Hi, and welcome to Aozora Walks.
I have been teaching geography at high schools in Japan for more than 20 years. I grew up in Kyoto and lived there for over 30 years, and for more than a decade now I have called Tokyo home, currently in Asakusa, one of the city’s oldest neighborhoods.
Travel is my passion. Over the years I have visited all 47 prefectures of Japan, from the snowfields of Hokkaido to the islands of Okinawa. Now I am starting to explore more of the world beyond Japan, too.
Why this site?
Most travel guides tell you where to go. As a geography teacher, I want to tell you why a place looks the way it does. Why did the city grow along this river? Why is this street curved? Why did this neighborhood survive when others were lost?
Once you know the story written into the landscape, a walk through Tokyo, or anywhere in Japan, becomes something much richer than a list of sights. That is what Aozora Walks is about: exploring Japan under a blue sky (aozora in Japanese), with a geographer’s eyes.
What you will find here
- Neighborhood walks in Tokyo, starting from my home base of Asakusa
- Day trips and short stays in the countryside around Tokyo
- Journeys across Japan, drawing on my travels to all 47 prefectures
- History and landscape stories behind famous places, including anime locations
- Practical tips from someone who actually lives here
Everything on this site is based on places I have visited myself, and all photos are my own unless otherwise noted. Thank you for reading, and enjoy your walk.