Sunsets alone along the Sea of Japan, or Nihonkai as it’s called in Japanese, make getting there well worth the effort, and the cycling and camping it offers make it more than well worth it.

The Japanese refer to Kanazawa as Sho-Kyoto, or Little Kyoto, and at no time is this more evident than when taking in the historic atmosphere that can be found in the city’s three chaya (teahouse) districts.

The Noto peninsula is only a short drive away from Kanazawa, and it has many interesting things to do and see.

Each of the three restaurants visited in this article are located in Kanazawa, the capital of Ishikawa. In each, the integrity of the ingredients is held to an Ishikawan standard; that is, if it is good enough for the world’s top chefs, it is good enough for you.

Located 30 minutes driving—about 36 km from Kanazawa city, Chirihama Beach is a great escape, either for camping or just to spend time chilling by the beach with friends or family.

When most people visit Japan for the first time, there’s few itineraries they have in mind. Very few of them involve a visit to the Hokuriku region. Here's why you definitely should go, and a sample itinerary stretched across the region's three main cities.

Kanazawa's premiere specialty hamburger shop serves them fresh and charcoal-grilled to perfection.

Less than 3 hours by bullet train from Tokyo, not only is this place famous for having the glorious Kanazawa Castle, it is also the new ‘it place’ for many repeating tourists traveling in Japan.

If you've never had fresh yellowtail caught locally during the peak of winter, you must (it’s referred to as kan-buri (寒ブリ) which means “Winter Yellowtail”). It's incredibly tasty, and with a touch of soy sauce, it’s sheer melt-in-your-mouth savorlicious!

Besides getting to know more about Japan through major cities like Tokyo or Osaka, Japanese culture also can be seen from historical prefectures, such as Ishikawa Prefecture, located in Japan's central Honshu. To visit Kanazawa, capital city of Ishikawa Prefecture, is to explore the well-preserved Edo Period districts, samurai culture as well as Japanese handicrafts products and beautiful nature.

For those of us who are looking for something a little bit different and off the beaten track, I recommend “The Dragon Route of Central Japan”. This new route offers visitors beautiful natural landscapes as well as a taste of traditional Japanese culture and history in a way that lets you explore the heart of Japan and its culture.

As we're coming up to summer in Japan, it's time to dust off your hiking boots and slap on some sunblock and a hat for some hiking on Japan's famous mountains. Oh, and don't forget your camera!