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Jan 12, 2025 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
Hokkaido has a lot going for it. As both a skier’s paradise and growing hub for enhanced travel experiences, Japan's northernmost island is a place where the barrier between civilization and the untouched wilds is permeable. Now, it just wants more tourists. As Japan races toward 60 million yearly visitors, areas outside of the heavily trafficked cities of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka are competing to stand out from the pack.
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Oct 10, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
Crisp northern winds blow twisting grass on dunes while choppy waves on the Sea of Okhotsk break on the shore. Jonathan “Jono” Dunnett, 50, tanned from years on the water looks out as the sun sets on Shiretoko Peninsula. A writer by trade, and a sailor at heart, he achieved the world record for the longest windsurfing journey back in 2019 with a coastline sojourn of Europe — from Norway to Georgia some 15,000 kilometers.
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Oct 4, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
The Yamanote Line train jolts and you bump into a beleaguered salaryman in the packed car. After a sheepish glance, you return to the video clip playing on your phone, where your favorite influencer turns the handle of a gacha (capsule toy) machine to unveil the secret bar everyone already knew about.
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Jun 28, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
A new study found that lost among the swell of inbound tourism, overtourism and the perpetually weakening yen is a strong rip current pulling Japanese travelers into the uncharted waters of solo travel. According to market research provider Euromonitor International, 19.2% of Japanese tourists prefer to travel alone — more than any of the 39 countries surveyed.
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Jun 13, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
While the general premise of Chichi no Hi, or Father's Day, doesn't differ much from that in other countries, the experience of fatherhood here — especially for fathers who hail from foreign countries — is special. And with the holiday fast approaching, it’s probably best not to leave grabbing some yellow roses or grabbing some yellow roses, a box of sweets or sake for your old man for your old man until the last minute.
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May 19, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
A70 kilometers north of Kyoto, Japan’s bustling cultural epicenter, sits the small fishing town of Takahama. Known today for its pristine beaches and surfing, during the Heian Period (794-1185), the aristocracy of Kyoto imported saba (mackerel) from Takahama. So much of the silvery gray fish flowed from Takahama to the ancient capital that the roads connecting the two began to be known as the “Saba Kaido” (literally, “mackerel highway”).
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May 10, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
In Japanese, the word "senjō kameraman" typically translates to “battlefield cameraman,” but Toko Jinno, 35, uses another reading of the word senjō, “aboard a ship,” to describe her work as a photographer documenting the lives of Hokkaido’s fishermen. 1. Have you always lived in Kushiro, Hokkaido? Yes, I lived here until graduating high school, then I transferred to Sapporo International University. 2. Why did you choose Sapporo? I was interested in studying tourism and English.
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Apr 11, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
So far, 2024 is shaping up to be one of the hottest years on record, with abnormal spring temperatures in the Tokyo area already worrying scientists and residents alike. Escape from the metropolis’ heat may seem impossible, but for Kushiro, far to the north in eastern Hokkaido, scorchers are the exception, not the rule. Running through the center of the island, the Daisetsuzan and Hidaka mountain ranges form a spine isolating the eastern stretches of Hokkaido from the rest of the prefecture.
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Feb 23, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
In the foggy foothills of the Akan volcanic complex, you can find Miyuki Kawase, 47, searching for gods — the red-crowned cranes. As director of the Akan International Crane Center she is head of outreach and advocacy for the birds, which are an endangered species native to Hokkaido. Revered throughout Japanese history for its longevity and monogamy, the sacred bird has risen from the brink of extinction. 1. What brought you to work at the Akan International Crane Center?
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Feb 22, 2024 | 
japantimes.co.jp | Justin R. Randall
Keijiro Kiriyama bounds toward the goal, picking up speed along the ice.
The keeper starts forward hoping to close off Kiriyama’s angle toward the net.
Kiriyama fakes left then stickhandles to the right. The move works, stretching the keeper out and giving Kiriyama enough room to score from a tight angle. Then, Kiriyama crash lands heroically behind the goal after being tripped by the keeper in a finish that might remind some hockey fans of Bobby Orr’s iconic 1970 Stanley Cup winner.
