Another one of Japan’s mysteries formed in or around a hot spring town, the Blue Pond’s water contains sulfur and aluminum from the rivers that feed it. Yet, what makes it blue isn’t the minerals themselves, it is the way the light refracts against those minerals and our eye catches the color. This difference between the human eye, and a camera’s sensor was fascinating.

Sometimes ‘for the gram’ isn’t so bad. The flower parks that have been meticulously planted and cultivated in otherwise remote parts of Hokkaido don’t have to exist. They are a different type of tourist destination - not one of culture, or history, or of the Earth’s own making. Human hands arranged these fields, and the result is still absolutely gorgeous.

Otherworldly is the best term to describe the Noboribetsu Jigokudani Valley, otherwise known as “Hell Valley.” The hillside walls look straight out of the Martian landscape, while the valley floor is a mixture of turbulent steam, sulfur, and other pale or charred rocks. This site is preserved, a spiritual feeder for the surrounding villages’ hot spring baths.

There are parade floats, and then there are Japanese parade floats. Held annually at the beginning of August, Aomori’s Nebuta Matsuri is a grand celebration of myths and legends. What if you aren’t able to be there for the festival itself though? Aomori has you covered with a museum dedicated to showcasing the wonderful works of art that are emblematic of the city’s culture.

While the official name for this archeological find is the San'nai-Maruyama iseki Special Historical Site, the significance of it comes from its age. This particular site is dated to around 3,900 to 2,900 BC. Yeah, that’s 5,000 years ago! It is the largest such site to be discovered in Japan, a glimpse into a different kind of human civilization.

Zojoji temple is not often open to the public at night. Sitting at the foothills of Tokyo Tower, it lives in contrast to the new world that has surrounded it. Every now and then, the old and new meet, lit up brilliantly against the backdrop of Roppongi. This June, they celebrated with the Candle Night for a Million People.

The textures, the costumes, the idols. Asian cultures are experts at paying tribute to the past, to religion, and to tradition. This festival, hosted by the crew of the Hie Shrine, had its main event, the grand parade, through the streets of Tokyo. Police were dispatched, roads were temporarily closed and traffic held at bay for this massive cast.

When you drop sculpture all over a landscape, and allow it to exist serenely, away from the hustle and bustle of the city, you get Hakone. The red Torii gate, looking out to Lake Ashi, is among the most iconic views in Japan. And somehow, the more modern shapes and forms of the Venetian Glass Museum and Open Air Museum are equally stunning, equally at home here.

Some photo excursions start out one way, and end another. The cherry blossoms were foretold to bloom in mid-March, brought earlier and earlier by the advent of Global Warming. Yet, as I strode through Shinjuku’s National Garden in search of that coveted Japanese subject, there was little to be found, so inspiration was sought elsewhere in the trees.

Ice molds are, both literally and figuratively, cool. Put a couple thousand of these in a field with candles inside, and you’ve got the makings of a great winter festival. This was the scene at Lake Yamanaka, one of the most scenic areas that surrounds Mt. Fuji.

Strikingly simple, strikingly charming, and with a natural musk that my sinuses will never forget. Yes, this town is graced with an overwhelming presence of sulfur from the volcanic outflow that the water draws its heat from. And it was here, at the town’s center called the Yubatake, that all the action happened.

Kyoto is an incredible city, filled with culture, heritage, and beauty. Many of the experiences are interactive, walking through a pathway of gates or washing your hands in purified water. Kinkaku-ji, the Golden Pavilion, is all about the eyes. It is stunning in every sense of the word, and holds its allure year after year without ever aging or decaying.

Arashiyama is one of those gems, like many in Kyoto, that is forever stuck in time. Natural and historic, the bamboo trees stretch up for what seems like miles, obscuring the rest of society from your mind. While the grove is much smaller than the forest name might suggest, it is always worth the visit.