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One of the prettiest places for seeing cherry blossoms is Kyoto! Many of the famous Kyoto cherry blossom spots have weeping cherry trees and double-flowered cherry trees, making for breathtaking photos. Tourists are treated to the city's unique, luxurious annual blossom viewing when the trees reach full bloom in early April.
Here are ten locations carefully selected from among Kyoto's many famous cherry blossom sites, along with information on the best time for viewing and associated festivals for your reference when visiting the ancient capital.
Main image: Travelpixs / Shutterstock.com
1. Yodogawa Kasen Park: A masterpiece of riverside cherry blossom tunnels
First-time visitors will often Tweet, “What an amazing place!”
Yodogawa Kasen Park is a national park covering a vast river area that straddles Kyoto and Osaka prefectures. The park's Sewaritei area in Yawata City is located on a 1.4 kilometer-long bank between the Uji and Kizu rivers, where they converge with the ..

It’s no secret that Japan loves gifts. Whenever a co-worker returns from a holiday or business trip, they’ll bring you something small from the region. Other gifts are often exchanged when visiting a home, celebrating a festival, or when you simply haven’t seen someone in a while.

But what about when you don’t know the person that well? What’s a good housewarming gift for your neighbor or when you want to apologize? Well, then you’d give them a towel of course! What else?

If you’re not from Japan, a towel may not be what first comes to mind, so let’s learn more about this cultural phenomenon.

Why towels?
Photo: iStock/ GOLFXStrong connections in your towel and in life.
There is a good reason for giving towels as a gift. Towels are made by weaving threads together, which makes them a good omen for lasting relationships.

With that in mind, towels are also considered a nice wedding gift, as they are reminiscent of the “Red Thread of Fate” that connects two destined lovers. Money is us..

Hakodate has become one of Hokkaido's top tourist spots. You'll want to take two days to really soak it all in! Historical buildings, colorful reminders of old foreign influence, line the streets evoking a retro feeling as you stroll along with them.
There is much to see and do, so we made the perfect Hakodate 2-Day Itinerary. Take in the night view from the top of Mt. Hakodate; sample gourmet cuisines, such as fresh squid dishes and shio ramen (ramen with a salty broth); visit the red brick warehouse district; and shop in the Hakodate morning market.
In this Hakodate 2-Day Itinerary, we also include a side trip to nearby Onuma, an area filled with gorgeous natural scenery. Let's dive right in!
■Day 1: Exploring Hakodate: Motomachi, Mt. Hakodate
■Day 1: Morning
Hakodate Airport → Hakodate City center (by car: about 8.5km, by bus: about 20 minutes)
Stroll through Motomachi
Route example:
Hakodate Airport → Hakodate Ekimae → Jujigai Tram Station
Advice: Drop your bags off ..

With Japan’s borders opening back up to individual foreign travelers for the first time since 2020, visitors to Tokyo will find plenty of new spots around town worth visiting. From the well-known city centers of Shinjuku and Shibuya to locations farther afield in Odaiba and Tokyo Disney Resort, the capital continues to evolve with time.

Here are five places to have on your radar for your next trip to Tokyo.

1. Japan Olympic Museum
Photo: Joshua Meyer
At the Japan Olympic Museum, you can experience pieces of Olympic history through seasonal exhibitions of photos, art, and competition equipment. Online reservations are currently required. The building is across the road from the new National Stadium, where the opening and closing ceremonies for the 2020 Summer Games were held.

Stadium tours are available through the official website (Japanese only), with the basic one (¥1,400 for adults) offering a peek at areas that are usually off-limits such as the racetrack and locker rooms. A VI..

The Dotonbori Konamon Museum is a perfect place to visit in Osaka with family. Konamon is what foods that are based on flour, like takoyaki and okonomiyaki, are called. It has been open since 2011 and very popular with tourists, to enjoy takoyaki, the soul food of Osaka, in a variety of fun ways.
A dojo where takoyaki is hand-cooked on copper plates, a warehouse where takoyaki sample models are made, and an exhibition panel that teaches the history of Dotonbori and konamon culture… and of course, takoyaki.
To Kansai locals, takoyaki is a specialty, yet I was surprised about all the many unexpected discoveries I made here when visiting with my kids.
Dotonbori Konamon Museum – Just Takoyaki?
Takoyaki is a very familiar food to the people of Kansai. Sometimes they are the main dish, other times they are served as snacks, with alcoholic drinks, as a party dish, as a snack for your guest… there is an amazing variety of ways in which takoyaki makes its appearance. Nonetheless, I have n..

Where are the best shopping districts in Tokyo? Whether you hit up every duty-free shop you see or you just want to pick up omiyage (souvenirs), you are going to shop at some point during your trip.
Should you go shopping in Ginza or Harajuku, buy Anime goods in Akihabara or the big malls of Makuhari, and can you really buy authentic souvenirs in Asakusa?
With the right guide, shopping in Tokyo can be really enjoyable. That's why we've rounded up the top 10 shopping districts in Tokyo for an unbeatable time! Language barriers, cash-only shops, these things cannot stop you from enjoying one of Tokyo's most exciting attractions, shopping!
Main image credit: beersonic / Shutterstock.com
1. Ginza (For Fashion and Luxury)
image:PIXTA
If you enjoy the finer things in life—lovely bags, fancy cars, shiny accessories—Ginza is for you. Being Tokyo's high-end fashion district, Ginza is a popular destination for luxury shoppers, and many tour groups have buses that take visito..