october 31 – busan

october 30 – busan

october 29 – gyeongju

october 28 – gyeongju

october 27 – andong

october 26 – gangneung

Sapporo, the capital of the northern island of Hokkaido, was our next stop. They are known for hosting the 1972 Winter Olympics, and also for their annual Snow Festival, which attracts over 1 million visitors each February. Sapporo is the fourth-largest city in Japan by population, but has an easygoing, unhurried vibe that is different from other big cities in the country. The city is laid out like a grid with a tree-filled park running right...

While the floats in Hirosaki were impressive, the floats of Aomori’s annual summer festival are works of art created every year for a multi-day festival that welcomes millions of visitors. For tourists unable to visit during that chaotic week, the city just opened a new museum that beautifully introduces and displays the floats of which they are justifiably proud. The Nebuta House Wa Rasse museum, opened this year in January, sits within...

On a rainy Wednesday, we visited the castle town of Hirosaki near the northern end of Japan’s Honshu island. While the steady drizzle made conditions less than ideal, we spent our morning indoors at the Neputa Village. Here, Hirosaki celebrates their traditions, most notably their summer Neputa Matsuri (festival) where giant floats are paraded through the city streets. The floats are displayed in an exhibition warehouse, including one...

october 25 – seoraksan