AccommodationActivitiesKyushuSponsored A Night in the Temple: Accommodation and Relaxation at Oteragoto on Goto Island The man approached the 200-year-old Buddhist Temple from the street, waving to us as he passed beneath the stone gate.…Todd FongJanuary 28, 2021
AccommodationActivitiesCultureFoodKyushuSightseeingSponsored Island Hopping the 3 Islands of Goto City The name Goto literally means 5 Islands, the number of islands the Goto Islands were traditionally said to contain. The…Todd FongJanuary 28, 2021
CultureShopping The Nostalgic Beauty of Japanese Tatami Mats and Unique Gift Items of Kuboki Tatami There is a quality of tatami that is unmistakably Japanese. The scent of a freshly mowed field in Spring. The…Todd FongJanuary 25, 2021
CulturePop CultureThings to Know Sebastian Masuda and Harajuku’s Kawaii and Japanese Punk: Notes on an Urban Rebellion What does Hello Kitty have to do with the US-Japan bilateral Treaty of Cooperation and Security and the May 68…Toshiko SakuraiJanuary 23, 2021
CultureThings to Know How to say ‘I love you’ in Japanese and other romantic phrases It is said that love is universal. That all human beings, wherever they are from, understand and express it with…Lucia TsujiguchiJanuary 20, 2021
ActivitiesShikokuSightseeingSponsored Exploring Contemporary Architecture Through the Toyo Ito Museum Perched on the edge of Omishima Island in the Setouchi region of Japan, the striking design of the Toyo Ito Museum is…Lily Crossley-BaxterJanuary 19, 2021
ShikokuSightseeingSponsored Pirates and Samurai Shrines: Seeking Japanese History Along the Shimanami Kaido Between beautiful views and fresh island produce, the Shimanami Kaido is an excellent cycling trip full of Japanese history. From Samurai…Lily Crossley-BaxterJanuary 19, 2021
ActivitiesShikokuSightseeingSponsored Relax and Discover the Local Life of Setouchi Along the Shimanami Kaido With chickens clucking around my feet, I spot a perfect lemon up in the branches. Stretching, I snip with shears…Lily Crossley-BaxterJanuary 19, 2021
ActivitiesShikokuSightseeingSponsored From Itoyama to Onomichi: A Cycling Guide Along the Shimanami Kaido ‘Konnichiwa!” called the students enthusiastically, receiving my breathless replies with encouraging good humour. I was pedalling past each other on…Lily Crossley-BaxterJanuary 19, 2021
CultureThings to Know Why Japanese People Use Kanji? Kanji. The bane of students of Japanese, of certain carefree T-shirt designers and tattoo artists victims of customers lacking enough…Toshiko SakuraiJanuary 14, 2021
CulturePop CultureThings to Know The Best Japanese Programs on Netflix: Anime, Movies and More Improving your Japanese level or delving into different areas of Japanese culture from your own country can be easier than…Maria PeñascalJanuary 13, 2021
CultureEventsKanto Oji Kitsune no Gyoretsu: New Year in Tokyo Like You’ve Never Seen Before If you're in Tokyo on New Year's Eve, Oji is where you need to be. Oji is the magical neighborhood…Toshiko SakuraiJanuary 4, 2021
AccommodationFoodKantoSightseeingSponsored The Perfect Two Day Getaway On Enoshima Island If 2020 has left you feeling like you've had an eight-month hangover, do your head, heart, and soul a favor…Todd FongDecember 25, 2020
ActivitiesCultureEvents Tradition and Meaning of Christmas From a Japanese Point of View Since the beginning of November, Japan is immersed in a totally Christmasy atmosphere: full of lights, Christmas products in stores,…Maria PeñascalDecember 23, 2020
ActivitiesEventsThings to Know The Best Things to Do in Japan for Christmas Japan started to celebrate Christmas after World War II due to Western influence. As it comes from the Christian tradition,…Maria PeñascalDecember 18, 2020
ActivitiesKantoSponsoredTohoku The Diamond Route: The Amazing National Parks Region Which I’d Never Heard I’ve lived in Japan so long now and travelled so much around the country that I thought I might have…Mark Brazil Ph.DDecember 18, 2020
EventsHokkaidoShopping Christmas in Hokkaido: The Holiday Season Under the Snow I have always loved winter and snow even more. Coming from the south of France, where it barely snows once…Joachim DucosDecember 18, 2020
CultureThings to Know Why do the Japanese sleep on the floor? History of the futon in Japan The experience of sleeping on a futon (布団) remains one of the most appealing activities for travelers coming to Japan.…Toshiko SakuraiDecember 4, 2020
ChubuCultureSightseeingSponsored Niigata’s Sado: An Island of Rich History, Culture, and Gold “It takes two entire years to pass a taiko apprenticeship. That means no drinking, no smoking, no social media. Do…Lucy DaymanDecember 3, 2020
ChubuCultureSightseeingSponsored Discovering The Artistic Side Of Niigata Prefecture There’s something surreal about driving through the countryside of southern Niigata Prefecture and suddenly seeing a giant window — complete with…Patrick St. MichelDecember 3, 2020
AccommodationActivitiesFoodHokkaidoSponsored Rishiri Island: Mist, Mountains, and Sea Urchins The mist was the defining factor of my experience on Rishiri Island (利尻島, Rishiri-tō). It became a welcome companion to my explorations,…Lily Crossley-BaxterDecember 3, 2020
ActivitiesFoodHokkaidoSponsored An Unexpected Stay on Hokkaido’s Rebun Island “Canceled?” I asked, looking out to the blue skies across our coast-side hotel breakfast. It seemed unlikely, but our boat…Lily Crossley-BaxterDecember 3, 2020
ActivitiesFoodHokkaidoSponsored Wakkanai: The Great Outdoors and Curling on the Northern Tip of Hokkaido Learning the art of curling from a 79-year-old Japanese man had never really been on my bucket list, but it…Lily Crossley-BaxterDecember 3, 2020
Shopping Oriobi Brings Japan’s Lost Treasures Back to Life The exquisite traditional Japanese kimono is a beautiful article of clothing. However, one often forgets its other half: the long…Todd FongNovember 30, 2020
KantoThings to Know The Complete Guide to Tokyo Airports The experience of a trip starts with your transportation. If you want to travel to Tokyo, the starting point is…Maria PeñascalNovember 29, 2020
KansaiSightseeing Arima Onsen: One of the Oldest Hot Spring Resorts in Japan Not far from Kobe City in Hyogo prefecture, is the onsen resort of Arima Onsen (有馬温泉). With a history dating back…Claudia MitsuboriNovember 28, 2020
SightseeingThings to Know Volcanoes in Japan: The 4 Most Beautiful Volcanic Destinations According to Japanese mythology, Japan was created by the hand of the gods Izanagi and Izanami. Moreover, his children were…Maria PeñascalNovember 27, 2020
ActivitiesCultureEvents Horses in Japan: From Divine Companions to Cult Objects Us horse lovers all have something in common. Even on vacation in a foreign country, we feel we can't survive…Yvonne TanakaNovember 25, 2020