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Trains are an indispensable means of transportation for sightseeing in Hokkaido. The Hokkaido Rail Pass, JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass, and JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass for international tourists have been updated as of April 1, 2021 for added convenience. Plus, two new types of “Free Passes” are also available!
Main image: Peera_stockfoto / Shutterstock.com
Get through the ticket gates smoothly! Four Free Passes updated
tkyszk / Shutterstock.com
JR Hokkaido’s “5-Day Hokkaido Rail Pass,” “7-Day Hokkaido Rail Pass,” “JR East-South Hokkaido Rail Pass,” and “JR Tohoku-South Hokkaido Rail Pass” Free Passes for overseas tourists visiting Japan have been updated for 2021.
And as of April 1, the method of use, validity period, price, etc. have changed. Additionally, the “Hokkaido Rail Pass for 3 days” and “Hokkaido Rail Pass for flexible 4 days” were discontinued on March 31, 2021.
The four types of passes will be even more convenient, but how will they change specifically?
Automat..

Widely known as the ancient capital of Japan, Kyoto is home to historic temples and shrines which attract numerous tourists from around the world. Among them, Kiyomizu Temple is one of Kyoto’s most famous temples and is officially recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. This beautiful Buddhist temple boasts 1,300 years of history and is often featured on guide books as a must-visit tourist spot for anyone visiting Kyoto. Whether you have visited the temple before or are planning your first visit, this article will give you helpful insight about the Temple, and how to make the most of your time there! 1. What is Kiyomizu-dera? Kiyomizu Temple is […]

Naturally, different countries have different cultures! One of the things related to culture is the “toilet situation.” You may ask, “Isn’t a restroom always the same in every country?” What about it?
We asked Australian men, American men, and Italian women visiting Japan, how they felt as foreigners when it came to Japanese toilets, especially those that they had never seen before coming to Japan. We also asked about the difference from their home country.
(The following reflects the opinion of the interviewees only)
I don’t know how to use a Japanese-style toilet
The older Japanese-style toilets are less common and not too familiar even to Japanese people. You may think that there are almost none left in the country. However, according to a survey conducted by the Japan Tourism Agency in 2016, 10,181 units, or 42% of the 24,525 toilets in Japan's major tourist attractions, are of the so-called “Japanese-style.”
Surprisingly, it’s many more than one would expect! So what did fore..

Hotel Sowaka Kyoto opened in the Gion Yasaka area of Kyoto in November 2018. Located in a refurbished old tea house built more than 100 years ago, this small Kyoto luxury hotel has only 23 guest rooms.
All rooms are fully furnished with traditional Japanese elements, such as fusumae paintings on sliding paper doors, lacquer, and Japanese paper, and each has its own layout.
During autumn when the foliage is at its brightest colors there is also a special plan for visiting a temple. If you are going to visit Kyoto, then make it a truly memorable experience by staying in this very Kyoto-like hotel!
We highly recommend it for individuals interested in immersing themselves in the traditional culture of Kyoto.
Located in the Higashiyama area, a convenient place to stay in Kyoto
Higashiyama, in which Sowaka Kyoto is located, is one of the most famous sightseeing spots in Kyoto.
Close by are famous Kiyomizu Temple, famous for its highly elevated and large veranda, Heian Shrine, and Yasaka Sh..

Autumn in Japan is almost as famous as spring. Visitors can't get enough of the Japanese maple leaves and other vivid fall foliage colors! Plan a trip to Japan between October and December, and you can enjoy many beautiful places with autumn colors.
The peak season for autumn leaves in Japan varies by region. Check our fall foliage forecast and make the most out of autumn in Japan!
When is autumn season in Japan?
Image: Japan Meteorological Corporation
Autumn in Japan is from September to November. Foliage starts to change from Hokkaido southward by mid-October. By the end of November, the leaves in many areas will be at their best. This is the best time to visit Japan for foliage.
Japan has two foliage waves: one for yellow leaves and the other for red-colored leaves. From the end of October to early November, ginkgo trees will turn yellow in greater Tokyo. This is followed by Japanese maple trees and their red leaves.
Depending on elevation and weather conditions, the autumn c..

The city of Aomori is home to one of Japan’s most popular and lively summer festivals, the Nebuta Festival. While the festival is a big part of the city’s rich culture, there’s more to Aomori than this annual event.

Just across from Aomori station, the bayside area, in particular, holds several spots worth visiting, and they’re all within close distance of each other along the water.

1. Miso Curry Milk Ramen
Photo: Joshua MeyerChow down on a local delicacy.
Foodies know Aomori best for its miso curry milk ramen. The pleasures of miso ramen topped with butter may be well known to anyone who has visited nearby Hokkaido, but adding curry powder and milk to the miso base gives the soup its own delectable Aomori flavor.

Some attribute its origin to the ingenuity of schoolkids experimenting with different noodle toppings thirty-plus years ago. Others cite the influence of Kiyoshi Satoh, a Sapporo ramen chef who moved to Aomori and ran a shop there in the late 1960s. Whatever the case, mis..

When people think of Tokyo, they tend to imagine a busy and lively metropolis. Towering skyscrapers, stylish glass-and-steel buildings standing side by side – that’s Tokyo’s townscape, right?
Well, yes. However, the city seems to have as many facets as it has people calling it their home. Amidst this urban jungle, you’ll also find little pockets of history, faithfully evoking the spirits of days long gone. Those areas are called “shitamachi” and describe neighborhoods that have been the downtown of Old Edo but did not keep up with the rapid modernization of the rest of the city. Time seems to be much slower there, offering you a one-of-a-kind taste of an entirely different Tokyo. Both locals and tourists alike are drawn to this nostalgic, almost enigmatic charm of shitamachi areas – but what is there to see, exactly? And why do they make you want to come back over and over again?
Shitamachi? What Does That Even Mean?
As already mentioned, the word “shitamachi” (using the kanji characte..

For book lovers, combining this love with exploring Japan can be a challenge. But some places have a rich literary history that makes this connection easy. Kobe and its neighbor Ashiya have contributed quite a bit to the literary culture of Japan.

Many successful Japanese writers connected to this area, including Haruki Murakami, but best known to local residents is Junichiro Tanizaki, whose most famous novel, Sasameyuki (The Makioka Sisters, or literally, “A Light Snow”), is set in both Ashiya and Kobe. Two of Tanizaki’s former residences and a museum celebrating literature and writers connected to Kobe will be a surprising treat for both fans of Tanizaki’s works and book lovers.

These destinations are small and easily explored in less than an hour, so they can all be experienced in a day of literary adventure.

1. Junichiro Tanizaki Memorial Museum of Literature
Photo: WikiCommons/663highlandStart your day by learning more about this prolific writer at the Junichiro Tanizaki Memori..

Naturally, different countries have different cultures! One of the things related to culture is the “toilet situation.” You may ask, “Isn’t a restroom always the same in every country?” What about it?
We asked Australian men, American men, and Italian women visiting Japan, how they felt as foreigners when it came to Japanese toilets, especially those that they had never seen before coming to Japan. We also asked about the difference from their home country.
(The following reflects the opinion of the interviewees only)
I don’t know how to use a Japanese-style toilet
The older Japanese-style toilets are less common and not too familiar even to Japanese people. You may think that there are almost none left in the country. However, according to a survey conducted by the Japan Tourism Agency in 2016, 10,181 units, or 42% of the 24,525 toilets in Japan's major tourist attractions, are of the so-called “Japanese-style.”
Surprisingly, it’s many more than one would expect! So what did fore..

So you’ve made the decision to tie the knot, congratulations! But getting the perfect ring in Japan can be quite a daunting task. With all the different jewelry shops and the overwhelming selection, it’s understandable if you’re feeling a bit lost.

Hopefully, here we’ll demystify the process a bit and help you find a great ring you’ll be proud to wear every day.

How to start
Photo: iStock/nycshooterThey all look the same to me!
Before you consider visiting a ring shop, you should have the basics figured out first.

Some good things to think about before going ring shopping are:

Budget (factoring in costs per ring)
Who’s paying
By when do you want the rings
How do you want to propose

You don’t have to have specific answers for each, but it’s good to at least have an idea. There’s no use heading to an expensive shop if your budget won’t allow it, or if you’ve suddenly realized you didn’t budget for the engagement ring, only the wedding rings.

It’s also good to know roughly when you’..