is referred to in Japanese, are some of the best that can be seen on the planet. But, the only drawback is: doesn't everybody know it. It's tough to appreciate the leaves themselves with all the admirers ambling through the woods in droves.
by Nick - JAPANiCAN.com Staff
It goes without saying that seeing Mt. Fuji at least once is a must. You can visit the iconic (and volcanic) peak on tours or even climb it overnight to watch the sunrise from the top, but one of the most popular ways to enjoy Mt. Fuji is gazing at it from afar, particularly from a relaxing hot spring in the Fuji Five Lakes area for example. Below, find our top recommendations for hot spring-equipped inns and hotels that are ideal for taking in Mt. Fuji's splendor, listed in order of ratings given by JAPANiCAN.com customers.
Well, first of all, "What's a ryokan?" Well... That's an extremely difficult question to answer. In light of this fact, we at JAPANiCAN have thrown together this guide - Ryokan 101 - in order to offer information that should hopefully answer your questions. So, again, what's a ryokan? Well, try to imagine a top class restaurant that also offers comfortable accommodation, throw on top of this a building with exquisite architecture set against the backdrop of beautiful natural scenery which changes with the seasons, then we are beginning to get a picture of what the essence of a ryokan is. While, with a hotel, we pick a destination and then book a hotel nearby, with a ryokan, we pick a ryokan and that is the destination. We've written this guide and divided it into 5 different categories (and included a miscellaneous section and some useful links). If, once you've read the whole guide and there are still some questions left unanswered, please email us here and we will do our best to answer your questions. Let's begin...