Outland Japan

Send us a textIn Episode 39 of the podcast we travel to the deep snow country of Minami-Uonuma to speak with Kuwakino Keiko. Keiko is the head chef of Sanaburi, the Michelin-starred restaurant within the renowned hotel, Satoyama Jujo. Awarded that Michelin-star in 2020, Keiko has since gone on to receive a Terroir Award and a score of 15.5 by Gault Millau in 2022 while also nominated as one of Japan’s 100 Best Chefs. Keiko’s acclaimed cuisine draws on the traditional plants and methods local to the Minami-Uonuma area, with ‘sansai’ (mountain / wild vegetables) and ‘tsukemono’ (pickled / preserved vegetables) being fundamental to the seaonsal menus she serves to guests.In the first half of our chat we explore Keiko’s own story and her journey to becoming head chef at Satoyama Jujo before delving more fully into the principles and methods which underpin her cooking and the cuisine she serves in the second half of our chat. In telling Keiko’s story and exploring the principles which underpin her cooking, I hope to promote the fact that some of Japan’s best gastronomic experiences lies outside the cities. Minami-Uonuma has long been renowned rice and sake – indeed, we have already travelled here on the podcast in Episode 24, Hakkaisan Brewery: Snow-Aged Sake & Beer from Powder Mountain – along with its heavy snow and abundant natural landscape. For more information, follow Keiko via her Instagram or visit the official Satoyama Jujo website. I hope you enjoy.Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textIn Episode 38 of the podcast we travel just outside of Nagano City to speak with Osaka Gaku, the owner of Solashima. Solashima is a vintage and antique store selling furniture and other items. As Gaku explains during the interview, the furniture and other pieces he acquires and sells range in age, design and condition. In collecting items for the store, Gaku seeks out pieces that are beautiful, unique and bear witness to the struggle of craftsperson that created it. The process of acquiring and valuing that stock takes him in to peoples’ homes and unoccupied houses, and in doing so, into the stories of life and the memory many of these items carry with them. The availability of such items, often beautiful yet unwanted timber furniture, ceramics, glassware and more, reflects the reality of regional Japan which is suffering from an ageing and decreasing population. There is often no one to pass these items onto with many unoccupied or soon to be abandoned or demolished homes, full of unwanted furnishings and items that would in almost any other circumstances be coveted and highly priced. I hope my chat with Gaku sparks your interest in the vintage furniture and craft of Japan’s recent past – which is at risk of being tossed out before it’s properly appreciated – and visiting the wonderful, Solashima. Should you need to furnish a home or perhaps clear a home of furniture and items, Gaku is the ideal person to speak with.Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textEpisode 37 of the podcast takes us to Minakami in Gunma Prefecture to speak with Zack Berman of Momi-no-Ki Lodge. Originally from the United States, Zack and his wife Amanda own and operate the large self-contained lodge in the heart of Minakami – a hot spring town now well-established as one of Japan’s best outdoor destinations. We discuss the skiing and snowboarding available at the multiple resorts in the area – including the celebrated backcountry of Tanigawadake Tenjindaira and more – along with the fantastic rafting and canyoning, hiking and hot springs all within easy reach of the lodge. Minakami remains somewhat off the radar for international visitors but it shouldn’t and I doubt it will for long.You can get in touch with Zack and Amanda via the lodge website, their listing on AirBnb or Momi-no-Ki’s Instagram or Facebook. As Zack mentions toward the end of our chat, when booking via the official website, enter the code POWDER for a discount. This is the first episode of the podcast under the new name 'Outland Japan'. Under the new name, I’ll be expanding the focus of the podcast from just the ‘yukiguni’ or snow country to all of rural, regional and the wilds of Japan. I will continue to focus on the snow country, as I’m based here and want others to discover it, while also exploring those rural, regional and wild areas across the country as we travel outside the big cities to discover a different side of Japan. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textI am pleased to announce that the podcast will be returning with the first episode of Season 4 on Tuesday 22nd October, under the new name of 'Outland Japan'. The podcast has now been running around a year-and-a-half, and during that time, I've discovered more and more stories I’d like to bring you, that lie outside of the snow country, in other areas of regional and rural Japan. Under the new name of 'Outland Japan', I’ll start to do just that as I extend the focus of the pod to all of rural, regional and the wilds of Japan. But based in the snow country myself, exploring Japan's legendary 'yukiguni' will remain a large part of my focus as we head into winter 2024-2025.With that change, I won’t continue updating the Snow Country Stories Japan website. It will remain online for the time being but from Season 4 onward, you can find the podcast at the new website - outlandjapan.com. You'll also find the pod on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube by searching 'Outland Japan'. I look forward to exploring more of the snow country and beyond as we head deeper in the Japanese outlands in the season to come!Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textThe podcast remains on a break between seasons but as promised, here’s another shorter, edited version of one of the most popular episodes to date - Finding, Fixing & Furnishing a Home in the Snow Country with Gianpaolo Camplese. This was Episode 22 of the podcast, in which I speak with woodworker and musician Gianpaolo Camplese about living in the snow country and his acquisition and refurbishment of an old ‘kominka’ – a traditional farmhouse – into his family home. Important to note that this is an edited version of the longer original episode, in which Gianpaolo and I went into more detailed discussion about how he came to be living in the snow country, finding and purchasing a house, restoring it and his career as a woodworker and musician. You will hear short clips of his music during our chat. If you haven’t already, make sure to listen to the full episode. This edit provides a taste of the longer conversation I had with Gianpaolo, but I think it interesting in its own right while it might also prompt you to go back and listen to the longer, original version. Finally, I’ll be making an important announcement soon about the podcast including a change of name and changes to the website. Basically, the scope and name of the podcast will be expanding to all of regional Japan rather than just the snow country. The focus of the podcast will remain largely on this region but we’ll start exploring some other curious corners of rural and regional Japan that lie elsewhere. I’ll make a full announcement soon. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textThe podcast is currently on a break between Season 3 and Season 4. As promised, during this period I’ll be uploading previous episode or two, beginning with this edit of what was the Episode 13 of the podcast, and the first of Season 2 – Shiga Kogen Ski Resort: Japan’s Largest Ski Resort. In this episode I spoke with two-time Olympian Robel Zemichael about Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort, which lays claim to being both Japan’s largest and highest ski resort. Robel is the manager of Shiga International Ski School and based in Shiga Kogen all year round, so there’s no better person to speak with and he advocates for Shiga wonderfully.Important to note that this is an edited version of the longer original episode, in which Robel and I went into more detailed discussion about all aspects of the resort, services provide by Shiga International Ski School, accommodation and more. If you haven’t already, make sure to listen to the full episode. This edit provides a taste of the longer conversation I had with Robel, but I think it interesting in its own right while it might also prompt you to go back and listen to the longer, original version. I hope you enjoy!Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textIn Episode 36 of the podcast we head into the North Alps – Japan’s highest mountain range – and onto Norikura. Standing 3026 metres / 9927 feet above sea level, Mount Norikura or Norikuradake is one of the highest peaks in North Alps, a volcanic mountain which straddles the border of Nagano and Gifu Prefectures. It is here, in the village below the mountain, that we travel to meet Ogawa Yui, Community Manager of Norikura Zero Labo – a program pushing Norikura toward being Japan’s first carbon neutral park. Yui’s own story is an interesting one. We discuss how she came to live in Norikura Kogen, her academic and professional background that led her into current role, the environmental challenges facing Japan and Norikura and the actions being taken in Norikura in response to the climate crisis.I hope this episode inspires you to consider traveling to Norikura while also attesting to opportunities that exist in the regional areas of Japan, such as the snow country, for crafting a better life and making a real difference to communities that need more people in order to thrive. Yui and Norikura Zero Labo are striving to make a real difference, as a model for what’s possible for communities everywhere, as we face the reality of the changing crisis.For more information, please visit the Norikura Zero Labo website (Japanese only)  and their Instagram, and for information about visiting, please see the Norikura Kogen website. You can also follow Yui via her personal Instagram. Images used in support of this episode were provided by Seth McAllister and cannot be used without his information. You can find his images and more information on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textEpisode 35 of the podcast takes us to Shiga Kogen Highlands in Nagano Prefecture. Declared a UNESCO Biopshere Reserve in 1980, Shiga Kogen is an alpine landscape which includes major peaks such as Mount Shiga and Mount Kusatsu-Shirane – one of Japan’s most active volcanoes – renowned for its biodiversity, wetlands and distinct seasonal beauty. In this episode I speak with Yokota Shinji – a talented landscape and nature photographer who regularly accompanies guests into the alpine landscape of Shiga Kogen. He provides nature tours, photography tours and workshops for both Japanese and English-speaking guests and as such is an ideal person to accompany us to Shiga in this episode. Shiga Kogen Highlands sit within Joshinetsu Kogen National Park and will of course be familiar to many listeners as the ski resort of that name – Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort – is the largest ski resort in Japan – something we covered in Episode 13 of the pod while nearby Shiga Kogen Brewery – something we covered in Episode 6 of the pod - takes its name for this area of the mountains. Today’s chat is however all about the Biosphere Reserve. Shiga Kogen Highlands is one of ten UNESCO Biosphere Reserves in Japan, a global system of reserves awarded that status in recognition of their biological diversity and as models of mutual beneficial relationships between people and nature.  For more information and to view Shinji’s beautiful photography, please visit his website and follow him on Instagram and his YouTube channel. You can also find more information, including how to get there, at the official Shiga Kogen Highlands website along with Shinji’s images on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textThis is the second half of Episode 34 of the podcast, my chat with Dan Solo of Snowball Japan. Originally from Australia, Dan and his wife Andy first travelled to Japan more than 20 years ago and fell in love with life in the snow country. They set themselves to one day run their own ski lodge, a dream that came to fruition when they opened Snowball Chalet in Madarao, followed soon after by Snowman Apartments. Since that time, Dan and Andy have taken on more properties in Madarao, the connected resort of Tangram Ski Circus, and nearby Shiga Kogen – Japan’s largest ski resort.In the second half of our chat we discussed Dan’s other properties including the self-contained chalet of Shiki at Tangram – on the Tangram-side of Madarao – and Yukimi Sano, Dan and Andy’s beautiful conversion of a 160-year old home nearby Shiga Kogen Mountain Resort and the famous snow-bathing monkeys of Jigokudani. We also discuss the many resorts accessible from his properties and Dan’s suggestions of what to look for, including the pros and cons of refurbishing an existing properties versus a new build, if you’re interested in following suit and setting up your own lodge or ski business in Japan. If you haven’t yet listened to the first half of the interview, make sure to go back to do so before listening to this. In that chat, we discuss how Dan and Andy discovered Japan’s snow country and set about and achieved their dream of opening their own ski lodge here. For more information, visit the Snowball Japan website and you can also find them on Instagram and Facebook by searching Snowball Chalet at Madarao Mountain. The episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website has images, links and a map showing you where in the snow country we are. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textIn Episode 34 of the podcast we head to Madarao Mountain Resort in Nagano to speak with Dan Solo of Snowball Japan. Originally from Australia, Dan and his wife Andy first travelled to Japan more than 20 years ago and fell in love with life in the snow country. They set themselves to one day run their own ski lodge, a dream that came to fruition when they opened Snowball Chalet in Madarao, followed soon after by Snowman Apartments. Since that time, Dan and Andy have taken on more properties in Madarao, the connected resort of Tangram Ski Circus, and nearby Shiga Kogen – Japan’s largest ski resort. Dan and I discuss just how he turned his dream into reality, the concept and design behind each of his properties, Madarao and other ski resorts accessible from the properties along with his suggestions of what to look for if you’re looking for a ski resort to start your own business in Japan. Our chat is wide-ranging and longer than usual, so to avoid editing and cutting out some really engaging parts of the conversation, this episode is split into two. The second half of the interview will be available for download in a week’s time. For more information, visit the Snowball Japan website and you can also find them on Instagram and Facebook by searching Snowball Chalet at Madarao Mountain. The episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website has images, links and a map showing you where in the snow country we are. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textEpisode of 33 of the podcast takes us into Japan’s highest mountain range and into the beautiful alpine valley of Kamikochi. Part of the wider Chubu Sangaku National Park, Kamikochi is a 16 kilometre / 10 mile valley which follows the beautiful Azusa River and bookended by two famous mountains – Mount Hotaka and Yakedake. With an average elevation of around 1400 metres / 4593 feet, the valley is known for its outstanding beauty, pristine ecosystem and multiple mountain peaks. Open to the public from mid-April until mid-November each year, access is restricted in order to preserve that natural beauty and ecosystem, and as such, a little planning goes a long way when heading there. This episode of the podcast is my travel guide to Kamikochi.In this episode I delve into the history of Kamikochi, what to expect, its highlights and hiking options, when to visit, where to stay and how to get there. Kamikochi is a special protected zone within the national park and as I explained, private cars are not allowed to enter. Visitors to Kamikochi must use public bus services, a taxi or a chartered vehicle, meaning that understanding how to get there is essential to making the most of your time there. I provide that information during this episode along with everything else you need to know.Complete information – including accommodation and transport - can be found on the official Kamikochi website and you can follow them on Instagram. As always, more information, photographs, links and a map showing you where Kamikochi is can be found on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website.Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textEpisode 32 of the podcast takes us to the north of Japan, into the snow country of Akita Prefecture and onto Oga Peninsula. Jutting out from the Japanese main island and into the Sea of Japan, Oga Peninsula is wild and beautiful, a place of rustic villages and lurking wonders; and it is here, in Oga that we encounter the fearsome ‘Namahage’ – mythical ogre-like creatures that emerge from the forested mountains every New Year, to raid village homes and terrorise the children inside. The Namahage are, in a very real sense, coming for the children…In this episode I speak with Dr Michael Dylan Foster, Professor or Japanese at University California Davis. Dr Foster has 30 years researching folklore, literature and popular culture in Japan including long-term ethnographic study of rituals, festivals and tourism in Japan including the Namahage of Oga Peninsula. Dr Foster is an authority on ‘Yokai’ – a generalist Japanese term for all-manner of supernatural beings, monsters, ghosts, demons, ogres and more – having published multiple books on the topic and produced TV series with Japan’s national broadcaster NHK.We discuss all of this and more including the Namahage Sedo Festival held each February and Namahage-kan Museum, in Oga, which is open all year round. Dr Foster’s profile is available through the UC Davis website, while his books are available on Amazon – and other book suppliers – and TV series on NHK World Japan. You can as always find more information on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textIn Episode 31 of the podcast we head to Akakura Onsen in Myoko Kogen to speak with design maker Liam Mugavin. Originally for Australia, Liam is the cofounder of A.I.R. Myoko – a ski in, ski out chalet which combines design, gastronomy and other artisanal influences to offer a different type of experience when it comes to ski accommodation in Japan. Liam’s background and continued work as a designer maker underpin the concept of chalet he operates, along with his business partner and other members of the team. Extending the ‘artist in residence’ concept he undertook with Australia House – part of the Echigo Tsumari Art Field festival held in Niigata – and similar programs around the world, Liam and the team at AIR invite artists and upcoming chefs to reside at the chalet each winter. We discuss of that in the first half of the interview before moving onto Liam’s current project, the relocation and restoration of a 170 year old ‘kominka’ (traditional farmhouse) in the second half of our chat. With restoration nearing completion, the building will act as Liam’s design workshop - an extension of the artist residence concept. Checkout the A.I.R. Myoko website for bookings and to get in touch with Liam, and if you have not already, make sure to also check out Episode 17 of the podcast, in which I spoke with snowboarder Billy Halloran about the ski resorts of Myoko Kogen and his lodge, The Greenhouse Myoko. You can also find images and a map showing you where we are in the snow country on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website.Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textIn Episode 30 of the podcast I speak with outdoor guide Iida Taka about Oze National Park. Straddling four prefectures of the snow country – Gunma, Niigata, Fukushima and Tochigi – Oze National Park is relatively small at 373 squared kilometres however its smaller size is in fact one of its attractions. Known for its lakes, wetlands, moors and marshes, the park is ringed by mountains ascending over 2000 metres with areas of dense forest. As such, visitors to Oze can enjoy varied environments including unique flora and fauna within a confined area. Taka is an experienced outdoor covering many destinations in Central Japan including Oze National Park. Originally from Izu, Taka’s journey to becoming an outdoor guide involves stints in Australia, New Zealand and Canada before pursuing certification in Oze – a park she is very familiar with and keen to introduce to international visitors. Based in Nagano, Taka operates Nozawa Onsen Tours in the popular ski resort and hot spring town of the same name. Offering tours that reveal the long history and culture of the village, along with the surrounding environment, Taka reveals a side of Nozawa that many if not most international visitors miss.We discuss the national park in the first half of the interview before moving onto the tours Taka offers at Oze and Nozawa Onsen in the second half of our chat. For more information, visit the Nozawa Onsen Tours website or Instagram - links are above - and of course you can find information, images and a map showing you where the national park is on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textIn Episode 29 of the podcast we return to Niigata Prefecture and onto Niigata City to speak with Jenya Yuss. Jenya works for Edge of Niigata, a travel company based in Niigata City and operating tours and experiences in the city and wider prefecture. As such she’s an ideal person to introduce to the story and the reasons to visit Niigata.When Japanese think about the snow country, Niigata is one of the first prefectures to spring to mind. Subject to very heavy snowfall, Niigata is synonymous with that snow along with its rice, sake and seafood. Situated on the coast of the Sea of Japan and at confluence of two rivers, Niigata City has long been an important trade and port city that connected Japan to the outside world. A place through which people passed along with traded goods. A mix of the traditional, industrial and grittier elements you’d expect of a port city.Jenya and I discuss the city and its history, her own story, travel experiences offered by Edge of Niigata along with tips of onward journeys further into the snow country by train and ferry. You can find more information on the Edge of Niigata website or follow them on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. More information including links to everything we discuss in the episode, images and a map showing you where in the snow country we are, are on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textIn Episode 28 of the podcast I speak with Mark Davis, a Tokyo-based landscape photographer whose work focuses on the natural environments of Japan. Mark’s photography takes him into many areas of regional Japan with a particular interest in the snow country and its varied seasons. As such, his photography tells a more complete story of the snow country, and Japan in general, in revealing the transient of beauty of spring, summer and autumn in addition to its celebrated winter.Originally from the United States, Mark’s own story and account of how he ended up in Japan, is an interesting one. As he states, his background influences his photography and the subjects, in the form of natural environments, he is most drawn to.  Mark leads photography tours in Nagano each autumn, in conjunction with two other photographers – Sho Hoshino and David Thompson. The tour is designed to take guests into the autumn landscapes of Central Japan, away from the crowds and well-known destinations - something we discuss in the second half of the interview.For more information about this photography and tours, visit Mark's website and always, you can find more information on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textEpisode 27 of the podcast takes us back to Yamagata Prefecture and onto Tsuruoka, a city known for its diverse and rich traditional food culture. In 2014 Tsuruoka was designated a UNESCO ‘Creative City of Gastronomy’ in recognition of that food culture including continued agricultural practices and use heirloom crops and wild plants foraged in the forests and mountains, along with creative use and contemporisation of those gastronomic practices. It was the first city in Japan to be awarded the status yet it remains relatively unknown (including for many Japanese).In exploration of Tsuruoka’s food culture, in this episode I speak with Alexis Crump, Coordinator for International Relations of the Gastronomy Department in Tsuruoka. As Alexis and I discuss, the gastronomy of the region is reflective of its varied topography, with different food cultures and distinct areas existing within the UNESCO designation awarded to Tsuruoka. Six distinct areas including Tsuruoka, Atsumi, Asahi, Kushibiki, Haguro and Fujishima account for the area generally referred to as Tsuruoka City, and each have their own food culture. Tsuruoka’s mixed landscape coastline, plains, forest and mountains is reflected in its varied gastronomy which takes advantage of the food available in each environment. As we discuss in the interview, Tsuruoka offers visitors many reasons to visit in addition to its celebrated food culture. To learn more about what’s on offer, visit the official Tsuruoka City website for information about the region’s many attractions, festivals, hot springs and accommodation.  You can also find images, a map of where Tsuruoka is and links to everything we discuss on the episode page of the Snow Country Stories Japan website.Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textEpisode 26 of the podcast transports us along one of the snow country’s most popular destinations – the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route. Located in Chubu Sangaku National Park, the Alpine Route is a popular sightseeing route that transports visitors across Japan’s highest mountain range – the Kita Alps or North Alps. It takes a series of mountain transports to do so that operate between different stations, eventually ascending to Murodo Station at 2450 metres / 8038 feet above sea level, from where you are within reach of the summit of Mount Tate or Tateyama – at 3003 metres / 9852 feet.The Alpine Route is closed to the public through winter due to heavy snow in the mountains, reopening on April 15th every year and operating until the end of November. It is extremely popular with both Japanese and international visitors, who upon opening, head up the Alpine Route to witness its most famous sight – the 'Snow Walls of Tateyama'.  As the weather warms in late-spring and into summer, walking trails beneath the snow will begin to emerge providing easier access to leisurely walks around the alpine plateau and more advanced overnight and multi-day hikes to the surrounding peaks including deep into the national park. For more information, visit the episode page on the Snow Country Stories Japan website. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textToday's episode - Episode 25 of the podcast - kicks off Season 3 as we make our way north to Hokkaido and onto Japan’s largest national park, Daisetsuzan. Established in 1934, Daisetsuzan National Park is known for its alpine landscapes, abundant flora and fauna, and seasonal beauty including its deep snow of winter. For many, Daisetsuzan is the crown jewel of Japan’s 34 national parks and without any doubt, is one of the snow country’s most rewarding destinations.In this episode I speak with Richard Smith, an experienced guide who leads multi-day hiking tours in Daisetsuzan with Adventure Hokkaido. Adventure Hokkaido is a Hokkaido-based tour company offering small group hiking, cycling and nature tours to many of the islands most rewarding destinations including, but not limited to, Daisetsuzan. Originally from the United Kingdom but now based in Hokkaido, Richard knows Daisetsuzan very well and as such, offers great insight into the park while discussing the tours he leads and how to can yourself there, should you wish to.For more information, use the links above to click through to the websites for the national park and Adventure Hokkaido, and make sure to head to the episode page on the Snow Country Stories Japan website for yet more information, images and a map showing you where the park is. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.

Send us a textSeason 3 of Snow Country Stories Japan begins on Tuesday 2nd April 2024. In the coming season we’ll be exploring the snow country in spring and summer before heading into the beauty of autumn, starting with Japan’s largest national park, Daisetsuzan. Considered by many as the most impressive of Japan's 34 national parks, Daisetsuzan occupies a vast area dominated by volcanic ranges and many peaks of over 2000 metres / 6600 feet, with an abundant alpine flora and fauna and striking beauty from season to season including its deep snow of winter.Exploration of Daisetsuzan will kick of Season 3 of the pod and I look forward to bringing you more episodes from the snow country as we move further into 2024 and toward the next snow season. Outland Japan is a bi-weekly podcast hosted by Peter Carnell - a freelance tour guide based in northern Nagano – that transports you to rural, regional and the wilds of Japan in pursuit of stories that lie outside the neon hum of Tokyo and golden trimmings of Kyoto. Stories of travel, life and culture beyond the big cities. Follow the show on Instagram, Facebook and YouTube. Please note, prior to October 2024, Outland Japan was named Snow Country Stories Japan.