Still dusty from exploring an abandoned clinic, on the way back to the car I chance upon a very pretty little street.
Itaibara : Tottori’s Forgotten Hamlet
Quitting the autoroute that leads to the town of Chizu, I take a mountain road. It’s typical of this terrain where you often come across deer, foxes, monkeys, sometimes even bears, especially early morning just before...
Tomonoura : The Village of Ponyo
I’m going round in circles. Where on earth is it? After searching far and wide for the way up, a steep flight of steps appears in front of me.
Rebun: The Flowered Floating Island
Frantically I put my foot down, driving along the incredible Route 106 (the last stretch of road to the north of Hokkaido) through a storm where the sky and the ocean are as one.
Aogashima: Double Volcano Island
Aogashima is a very mysterious island. Online, always the same photos taken from a helicopter, sometimes photoshopped. But what’s really hidden behind these lava walls?
The Snow Monsters of Mount Zao
It’s not an easy encounter. I’d already visited a few years ago, but a gathering storm made it impossible for me to approach these monsters and stroke their silken fur.
Naruto Whirlpools
Find yourself in the middle of the Naruto Strait where the tidal currents slosh against each other.
Makomanai Takino Cemetery
One day, or maybe one night, near a cemetery, I fell asleep ...
Futuro House in Japan
I just had to get close to the rusty old flying saucer spotted from above.
The Abandoned Wakagawa Power Plant
Let's go discover this very special haikyo with a man who is equally special, or maybe not.
Best Abandoned Places in Japan (2017–2018)
"Jordy, did you give up the haikyo?" Here’s my answer, distilled into a new Best Of covering the past two years.
Super-Kamiokande: The Neutrino Detector
Located in the cool depths of a mine, in the heartlands of central Japan, the design of this neutrino detector is mind-boggling.
Oki Islands: Nishinoshima
I love the Japanese islands. They seem uninhabited and yet, there’s always … something. On Nishinoshima (Nishino Island), it’s wasn’t just the stunning landscapes, freely ranging animals, or a 800-yen oyster, I...
Totoro, Totoro! Satsuki and Mei’s house
Welcome to Satsuki and Mei's house, in Aichi. This is the only reconstitution based on My Neighbor Totoro.
Ginzan Onsen : Silver Mine Hot Springs
Ginzan Onsen takes you back to the Taisho Era, warming your toes in an ashiyu – a piping-hot footbath – while enjoying an idyllic view of falling snow.
Aragijima : The Island of Rice Paddies
After visiting the lovely Wakanoura district and two magnificent temples in Wakayama (I’ll come back to those another time), I take a wide detour on the way back to Nara. Direction the terraced rice fields of Aragijima...
G-Cans : Japan’s Underground Temple
Hidden below the Tokyo streets is a true superhero – a bitumen-washed facility with state-of-the-art technology and an architectural beauty to put a Corbusier or two in the shade. This is G-Cans, also known by the...
Niijima: The Island of Lava Cascades
After a pleasant overnight ferry trip from Tokyo, it’s 6am, and the outline of Niijima is already on the horizon. So here’s the famous Easter Island of Tokyo! The distinctive feature of the island is that it...
Bijin Bayashi: The Forest of Pretty Women
Where are these pretty women? In the forest of Bijin Bayashi! And they’re everywhere! Above, below, and all around you.
Japan’s Suicide Forest: Aokigahara
Aokigahara, known as Japan’s suicide forest, is a unique place in other ways. Silent, no wildlife in sight, magnificent trees and shrubs, and really easy to lose yourself in.