Japan's Hidden Gem...

Nicolas Perez

May 25, 2025

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Hello from Tokyo!

Before anything else, if you are a paid subscriber then you’ll be able to listen to me read the newsletter!

We just returned from Kamikochi in the Japanese Alps.

Kamikochi is beautiful and a great spot that many Japanese locals visit, but not many foreign tourists.

So, if you want a mountain getaway from Tokyo, Kamikochi is perfect.

However, Kamikochi can sometimes be crowded with Japanese tourists, so if you're looking for something with fewer people, Norikura Kogen is ideal.

We stayed there for four days, and it was beautiful.

During our stay and the hikes around Norikura Kogen, we saw very few people compared to the day we went to Kamikochi, and it’s just as stunning.

In the summer, the area is fantastic for hiking and trekking, but in the winter, it transforms into a snowboarding and skiing paradise.

Our Airbnb host mentioned that it’s not as popular as Hokkaido, which is the most well-known snowboarding and skiing destination in Japan. So, if you are planning on skiing in Japan next winter and want a spot with fewer people, then Norikura Kogen may be perfect for you.

If you plan on going, here are a few tips that will help you out:

If you’re going to Kamikochi, take the first bus (the time will vary depending on your location; for us, it was 7:28) because it gets crowded later in the day.
The best way to get around is by bus, so remember to be on time, as the Japanese are very punctual.

📚Books I read and recommendations

Red Rising by Pierce Brown was one of the books I read this week, and it was amazing. I honestly didn’t think it was going to be good because the book’s description seemed too cheesy. But, before leaving for Kamikochi, I had downloaded a couple of books on Audible, and Red Rising was one of them. I decided I was going to give it a test listen to see if I liked it or not, and I got hooked.

Darrow is a Red, a member of the lowest caste in the color-coded society of the future. Like his fellow Reds, he works all day, believing that he and his people are making the surface of Mars livable for future generations. Yet he spends his life willingly, knowing that his blood and sweat will one day result in a better world for his children. But Darrow and his kind have been betrayed. Soon he discovers that humanity already reached the surface generations ago. Vast cities and sprawling parks spread across the planet. Darrow—and Reds like him—are nothing more than slaves to a decadent ruling class. - BOOKS DESCRIPTION ON GOODREADS

If you like fiction, sci-fi, and fantasy, then give this book a read.

If you have Audible Plus, you have this book for free since it’s part of the premium catalog.

Becoming Nobody by Ram Dass was the other book I read this week. But, I don’t feel like I finished it because it’s one of those books you’re never done with reading.

It’s not actually a book but an audio collection of five essential sessions, featured in the Ram Dass documentary film Becoming Nobody. I thought this book was great. I definitely didn’t understand all of it, but it’s worth a listen.

💬 Thought-Provoking Quote

“Life is short and the older you get, the more you feel it. Indeed, the shorter it is. People lose their capacity to walk, run, travel, think, and experience life. I realise how important it is to use the time I have,” - Viggo Mortensen.

This quote reminded me a lot of my last post on the newsletter: