JAPAN TRAVEL
Dye your blues away at the Iyo-Kasuri Kaikan
Shikoku is home to many talented craftspeople. Some of Shikoku’s most famous and enduring crafts include Awagami (Tokushima washi paper), Tobeyaki (Tobe’s distinctive blue pottery), and Iyo-Kasuri (hand-woven, blue patterned fabric).
 
The...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Meticulous models of world wonders in Tochigi
Deep in the mountains of the ruggedly beautiful Tochigi Prefecture lie the greatest wonders ever crafted by human hands. The pyramids of Giza, Beijing’s Forbidden City, the Eiffel Tower—all these and more are here in Kinugawa. Well, sort ...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
 
Largest collection of species of any aquarium in Japan
With over 60 million visitors since its opening in 1955, Toba Aquarium is one of the most visited places in Japan. It has the largest number of different species of any aquarium in Japan. It also has the extra prestige of being...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Because the journey is as important as the destination
The longest tree lined avenue in the world is in Nikkō. Japanese cedar trees (sugi in Japanese) stand 30 meters tall and enclose over 35 kilometers of road. The trees were planted some four hundred years ago to enhance the approa...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
The little Ginza of Kumamoto
I was running for my life. The black pavement was like a hammer pounding on my shins, each step becoming heavier and heavier, like the ground was pulling me back. The neon signs, the light reflecting from the fruit stalls, it was all a blur as I clutched ...

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LONELY PLANET
 
Okinawa and the Southwest Islands comprise one of Japan's pretty little secrets – a side of Japan that differs from the mainland in culture and pace. They take a little more time and effort to access, but the rewards for getting there are gorgeous semi-tropical, white-sand beaches...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Play with antique karakuri handicrafts in Naramachi
While walking through Nara and looking at its houses you can see and feel its rich history in every element. Every detail is full of antiquity. Several days ago I was wandering along the streets of Nara and when I saw some beautiful...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Great selection of English books and magazines
 
Speakers of the English language can rejoice: it is indeed possible to find something to read in Tokyo!
...that's being dramatic, of course. There are a fair number of bookstores around this metropolis that have English-language books....

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Enjoy The Warmth of Wood and Natural Light
Completed in 2013, the Hanno Library is an architectural phenomenon. Historically, the city was renowned for its lumber industry. Today, Hanno prides itself for quality wood craft, and their wood working skill is magnificently displayed in t...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Mecca for Hayao Miyazaki's Japanese Anime
By Miwa Kaneoya 
The Ghibli Museum is a Mecca for Japanese anime created by the well-known animator, Hayao Miyazaki. Located in Mitaka, Tokyo, it is so popular that you have to buy a ticket for a specific date and time (purchased at Lawson co...

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