JAPAN TRAVEL
Taking a stroll down the quirky, frog-themed Nawate Dori
If you’re travelling to Matsumoto, Nagano, chances are a visit to Matsumoto Castle is at the top of your list. Along the way you may pass by Nawate Street, where the journey might just be the destination.
Located south of Matsu...

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THE JAPAN NEWS
Scenic waterfalls often visited by the domain lord
Tsuwano is a castle town nestled in a narrow valley, between the Aonoyama and the Shiroyama mountains, the latter loosely translated as "castle hill". From its snowfall in winter and bountiful rain in other seasons, it is a perfect...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
A good value business hotel in a great location
Every autumn I go to Shizuoka for the Daidogei street performance world cup, a very fun event that takes over the city for four days. In order to be close to everything I try to stay as centrally as possible, and it would be hard to fin...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
The efficiency of the Japanese production system
My wife was required to work one day in Higashikurume, a bedroom community in northeast Tokyo. I Google researched what was in the area and found a Coca Cola plant that offers tours. Miwa and I had taken the Atlanta, Georgia headquarte...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Green tourism in full view of Mt. Fuji
For those looking for a great weekend escape from the city, the Green Tourism options in the Otsuki City area are not to be missed. Just an hour from Shinjuku Station by Central Express Limited, Otsuki City in Yamanashi Prefecture offers an appe...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
High-grade Sendai beef at Shimbashi's Dai-ichi Hotel
Japanese Wagyu beef has gained considerable reputation around the world and any visit to Japan warrants a trip to an authentic teppanyaki restaurant to sample the melt-in-the-mouth experience that top-quality wagyu provides.
 
Shim...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
For books that are more than just standard
Everyone loves a good read, and at Standard Bookstore Chayamachi they get this too. The bookstore, which is divided into three sections - books, cafe, and gifts - and features one of the best collections of books on special interest topics t...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Asakusa's traditional fair of good luck charms
Venue: Senso-ji Temple When: Dec 17th - Dec 19th 2017,  9:00am - 9:00pm
Tokyo's oldest temple, Senso-ji in Asakusa, holds an annual three-day fair called Hagoita-Ichi to sell good luck ornamental bats, called hagoita in Japanese.
 
Datin...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
 
When: Dec 15th - Dec 18th 2017,  10:00am - 5:00pm
Traditional performing arts can be enjoyed at this annual festival held since the 12th century. Named after the Wakamiya shrine that resides in the larger Kasuga-Taisha shrine complex, this On-Matsuri was originally held to pray for...

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JAPAN TRAVEL
Make your own way on two wheels
Part of the charm of visiting the ancient capital of Nara is to slow down to the pace of life here. When you let go of the stresses of urban life and breathe in the fresh air from the surrounding mountains and tea plantations, you can sense the peace a...

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