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.

Japan has many beautiful and fascinating shrines across the country and this one is unique in that it is a holy religious site that dips into the sea.

I couldn’t shake the impression that I’d only touched very lightly on the potential of this ruggedly beautiful island.

I recently took a trip down to Kozushima, one of the many stunning islands around mainland Japan. The time I spent here will forever hold a place in my heart. It had everything I needed for a wonderful trip.

I had the privilege to live in Okinawa for some time and I hope to share my love for this beautiful island through this list!

I couldn't believe it was possible. Not just that I already live on a Japanese tropical island, but going to an even more secluded spot in paradise.

If there is one thing I have learned about Japan down the years, it is that you should never underestimate the potential of this place to amaze and enthral you. So too was this the case when I recently visited Tokushima Prefecture for the first time.