Japan’s matsuri (祭り) festivals are an incredibly important part of traditional Japanese culture. Matsuri are typically dedicated to Shinto Shrines and their divine deities, and because there are over 8,000 different recognized deities, matsuri come in all shapes and sizes! Some matsuri are very quiet, intimate affairs, while other matsuri are notoriously lively and high-energy. Here is our list of some … Read More
Japan’s Top 10 Fire Festivals
Festivals (matsuri , 祭り in Japanese) are an integral part of Japanese culture. Every year in Japan, there are thousands of festivals held all across the country, and they come in many different varieties. Fire festivals in particular are incredibly beautiful, powerful, and lively, and are definitely worth checking out if you visit Japan! Here is a list of the 10 top … Read More
Tomogashima, a beautiful “phantom” island of fortress
On a beautiful Akibare 秋晴れ day – a fine autumn day, we visited Tomogashima Island in Wakayama prefecture on a day trip. It was said to have been an”uninhabited phantom island” dotted with fortress ruins. You may wonder why the title says “phantom”. Let’s find it out in this blog!
10 Japanese Festivals You Can’t Miss in October
It’s officially autumn in Japan! The month of October is one of the most fun months to be in Japan, for there are multiple festivals happening every single weekend. From manly “fighting” festivals to jaw-dropping lantern displays, you can’t miss these 10 festivals going on in October.
A Guide To Cherry Blossom Viewing In Japan
Tourism was affected quite badly by the pandemic. But with vaccines rolling out and countries reopening, you can expect tourism to slowly start livening up again. And when you do travel again, you should consider the Land of the Rising Sun — Japan. Yahoo Finance’s list of most visited countries in the world lists Japan as number 11. It reports the … Read More
The “Silver Week” Holidays in Japan
You may have heard of Golden Week in Japan, but how exactly is Silver Week different?
Travel Guide to Kisoji, Nakasendo ~Visiting post towns
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!