Travel Tips

One of the best times to experience the natural beauty of Japan is during the fall foliage of autumn. The blend of quintessential Japanese icons like temples and gardens dyed in vivid reds and yellows leaves an unforgettable impression on all those who witness it.
Here, we’ll introduce seven places that make perfect autumn day trips from Tokyo. At each destination, you can enjoy Japanese fall scenery – the Hakone Ropeway and Oyama-dera in Kanagawa, Nagatoro Iwadatami in Saitama, the Shinkyo Bridge in Tochigi, and Mt. Takao, Mogusaen, and Mt. Mitake in Tokyo.
With each spot being located in Kanto, they’re all super easy to access and make for excellent stops on your autumn tour of Japan!
1. Hakone Ropeway: A Stunning Contrast Between Vivid Greenery and Fall Colors
Image: Odakyu Electric Railway
The scenery of Hakone, one of Japan’s most renowned onsen hot spring regions, is best taken in from above on the Hakone Ropeway.
Using the Odakyu Hakone Highway Bus, you can get from Shinjuku ..

A city of around one million, Sendai is the largest city in the Tohoku Region and a convenient place to stay while sightseeing. A city with the air of a town, Sendai is home to Tanabata and other popular festivals; it's also close to onsen hot springs and some of Japan's legendary scenery, like Matsushima.
Here we'll introduce some of the best things to see and do around Sendai.
Matsushima Attractions: Why You Need to Visit Japan's Magical Pine Islands!
For hundreds of years, the pine-covered islands of Matsushima have been heralded as one of Japan's must-visit spots. The haphazard collection of 260 rocks and islands making up Matsushima Bay create a stunning panorama well worth the 30-minute trip from Sendai.
We’ve crafted the perfect day trip course to make the most of the unique scenery, history, and cuisine of Matsushima! This includes an exhilarating sightseeing cruise through Matsushima Bay along with a visit to the national treasure of Suiganji Temple. ..

Hozenji Yokocho is a popular tourist attraction in Osaka's Namba neighborhood. However, despite being so close to Dotonbori, another sightseeing hotspot, it has quite a different atmosphere. With its red lanterns, cobblestone paths, and the famous Hozenji temple and Mizukake Fudo-son statue, you will get to see a more traditional side of Japan.
There are many things to do around the city, including joining the lunch and dinner crowd for some Osaka gourmet. Today, we will introduce some of the best ways to enjoy your trip, from strolling the Hozenji Yokocho area, to visiting the temple, to indulging in some local delicacies!
What kind of place is Hozenji Yokocho?
Hozenji Yokocho was originally a precinct of Hozenji, a temple of the Jodo Sect of Tenryuzan, where many worshipers came and went. Eventually, stalls were developed along the side streets for worshipers. Unfortunately, they were once lost in the Pacific War raids, but were rebuilt after the war and has since become a prime..

Arima Onsen is a hot spring village located in Hyogo Prefecture’s Kobe City.
It’s one of the three oldest hot springs in Japan as well as a popular hot spring facility recognized as one of the best in the country. In addition to the superb quality of the hot springs, there’s a long-established hot spring village where you can enjoy sightseeing, delicious eats, and souvenirs! Many foreign guests flock to this resort to explore all that it has to offer.
Here we will introduce Arima Onsen-an attractive tourist attraction where tradition meets innovation!
Tap here for recommended accommodations in Arima Onsen
Getting to Arima Onsen
Arima Onsen is also called Kansai no okuzashiki – a quiet retreat in the Kansai region. It’s surrounded by nature while being close and easily accessible from major cities.
From Kobe City
・Car: Arima Onsen is around a 20-minute drive from Kobe City. From the Hanshin Expressway Route 32 Shin-Kobe tunnel, it takes five minutes off the Arimaguchi Interchange on t..

Kochi Prefecture, on Shikoku Island, is home to mountains, rivers and a stunning coastline, making a must-go destination for outdoor enthusiasts. The Yoshino River in northern Kochi features world-class whitewater rafting while the Shimanto River, in the west, is Japan’s last free-flowing crystal clear river.

Off the coast at Ashizuri-Uwakai National Park, enjoy scuba diving, snorkeling and whale watching – or catch waves in the Hata area. Of course, Kochi is also famous for the Shikoku 88 Pilgrimage and attracts soul-seeking pilgrims from all over the world. Discover more exciting activities and adventures that await in Kochi.

Finding the Flow from Kansai to Kochi

Shikoku’s many mountains, valleys and proximity to the ocean has made it a hidden gem for rafting, kayaking and canyoning enthusiasts willing to take a step or two further from the Golden Route of Kyoto and Osaka. The region stays warmer than mainlandd Japan, even in peak winter, and river fun awaits from early spring to ..

As a baseball lover, I’ve had the pleasure of catching a game at every professional ballpark in Japan. Nippon Professional Baseball’s 12 teams stretch from tip to tip of the country, and how each team’s fans celebrate the game is as different as the stadiums that house them.

From Hokkaido to Kyushu, I was treated to unique ways of experiencing baseball: hearing the chants, seeing the colors and tasting the local flavors. As stubbornly conservative as the gameplay can sometimes be, the fan experience is refreshingly distinct from city to city and team to team.

Here are the highlights (and lowlights) of my experiences in every pro ballpark in the country.

Stadium Neighborhood
Regional Delights
Adult Beverages
History
In-Stadium Entertainment
Team Celebration
Fans
Exposure to Elements
Team Store and Merchandise
Overall

Stadium Neighborhood
Photo: WikiCommons/ 横浜1978The surrounding neighborhood has tons of options for post-game celebrations.
Best: DeNA Baystars
Yokohama Stadium is with..

Aomori Prefecture, in northern Japan, is famous within the country for being home to top-class Aomori apples. With the cool climate ideally suited for cultivating them, apple varieties such as the Fuji Apple and Tsugaru Apple were bred and perfected there. With some Aomori apple varieties coming on sale as early as August, Aomori's peak apple season is from October to November.
During this period, you can even visit apple farms directly, for a pick of only the freshest apples. This time, we'll be introducing some notable apple delicacies and gourmet foods from Hirosaki City and Aomori City, both of which are famous as centers of apple cultivation.
Aomori: The famed producer of apples
Every year, over 700,000 tons of apples are produced in Japan. Aomori Prefecture, situated in the northernmost point of the Tohoku region, accounts for over 50% of those apples, according to a 2017 survey by the Aomori Prefectural Government’s Apple Agricultural Division, and is a major apple cul..

Recently, all-you-can-eat yakiniku restaurants have been popping up all over the place, drawing in crowds of groups and families. With so many side dishes, and such reasonable prices, these shops have become a hot topic as a place where you can eat your fill.
Today we check out the 298 (Nikuya) Shinsaibashi location and introduce the all-you-can-eat yakiniku menu, the ordering process, and the delicious assortment of popular side dishes.
What is 298 (Nikuya) Shinsaibashi?
From Shinsaibashi Shopping Street, head toward the landmark Daikoku Pharmacy.
The popular shop, 'All-You-Can-Eat Yakiniku 298' (pronounced 'Nikuya,' or 'meat shop'), has several branches, including one in Umeda near Osaka Station, one in the downtown area of Namba in Osaka Minami, and one in Kobe's Sannomiya.
The newest branch, which opened in March of 2022, is located in Shinsaibashi, a popular shopping spot with lines of trendy shops and fashion boutiques that cater to a wide rang..

When preparing to go on vacation, the last thing anyone wants to do is think about what-ifs! But as a practical matter, knowing what to do when encountering a disaster, injury, or just a bad cold, you'll feel much more at ease.
Here we've listed some essential tips for finding a medical institution in Japan – from going to the reception to paying the bill. Also, we will explain what to do if you have symptoms that suggest COVID-19 infection or if you test positive for COVID-19 while in Japan.
*Information updated September 20, 2022.
TOP IMAGE: PIXTA
1. How to find a medical institution in case of injury or illness
・Head to the hospital before your symptoms get worse
With the health insurance system in Japan, people can receive treatment at a self-pay amount of 10-30%. For that reason, many people casually use medical institutions.
However, many health insurance systems exist worldwide, and not everyone has medical insurance, as in Japan. Also, in other countries, there are c..

As the Crow Flies: Yatagarasu and the Kumano Kodo Trail

If you are finding it hard to get a sense of direction during these crazy times, perhaps a little confused or lacking in motivation, the doctors may try and prescribe you pills, counseling or life coaches. Fear not, you can forget all that psychobabble and new age mumbo jumbo because all you need is the counsel of a good, old-fashioned three-legged crow.

You read that right. If you really want to fill that cavernous void in your life then you need a crow, with an extra leg, preferably god-like, such as Yatagarasu (八咫烏).
The Naked Stranger was recently in Wakayama Prefecture at the behest of this ornithological scallywag, who coo-ed and caw-ed, luring him away from his comfortable materialistic malaise, down to the world heritage region of the Kumano Kodo Trail, to search for a good walk, a long soak and some well overdue spiritual awakening.

Yatagarasu. Crow-god, symbol of guidance, Shinto rock-star, avian freakshow and just an..