Have you ever traveled to Nakasendō road or any of the post town stations along the way? There are beautiful, ancient, and picturesque trails in Nakasendo中山道 where you will feel nostalgic, especially in the Kisoji area (Gifu & Nagano). These trekking routes between the post towns are where you can enjoy scenic mountain hikes. In this blog, I visited and … Read More
Top 10 Best Places to See Hydrangea in Japan
Every year in June, along with the rainy season, pretty clusters of colorful hydrangea flowers bloom across Japan. The beautiful flowers are called ajisai (あじさい、紫陽花) in Japanese. Some places are even famous for the incredible number and variety of hydrangea flowers. Here are 10 popular hydrangea-viewing spots in Japan!
10 Fun Things to Do in Japan in May
May in Japan is packed with a number of festivals – this is in part due to the Golden Week holiday period that happens every year for several days in early May. Then, the rest of the month is filled with good weather, sunshine, flowers, and lots of food and festivities! Here are 10 fun things to do in Japan … Read More
Japan’s Top 10 Wisteria-Viewing Spots
The end of cherry blossom season is certainly not the end of flower festivals in Japan! Every year, following the cherry blossoms, lush purple wisteria flowers arrive in Japan, blooming from April to May. The beautiful purple flowers are called fuji (ふじ, 藤) in Japanese. Here are the Top 10 wisteria-viewing spots in Japan!
The Best Day Trips From Tokyo
Are you coming to Japan and staying in Tokyo? Thanks to Japan’s convenient public transportation, you can easily make a number of great side trips if you’re using Tokyo as your home base. Get out of the city for a bit and get lost in the beauty of rural Japan – just for a day or two. Here are the … Read More
How to Keep Warm During Winter in JAPAN
Winter in Japan usually lasts from December until February, and can be pretty unforgiving if you’re not used to the cold. Temperatures average around 2ºC~10ºC (35°F~50°F) in city areas, and can get as low as -6°C (21°F) in country side and even colder in Hokkaido! If you’re visiting Japan during the winter months, you’ll definitely want to take care to … Read More
Kawaii: Japan’s Obsession With All Things Cute
Kawaii (かわいい) is one of the most commonly used words in the Japanese language. Translated as “cute” in English, it can be used to describe all things cute – people, babies, animals, clothing, decorations, stationary – you name it. When the kawaii trend originated, it was only popular with pre-teen girls. So why is it that today in Japan, it’s … Read More
Stereotypes About Japan That ARE True!
When you think about “Japan”, what stereotypes come to mind? There are loads of myths surrounding Japan – about the people, the culture, the trains, and even the food! Many of them are far from accurate, but several common stereotypes are actually spot-on! Read on to find out which stereotypes about Japan are true, and the facts that back them … Read More
City Spotlight: Nara, Japan
Nara (奈良) is a city with a significant historical importance to Japan, and continues to serve as one of the most beloved tourist spots today. We take a look at how to get there, what to do, and even what it eat in this city spotlight on Nara City!
Osorezan (恐山): Japan’s “Fear Mountain”
Japan’s Mount Osorezan (恐山) in Aomori Prefecture is ranked along with Koyasan and Hieizan as one of the three most sacred places in the entire country. Today, it known as the site of Bodai-ji Temple, where female mediums called itako are said to be able to communicate with the deceased. Read on to learn all about Japan’s fascinating “fear mountain”.