A 1½-hour drive west of Yokota Air Base, home of U.S. Forces Japan in western Tokyo, is Nippara, the largest limestone cave in the region.

On a busy morning or a day where you feel drained of energy, have you ever joked about how you could just dive into a pool of coffee?

Scaling Mount Tanigawa, a 6,486-foot peak bordering Japan’s Gunma and Niigata prefectures, is a risky adventure in winter. More than 800 people have died from exposure, avalanches and falls attempting to climb the “Mountain of Death” since the 1930s, about four times as many as have perished on Mount Everest, according to local news reports.

As most people’s daily routines continue in a semi-isolated pandemic lifestyle, going on a virtual adventure around Japan via the internet has never been easier.

Mount Mitake, one of the many highlights of the Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park, features a railway and hiking path that takes visitors on a journey through a tranquil forest, a charming small village and a shrine.

The name Nagano might bring to mind ski slopes, snowboarding and the 1998 Olympic Winter Games, but it’s just as well known for its snow monkeys and hot springs.

The coronavirus pandemic has hit Tokyo harder than any other Japanese city, with nearly 25,000 people testing positive since the illness first appeared in Japan early this year.

With Japan’s rainy season’s over and the temperature soaring into the 90s, it’s an ideal time for beach lovers to head for the seashore to soak up the sun.

Built on the theme of the exotic and luxurious adventures of a pirate, Caribbean Bay is a water park for everyone from the newest buccaneers to the saltiest captains to ever sail the open seas.

Hiding south of Tokyo, in the eastern part of Kanagawa prefecture near Yokosuka, Godzilla oversees millions of blooming flowers year-round.

Hidden in the forested mountains north of Mount Fuji, you’ll find a picturesque canyon loaded with waterfalls called Nishizawa Gorge.

We could all use a little serenity right now as the coronavirus pandemic drags on, and if you live and work at Yokota Air Base, the Buddha of Rokuya, or Rokuya Daibutsu, isn’t far from the home of U.S. Forces Japan.

Shuri Castle, often described as “Uchinanchu,” or Okinawa’s heart and soul, was ablaze on Oct. 31 and burned for more than 11 hours.

If the stress of being cooped up inside for weeks on end due to the coronavirus has got you down, Okinawa’s Yohena Hydrangea Garden in Motobu might be just what the doctor ordered.

If you’re stuck on base at the home of the 36th Wing on Guam, it’s worth a short jaunt to check out the tail section of a B-52E Stratofortress that was blown into the jungle during a super typhoon in 1976.

The mind that’s locked down by a stay-at-home coronavirus order may yet roam online.

Amid the bustle of Tokyo and in one of the main districts for tourism you will find Sensoji, the oldest Buddhist temple in the city.

With the Tokyo Olympics and Paralympics just around the corner, get psyched up for the games with a trip to the newly opened Japan Olympic Museum.

The snowy beaches of the Miyako Islands are a change to the beige-orange sand on the main island of Okinawa, and the sun reflected off the powdery white sand contrasts sharply with the blue ocean to compose a beautiful scene.

South Korea’s Lotte World Tower in Seoul is a 750,000-ton marvel of a building that features an enormous shopping mall, aquarium, cinema, concert hall and so many restaurants it would be a daunting task to pick one.

Drop “Zen” into conversation, and thoughts of one hand clapping or a properly maintained motorcycle may come to mind.

In the hills of Chiba, near Sodegaura city east of Tokyo and across the bay, a theme park lights up for the winter.

About two hours northeast of Yokota Air Base, in a suburb of Tsukuba called Ushiku, the Ushiku Daibutsu, a bronze statue built in 1993 and nearly 38 stories tall, was once listed by Guinness World Records as the world’s tallest statue of Buddha.

Fans of anime and video games — especially franchises that fall under the Nintendo umbrella — are making pilgrimages to the sixth floor of the newly opened Shibuya Parco building, site of Nintendo Tokyo.

Yoron Island, a part of the Amami archipelago of Kagoshima prefecture, is a slice of Greece just two hours by ferry from Motobu Port in northern Okinawa.

Ishigaki island, 256 miles southwest of Naha, capital of Okinawa prefecture, is a jewel of the Yaeyama archipelago.

The Hamura Zoo, just a 10-minute drive from the main gate of Yokota Air Base in western Tokyo, packs a large entertainment punch with more than 60 varieties of animals ranging from penguins to giraffes.

The fast-paced growth of social media platforms like Instagram and YouTube has birthed the realization that anyone can create and publish content with very little up-front costs.

The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation, more commonly known as Miraikan, showcases Japan’s leading studies in science and technology. The museum offers an interactive, hands-on learning experience enjoyable for visitors of all ages.

Imagine kayaking serenely through a mangrove forest as tropical birds sing all around you. If you’re lucky, you might spot a crested serpent eagle perched on a branch. If you are into trekking, kayaking and outdoor adventures, Iriomote is your paradise.