Each February the city of Menton, on the French Riviera, rejoices with festivities that can baffle even the most consummate of travelers as well as its own inhabitants.

It’s a mere 80mn flight between Tokyo Haneda airport and Yonago, yet a world apart. And, from the moment you land, the mood is set. You have reached “Manga Kingdom”!

ale yellow paths, decorated with stone mosaics wind through gardens fragrant with the scent of gardenias, bougainvillea, and jasmine as well as yellow Alamandas flowers for which the resort is named. Owner Isabel Goldsmith who inherited the place from her grandfather, simply fell in love with this remote paradise and its perfect half-mile beach long,…

enturing outside of the usual tourist trail (Tokyo,Osaka or Kyoto) can prove to be vastly rewarding in Japan, for the inquisitive traveler. A simple visit, for instance to Oita prefecture on the island of Kyushu reveals lesser known little wonders. In Oita city, a stop at the newly built art museum (OPAM) is a must…