On this edition of "Journeys in Japan" we visit the southwestern foot of Yatsugatake, a chain of mountains extending 30 kilometers from north to south on the border of Nagano and Yamanashi Prefectures.

Our destination is Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture. Our reporter Charles Glover discovers the city's traditions by sightseeing on foot.

The city of Kamakura lies just south of Tokyo. From around 800 years ago, it was the capital of the samurai generals who ruled Japan. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Rosa Yum explores Kamakura when the autumn foliage is at its most beautiful, and visits several of the ancient religious sites in the city.

On this "Journeys in Japan" our reporter Deborah Ten experiences the rings in the New Year in northern Japan. She visits Oga Peninsula, in Akita Prefecture, to see an unusual New Year's Eve rite. During the folk ritual, known as namahage, demon-like incarnations of the mountain gods go from home to home in the Oga area.

This week we journey to the foot of Mt. Fuji in winter to discover the area's majestic nature.

Honjima is one of the Shiwaku group of islands in the Seto Inland Sea, between Japan's mainland Honshu and Shikoku. On this edition of "Journeys in Japan", radio DJ Chris Glenn explores the history and culture of Honjima and discovers handsome townscapes that have changed little for more than a century.

The Sanriku Coast of northeastern Japan is a beautiful area with stunning scenery. It was devastated by the great earthquake and tsunami of March 2011. But life is gradually returning to normal and people are rebuilding their communities and their lives. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, JJ returns to visit another stretch of the Sanriku Coast.

During the full moon, a special Moonlight Walk is held, giving visitors a chance to walk through the ice monsters.

Tottori is a major folk craft center in Japan. On this trip, our reporter Dario Ponissi travels across Tottori Prefecture from east to west to discover the world of Shoya Yoshida's folk crafts.

Since ancient times, formal gardens have offered a distinctive expression of Japan's traditional aesthetic. Often featuring lush greenery, bodies of water and seemingly random arrangements of rock, these gardens can be viewed as nature in microcosm. Our reporter is Joseph Cali, a designer who has published books on Japanese gardens. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Joseph visits Shikoku. He discovers the beauty of the natural environment - and the way it is reflected in two very contrasting traditional gardens.

In this episode, photogravure artist Peter Miller travels to Ibusuki City, a hot spring town at the southern tip of Kyushu, in search of spring.

Oita Prefecture, in southwest Japan, is an area with beautiful natural scenery and many sacred sites. It also boasts a remarkable number of Buddhist statues, in out-of-the-way rural locations. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Mark visits Oita Prefecture and visits some important Buddhist sites close to 3 stations along the JR Nippo Main Line.

Our destination is the cosmopolitan city of Kobe in Hyogo Prefecture. Actor Charles Glover discovers its unique culture of jazz. In fact, the city is considered the birthplace of the genre in Japan. Being a prosperous port city, Western fads were introduced early on including jazz, which quickly took off.

Close to Tokyo but far from the city, there are great places to visit in Japan if you're traveling with young children. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, the Koivumaa family from Finland - Mikko, Elisa and their children Eero and Eeva - are making a short trip to Minami-Boso, in southern Chiba Prefecture.

The Amami Islands are subtropical. Blanketed in dense forests and surrounded by emerald waters, they are located about 400 kilometers from Kagoshima Prefecture in southern Kyushu. These islands, isolated from the continent long ago by tectonic activity, are full of rare indigenous flora and fauna. But the animals and plants are not the only thing that the forests of Amami have nurtured. They have also shaped a distinctive culture there. One example is the Amami folk song, called Shima-uta. In this edition of Journeys in Japan, Naotomo Umewaka explores the mystical forests of Amami, as well as the music and spirit of the people on the islands.

In the old days, the islands of southwestern Japan (present-day Okinawa Prefecture) formed an independent nation, called the Kingdom of Ryukyu. A vibrant culture flourished in those islands and people lived in harmony with the subtropical climate. Sophisticated textiles were developed as clothing for the royalty and the aristocracy. They were dyed in a style known as bingata. To this day, the vivid colors of bingata fabrics are one of the most beautiful and elegant examples of Okinawan culture. Teodora Vegh came to Okinawa from Hungary 5 years ago to discover the traditional culture and to learn the techniques of bingata dyeing. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Teodora explores the history and long tradition of bingata, and the way it is being adapted and used in contemporary design.

Surrounded by pristine water and coral reefs, Ishigaki Island lies at the far southwestern tip of Japan, around 1,900 kilometers from Tokyo. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Teodora Vegh meets with a number of Ishigaki islanders, and finds out about the strong connection the local people feel for the sea.

The historic city of Kamakura lies about 1 hour south of Tokyo by train. At the end of the 12th century, Kamakura was chosen to be the administrative capital by the samurai warlord Minamoto no Yoritomo. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, Rosa Yum returns to Kamakura to explore the city further.

The Kofu Basin, in Yamanashi Prefecture, lies north of Mt. Fuji. In mid-April, when peach flowers blossom, the landscape becomes a carpet of pink. On this edition of "Journeys in Japan," German national Lana Bergmann, who is studying film, visits Kofu when the peach flowers are in full bloom.

In this edition of Journeys in Japan, musician JJ enjoys the beautiful snowy scenery of the Tateyama Kurobe Alpine Route, one of the foremost mountain resorts in Japan.

The indigenous Ainu lives in Hokkaido, Japan's most northern main island. Our reporter, Shakuhachi player John Kaizan Neptune, visits the shores of Lake Akan to experience Ainu culture, including its music.

Haiku are brief poetic snapshots that encapsulate in a few words the essence of a moment, be it the beauty of nature or just a scene from daily life. This form of poetry, born in Japan, is now becoming known around the world. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, writer and photographer Kit Pancoast Nagamura travels through the north of Japan, following in the footsteps of the 17th century haiku poet Matsuo Basho, who described his journeys in his book, "The Narrow Road to the Deep North".

Mt. Fuji was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2013. Hakone and Izu are popular resorts near the majestic mountain. Our reporter, American actor Charles Glover, enjoys historical hotels in the area that offers world-class service and cuisine. He savors the serene beauty of a traditional tatami guest room and relaxes in an open-air onsen hot spring surrounded by nature.

Osaka is a vibrant city, full of warm people. But that is only one aspect of Japan's 3rd largest city. This edition of Journeys in Japan explores Osaka through its art. Our traveler, woodblock printmaker David Bull embarks on a journey to encounter Osaka's beauty from past to present.

The Oki Islands lie in the Sea of Japan off the coast of Shimane Prefecture. For countless centuries, people have lived here along with their cattle, and they have developed a very distinctive culture. On this edition of Journeys in Japan, writer David Chart travels to the Oki Islands, to explore the culture and terrain, and to get a taste of life on these remote islands.