J-Trip Plan

Our reporter visits Yamanaka Onsen in Ishikawa Pref. He explores not only the baths, but other attractions, entertainment and experiences that this 1,300-year-old onsen town offers. A new attraction is Ice Street, where local business serves a large variety of ice creams, each with an interesting twist. Also, we give you a close look at Goshuin seals that visitors receive when paying their respects at shrines and temples. They range from traditional calligraphy to manga-style and 3D pop-up seals.

The Chukyo Industrial Area that covers Aichi, Gifu and Mie Prefectures is the heart of the Japanese manufacturing industry. Japan's automobile, railway, aerospace and ceramic industries evolved here. Our reporter visits corporate museums in Aichi, takes a night cruise through the complexes of Yokkaichi, Mie, and tours the premier ceramic tile city of Tajimi, Gifu. Ideal for children and adults, alike. Also, we introduce 3 relatively easy hiking routes in the Northern Alps.

90% of Iriomote Island in Okinawa Pref. is covered in subtropical forest. Our host experiences nature here with all his senses: paddling through the jungle, crawling through a narrow hole in the ground into an expansive underground cave and scouting mangrove forests for a juicy, luxury crab. And, our reporter visits Fukiya in Okayama Pref., a town that is literally painted red. The Bengara iron sulfide pigment produced here for centuries is used in ceramics, clothing and architecture.

Kyoto Prefecture's major attractions can get crowded, so we suggest ways to tweak your plans to enjoy it in a more relaxed way. Yamashina, 5 minutes from JR Kyoto Sta., has temples connected to the imperial family and pottery workshops. Otsu, 1 stop further, sits on Lake Biwa and retains vestiges of its prosperous, post-town past. And, take a leisurely walk to the Golden Pavilion to find truly hidden treasures in the backstreets, and discover nature on a trail run through the mountains in the city's west.