Spring Love Harukaze Music Festival in Tokyo 2020
Feb 26, 2020 By Jason Gatewood
We got you covered when it comes to checking out all the pink-tree goodness when it comes to cherry blossom viewing parties in Tokyo. But if you want to level-up your hanami experience this year, you can’t go wrong with the free Spring Love Harukaze concert on the weekend of...[ Click to read more ]
Diamond Magic – Witness The Diamond Fuji Phenomenon
Dec 26, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Diamond Fuji is a twice annually occurring phenomenon during which the sunrise and sunset align perfectly with Mount Fuji’s summit, looking for all the world like a bright shining jewel placed atop the nation’s crown. There are many great places from which you can witness this startling sunset just a...[ Click to read more ]
Snow Festivals in Japan
By Jason Gatewood
Because Japan is over 70% mountainous and located in the temperate latitudes of the western Pacific where the moist ocean air continually does battle with dry, cold Siberian and Mongolian air coming in from China, the Japan Alps enjoys a healthy dusting of snow every winter. No part of Japan...[ Click to read more ]
Chichibu Night Festival Near Tokyo
Nov 26, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Located about 2 hours northwest of Central Tokyo, Chichibu is a small mountain community that is popular for weekend getaways thanks to it being the home of Chichibu-Tama-Kai National Park and a very picturesque and historic area. Celebrating some of that history is the Chichibu Yomatsuri night festival. This is...[ Click to read more ]
Get a Sugar Rush at the Aichi Sweets Marathon
Oct 29, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Are you too keen on candy to run a marathon? Do you need sugary enticement to get you to that finishing line? Then the Aichi Sweets Marathon in Moricoro Park is right up your, um, running track. While gobbling down sweets mid-run may seem like a major contradiction, the Sweets Marathon...[ Click to read more ]
Getting To Know You – Nagoya Station Area of Meieki
By Bert Wishart
For years, though the city center in name, the area around Nagoya Station was considered to a poor relation to the shopping district of Sakae. However, over the past decade there has been dramatic investment in the Meieki (a Japanese abbreviation of 'Nagoya Station') area, and today it is an...[ Click to read more ]
Great Places to Spot Wildlife in Kansai
Sep 24, 2019 By Justin Hanus
Japan is known for its densely-populated neon-lit cities but look beyond the lights and high-rise buildings and you can find some beautiful open spaces where you can see nature at play. The Kansai region has no shortage of breath-taking mountains, wetlands, large parks and woodlands filled with a diverse array...[ Click to read more ]
Water Sports You Can Try in Kobe
Aug 20, 2019 By Justin Hanus
Whether you're looking for an indoor swim or some outdoor action in a boat or on a surfboard, you can find plenty of water-based activities in and around Kobe at reasonable prices. Here's a summary of what is on offer. Swimming and Diving For those after proper swimming and diving...[ Click to read more ]
Get Hooked on Family Fishing in Aichi
By Bert Wishart
It should come as no surprise that, being an island nation crisscrossed with rivers and spotted with freshwater lakes, Japan is a fantastic country in which to go fishing. From large ocean fish to catching ayu with your bare hands, there is something that will interest fisherfolk of all sorts....[ Click to read more ]
Morioka Marathon: Here for the Long Run
By Jade Brischke
Summer in Morioka is officially over which means the weather is starting to cool down and runners everywhere are taking advantage of it. Long winters can make running difficult, not to mention, dangerous, here and late spring and autumn are the perfect time to get outside and explore the city....[ Click to read more ]