From island-hopping in southerly Okinawa to farm experiences in rural Aomori and skiing in far northern Hokkaido, this diverse archipelago offers intriguing local culture, ancient history and epic wilderness experiences around every corner — and deeper exploration reaps huge rewards

Chris Bertram recalls the bucket-list experience at Shangri-La Le Touessrok, a heavenly island in the Indian Ocean

Marsali Taylor swaps skippering her Offshore 8m for being crew on a converted herring drifter, with comfy berths in the former fish hold

My motives for this trip were varied. I was on the committee that vetted applications for the Ocean Cruising Club’s Challenge Grant when Project Manaia had applied for a grant to support their environ

Every month, we trawl the nation’s coastline to bring you news of the people, places and exciting goings-on that are worth knowing about

(whatever your budget!)