Located in Saitama prefecture, just a half hour north of Tokyo via Tobu Tojo Railway, the city of Kawagoe (pop. 351,000) is a former merchant town whose old quarter's architecture includes a number of centuries-old wooden buildings such as its iconic
A fascinating day trip from Japan's capital, Tochigi city is often called "Little Edo" (meaning "Little Old Tokyo"), a place to immerse and unwind in the ambiance of simpler, bye-gone days, reminiscent of Japan's Edo period (1603-1868). The Tochigi
Nikko, an area just less than two hours north of Tokyo on the Limited Express Tobu-railway line, has been famous in Japan for more than a century, providing a respite for cooling off and immersing in nature, during Tokyo's hot and humid summers.
One
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If you’re looking for great local food at reasonable prices, the slopes of an international ski resort are probably not the best place right? In most resorts, Niseko, on Japan's northern Hokkaido island an eight-hour train ride from Tokyo, just migh
A prominent Tokyo-based company has just recently debuted two fine additions to the Japanese capital region's sophisticated hotel offerings, the Tokyo Bay Tokyu Hotel and Kawasaki King Skyfront Tokyu REI Hotel. Check them out here!
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Japan of course boasts millennia of distinguished artistic tradition packed into these ancient isles, along with some of the world's most innovative, cutting-edge modern art. Both are on impressive display in the new spring season of April and May ex
The city of Tokyo, which already had more Michelin Stars than any other city in the world, was awarded top honors in 2017, not just for its food, but for overall livability and once-in-a-lifetime experiences!
Japan's capital city begins 2018 on a hig
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While most people think of visiting the historic cities of Europe during the holiday season, for some lovely and lively Christmas cheer you may also want to consider a trip to Tokyo, Japan!
Brilliant LED displays, projection mapping, and digital cho
The historic town of Nikko, in Tochigi Prefecture, Japan, is just two hours north of Tokyo, via Tobu Railways, from Tobu Asakusa Station to Tobu Nikko Station. While, Nikko is famous for its UNESCO World Heritage sites, "The Shrines and Temples of
Read more…Some three hours north of Tokyo, via Japan Rail's Yamagata Shinkansen, is Zao Onsen in Yamagata prefecture, one of Japan's largest ski/winter resorts. Here snow sports are king, thanks to the area's excellent powder conditions and wide range of cour
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While many travelers come to the USA to marvel at New England’s autumn leaves in shades from saffron to crimson, Japan’s fall foliage also beckons leaf peepers from around Japan itself and across the globe. Japanese culture reveres the changing of th
Along with sushi, teriyaki, tempura, and the like, Japan's classic, clear rice wine has become a widespread international ambassador for Japaness cuisine and culture. With origins in the 8th century and brewed in a fermentation process more akin to
Read more…The memorable Takayama Matsuri takes place twice a year – October 9-10 and April 14-15 in central Japan's ancient city Takayama. Considered among the country's three top and most beautiful festivals (the others being the Gion Matsuri in Kyoto and th
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Kabuki is a traditional Japanese performing art, registered as an "Intangible Cultural Heritage" by UNESCO. In Gifu Prefecture, part of the Shoryudo, Central region of Japan, a couple of hours north of Nagoya, you can experience Edo-period (1603-1868
"We offer Travel Volunteer candidates the chance to visit Japan from North to South and report the reality of the situation in Japan to the world! Apply before 31st July 2011!"
That's from travelvolunteer.net, a site that is giving some lucky blogger
Read more…It was a rainy autumn day in Tokyo, as my companions and I shuffled out of the Toei Chikatetsu metro line at Asakusa Station. Emerging onto the street level, we quickly opened and raised our large, red, paper umbrellas, on loan from our escorts, and
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Of the more than 10 million visitors to Japan, destinations like Tokyo, Kyoto, Hiroshima. and Okinawa obviously rank among the better-known names. But there are small cities and towns spread among the beautiful islands of this singular country off th
The name “Narita” instantly brings to mind the huge airport that services the Tokyo metro area. But the city that’s home to the airport, as well as the one alongside it, are actually atmospheric, full of history, and well worth working in before or a
Tokyo is a city of many neighborhoods. In about one hour, you can take the above-the-ground, glass-windowed JR Yamanote line, on a 34.5 km (21.4 miles) loop around the center of the city. Some of the major station include Yūrakuchō (Ginza area), Shi
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