Travel Tips

The changing leaves of autumn are one of Japan's most distinguishable markers of their four seasons, but is there something that goes even beyond the traditional foliage-viewing spots such as mountains and forests?
There is, and it's called 'coral grass,' a vividly-tinted, red field of grass that stretches into a beautiful expanse under the blue autumn sky comparable to a carpet of crimson. Here we'll introduce you to four towns in Japan with this gorgeous red grass.
Coral Grass: East Hokkaido's Fall Feature
Coral grass is an annual plant that grows to a height of about 15-30 centimeters. It's official name is Akkeshisou in Japanese (common glasswort in English). It was given its Japanese name because it was discovered around Lake Akkeshi, Kakijima Island, located in the eastern Pacific coastal town of Akkeshi.
When autumn comes around, the fleshy stalks branch out from the nodes and turn red, giving the grass an appearance similar to a coral reef, ..

For sports fans, when the Japanese women’s volleyball team played their Chinese rivals for the bronze medal at the 1988 Olympics, it culminated in an amazing Olympics for volleyball in Asia. However, for language fans like myself, the one thing that was as exciting as the game was the outfit worn by the Japanese athletes: their outfits said ‘Nippon’ instead of ‘Japan’.

The choice to wear Nippon shirts resulted in an influx of queries to the Japanese volleyball association about why Japan had chosen this name. However, for people living in Japan, this may seem strange. After all, Japan is an Anglicized version of Japan’s name: Nihon or Nippon and is rarely used by Japanese speaking their native language. It raises the question: why are the names of the country so different?

The early names for Japan
Photo: iStock/ andresrThe official origin of the name wakoku remains unconfirmed.
While Japanese people usually refer to their country as Nihon or Nippon these days, in early texts, the na..

This five-day Hokkaido itinerary guide takes you around all the major places you'd want on any trip to Japan's wild north.
We start off our Hokkaido tour by traveling to the island's number one city, Sapporo. Then we will make our way to the outlying areas like Noboribetsu Onsen and Lake Toya, before finally heading further out to the flower-filled Furano area and on to Biei, home to Hokkaido's famous Blue Pond.
In this Hokkaido itinerary, we'll also share tips on what to eat and side trips so you can enjoy your trip to Japan's gorgeous wild north to the fullest!
1.Hokkaido Itinerary Day 1: Where to go and what to eat in Sapporo!
■Day 1: Morning
New Chitose Airport → Sapporo City (car: approximately 50km, train: 37 minutes, bus: around 1 hour 20 minutes)
Advice: Once you arrive at New Chitose Airport, head to JR Sapporo Station, the center of Sapporo. A convenient way to getting to JR Sapporo Station is by taking the Rapid Airport train from the airport.
..

The area of Chichibu in Saitama Prefecture has an abundance of unspoiled nature.
Located 80 minutes north of Tokyo by train, Chichibu also has a wide array of activities such as hiking and river rafting. As each season has its own attractions for Chichibu sightseeing, in recent years, this area has gained popularity for being a year-round destination.
Here we will introduce carefully selected tourist spots in Chichibu that can be enjoyed each season. Each of these spots can be easily accessed on weekends, such as the moss phlox, the old-fashioned natural shaved ice to the retro appeal of the SL steam liner, where you can enjoy the superb view of the autumn leaves!
Spring in Chichibu: The Colorful Moss Phlox in The Beautiful Hitsujiyama Park
Photo provided by: Saitama Prefecture Trade & Tourism Association
When it comes to Chichibu sightseeing spots in spring, the moss phlox of Hitsujiyama Park is where you can enjoy gorgeous hues of moss phlox in pink, white, and light purple. More tha..

If you’re looking to work in Japan, check back here each week as we look through our database of top jobs in Japan posted to GaijinPot and showcase some of the most interesting ones.

You can apply directly to these companies by creating a profile on GaijinPot Jobs!

Real Estate AgentCompany: RE/MAX VIP OkinawaSalary: ¥1.0M ~ ¥10M/ Project (Commission Based)Location: Okinawa, JapanEnglish: ConversationalJapanese: ConversationalApplication: Overseas applications OKRe/Max, a real estate company based in Yokohama and Okinawa is looking for freelance real estate agents.
Training is provided and Japanese proficiency is not mandatory.
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Editor/WriterCompany: AVIAREPS JapanSalary: ¥300,000 ~ ¥350,000 / MonthLocation: Tokyo, JapanEnglish: Native levelJapanese: Business levelApplication: Must currently reside in JapanAs an Editor/Writer, your primary duty will be to help Japanese and non-Japanese staff craft documents in English.
You'll be writing, compiling and ..

Japan is a nation that loves to bathe. For Japanese people, there’s hardly a greater bliss than slowly soaking their bodies in hot water. While technology changes with the times, traditional Japanese bath culture is still very much alive in the present day.
When not in their own bathtub at home, people go to large public baths or Japanese bathhouses – and, as opposed to the Western world, these places are frequented without any clothes.
People bathe together completely naked. Traditional Japanese bath culture is rooted deeply in the nation’s history and has its own rules and norms.
What is the difference between Sento and Onsen?
Sento refers to a traditional Japanese public bathhouse, while onsen describes a bath that uses water from an actual hot spring with a temperature higher than 25 degrees Celsius. Furthermore, onsen water must have at least one out of 19 different types of components, such as lithium or hydrogen ions.
Both in onsen and sento, a variety of different baths can us..

Even fluent speakers of standard Japanese scratch their heads a little when they come to Hokkaido and hear phrases they have never encountered before in their lives, like namara and menkoi. These words are part of the main dialect spoken in Hokkaido, known as Hokkaido-ben.
As you know, dialects are specific to a particular region and usually deeply connected to the customs and culture therein. When Hokkaido was being developed during the Meiji era (1868 to 1912), people from all over Japan moved to the large northern prefecture and settled there, bringing along with them their way of speech from the places they moved from.
The Hokkaido dialect was born from the intermingling of these different dialects and therefore bears a resemblance to the common tongue spoken throughout Japan, although some regional quirks have also been preserved.
Let's take a look at a list of fun Hokkaido dialect words that you may find useful for your trip!
Daily life
めんこい (menkoi)
Used to describe some..

Ginzan Onsen is one of Japan's most popular onsen towns, nestled among the scenic mountains of Yamagata's Obanazawa City. One of the go-to hot springs towns for the people of the Tohoku region, it's a trendy destination for visitors from abroad as well.
Here we'll take you around this incredible area, where you can experience a magical atmosphere unique to Japan!
One of Yamagata Prefecture's Best Hot Springs Villages
Ginzan Onsen is filled with quaint ryokan inns and other buildings that will spirit you away to a magical world
Located in the northern part of Japan, Ginzan Onsen is in Yamagata Prefecture in the Tohoku area, facing the Sea of Japan.
Yamagata itself is dotted with hot springs, with pretty much every town and village having at least one.
Amongst these, Ginzan Onsen in Obanazawa City is especially famous. Built between the 1920s and 1930s, the numerous wooden structures of the ryokan constructed there were joined up, forming the onsen town it is t..

Japanese culture can get pretty weird when looking at it from an outside perspective. LIVE JAPAN asked different people about their thoughts about the culture of Japan, and about their personal culture shocks. This time, a woman from the United States, living in Japan for a long time, talks about her unique experience.
(The following reflects the personal opinions of those interviewed only)
1. The Weird Tastes and Names of Original Japanese Food
Japanese food is one of the things that is responsible for one or the other culture shock. Naturally, a lot of Japan’s dishes have their roots in American food culture but usually are uniquely arranged and can taste rather different from their counterparts in the States – at least for someone who is used to the American taste!
“McDonald’s tastes the same, of course, but it is interesting to see that Japan’s McDonald’s offers very Japanese things like the matcha milkshake or McFlurry. The pumpkin fries for Halloween or the chocolate sauce fries,..

Japan is a country for people who love bicycles. High gas prices, convenient roads, and safety laws make cycling a cheaper alternative than cars or trains for many people.

Moreover, riding bicycles allows you to explore anything interesting en route and get a more local feel while connecting the major points of interest in any big city or neighborhood.

The question is: Which bicycle is best for you? Choosing a bike can be confusing, but we’ve narrowed it down to what kind of riding you plan to do, your lifestyle and your budget.

How to choose your bike
Photo: iStock/ AbabsolutumJoin the club!
The most important thing to consider is the purpose of your rides. Are you planning to use your bike only to get to the supermarket or the station? Then perhaps a trusty mama-chari (mom’s bike) is the right bike for you. Regarding your lifestyle, road bikes are a better match if you’re looking to get more fit and cover longer distances.

Next, think about your budget. Second-hand shops in your ..