Hatsumode in Tokyo – Making Your First Shrine Visit of 2023
Dec 26, 2022 By Michael Stigall
New Years in Japan is laser-focused on firsts. You have your first sunrise of the year, which is very important, and other firsts like the Shinenkai parties to bring in the New Year. Easily the most important of these New Year’s rituals is hatsumode. Hatsumode is the first visit of...[ Click to read more ]
Winter Illumination in Tokyo
By Michael Stigall
Christmas time in Tokyo can be a bit surreal. On the one hand, there are Christmas markets, gigantic sales, innumerable shopping centers, and more decorations than you would expect, but on the other hand, all magically disappear by December 26th. This is not the case with one local tradition, illumination....[ Click to read more ]
Skiing in Hiroshima: Day and Weekend Trips!
Dec 25, 2022 By Matt Mangham
Hiroshima isn’t the first place that comes to mind when you think of skiing in Japan. We’re a long way from the Nagano Alps and even further from Hokkaido, but people do go skiing in the Prefecture or just over the border in Shimane. There are a number of options,...[ Click to read more ]
Winter Fun in Tokyo at Yomiuri Land
Nov 29, 2022 By Michael Stigall
With the famous Disney Resort a relatively short ride from Tokyo Station, it is easy to forget that Tokyo actually has several other wonderful theme parks and attractions worth visiting. Today we will focus on Yomiuri Land, just 30 minutes from central Tokyo. While not as big as Disney, Yomiuri...[ Click to read more ]
Tokyo’s Christmas Markets
Nov 28, 2022 By Michael Stigall
A few years ago, I had the opportunity to visit Europe right before the holiday season was underway. One upside to this trip was experiencing the Christmas Markets that pop up in both major cities and small villages. These markets sell festive food and drink and all sorts of Christmas...[ Click to read more ]
The Toy Stores of Tokyo
By Michael Stigall
With Thanksgiving behind us, we are officially into the Christmas season. For most of us in the Capital with children, it is time to get busy shopping for presents. While there are still plenty of online options, there is something much more satisfying about going to a good toy store...[ Click to read more ]
Touring Tokyo on Sharebike
Oct 31, 2022 By Michael Stigall
Bike sharing has been a thing in Tokyo for more than a decade now, but it still feels like a relatively new thing only known and used by the savviest of Tokyo residents. Starting in Yokohama, bike sharing is now all over the Kanto area, and they are quite a...[ Click to read more ]
Activities for Kids Under 5 in Kobe
Oct 24, 2022 By Justin Hanus
If you have kids under 5, you’ll know how tiring it can be to keep them occupied throughout the day. Children don’t start school in Japan until the age of six, and although there is nursery and daycare provision, not all kids attend full-time. Plus, of course, there are weekends...[ Click to read more ]
The Tokyo Metro Museum
Sep 28, 2022 By Michael Stigall
One great thing about living in Tokyo is the trains and subways that crisscross the megalopolis. Most of us use the subway for commuting and getting around almost daily. That said, they can be something we all become familiar with and even ignore, but there is a rich history here....[ Click to read more ]
A Guide to Onsen and Super Sento in and around Tokyo
By Michael Stigall
The onsen is one thing that immediately comes to mind when one thinks of Japan, and it's no mystery why. In addition to appearing in most tourism-related media, they are excellent places to relax. With so much seismic activity, from small sento bathhouses to entire onsen towns, sento and onsen...[ Click to read more ]
