Travel Tips

Want to treat yourself? Yakiniku is one of the best options when you want to indulge, and Sapporo is packed with restaurants that will help you do just that. Here we'll introduce three Japanese yakiniku restaurants in Sapporo that serve carefully-selected Wagyu beef, including Hokkaido's famous Japanese black beef.
All of the following restaurants are properly maintained so you won't have to worry about infection, smoke, or poor ventilation.
1. Wagyu Sai: Thick and Juicy Japanese Beef
Wagyu Sai is a yakiniku restaurant in Sapporo located just 2 minutes on foot from Susukino Station (Exit 1) on the Namboku Municipal Subway Line. Wagyu Sai lets you cut and grill your own thick slices of Japanese black beef from Hokkaido. For many, this is the go-to spot for meetings, parties, anniversaries, and more. All seats are private, located in their own rooms away from the entrance.
The signature dish is diced Hokkaido Sagami Japanese Black Beef Sirloin (3,020 yen/100g). The beef i..

Mount Takao is a mountain of beautiful natural sights located within Tokyo itself. It was given the highest rating of three-stars by travel guide Michelin Green Guide Japan and sees a large number of local and international visitors annually – highest in the world, in fact! – because of how accessible it is. Did you also know, however, that the area near Mount Takao in Hachioji town comes packed with plenty of convenient facilities such as restaurants and shopping centers, making it an ideal stopover point to consider for your mountain excursion?
It's likely not every day you get to plan a recreational trip to Mount Takao, so why not enhance your trip by dropping by one of the following five charming sightseeing or gourmet spots located nearby? The satisfaction you can glean from this quick diversion will be worth every effort you put in to getting there!
Mount Takao Ultimate Guide: The World's Most-Climbed Mountain! 13 Major Attractions, Points of Interest, and Dining Spots
..

Autumn 2022 will be full of back-to-back holidays! With two three-day weekends in September and national holidays in October and November as well, are you looking at your calendar and wondering when and where to go?
Here, we pick up the best spots for fall travel from Okinawa, Hokkaido, and Osaka (according to research by travel agency HIS), which are popular destinations this fall. From autumn foliage spots to art museums perfect for the fall season of art, we will share a variety of fun travel ideas!
Autumn 2022 travel trends
Checking out the beautiful colors is how many people enjoy autumn in Japan! (Image: PIXTA)
Summer 2022’s Obon holiday saw no activity restrictions for the first time in three years, and there was a huge uptick in the number of domestic travelers.
This fall, during what’s known as Silver Week, there are two consecutive three-day weekends in September, from the 17-19th and 23-25th, making a maximum of nine straight holidays if the vacations are connected.
Octobe..

The boathouses of Ine, found in an area called Kyoto By The Sea in the prefecture's northern region, are an exceptionally popular tourist spot.
The houses appear to float on the sea which surrounds them and offer a scene found nowhere else. From wherever it is viewed, atop a hill, from the town, or on a boat, the town exudes a nostalgic air and is ideal for leisurely walks.
Here we'll introduce what to do in Ine Kyoto and share what incredible scenery you can find there!
Ine Japan: A tranquil fishing town by the sea
Ine Town is in the northern part of Kyoto Prefecture. It is located about 20 minutes by car from the scenic Amanohashidate, one of the three most scenic spots in Japan.
The houses here, known as the “boathouses of Ine”, directly front the sea and the first floor is used as a storage place for boats while there are living quarters on the second floor. The houses lining the seafront in the town are of construction unique to this area which is designated an Importa..

When assessing the overall performance of a café or restaurant, many will use the freshness of the food as an indicator of quality. If you're seeking fresher-than-fresh eats in an environment surrounded by abundant nature, Fukushima's Peachman Café fits the bill. The café is directly operated by Fruit Farm Kato which produces cherries, peaches, and apples at different times of year – and they use what they grow in the dishes on offer here.
One of the highlights at the café is their kakigori (shaved ice), and some of the flavors available this summer (until the end of September) include Coco Golden Peach (Takinosawa Gold peaches, tapioca, and coconut cream), Matcha Peach (peach compote, azuki beans, Uji matcha, and a drizzle of honey), and the Peachman Special (Akatsuki peaches – a local Fukushima specialty – topped with a yogurt cream).
[photo id='232340']
The kakigori portion sizes are absolutely large enough to share, and come priced around ¥ 1200 to ¥ 1600 dep..

The former castle town of Aki is best known for its well-preserved samurai district and retro Nora Dokei field clock. But many people are unaware of a hidden natural gem (and awesome spot for photographers) that is just one train stop away, at little Ioki Station.
A short 5-minute walk along Route 55 will take you to the entrance of the Ioki Cave (there are a number of signs to help those who are directionally challenged).
The cave is a 40 meter long natural tunnel that was carved out by waves millions of years ago. The high walls are encrusted with fossilized shells, a memory of when this entire area was still right by the sea.
Walking on the cave opens out into a canyon, with walls completely covered with tropical ferns of over 40 varieties, which led this hidden retreat to be recognized as a National Natural Monument all the way back in 1915. A little river runs through the cave and connects with 3 little waterfalls hidden among the lush green fern forest. The mistiness of the ai..

Why not get outside and exercise during your trip? Shinagawa has some great spots for you to get the heart racing. Here are three facilities that are perfect for visiting during your trip or holiday.
Oi Central Seaside Park in Yashio [photo id='232371']
The hockey stadium at Oi Central Seaside Park was one of the venues for the Tokyo Olympics, held in 2021. A reopening event was held on June 18, 2022, and this hotspot will host world competitions in the future. Why not take advantage of its facilities for yourself and your friends?
That’s right! Oi Central Seaside Park has not only a hockey field, but also a baseball diamond, open field, tennis court, a dog run (advance application required), a BBQ area along the beach (to be renewed after autumn 2022), as well as fishing and bird observation spots. This seaside park is a nature-lover’s paradise!
[photo id='232363']
For those who want to enjoy nature at a more leisurely pace, the Oi Pier Seaside Park (Nagisa Fo..

When we first found our previous apartment in Minami Asagaya, my partner and I were thrilled. It was near a lovely park and gave us an easy commute to work. And then the coronavirus pandemic hit. Suddenly the apartment felt very, very small. Both of us were working from home and neither one could get space away from the other.

After a year of making due, our lease came up for renewal. A few months later, we finally found the perfect house for rent and moved from urban Tokyo to a semi-agricultural area located a 25-minute walk from Mitaka station in the western region of the city.

This has improved our lives, and I highly recommend it for folks who can work from home. Like everything, there are pros and cons, although I personally feel the benefits have very much outweighed the downsides.

More space
Photo: iStock/ MarucoIt’s hard to go back to a tiny apartment in central Tokyo.
While still cheap compared to cities like New York or Singapore, getting a 3LDK within the main 23 wards of..

Without rice, there would be no Japanese food. The staple food of Japanese people, rice is a very important food in Japan and is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and dinner. But what is the reason that rice is such an integral part of the Japanese diet? In this article, we will take a closer look at the history of rice in Japan and why even today, rice still reigns supreme. 1. What is Rice? Rice is a grain belonging to the Poaceae family and is typically planted in April or May so that it is ready for harvest in October in the fall. And while it may look straightforward, rice […]