JAPAN TRAVEL
The World of Ancient Yamato
If, like me, you are fascinated with Japan’s distant past, but have no time to visit the old capitals of Nara and Asuka, I recommend an easy Tokyo-area day trip; the barrows of Sakitama Kofun (Tumulus) Park in Saitama Prefecture.
This park’s various burial...

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DEEP JAPAN
Do you know "Chinowa"?
"Chinowa" is a large ring made of grass and erected on the pathway leading to a shrine on the days of purification (harae). Photos are taken at Shinagawa Shrine.
 
At the shrine, you can pass through the ring as an act of purification from misdeeds (tsumi), impur...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
How to get to and around this underrated area
Not many tourists tend to venture out to the San’in Region, and It's very likely that most of them have never heard of it. The region includes Tottori and Shimane prefectures, which are located along the northern part of the west coast of...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Enjoy gelato and Tokatsu region specialties
Perhaps you have passed through Kashiwa Station on the way to or from Tokyo and Narita Airport. When you take a break from your journey, you will see a dense, urban area with many choices for shopping and dining.
The city looks like an exte...

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GAIJIN POT
 
Super Potato is by far the most famous retro video game store in Japan and is particularly famous for its collection of Famicom games. With nine stores in Osaka, Nagoya and Tokyo, it’s a must-see for those of us who spent our summers playing Pokemon and Final Fantasy.
These stores ar...

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JAPAN GUIDE
 
Visiting Japan during New Year (shogatsu) can be rewarding, as you have the opportunity to experience Japan's most important holiday, but it can also be frustrating, as many tourist attractions, shops and restaurants are closed, and getting around can be inconvenient.
 New Year's Ev...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
River and forest adventures staying in a thatched village
 
Stay in a thatched village farmhouse and explore the natural beauty of the seasons and traditional rural culture in Kyoto Miyama. You can hike in the forest, fish, swim, kayak, cycle, help out in the vegetable garden or the ...

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JAPAN TRENDS
New Year's parade based on a legend
Venue: Shozoku Inari-jinja Shrine When: Dec 31st - Jan 1st 2019 ,  9:30am - 12:00am
Oji Shrine, located 5 minutes' walk from Oji Station, is one of the most important shrines of Tokyo, and is known for its New Year's parade based on an old legend.
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GAIJIN POT
Powder snow and the bath of 1,000 bathers
Some of Japan’s best autumn scenery, traditional onsen and snowscapes grace the Hakkoda mountains in Aomori, Japan’s second-most-northern prefecture.
The Hakkoda mountain range includes 20 mountains and is the cultural border between the Wester...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Kyoto's first festival of the New Year
 
From the 8th to the 12th of January, Yasaka Shrine in Kyoto will host the city's first major festival of the year, the Ebisu Festival. This is dedicated to Ebisu, called "Ebessan" in the Kansai dialect, the god of good fortune and prosperity. ...

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