Gifu Castle Panorama Night View
Jun 15, 2018 By Ray Proper
If you are looking for a cool place to spend a hot summer night I have just the spot; Gifu! Gifu City is a mere 20 minute train ride from Nagoya, but it is generally cooler than Nagoya, although in fairness it is also colder in the winter-funny how that works, isn’t...[ Click to read more ]
Fly First Airlines and experience traveling without moving
Jun 02, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
There are no limits to the amount of themed cafes that are available to you if you want a unique dining experience in the Metropolis. Wanna hang out with owls, sure. How about ninjas? Ditto. Vampire maids, yeah we got that. Full blown psychedelic anime-themed robots piloted by ladies? We...[ Click to read more ]
Ise Ebi Matsuri (Lobster Festival)
May 29, 2018 By Bert Wishart
For much of the world, there is little more decadent than dining out on lobster. However, here in Japan, lobster - while still relatively pricey compared to most seafood - is by no means the preserve of the uber-rich, and nor is the festival that celebrates it each year. All...[ Click to read more ]
Getting Away in Japan: Kanagawa
By Bert Wishart
Though Kanagawa Prefecture is often dismissed as 'that bit next to Tokyo', you shouldn't let its relatively small stature when compared to its glamorous neighbor fool you; from bright city lights, beautiful nature and a long, celebrated history, there is a whole lot to see and do in Kanagawa. Yokohama...[ Click to read more ]
Rice Planting Events in Hiroshima
By Matt Mangham
I always recommend venturing out of the city if you can. Rural Hiroshima Prefecture is a knockout, and this is a wonderful time of year. The spring foliage still shows its fresh, pale green on the hills, and the worst of the summer heat is weeks away. Most of the...[ Click to read more ]
Hiroshima’s Toukasan Festival
By Matt Mangham
For four hundred years, Hiroshima’s Toukasan festival has marked the arrival of summer for locals. Stretching over three days on the first weekend in June, the festival is officially in honor of Touka Daimyoujin, a deity enshrined at Enryu-ji, a temple one block north of Peace Boulevard on Chuo-dori. Also...[ Click to read more ]
What to Know When Visiting a Temple or Shrine
May 23, 2018 By Justin Hanus
When planning a trip to Japan, a few temples and shrines need to be on your list. Found across the country in large numbers in most cities and present even in the smallest towns, temples and shrines are two of the most popular types of tourist spots. It is important...[ Click to read more ]
Atsuta Shrine Festival in Nagoya
May 18, 2018 By Ray Proper
Atsuta Jingu, ranks in importance second only to the Great Shrine of Ise in Mie, which is the center of the Shinto religion in Japan, and draws over 9 million visitors a year to its gates. The shrine, located in Atsuta Ward of Nagoya City, dates back nearly 2,000 years,...[ Click to read more ]
Get Rid Of Your International Coin Collection Once And For All
Apr 26, 2018 By Jason Gatewood
Like any other expat living here in Japan, I’ve taken to using the proximity to the rest of Asia along with cheap airfare combined to go on some sweet vacations to places like Korea and Hong Kong. I even worked for a company based in Taiwan meaning there was a...[ Click to read more ]
Hakone and The Old Tokaido Road
By Jason Gatewood
Hakone is usually more synonymous with skiing or being a jumping off point for tours to Mt. Fuji but it’s actually a great place to check out almost anytime of the year since it’s easily accessible by way of the Odakyu Line or many direct express buses. Of the many...[ Click to read more ]
