Travel Tips

With so many ski resorts in Hokkaido, Japan's northern island is a dream destination for skiers and snowboarders!
The snow quality, season length, and airport accessibility are major factors in attracting winter sports enthusiasts.
So what do you need to know to really enjoy snowboarding and skiing in Hokkaido? We interviewed Mr. Masaji Ueda of the Hokkaido Tourism Promotion Organization’s Adventure Travel Promotion Headquarters, who’s an expert on Hokkaido tourism. In our conversation, we learned about choosing a Hokkaido ski resort and preparing for your trip.
We’ve also compiled a list of recommended ski resorts in Hokkaido to help you make the best of Japan's north! Let's dive right in.
Why skiers and snowboarders love Hokkaido ski resorts
The biggest reason skiers and snowboarders from around the globe come to ski resorts in Hokkaido is for the fantastic snow quality. Snow in Hokkaido contains almost no water and is characterized by its silky feel.
Hokkaido'..

While visiting Kyoto, you can't miss the Arashiyama area, which is home to the bamboo forest and one of the area's most scenic Kyoto river cruises. The Hozugawa River Boat Ride (Hozugawa Kudari) is a popular 2-hour, 16km cruise past cherry blossoms in spring and stunning autumn foliage in fall.
The Hozugawa River Boat Ride's 400 Years of History
Ruled by Akechi Mitsuhide, the former mountain castle town of Kameoka is located to the northwest of Kyoto. About an 8-minute walk from JR Kameoka Station is the boarding area for the Hozugawa River Boat Ride.
▲The boarding area located near Hozugawa equipped with 100 free parking spaces
The history of the Hozugawa River Boat Ride is old. In 1606, it was developed as an industrial waterway by a wealthy merchant of Kyoto, Suminokura Ryoi. It was used to deliver goods such as lumber, firewood, and charcoal to the capital from Tanba Province.
After the invention of railways and cars, the delivery methods have changed; however, the H..

In Otaru hotels have been popping up in Hokkaido's port city, which is seeing recent jumps in the numbers of visitors from abroad.
Given the many historical buildings located along the scenic Otaru Canal, fine food, and delicious local sweets and seafood, there's no wonder Otaru is a prime destination. You can get to Otaru from Sapporo City by train in just 35 minutes.
While Otaru is a great day trip from Sapporo, you need to spend the night in order to really dig into the fantastic scenery and nightlife the city offers. Here we'll introduce 3 perfect hotels in Otaru with great locations, amazing views, and at reasonable prices!
* Article information is as of the date published. Prices and contents are subject to change.
1. Otaru Furukawa Hotel: Classic onsen ryokan hotel near Otaru Canal!
The Asakusa Bridge, a small beautiful bridge over the Otaru canal, is a minute walk from Otaru Furukawa Hotel
This Otaru ryokan has a classic Japanese building style and is located ac..

With tonkotsu, miso, and shoyu ramen enjoyed across almost every corner of the globe, it’s amazing how fast ramen has fast grown into one of Japan’s leading international dishes.
We spoke with a Japanese ramen master to see how the world of ramen changed in 2021 and its predicted course for 2022.
Read on to discover what bowls you’ll be seeing in the near future!
We Spoke With Ramen Critic Hiroshi Osaki
“I’ve loved ramen ever since I was a child. In fact, I’d honestly call it my staple meal – even more so than rice!” said Osaki. Being a renowned, professional ramen critic who eats around 720 bowls a year, we couldn’t think of a better person to ask for the low down on ramen trends.
Profile: Hiroshi Osaki
Ramen critic and chairman of Ramen Data Bank Co., Ltd., Osaki is also one of the founders of the Nippon Ramen Association as well as the executive chairman of the Tokyo Ramen Show. In 1959, he was born in Japan’s region of ramen, Fukushima Prefecture’s Aizu City. After working at an..

Otaru is one of Hokkaido’s leading tourist destinations. Once a prosperous economic center, the city retains the character of those days in its large buildings, warehouses and canals. As a developed port city and an excellent fishing ground, there are also numerous markets selling fresh seafood throughout the city. Here are one local writer’s top ten recommendations for enjoying Otaru.
1. Otaru Canal's “secret” North Canal
Otaru Canal, symbolic of Otaru tourism
Otaru Canal is a highly popular spot for tourists. When it “finished its role as a canal,” plans were made to fill the waterway. However, in the 1980s, after a long controversy, some of the land was reclaimed and roads, walking paths, and townscapes were constructed, creating the canal’s well-known present-day appearance.
Night view of the North Canal and the illuminated ski slopes
At Asakusabashi Gaien, the park that’s one of Otaru’s main tourist sites, many people stop to take souvenir photos or ride rickshaws. If you wan..

There are so many things to do in Arashiyama, Kyoto's popular tourist area!
From snapping selfies on the Togetsukyo Bridge stretching over the Oi River, exploring the footpaths immersed in the lush Bamboo Forest, and riding the Sagano Romantic Train, here are 15 fun things to do in Arashiyama that you won't want to miss!
1. Togetsukyo Bridge: Snap a Selfie on the Iconic Bridge!
The Togetsukyo Bridge is the number one tourist attraction in Arashiyama, and a symbol of the area's beauty.
Despite being made of concrete, the wooden balustrade fits in perfectly with the surrounding natural landscape, and the beautiful scenery of the sky, unobstructed by buildings. The Togetsukyo Bridge was clearly designed in harmony with the nature of Arashiyama. It's the perfect spot for photos, too!
There are different landscapes to enjoy in every season: delightful cherry blossoms in the spring, lush greenery in the summer, brilliant foliage in the fall, and the chilling beauty of w..

HyperDia has been an invaluable route planner tool for those traveling on trains and Shinkansen within Japan with a JR Pass since the early 2000’s. However, recent changes in HyperDia’s timetable services mean that you may like to consider an alternative option.

What is HyperDia?
HyperDia is a web and mobile app, which can be used as a guide to location in Japan. It is available in English, Japanese, and Chinese and will give you direct access to train information, prices, and average journey times. You can plan future trips by selecting the destination, journey date, and arrival or departure time.

Furthermore, the app will give you access to useful links, such as hotels, car rental services, and restaurants for the selected locations. You can filter your searches, by deselecting or selecting more options from the “More options” menu (see example below).

How HyperDia has changed
The service that HyperDia offers changed significantly on April 1, 2022. Previously, users were able to s..

A recent report by the Teikoku Databank (帝（てい）国（こく）データバンク), a Japanese research company that keeps track of economic trends, reported that 2022 was the summer of price rises.

As of May, prices for more than 8,000 items had either increased or were due to increase, with the increase coming in at 12% on average. GaijinPot looks at some of the predicted increases and what they mean.

1. Wheat
Photo: iStock/ BROTEstudioEven foods you’d never suspect like soy sauce have traces of wheat.
You would be amazed at the number of things that contain wheat. Even foods you’d never suspect like soy sauce have traces of its golden goodness.

The conflicts in the east have disrupted supply, and while it has undoubtedly had an effect, it is only part of the recent trend for rising wheat prices. The cost of wheat started rising long before then because of increasing demand in previously untapped markets, such as the African continent and parts of Asia.

When combined with droughts caused by extreme weat..

Although Japan is known for its uber-modern cities, many of its quieter towns have found equal fame in recent years. Offering an escape from the metropolitan madness, here are five old towns in western Japan to slow down, catch your breath, and enjoy a more tranquil side of Japan.
Yuasa Japan (Wakayama): Exploring the Gorgeous Birthplace of Soy Sauce!
Yuasa Town in Wakayama Prefecture is the definition of quaint! A prosperous old-style Japanese village, it's the perfect place to stay for the Kumano Kodo or the Kumano Sanzan pilgrimage routes. It’s also famous as the birthplace of Japanese shoyu (soy sauce), the staple condiment of Japanese cuisine.
A stroll through the town is a walk back in time. In fact, many of the distinctive buildings date back as far as the Edo and Meiji periods! If you want an authentic, untouched taste of ancient Japan, you’ll seldom find a better place than Yuasa Town.
Yuasa Japan (Wakayama): Exploring the Gorgeous Birthplace of Soy Sauce!
Kumano Hongu O..

Hokkaido is known for its beautiful seasonal landscapes, with gorgeous autumn scenery in a multitude of places. Every fall, tourists flock to these famous spots to see the colors, but why not bypass the crowds and enjoy the scenery in your own space?
Here, we introduce three carefully selected Hokkaido ryokan and luxury hotels with stunning autumn views you can enjoy right from your own room!
1. Kuriya Suizan: 14 Guest Rooms with Peaceful Autumn Views
A hideaway Hokkaido ryokan inn in Jozankei
Jozankei is a hot spring resort located about an hour's drive from downtown Sapporo. With its easy accessibility, it is sometimes called the “backstreets of Sapporo.”
Its long history begins in 1866 when the Ainu people introduced the springs to Buddhist monk Miizumi Jozan. The area was named Jozankei in his honor, after he laid the foundation for the hot springs in the area.
Currently, it has developed into one of the leading hot spring towns in Hokkaido, where plenty of hotels and inns ..