Are you an anime, manga, cosplay or video game lover? Here are the top otaku cultural events you have to…
Anna ToccoliSeptember 14, 2022
My introduction to the world of Japanese tea ceremony (茶道, chado) took place during my first visit to Japan in 2016. Everywhere…
Natalie LeonAugust 22, 2022
It's not rare for Japanese subcultures to expand overseas and then explode in the West. Manga, anime, and video games…
Anna ToccoliAugust 9, 2022
It was 2014 when a young pop star with long, turquoise twintails opened U.S. artist Lady Gaga's ArtRave: The Artpop…
Anna ToccoliJuly 29, 2022
What is the climate like in Japan? What temperatures should you expect when traveling in different seasons? And what is…
Daniela TravagliniJuly 26, 2022
I am a fan of travel blogs and conventional guide books and possibly, one of the last few on earth…
Burcu BasarJuly 21, 2022
If Miyazaki Prefecture (宮崎県) is on your itinerary, you will get the chance to discover much more than its superb…
Clémentine SandnerJuly 8, 2022
Full disclosure: This article was written in collaboration with Trekkling to promote a cycling experience people can enjoy near (or…
Todd FongJune 29, 2022
In Japan, wage policies and minimum wage are decided at both government and local levels. In recent years, we've seen…
Marie BorgersApril 25, 2022
Stretching along a beautiful section of Japan’s east coast, Ibaraki Prefecture features a wonderfully diverse range of things to see…
James DaviesApril 21, 2022
Legend has it that a deity appeared in a dream to a pious Buddhist monk to show him a sacred…
Toshiko SakuraiApril 12, 2022
The year is 1952. The revolution that will radically transform Japanese animation into what we know today is taking place…
Toshiko SakuraiMarch 28, 2022
Starbucks is, without a doubt, a beloved Japanese institution. In a couple of short decades since the global coffee chain’s…
Richard MilnerMarch 16, 2022
Ask me where my favorite place to visit is in Kyushu, and without hesitation, I would tell you it’s the…
Mika SendaMarch 9, 2022
There's no denying that, geographically, Osaka prefecture is surrounded by some of the most popular destinations for enjoying the spectacular…
Lucia TsujiguchiMarch 4, 2022
If there is one thing skiing in Japan is known for, it is the incredibly light and dry powder snow…
Don KennedyMarch 2, 2022
Japan hosts many unique cultural and natural sites, spread to all 47 prefectures, on its relatively modest size land. Some…
Burcu BasarFebruary 28, 2022
In ancient times, the Kii Peninsula, south of Osaka and Kyoto, was known as the land of the gods, and…
Don KennedyFebruary 25, 2022
It was my second day hiking on the Michinoku Coastal Trail in Japan, and I had just scrambled down a…
Ben WellerFebruary 21, 2022
Adventure is calling your name, and it's called Kyushu. Japan's westernmost island is a natural paradise of geothermic hot springs,…
Todd FongJanuary 31, 2022
I’m in Kyushu, the third largest and the southernmost of Japan’s four main islands, drawn, by an extraordinary annual natural…
Mark Brazil Ph.DJanuary 31, 2022
The Nakasendo Trail (中山道) is one of the five former "Gokaido" (五街道) routes in Japan used during the Edo period…
ManonJanuary 20, 2022
In Gunma (群馬県), beneath the forest canopy halfway up a great mountain, we ascended an ancient stone staircase, crumbling from…
Todd FongJanuary 12, 2022
Whenever I think back on my first experiences of Japanese train travel, it’s never the 300 kph speeds or the…
Mika SendaJanuary 5, 2022
Tsuruoka City (鶴岡市) and its surrounding region are, without a doubt, one of Japan’s most unique, hidden gems for travelers.…
Richard MilnerDecember 27, 2021
The fact that I had made it this far down the canyon, wading and sometimes swimming in the river's cold…
Todd FongDecember 23, 2021
I could try to convince you about the many virtues of Kochi Prefecture (高知県), but instead, I'll leave that to…
Todd FongDecember 23, 2021
