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
Unkai: Japan’s Top “Sea of Clouds” Spots
Unkai (雲海) is a Japanese word meaning “sea of clouds”. In Japan, the unique geographic and weather conditions allow the sea of clouds to form on land! Here are the top five most popular places you can witness this incredible natural phenomenon in Japan.
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!
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
A Guide to Osaka Castle Park
Osaka Castle is an iconic symbol that is definitely worth a visit. When you do go, be sure to enjoy Osaka Castle Park to the fullest! Here’s a guide on how to get there and what to do to make the most out of your trip. There is a video guide at the end of this blog, too.
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
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
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 to nearby rural areas no matter where you stay in Tokyo. Get out of the city for a bit and get lost in the beauty of rural Japan – just for a day or two. … 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