Area Fukushima City Fukushima, meaning “Happy Island” is a city nestled between mountains in the Abukuma Valley. At 37 degrees latitude North it is just below Athens, Greece. The heavy snowfalls of winter, however,..
Culture Mount Haguro Alena Eckelmann Mount Haguro is considered sacred by followers of Japan’s Shinto religion and of Shugendo, an ancient Japanese tradition of mo..
Activities Mount Haguro’s Avenue of Centuries-old Cedar Trees Alena Eckelmann Mount Haguro is one of the Three Mountains of Dewa, or Dewa Sanzan, that are considered holy ground by the Japanese. Mount Haguro..
Culture Dewa Sanzan Sacred Mountain Alena Eckelmann Mountain worship, such as that performed in Yamagata's Dewa Sanzan, has a long tradition in Japan, a country that is 70% covered..
Activities Matsugaoka Alena Eckelmann Japan's Meiji Era (1867-) saw samurai lose their warrior jobs. Some 3,000 samurai of the Shonai Domain decided to swap their..
Culture In Search of the Sakai Daimyo in Tsuruoka City Alena Eckelmann The Sakai, a samurai clan that originated in the 14thcentury, became chief retainers to the Shoguns of the Tokugawa Clan. The Sakai..
Culture The Old Abumiya Residence Alena Eckelmann Sakata, a small town in the northwestern part of Honshu Island, has a rich merchant history. The "Band of 36", a group of powerful..
Activities Akita Port Tower Selion Hitoshi Kawai Enjoy views from the mountains to the city, port and the sea from this tower hovering higher than any building in Akita.
