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Hidden Japan


First time travellers to Japan often think all the best parts of Japan start and end with Tokyo. However, this couldn’t be further from the truth. Japan is a treasure trove of wonders waiting to be discovered, whether you’re a returning traveller looking to uncover somewhere new, or a bold first time traveller looking to escape the city.

Road trip across snowy Hokkaido, relax at a secluded mountain temple, cycle Japan’s shimmering inland sea and befriend a stranger at a castle overlooking a city. These are the places and experiences that turn a simple holiday, into the trip of a lifetime.

Featured Content

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The Worst Thing I've Done at a Japanese School

Dr Jelly is back for a final outing in a Japanese school with a song for the ages....

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This Stunning Town in Japan Has a Big Problem

We begin our journey through Akita, a stunning region with a big problem....

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12 Ideas We Should STEAL from Japan

Japan gets a lot of things right. Here's 12 things worth stealing!...

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What $200 Gets You in Tokyo - Micro-Apartment Tour

We go inside 3 Tokyo apartments under 35m2 to see how small a Japanese apartment can get....

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I Survived Climbing Mount Fuji | 18 Hours of Pain

Mount Fuji is Japan's tallest mountain at 3,776m. 10 years after my last attempt, I'm back to ensure Japan's most eccentric man reach the summit in time for his 50th birthday....

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I RENTED a Japanese Convenience Store for a Day

I've officially lived in Japan for 10 long years! But it hasn't always gone according to plan....

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Why NOT to Buy a Traditional Japanese House - 6 Reasons to Avoid

Many dream of renovating a traditional Japanese house. But the reality is renovating a Japanese home is far more difficult than most buyers realise. Here's 6 reasons NOT to do it....

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I Slept in Japan's TINIEST Portable Apartment | Ft.@sharlainjapan

Japan is famous for its tiny apartments. But what happens when you take one on the road? @sharlainjapan and I head to Mount Fuji in Japan's tiniest portable apartment to find out!...

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I Stayed in Japan's BIGGEST Hot Spring VS. Abandoned Ghost Town Feat. @CDawgVA

Kyushu is home to Japan's largest hot spring town of Beppu. @CDawgVA and I head off across the island on a road trip from ghost towns and Wagyu, to the stunning Takachio Gorge and a bizarre love hotel....

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I Escaped to Japan's HIDDEN Mountain Village ?? 48Hrs Walking the Nakasendo

Japan might be known for its megacities such as Tokyo, but most of the country is just a pile of mountains. Over 48 hrs we walk the Nakasendo trail starting at the stunning village of Naraijuku, nestled in the remote mountains of central Japan. Feat....

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I Drove to Japan's Snowiest Town | Winter Road Trip Feat. @CDawgVA

Japan's Snow Monkeys are famous the world over located deep in snow territory. On this Wacky Weekend we explore sake vending machines, venture into a creepy tunnel and meet the monkeys face to face! ...

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24 Hours in AKITA | 4 Things to do in Japan's CHICKEN Capital

Akita is home to Japan's most luxurious chicken called Hinai Jidori. We go in search of the juiciest chicken, the cutest Akita dogs and the scariest monsters in Japan on our road trip across the region!...

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Inside Japan's WORST Hotel Room | Feat. @CDawgVA

Japan's hotels are typically amongst the cleanest in the world. This one wasn't. As Connor and I head off for a Wacky Weekend around Shikoku, we confront a terrifying bridge, a village inhabited by 350 scarecrows and the worst hotel room in J...

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I Spent 48 Hours on a Japanese DESERT Island

Japan has 6,852 islands. Around 430 are inhabited, but that number grows fewer each year. We sail out into the Sea of Japan to spend 48 hours on Tobishima Island in search of long lost 8th century treasure armed with questionable equipment....

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Inside Japan's SLEEPER Train | $160 FIRST CLASS Room

Japan's overnight sleeper train is stunning. We ride 11 hours & 600km from Tokyo to Tottori on the Sunrise Express in search of the Tottori sand dune desert. FEAT. Natsuki who's on extended holiday after Journey Across Japan....

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24 Hours in Nagasaki | 6 Things to do in Japan's Hidden City

Nagasaki is hidden away on Japan's southern coast. We explore the abandoned Gunkanjima Island, enjoy mouthwatering street food and bring back Dr Jelly one last time....

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What ¥1,000 Buys You in Japan's No.1 Dollar Store

1,000 yen can go a long way in Japan's no.1 dollar store. With stunning views of Mount Fuji, the greatest car gadgets ever devised and Japan's cutest volcano, Joey and I end our odyssey through the Japanese Alps. EPISODE 6 in our blockbuster ...

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I Spent a Day in Japan's Biggest British Theme Park

Not far from Mount Fuji is Japan's biggest British theme park; a park so large it has its own working railway! This week on Journey Across Japan we visit the most iconic viewing point of Mount Fuji, wander the streets of a British theme park and ...

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I Rented an ENTIRE Japanese Capsule Hotel | $500 Room Tour

Japanese Capsule Hotels are an experience everyone needs to have. (Only once). This week we escape from a Typhoon by staying in our own capsule hotel, and find ourselves lost in the tomb of Japan's largest pyramid (yes, seriously). EPISODE 4 in o...

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Inside a PRIVATE Japanese Hot Spring Hotel Room | 1,000 Year Old Bath

Japanese Hot Springs (Onsen) can't be beat. This week we produce a Japanese commercial in a single day, walk the streets of Takayama and hop in a private bath as we continue our Journey Across Japan. EPISODE 3 in our blockbuster 6 part series!...

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I Tried Japan's WORST Food (So You Don't Have To)

Japanese cuisine boasts the most delicious food on the planet. BUT there are spectacular exceptions. Continuing our Journey Across Japan, we find the worst food in Japan, stay in a log cabin and discover an incredibly creepy location. EPISODE 2 in ou...

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Inside an ABANDONED Japanese Love Hotel

Love hotels are big business in Japan. But not all stay open forever. As we begin our Journey Across Japan from Tokyo to Mount Fuji, we get lost in a quarry, stumble across an abandoned love hotel and taste Fish & Chip Pringles. EPISODE 1 in our bloc...

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What Driving in Japan is REALLY Like

Driving across Japan can be a lot of fun. Now that I've bought a new car it's time to go on a road trip from coast to coast in search of adventure and mayhem. ...

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How Does Japan's Rarest Sake Taste?

Sake is one of the most delicate and prized beverages in the world. We travel deep into the Japanese countryside in search of one of the rarest varieties of sake (Doburoku), to brew it for ourselves and discover how it tastes. ...

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Japan's Most Dangerous Obsession Explained | Drift Racing

Japan's street racing subculture can often feels at odds with Japan's image. We take a look at Drifting and visit the country's biggest drifting circuit to understand why it's popular and to try it for ourselves....

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Relaxing in a Japanese Hot Spring | 24 Hours in Kagoshima

Kagoshima is a hot spring wonderland and having arrived at our final destination, we explore a public bath house, a unique martial art and the award winning Wagyu beef as we finish Journey Across Japan. (I can't believe it either). ...

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24 Hours in Fukuoka | Japan's Ramen Capital

Fukuoka is home to Tonkotsu Pork ramen, known as Hakata Ramen. In this episode of Journey Across Japan we spend 24 hours eating ramen, seeing Japan's biggest bronze statue and diving into the nightlife....

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What to do in Hiroshima & Miyajima | 6 Must Try Travel Ideas

Hiroshima and Miyajima Island are essential places to visit on a trip to Japan. We pass through the city in search of Okonomiyaki pancakes, Itsukushima Shrine and Japan's first Pizza vending machine! Joined by awesome friend and Japan first timer...

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I Made Friends with a Stranger at Japan's Oldest Hot Spring

Meeting strangers is half the fun of travelling. On my 2,000km Journey Across Japan, I arrive in the city of Matsuyama, where a friendly Japanese woman takes me under her wing for the day....

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Japan's Most Expensive Tuna | $3.1Million Catch

In January 2019 a single tuna was sold for a staggering $3.1m. The week before I set off for my 2,000km cycle across Japan, we set off to north Honshu, where all of Japan's most prized tuna is sourced, to watch them get caught firsthand....