 The move was gutsy for a publication steeped in more than 100 years of tradition, but in April 1995 National Geographic magazine launched National Geographic Japan, the first of its international editions. Almost six years later—under the leadership of editor Nob Okawara—the Tokyo-based publication has a healthy circulation of 140,000, an achievement shared by a staff of nine. And the editor’s head for business hasn’t hurt.
A veteran in business management with Nikkei Business Publications, he studied business administration at New York University as a Fulbright scholar. He was the editor of Nikkei Logistics Management, the company’s monthly publication, when his superiors tapped him to head National Geographic Japan. Now he and his staff spend a lot of time focusing on quality.
“National Geographic USA is a magazine of quality,” says Okawara. “One of my jobs is to make sure we maintain that level of quality, in translation, layout and design, and press and bindery.”
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We gave Okawara our own challenge: “Describe five must-see destinations in Japan, personal favorites you’d share with foreign friends.” In a country as beautiful as Japan, he had a tough time coming up with his list. After some thought, he settled on these picks.
1. The Imperial Palace
“It’s conveniently located in downtown Tokyo, and in early April the cherry trees along the moat and in the gardens are profuse with blossoms. Millions of people show up after work and gather under the trees for a party. They drink sake and have a good time. It’s like a huge happy hour. For a while, we can forget all the nonsense of our lives.”
2. Hakone
“There are millions of hot springs here. When you step into the open-air baths, you get a fantastic view of Mount Fuji.”
3. Kamakura
“In the early part of the 12th century, this small city was the capital of Japan. There are hundreds of Buddhist temples here, especially a beautiful Zen temple. This is a good place to learn the essence of simplicity, something highly valued by the Japanese people.”
4. Kumano
“There is a shrine called Kumano Taisha in this unique town on the southern edge of the Omine-san range. It is the chief shrine of an ancient mountain worship that goes back some 2,200 years. According to the temple, the shrine itself was built in the early ninth century. It’s a very mysterious place. To purify their minds, Japanese pilgrims followed an ancient trail leading here. Today people still visit and engage in meditation.”
5. Kyoto and Nara
“These twin cities are about 35 kilometers (22 miles) from each other. At different times between the 8th and 12th centuries, both were the capital of this country. If you want to learn about the history of Japan, these two cities are the best.”
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| Photographs by Sam Abell, George F. Mobley, and Paul Chesley |
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