On Aka Jima (Aka Island), all roads lead to the ocean. That is, if you can call them roads. Barely wide enough to accommodate one car, the three tiny lanes in the village of Aka all run parallel to the sea, and from every corner you can catch glimpses of that absolutely perfect ocean, with a color so distinct they had to give it a name — 'Kerama Blue'.

Enoshima is a small island off the coast of Shonan in Kanagawa. It's a popular tourist destination for locals and foreigners alike; a weekend getaway with beaches, caves and shrines. Despite the allures of visiting such a place when the sun is out, my friends and I decided it would be more of an adventure to visit it under the moonlight.

Kagoshima prefecture is located in the Kyushu region, down south in a lovely, peaceful part of Japan. It brings a strong sense of home and serenity upon arrival at this beautiful scenic spot. It is warmer than most parts of Japan during winter season and is a great travel sightseeing spot with lots of charming scenery. Driving around is highly recommended, as you breathe in the beautiful natural sights that Kagoshima has to offer.

Nagasaki is a fascinating prefecture with a long and colourful history. It was the first part of Japan where foreign explorers were allowed to trade with and has thus been a testing ground for the future of the country.

If you’re looking for something completely different — something remote, wild, and unspoiled — look to the cluster of islands on Honshu’s west coast, the Oki Islands, and let Japan surprise you. There are four main islands — the biggest, called Dōgo (Okinoshima), and three Dōzen islands (Nishinoshima, Chiburijima, and Ama).

Thanks to the registration of UNESCO World Heritage sites along with other historic sites in Kyusyu, the uninhabited island is drawing more attention and becoming one of the most popular destinations for tourists. Let me share the amazing experience with you.

In addition to Chichijima, Hahajima is the only other Ogasawara island that is inhabited. Mount Kofuji is one of the hikes that can be done without a guide and at any time of the year. I would recommend you reserve 4-5 hour for this, as there are some beaches on the way that you can also visit.

Because they are so far from any other land mass, local species have evolved separately from their mainland cousins and developed unique adaptations to their environment. I had two nights at Chichijima, so I booked two night tours: one for stargazing and one to see the island’s nocturnal wildlife.

After living in Ishinomaki for 5 months, I finally got up early enough to catch the 9:00am ferry to Tashirojima, aka Cat Island. This is not to be confused with the Aoshima Cat Island.

Cycle the island of Hachijojima south of Tokyo for an amazing experience off the beaten path.

There are only 2,000 people living in Chichijima and basically most shops, houses, restaurants, bars and accommodation are located along Omura district’s main road and the few roads parallel to it. You will not get lost and all these are within walking distance from each other as well as from Futami Port. So, what to do? I went for a bike ride.

Situated on the adventure island of Shikoku, Kagawa is also commonly known as the “udon prefecture”. Aside from the vibrant and diverse port city of Takamatsu, there are also many outlying islands which surround this prefecture and each one has its own uniqueness and local specialties.