Discover Japan August 2026 Issue "To the Sea, To the Mountains" (Cover: Hiroshi Tamaki) to be Released on July 6!

Discover Japan August 2026 Issue "To the Sea, To the Mountains"

Embark on an intellectual adventure tracing the stories of lands beyond their landscapes. This issue focuses on adventure tourism, introducing journeys set against the backdrop of the sea and mountains. In the opening feature, actor Hiroshi Tamaki walks through the Oki Islands' Nishinoshima, his ancestral home. It also includes travel destinations to watch this summer, such as Nagasaki's Goto Islands and Niigata's Myoko, beloved by Tenshin Okakura. Don't miss the mountain resort areas, hidden hot springs, and a catalog of 35 national parks across Japan. Why not embark on a journey this summer to step one step beyond the scenery?

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Actor Hiroshi Tamaki walks the edge of the Oki Islands.

Actor Hiroshi Tamaki visits Nishinoshima in the Oki Islands, another of his ancestral roots. With his favorite camera in hand, he walked across Matengai Cliff and Tentsukyo Bridge, sharing the charm of the land's history and the culture nurtured alongside the sea. The stunning photos taken by Tamaki are also a must-see. In neighboring Okinoshima Town, he visited the Oki Nature Museum, Oki Geo Gateway, and giant trees, unraveling the island's formation and culture. Embark on an adventure that stimulates intellectual curiosity, achievable in the Oki Islands, the only remote island group in the World Geoparks!

"Journeying along Nagasaki's Coastlines" Traveling through the food of the Goto Islands, nurtured by the "coastline."

"Journeying along Nagasaki's Coastlines," a four-part series tracing Nagasaki's culture with Japan's longest coastline as a keyword. The first installment visits Shinkamigoto and Goto. In Shinkamigoto, we savored the blessings of the sea, such as Goto udon, salt, and seafood, and visited the history of prayer that breathes in the magnificent scenery via a cruise ship. In Goto, we visited the Goto Tsubaki Distillery in Hananori and the Miyazaki Blacksmith, where the sea of Goto resides in the knives. The Goto Retreat ray, designed by the late space designer Yukio Hashimoto, is also featured. We explored the exquisite cuisine, livelihoods, culture, and people nurtured by the coastline.

To the Sea, To the Mountains: 35 National Parks of Japan to Visit This Summer

Since the inception of the national park system in Japan, efforts have been made not only to protect nature but also to promote tourism. Furthermore, in some parks, culture thrives as people live there, and the development of tourism resources based on these aspects is progressing. Japan's national parks, which offer a combination of "nature," "culture," and "activities," are perfect destinations for adventure tourism (AT). This time, with AT as the theme, we introduce 35 national parks, divided into sea and mountain categories.

[Marine National Parks]

Shiretoko National Park (Hokkaido); Sanriku Reconstruction National Park (Aomori, Iwate, Miyagi); Ogasawara National Park (Tokyo); Ise-Shima National Park (Mie); San'in Kaigan National Park (Kyoto, Hyogo, Tottori); Setonaikai National Park (Osaka, Hyogo, Wakayama, Okayama, Hiroshima, Yamaguchi, Tokushima, Kagawa, Ehime, Fukuoka, Oita); Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park (Ehime, Kochi); Saikai National Park (Nagasaki); Kirishima-Kinkowan National Park (Miyazaki, Kagoshima); Amami Gunto National Park (Kagoshima); Kerama Shoto National Park (Okinawa); Iriomote-Ishigaki National Park (Okinawa)

[Mountain National Parks]

Rishiri-Rebun-Sarobetsu National Park (Hokkaido); Akan-Mashu National Park (Hokkaido); Kushiro Shitsugen National Park (Hokkaido); Daisetsuzan National Park (Hokkaido); Hidaka Sanmyaku-Erimo Tokachi National Park (Hokkaido); Shikotsu-Toya National Park (Hokkaido); Towada-Hachimantai National Park (Aomori, Iwate, Akita); Bandai-Asahi National Park (Yamagata, Fukushima, Niigata); Nikko National Park (Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma); Oze National Park (Fukushima, Tochigi, Gunma, Niigata); Joshin'etsu-kogen National Park (Gunma, Niigata, Nagano); Myoko-Togakushi Ren-zan National Park (Niigata, Nagano); Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park (Saitama, Tokyo, Yamanashi, Nagano); Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park (Tokyo, Kanagawa, Yamanashi, Shizuoka); Chubu Sangaku National Park (Niigata, Toyama, Nagano, Gifu); Hakusan National Park (Toyama, Ishikawa, Fukui, Gifu); Minami Alps National Park (Yamanashi, Nagano, Shizuoka); Yoshino-Kumano National Park (Mie, Nara, Wakayama); Daisen-Oki National Park (Tottori, Shimane, Okayama); Unzen-Amakusa National Park (Nagasaki, Kumamoto, Kagoshima); Aso-Kuju National Park (Kumamoto, Oita); Yakushima National Park (Kagoshima); Yanbaru National Park (Okinawa)

Immerse yourself in natural energy for a healing journey! A recommendation for hidden hot spring adventure tourism

Healing hot spring trips to refresh your mind and body are also adventure tourism! Hot springs are nature itself, born from topography and water circulation, and are places where you can fully receive the earth's energy. We asked hot spring beauty researcher Hiroko Ishii about hidden hot springs where you can experience the stories of nature and the culture of the land that has utilized hot springs. We feature hot springs that seem to converse with the earth as one with the sea, mountains, and rivers, as well as hidden hot springs where you can absorb the power of nature, such as radium springs and those that well up from the ground.

Yamabito-oga- (Akita); Hironai Kaichu Onsen (Kagoshima); Oboke Iya Onsenkyo Hotel Iya Onsen (Tokushima); Okunashionsen Daimaru Onsen Ryokan (Tochigi); Omaki Onsen Omaki Onsen Kanko Ryokan (Toyama); Myoban Onsen Beppu Onsen Hoyo Land (Oita); Kaminoyu Onsen Ginko-yu (Hokkaido); Takamine Onsen Lamp no Yado (Nagano); Nakabusa Onsen (Nagano); Nujiri Onsen Motoyu (Fukushima); Lamp no Yado Aoka Onsen (Aomori); Ginzan Daira Onsen Oze Jujo (Niigata); Tochio-mata Onsen Jizaikan (Niigata); Gosho Onsenkyo Murasugi Onsen Kado-ya Ryokan (Niigata); Hoshi Onsen Choju-kan (Gunma); Sukayu Onsen (Aomori); Tsuru no Yu Onsen (Akita); Tsuta Onsen Tsuta Onsen Ryokan (Aomori)

Color, shape, texture... Admire the rich expressions of glass at a group exhibition

Glass, even with the same material, is reborn into a different dimension of beauty depending on the technique and the creator's sensibility. The special exhibition, held from July 4 (Sat) to July 12 (Sun), will feature works by six artists: Hiroaki Maejima, Sae Koda, Rie Shojiguchi, Yuko Miura, Hao Hanaoka, and Yutaka Koga. We interviewed the charm of a wide variety of works, including long-loved classics, new colors of tableware, and sake cups full of playfulness. Why not experience the hidden potential of glass by actually holding it and holding it up to the light?

About Discover Japan

Founded in 2008, Discover Japan magazine is a media outlet that serves as an "introduction to Japan," with the concept of "Rediscovering Japan's Charm." It editorially proposes the appeal of authentic and high-quality Japanese culture in an easy-to-understand and detailed manner through Japanese products, experiences, places, and people.

Published by Discover Japan Inc.

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<Next Issue Announcement>

Discover Japan 2026 September Issue

"Living with Wood 2026"

This popular annual feature on "Wood," rediscovering the relationship between Japanese people and trees. This year, the focus is on the "Shikinen Sengu" (rebuilding ceremony) of "Ise Jingu," which takes place once every 20 years. Among the ceremony's events, we will cover the "Festival of the Sacred Tree." This will be a valuable opportunity to learn about the relationship between Japanese people and trees, repeated for 1300 years. The issue also includes wooden houses, furniture tourism, and a catalog of exquisite wooden furniture to acquire. It unravels the power of wood that enriches our lives, including the latest forestry conditions.