Kamakura: the hydrangeas of Hasedera
June is really probably not one of the best times to be in Japan. Endless days of rain, laundry that doesn't really dry, excursions cut short because of squalls...However the plentiful watering does bring one positive event with it: the riotous blooming of hydrangeas. An attractive weed, they g…(200 words)
Chiara
Kamakura Hasedera Tera (Temple) local secret flowers June
Yukata Festival in Hiroshima
Tokasan festival is one of the big festivals of the year in the Hiroshima city center. Food, drink and game stalls to enjoy as well as a dancing area to take part in traditional Japanese "obon" style "odori" dancing around the central drum and music tower. Tokasan is held on the first weekend i…(314 words)
jjwalsh
Yukata (Light kimono) Japanese festivals Tourism Hiroshima city annual Stalls Traditional Dancing Obon Odori dancing early summer event
Tokyo Bay Fireworks - HANABI Special buffet Dinner
The Tokyo Bay Fireworks are held north of the Rainbow Bridge in Tokyo Bay. They feature about 12,000 fireworks launched from barges anchored in the water. They have official viewing spots at Harumi Park (15 minute walk from Toyosu Station), but transportation will be really bad especially after…(319 words)
EmiOnishi
Tokyo Dinner Restaurant Hotel Drink Sushi Tempura Beef Fireworks Fireworks Shows
Nakamise, the main street of Asakusa between Kaminarimon and Hozomon
There are about 90 shops here in Nakamise. You can find Japanese traditional crafts, Kimonos, Japanese dolls, Ukiyoe, tenugui (Japanese towels) and chopsticks as well as Ningyoyaki (sponge cake), Osenbei (rice crackers), Japanese sweets and shaved ice. At Funawa, cold Matcha drink and sweet potato …(144 words)
Keiko, OTT
Asakusa Drink Shopping Sweets Rice cracker Shop good luck Ukiyoe chopsticks Souvenir
Service Robot “Sacchan” – Meet her at Huis ten Bosch
Huis ten Bosch Theme park in Sasebo, Nagasaki Prefecture is one of the popular sightseeing spots for both international visitors and Japanese residents. They will have a new attraction called "Game Kingdom" starting from 5th of July. At the Game Kingdom, our service robot "Sacchan" will serve a…(267 words)
Takerobo
Huis Ten Bosch Park Restaurant Visit Event Museum Game Amusement park Kyushu Sasebo
Surprise Views of Mount Fuji
Japan's highest peak, the iconic Mount Fuji was designated UNESCO World Heritage in June 2013. You can experience Mount Fuji during the short climbing season in the summer months, but you might spot it on any day of the year."Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration: The beauty …(287 words)
David
Mount Fuji World Heritage Site view Art
Sumo!!
Sumo-the image conjured up in many gaijin minds is that of a couple of overweight guys in adult diapers belly-bumping each other until one of man falls off a raised platform like a drunken Baby Huey. As a martial artist, I never really thought of sumo in that way, but I get why others would. Still,…(1153 words)
Dave
Sumo Tokyo Train Summer Shopping Visit Event Sport Food Play
Places to feel like locals in Asakusa
Do you know the third oldest underground passage in Japan is at Asakusa Station? The street is connected to a ticket gate of Ginza Line and the entrance of Shin-Nakamise Street. Most of the tenants are restaurants such as Sushi, Soba, Chinese, Vietnamese and Thai foods. You also find a fortune-tell…(157 words)
Keiko, OTT
Asakusa Hoppy Underground shopping arcade Restaurant Sushi Building Visit Soba noodles Bar
Kamakura Daibutsu and the Beach
For a great day trip on the weekend, visiting Kamakura is a great place to visit. The Daibutsu (Great Buddha) in Kamakura is one of the most famous and well known Buddha statues in all of Japan. In fact, you can actually go inside of the statue and see what it looks like from the inside. In the …(200 words)
Kevin
Kamakura Tokyo Train Visit Trip Bus Walk Tokyo Station Buddha Statue
600 Cherry Blossoms Fill Japan's Air with Sweet Aroma
Beautiful white flowers framed the quiet pond in the corner of the garden. I wander this place often as it reminds me of "The Secret Garden" depicted in one of my favorite childhood stories. It IS truly hidden from the main road and casual passersby.Those inside the Tokaido, Yokosuka, Yaman…(283 words)
Cherry blossom
Cherry
Shinagawa Station
Hara Museum
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Hama Rikyu Gardens - a beautiful park in Central Tokyo
A short walk from JR Shimbashi station (12 minutes) or either the Shiodome or Tsukiji Ichiba stations on the Toei Oedo line (7 minutes from either station), is one of the most beautiful and well kept parks in Tokyo. This park was created for the powerful Daimyo ruling class (feudal lords) during t…(126 words)
Kevin
Tokyo Park Visit Tsukiji Walk Business Tokyo Bay Edo Period Fish Shiodome
Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref.
Living in the concrete jungle of Tokyo can be overwhelming after a while. (Like the frog being boiled in a pot.)I was looking for a place to get back to nature within a short Shinkansen ride from Tokyo. A friend turned me on to a place called Minakami in Gunma prefecture. There the Tone Riv…(112 words)
JiyugaokaPaul
Gunma Rafting Tokyo River Nature Shinkansen Bullet Train Kids Tone River
Awa Dance Festival in Tokushima Pref.
In Japan, we have Obon holiday in the middle of August, where we believe the spirits of ancestors will return to this world and revisit the household altars. People return to ancestral family places and we have Bon Odori （盆踊り） throughout the country. Bon Obori, meaning Bon dance is performed dur…(299 words)
Suetsumuhana
Tokushima Summer Visit Convenience store Bus Haneda Airport Awa Odori Festival Pottery
Torinoiru Cafe for Bird Lovers
Hello everybody! Alex aka Subtokyo is back for another interesting animal cafe, this time an owl cafe!There are a handful of owl cafes around the Tokyo area. Kiba, Tsukishima, and a couple other locations in Tokyo. I visited the owl cafe or bird cafe in Kiba, Tokyo. This was the Torinoiru Cafe …(317 words)
Alex Kobayashi /Subtokyo
Cafe Tokyo Visit Food Walk Cheap Subtokyo Owl Animal Cafe
Tourist friendly town at Hida Takayama
Places to go in the Tokai area I recommend going to Hida Takayama.It is in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture. 3 hour train ride from Nagoya station to Takayama station (3,350yen one way).The hotel I stayed at was the Takayama Ooan（高山桜庵）right next to the Takayama Station.The entranc…(300 words)
Yuuki I
Train Hotel Onsen Beef Nagoya style Futon Gifu
EPSON Shinagawa Aqua Stadium
This aquarium is a couple of minute walk from the Takanawa exit of Shinagawa station and located within the Shinagawa Price Hotel complex. The aquarium is rather small, but good size for little kids to walk around. A variety of colorful fish will entertain your eyes. Their tropical fish submari…(193 words)
EmiOnishi
Shinagawa Kids Aquarium Summer Hotel Sea Walk Fish Shinagawa Station
Short trip in Fukuoka? There is Dazai Tenmangu and Toto factory to visit
In Kyushu, there are many lovely things to visit and usually, Fukuoka, is not a must-go on the list.But, if you go there, you can certainly enjoy your time.Dazai Tenmangu is a temple dating from the 10th century and built by a Michizane Sugawara, an high-rank administrator of the Heian gov…(344 words)
Claire
Visit Trip Fukuoka City Event Jinjya (Shrine) Kokura
Enjoy to watch making something on the streets in Asakusa
In Asakusa, there are many shops where you can see the procedure to making something. Iriyama Senbei is located at Sushiya Street, while Ichiban Hanaya is located at Shin-Nakamise Street.There are many Ningyoyaki shops along Nakamise Street. Japanese tend to prefer the hand-made Ningyoyaki and of c…(95 words)
Keiko, OTT
Asakusa Rice cracker Shop Cake Fish Taiyaki (Fish-shaped cake) Ningyo-yaki
Travel back in time to Edo
Chiba Prefecture's Boso no Mura http://www.chiba-muse.or.jp/MURA/index.htmlThis attraction recreates life as it was, along with the scenery, from 150 years ago. You can walk around freely and experience what it is like to live in old Japan, during the Edo period. The homes have kitchens with woo…(114 words)
Kevin
Travel Tea Chiba Green tea Walk Live Edo Period
Shibata Castle, Niigata Prefecture
I first visited Shibata in April 2013. Shibata is located in Niigata prefecture which is on the western coast of Japan's main island and is known for its pristine landscape. Within the prefecture is the second most extensive land area devoted to National Parks. Ijimino Park and Ominesan Sakura P…(171 words)
Dolores
Castle Niigata Sake (Rice wine) Park Cherry blossom Onsen April
Gathering Place for Gundam Japanese Character Fans in Odaiba, Tokyo
He stands towering over the surrounding garden of Divercity Tokyo Plaza! (3 minute walk from Tokyo Teleport Station/Linkai Line or 5 minute walk from Daiba Station/Yuri Kamome Line).http://www.divercity-tokyo.com/en/ Notice the Diver-City name pun? Cute right? The full scale of the Mobile Su…(308 words)
SEIJAN
Tokyo Odaiba
Experience old Japan in Kanazawa
In the Edo period Kanazawa had about the same poplulation as Nagoya.Edo being largest then Osaka, Kyoto then Kanazawa and Nagoya.During WW2 Kanazawa was not bombed and the old scenery of the Japanese culture can be seen today.Higashi Chayagai （東茶屋街） is one of the places you can experien…(173 words)
Yuuki I
Hostel Train History Sake (Rice wine) Japanese Culture Jewelry
Local Secrets: Asagaya Tanabata Festival in August
The Tanabata Matsuri (Star Festival) usually occurs in early July, celebrating the one day per year two star crossed lovers of legend can meet across the Milky Way. However, in some prefectures Tanabata is celebrated later, which is why the wonderfully colorful Asagaya Tanabata Festival occurs …(242 words)
Chiara
local secret festival August Tanabata Festival Tokyo
A beautiful gorge in Miyazaki
Looking for scenery that's impossible to capture with a camera? Miyazaki Prefecture has a beautiful gorge named Takachiho-kyo, one of the must-go places in Kyushu. It is filled with greenery and the water has a beautiful turquoise tint.There are also areas to eat typical Japanese food and purch…(94 words)
RieS
Miyazaki view Kyushu Park Visit Food Camera Japanese food Eat
A view to die for
Nagasaki was chosen to be one of the NEW top three night views in the world (the other two being Hong Kong and Monaco)! The observatory can be accessed easily by bus, train or taxi, depending on where you are. On a clear day, you can see the whole city light up like a Christmas tree. The feelin…(98 words)
RieS
Nagasaki night view view Train City Bus Taxicab Christmas
Asagaya Tanabata Matsuri
Tanabata, which means "double seven" in Japanese, is celebrated usually on the 7th of July, as one might expect. It is a celebration stemming from the lunar/solar calendar and the meeting of a mythical cowherd and weaver girl throughout much of East Asia.On July 7th, people throughout Japan pl…(489 words)
mikekato
Japanese festivals Tanabata Festival Asagaya Yaki soba noodles animation characters Tokyo
Gotokuji - Tokyo's Manekineko Lucky Cat Temple
Gotokuji is a lovely old neighbourhood in Tokyo's Setagaya ward. Gotokuji temple is the home of the Japanese good luck cats called "manekineko". One is waiting for you in front of Gotokuji station.Go from the station towards Gotokuji temple and you pass through a Japanese style "shotengai" stre…(353 words)
David
Gotokuji manekineko Tera (Temple) Japanese style shopping arcade Setagayaku good luck Tokyo Train Japanese
Road Trip Diaries #1: Umi Hotaru
In the middle of Tokyo Bay, there sits a handsome, white, 5-story structure remarkable as much for its awkward location as it is for its raw engineering. The artificial island stands there, surrounded by ocean, an unexpected accompaniment to the fishing boats and cargo ships which normally cruise …(776 words)
jdlawrence
Trip Sea Tokyo Restaurant Shopping Highway Chiba Travel
Coming soon!: Bizen Pottery Festival in Okayama
Many fans and afficionados of Japanese culture enjoy the traditional arts, pottery being one of them. Many people are aware of beautiful Kyo-yaki from Kyoto or Kutani-yaki from Ishigawa Prefecture, but did you know that Okayama Prefecture boasts THE oldest pottery kiln in Japan?Bizen-yaki began…(404 words)
Andrea Miyata
Okayama festival Pottery Visit Museum Art Autumn Japanese Culture
Road Trip Diaries #2: Nakaizu Hills Winery (In vino, veritas)
Many people think of France, Spain, Italy, California or, more recently, Australia and Chile, when thinking about wine, and Japan is often thought of as a place where you make Japanese sake or beer. But, did you know that Japan has a winery in the Nakaizu area of Shizuoka prefecture? Nakaizu Wi…(907 words)
jdlawrence
Trip Visit Wine Tokyo Drink Hotel Building Sake (Rice wine)
Where to visit in Fall?
For people living in Tokyo, visiting Yamanashi prefecture in September is a great choice! You can try grape picking there.All the grapes are delicious. Especially, Shine Muscat is one of the best fruits I've ever ate in my life.It tastes like something different from grapes but extremely …(62 words)
KoheiM
Visit Tokyo Live Yamanashi Grape
Kirin Yokohama Beer Village
Yokohama is renowned as the home of the Japanese beer industry. You can learn - and taste - all about it at the Kirin Yokohama Beer Village. The Kirin Brewery Company, one of Japan's big four beer breweries, was founded in Yokohama in 1907.Located in North Yokohama near Shinkoyasu Station (JR K…(201 words)
Former Deep Japan Writer
Yokohama Beer Kirin History New year Holidays Express train Tohoku Negishi Line Negishi
Dance Like Fools
Awaodori is a dance that is performed in summer festivals throughout Japan, but originating in Tokushima Prefecture in the southwestern island of Shikoku. Shikoku is one of the four main islands of Japan, but the one that is often forgotten, because it does not have a major city like Fukuoka or Na…(778 words)
mikekato
dance Event festival Tokyo Summer Drink Music Food Beauty
Yokohama China Town : A Great Mixture of New and Old
Yokohama China Town, which has a long history, is a place where old traditions and new styles coexist. Just last week, they opened another new restaurant specialized in Peking duck. They look very clean and fancy. I need to check it out sometime.On the other hand, there are some very old hi…(203 words)
Suetsumuhana
Yokohama Hotel china town Restaurant History Stay Futon
Enjoy Autumn in Asakusa
Asakusa Touroue is held from September 13 through 27. Many Tourou (lanterns) light up the alleys in Sensoji. Visit at night. You can see a dance by Geisha at Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center on Saturdays (see below). The tickets will be available at the Center from 10:00 each day on a fir…(161 words)
Keiko, OTT
Asakusa Restaurant Event Visit Food Tempura Ueno Eat dance Lantern
Hamamatsu City, Japan: Birthplace of the Big Corporation, Yamaha
I often wondered about Hamamatsu City in Shizuoka Prefecture as I watched it slip by during my bullet train rides from Tokyo to Osaka. A very good friend of mine is from Hamamatsu and would tell me about his father’s company. He himself towered over most Japanese men at just under six feet tall and…(873 words)
Music
yamaha
Tokyo
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Hamamatsu City
Oktoberfest in Japan: Starting in Odaiba this Friday!
It's been 12 years already since Japan started the Bavarian beer festival, Oktoberfest in Yokohama for the first time. You can now enjoy the Munich's notorious beer festival throughout Japan such as Tohoku, Nagasaki and Tokyo (Odaiba, Hibiya, Yoyogi and Akihabara, etc.) Today I had a chance to go t…(269 words)
EmiOnishi
Odaiba Beer Drink Event festival Autumn Tokyo Park Yokohama
Tokyo Skytree Changing the City's Landscape
Tokyo Skytree has changed the landscape of Tokyo. The tall tower is overlooking everything else in Tokyo. From the park along Sumida river in Asakusa you have a good view of Skytree and it is a popular spot for visitors to take pictures. Another spot for Skytree pictures is the Tourist Center in As…(299 words)
David
Tokyo Tokyo Skytree Photography Light-up Building
Toyota Mega Web / Theme Park
For all of you car enthusiasts out there, and even if you are not one, the Toyota Mega Web and self proclaimed theme park must be put on your list of things to experience while in Tokyo. Located in the middle of the Odaiba’s waterfront attractions, this exhibition offers hours of free entertainmen…(400 words)
Alex
Odaiba Amusement park Entertainment Park Tokyo Transportation Exhibition Mega Web Toyota Cars
Cupnoodles Museum
If you are like me and you have an affinity for one of the best inventions ever bestowed upon mankind, yes, I’m talking about instant noodles, you will love hearing about this must-see, one of a kind museum! The Cupnoodles Museum in Yokohama is a tribute to this delicious meal, as well as to its fo…(325 words)
Alex
Museum Yokohama Cup Noodles Soba noodles History Eat activities Ramen noodles Momofuku Ando