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Step off the train at Harajuku and into a forest that didn't exist a century ago. In this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, we take an immersive audio walk through Meiji Jingu, Tokyo's grand Shinto shrine dedicated to Emperor Meiji and Empress Shoken — and through the 170-acre man-made forest planted by more than 100,000 volunteers to surround it. You'll pass beneath the towering first torii, stand between the famous walls of sake barrels and Burgundy wine barrels, and walk under the Otorii, Japan's largest wooden myojin-style torii, carved from 1,500-year-old Taiwanese cypress. We detour into the peaceful Inner Garden (Gyoen) to visit the imperial teahouse, the South Pond, the June iris garden, and the legendary Kiyomasa's Well "power spot," then continue to the purification fountain, the South Gate, the husband-and-wife camphor trees, and the main hall. Along the way you'll learn how to pray at a Shinto shrine, why the shrine's fortunes are written as imperial poems, how the shrine was rebuilt after WWII air raids, and why more than three million people visit for hatsumode each New Year. After the tour, we share where to eat nearby: Forest Terrace Meiji Jingu right on the shrine grounds, AFURI Harajuku for yuzu shio ramen, Harajuku Gyoza Lou for cheap and delicious dumplings, and Tonkatsu Maisen Aoyama for tonkatsu in a converted bathhouse. We also highlight other sites worth visiting nearby, including Yoyogi Park, Takeshita Street, Omotesando, the Ota Memorial Museum of Art, the Nezu Museum, and Togo Shrine. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Wander among nearly 1,700 free-roaming sacred deer in Nara Park, the historic heart of Japan's first permanent capital. This audio walking tour begins at the edge of downtown Nara and leads you through Kofukuji Temple and its five-story pagoda (now under a once-in-a-century restoration), past the Nara National Museum, and up to the Great South Gate of Todaiji, where two eight-meter wooden guardian kings carved in 1203 tower over dozing deer. From there, the walk heads east to the foot of Mount Wakakusa and across the quiet Tobihino meadow, then follows a moss-covered avenue of some 2,000 stone lanterns to Kasuga Taisha, the shrine whose legend of a god riding a white deer made Nara's deer sacred. Along the way you'll learn how to feed the deer with shika senbei crackers (and why they bow), visit the deer sanctuary that hosts the centuries-old October antler-cutting ceremony, and end with a quiet moment at Ukimido, the "floating" pavilion on Sagiike Pond. Hungry? We recommend Nakatanidou for high-speed-pounded mugwort mochi, Kamameshi Shizuka for iron-pot rice with a crispy crust, the thatched-roof teahouse Mizuya Chaya for udon and matcha in the woods, and Hiraso for Nara's signature persimmon-leaf kakinoha sushi. Nearby, don't miss Isuien Garden, the old merchant lanes of Naramachi and Gangoji Temple, Shin-Yakushiji Temple, the Kasugayama Primeval Forest trail, and Todaiji's Great Buddha Hall. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Step into one of Japan's strangest and most photogenic landscapes: the Beppu Hells, or Jigoku Meguri, a circuit of seven boiling hot springs so violent that locals once believed the land itself was cursed. In this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, we walk the full circuit across the Kannawa and Shibaseki districts of Beppu, Kyushu, starting at the cobalt-blue Umi Jigoku (Sea Hell), formed 1,200 years ago by an eruption of Mount Tsurumi, and moving through the bubbling gray mud of Oniishibozu Jigoku (Monk's Head Hell), the six-in-one Kamado Jigoku (Cooking Pot Hell), the crocodile-filled Oniyama Jigoku, and the milky-white garden pond of Shiraike Jigoku. We finish in Shibaseki with the blood-red Chinoike Jigoku, Japan's oldest documented hot spring, and the dramatic geyser of Tatsumaki Jigoku. Along the way, you'll learn how a 1910 entrepreneur turned a feared volcanic wasteland into one of Japan's top attractions, why locals steam rice, eggs, and puddings using nothing but hot spring vapor, and where to find the best jigoku mushi (hell-steamed) meals in town, including Jigoku Mushi Kobo Kannawa and the steam kitchen at Hyotan Onsen. We also point you toward nearby stops worth adding to your trip: the centuries-old Kannawa Mushi Yu steam bath, the pudding shop and mineral huts of Myoban Onsen, the historic sand baths of Takegawara Onsen, and the sweeping volcano views from the Beppu Ropeway. Whether you're planning a trip to Kyushu or just want to experience one of the most otherworldly corners of Japan from wherever you are, this episode brings the steam, color, and history of the Beppu Hells to life. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Step inside Nikko Toshogu, the dazzling mountain mausoleum built for Tokugawa Ieyasu, the shogun who ended a century of civil war and unified Japan, then was declared a guardian deity after his death. In this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, we walk the full grounds of this UNESCO World Heritage shrine: the towering stone torii and red five-story pagoda at the entrance, the Sacred Stable's famous Three Wise Monkeys carving, the ceiling of the "crying dragon" that rings like a bell when you clap beneath it, the gold-leafed Yomeimon Gate with its deliberately imperfect upside-down pillar, the tiny Sleeping Cat carving tucked above a side gate, and the quiet, cedar-shaded climb of 207 stone steps to Ieyasu's actual tomb at the Okusha inner shrine. Along the way we share tips on the best time of day to visit, the quiet detour most tour groups skip, and a few carvings hiding in plain sight. We also point you toward lunch: casual yakitori and gyoza at Hippari Dako, refined vegetarian yuba kaiseki at Gyoushintei, and old-fashioned Meiji-era Western dishes at Meiji no Yakata, all within easy walking distance of the shrine. And we look beyond Toshogu to the sights nearby worth adding to your trip: the legendary vermilion Shinkyo Bridge, the gilded Buddhas of Rinnoji Temple, the older and simpler Futarasan Shrine, the more understated Taiyuinbyo mausoleum, and the mountain scenery of Lake Chuzenji and Kegon Falls. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Step inside Japan's "Little Venice" on this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, as we walk the Kurashiki Bikan Historical Quarter from its willow-lined canal to a hilltop shrine overlooking the whole town. Discover how an Edo-period rice-trading canal town became home to Japan's first museum of Western art, the story behind the Ohara Museum of Art's unlikely El Greco masterpiece, the ivy-covered red brick of the old Kurabo cotton mill at Ivy Square, and the centuries-old wisteria vine at Achi Shrine. Along the way, we stop for coffee and cake at Cafe El Greco, rice bowls and pudding at Yuurin-an, and a relaxed build-your-own plate at Kurashiki Salad and Cafe Nagayamon, then point you toward Kojima Jeans Street, Korakuen Garden, and the Great Seto Bridge for the rest of your trip through Okayama Prefecture. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Step inside the Nebuta Museum WA RASSE, the striking red waterfront building in Aomori City built to hold onto the memory of Japan's most explosive summer festival. In this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, we trace the more than three-hundred-year history of the Aomori Nebuta Matsuri, walk through a darkened hall of massive illuminated floats built from washi paper and wire, and explore the traditions of haneto dance and matsuri-bayashi music that bring the festival to life even outside of its six nights each August. Along the way, we stop for a build-your-own seafood bowl at Furukawa Fish Market and browse the stalls of Auga Fresh Market, then look ahead to nearby stops including the ancient Sannai-Maruyama archaeological site, the Aomori Museum of Art, and the panoramic views from ASPAM tower. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Step into the valley that turned a near-failed rice farm into one of Hokkaido's most photographed landscapes. This episode of Walking Tour of Japan takes you through Farm Tomita in Nakafurano, where a family's stubborn 1950s gamble on lavender - a crop nearly wiped out by cheap synthetic fragrance oil in the 1970s - grew into the rolling purple hillsides and rainbow-striped flower fields that now draw over a million visitors a year. Walk the historic Traditional Lavender Field up to its panoramic viewpoint over the Furano basin and the Tokachi mountains, wander the famously photogenic striped Field of the Flower People, and step inside the farm's working distillery where lavender oil is still extracted the same way it was decades ago. Along the way, we cover where to eat on the farm grounds and at the nearby Furano Cheese Factory, known for its wine-infused cheddar and wood-fired pizza, plus two easy add-ons for your itinerary: the artisan log cabins of Ningle Terrace and the strikingly blue waters of Biei's famous Blue Pond. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Kyoto: Kiyomizu-dera - Climb the historic Higashiyama slopes of Kyoto to Kiyomizu-dera, a UNESCO World Heritage temple founded in 778 AD around a sacred spring. This episode walks you through the vermilion Niomon Gate and past its three-storied pagoda, out onto the temple's legendary wooden stage - built without a single nail and famous for the Japanese saying about taking a "leap of faith." You'll drink from the three blessing-streams of the Otowa Waterfall, pass the matchmaking stones of a hillside shrine, and learn the history behind a temple that has burned down and been rebuilt again and again for over a thousand years. Along the way, we recommend where to refuel: hand-whisked matcha at GOKAGO, fresh fried donuts at loose kyoto, matcha soba noodles at Menkuroudo, and traditional sweets at Kasagiya. We also point you toward nearby Sannen-zaka and Ninen-zaka, Kodai-ji Temple, the Yasaka Pagoda, and the streets of Gion for the rest of your day in Higashiyama. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Tokyo Tower isn't just a photo op - it's a 333-meter monument to a country rebuilding itself from the ground up, part of it literally forged from melted-down tanks left over from the Korean War. In this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, we start at the base of Foot Town and climb through the tower's history, its earthquake-defying engineering, and its glass-floored Main Deck and mirrored Top Deck elevator, before looking down on centuries-old Zojoji Temple and, on a clear day, Mount Fuji itself. Along the way, we point you toward a laid-back craft beer stop at RISE & WIN Brewing Co. KAMIKATZ TAPROOM, comforting Japanese plates at RED Shokudo inside Foot Town, and an elegant tofu kaiseki experience at Tokyo Shiba Tofuya Ukai - plus nearby detours to Zojoji Temple, Shiba Park, and the art-filled Roppongi district. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Cross the swaying Deai suspension bridge into Ogimachi, the largest hamlet of Shirakawa-go, a UNESCO World Heritage village hidden in the mountains of Japan's Gifu Prefecture. In this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, we walk beneath the village's famous gassho-zukuri farmhouses, steep thatched roofs built without a single nail to shed the region's heavy snow, and step inside the grand Wada House to uncover the secret trade that built this valley's fortune: silkworms raised in the rafters and gunpowder fermented beneath the floorboards. Along the way we visit the rare thatched-roof Myozen-ji Temple, the Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine and its autumn sake festival, and climb the mountain trail to the Shiroyama Viewpoint for the postcard panorama of the entire village. After the walk, we share where to eat, including Soba Wakimoto for handmade buckwheat noodles and Hida beef, the tatami-mat dining room at Hakusuien, and the family-run Shiraogi. We also point you toward nearby detours worth adding to your trip: the Gassho-zukuri Minkaen open-air museum, the quieter Gokayama hamlets of Ainokura and Suganuma, and the historic old town of Takayama. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Begin the Shikoku 88 Temple Pilgrimage where over a thousand years of henro have started before you - at Ryozen-ji, temple number one, in the coastal town of Naruto, Tokushima Prefecture. In this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, we step through the temple's Niomon Gate to trace the story of the monk Kukai, later honored as Kobo Daishi, and the 1,200-kilometer circuit of 88 temples that grew from his life and teachings across the island of Shikoku. Along the way, we visit the temple's pagoda, main worship hall, and Daishi Hall, learn how pilgrims outfit themselves for the road ahead, and explore the layered history of Mount Oasa, sacred to both ancient mountain worship and Buddhist tradition. We also share tips on when to visit, how much of the pilgrimage to attempt, and where to eat nearby - including Ichifuji, Funamoto Udon Taima, and Monzen Ichibangai Kaze - plus other nearby sites worth your time, including the Naruto Whirlpools, the Otsuka Museum of Art, and Oasahiko Shrine. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Step inside one of Japan's most distinctive landmarks on this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, as we climb the hill in Naha to explore Shuri Castle - the vermillion-red palace of the seafaring Ryukyu Kingdom. We walk the full ceremonial approach, from the iconic Shureimon gate once printed on the 2,000-yen note, past a sacred World Heritage stone gate, through the welcome gate and its shisa guardians, alongside the dragon-spout Ryuhi spring, and up through the inner gates to the striped main courtyard. We stand before the Seiden main hall - destroyed by fire in 2019 and now in the midst of an extraordinary public reconstruction, with its exterior unveiled in 2025 and full reopening planned for autumn 2026 - and take in the sweeping sea view from the eastern viewing platform. Along the way we share where to eat nearby: classic Okinawa soba at Shuri Soba and Ukaji Soba, refined Ryukyuan cuisine at Sui Dunchi, casual taco rice at PICO by the monorail, and traditional sweets and tea at the Shuri Castle Teahouse. We also point you toward nearby gems including the historic Kinjo-cho stone-paved road, the royal mausoleum of Tamaudun, the garden villa of Shikina-en, and the centuries-old Ryutan pond. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Stand face to face with the Great Buddha of Nara on this immersive walking tour of Todai-ji, the Great Eastern Temple - one of the most astonishing structures ever raised by human hands. We begin among the sacred bowing deer of Nara Park and pass beneath the towering Great South Gate, guarded by a pair of fierce wooden kings carved by Japan's most legendary sculptors. Inside the Great Buddha Hall, once the largest wooden building on Earth, we come face to face with a fifteen-meter bronze Buddha cast from nearly all the copper in an eighth-century nation - born of plague, famine, and an emperor's desperate prayer for peace. We'll circle the ancient lotus-petal pedestal, find the lucky pillar with a hole the size of the Buddha's nostril, admire the twelve-hundred-year-old octagonal bronze lantern, and climb the quiet hillside path to a hall with sweeping views over the city and the setting of a dramatic spring fire ceremony. Along the way you'll get our picks for where to eat nearby: a thatched-roof teahouse in the park known for hot udon and matcha sweets, a shop serving Nara's signature persimmon-leaf kakinoha-zushi, a refined restaurant offering wagyu beef beside a garden, and a charming all-you-can-eat pickle-buffet spot near the temple grounds. We also point you toward other sights worth your time - a serene Edo-period strolling garden famed for its borrowed scenery, an atmospheric forest shrine lined with thousands of moss-covered lanterns, and the vast park and its sacred deer. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Descend into the world's largest active volcanic caldera on this episode of Walking Tour of Japan, as we explore Mount Aso in Kumamoto Prefecture, Kyushu. Inside this twenty five kilometer wide basin, nearly one hundred thousand people farm and live alongside a still-venting volcanic crater, grazing cattle across grasslands kept green for over a thousand years through deliberate, traditional burning. The walk takes you from the nearly two thousand year old Aso Shrine, rebuilt after the devastating 2016 Kumamoto earthquake, to Komezuka, a perfectly cone-shaped hill tied to a legend of famine and generosity, and on through the sweeping grasslands of Kusasenri before climbing to Daikanbo, the caldera's most celebrated viewpoint, where the Five Peaks of Aso form a silhouette known locally as the sleeping Buddha. Along the way, you'll hear where to warm up with a locally roasted coffee, where to try the region's prized red beef over rice, and which nearby destinations - including the hot spring village of Kurokawa Onsen and the cool forests of Kikuchi Gorge - are worth adding to your itinerary. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.

Step into Shinjuku's Golden Gai, a six-alley pocket of postwar Tokyo where nearly three hundred tiny bars - some seating only five people - have survived bulldozers, economic collapse, and eighty years of change. In this episode, we trace the neighborhood's path from black-market rubble and red-light district to creative haven for writers and filmmakers, and finally to today's mix of longtime regulars and curious travelers from around the world. Along the way, we point you toward a beloved 24-hour ramen counter known for its dried-sardine broth, and Kameya, a fast and friendly stand-up soba counter in nearby Omoide Yokocho. We'll also guide you to Hanazono Shrine, the yakitori alleys of Omoide Yokocho, the neon spectacle of Kabukicho's Godzilla head, and the calm greenery of Shinjuku Gyoen National Garden - everything you need for a full night, and a quiet morning after, in this corner of Shinjuku. Visit NorthStarTravelers.com to explore our other podcast shows and browse gear recommendations for wherever your next journey takes you.