Nursing a warm latte, the famous Shibuya scramble crossing sprawls beneath me. My eyes wander over brightly coloured billboards, trucks that blare out J-pop tunes, and young pretty things immaculately dressed, sharing the streets with salarymen and the eccentric. I’m in Shibuya, one of Tokyo’s most… Read More
There are many sumo stables in Tokyo’s Ryogoku district, but only a small handful offer access to tourists. Even then, their requirements are so strict that you really must be part of a guided tour - a traditional Japan bucket list essential. Kasugano Beya, near Ryogoku Station, is perhaps the … Read More
Experienced traveler and blogger Kim-Ling tells us that visiting World Heritage sites while overseas will allow you to form your own connection to a country. It also enables you to gain a greater understanding of its culture and history. ‘From the Zen Japanese gardens, located in busy cities, to… Read More
Leah, her two children and partner visited Japan for the very first time over Easter break 2017. During their holiday they visited Tokyo, Osaka and Kyoto. And in each city, they visited one theme park: Tokyo DisneySea, Universal Studios Japan and Toei Studio Park ‘Before heading to a travel dest… Read More
A seafood lover's paradise near Sapporo, steeped in historic charm A VISIT to Otaru is a trip back in time to nineteenth-century Japan. Beautifully maintained European heritage buildings constructed during this era still line its picturesque canal district, and on the inside, yield m… Read More
> Soak up 1,900 years of hot spring tradition > Make tracks in the domain of the snow monsters > Experience traditional geisha entertainment The historic hot spring town of Zao Onsen lies within the Zao Mountain Range, an impressive cluster of stratovolcanoes 40 minutes from Yamag… Read More
> More than ten metres a season of the best powder you've never seen > Amazing backcountry, hot springs and local dining and drinking > International resort night life with great English tours and lessons Ten powder-rich resorts. One pass. And in 2016… Read More
WORLD CLASS Niseko Grand Hirafu is the biggest resort in Niseko, with the lion's share of terrain on the 1,308-metre Mount Niseko Annupuri. It has 30 diverse courses, including 9 of more than a kilometre, and a 5.6-kilometre long cruiser. Tree runs, fresh powder and panoramic views… Read More
A scenic 'hot spring kingdom' filled with natural and cultural highlights Yamagata Prefecture is one of Japan’s heaviest snowfall areas, making it a naturally blessed snow holiday destination just 2.5 hours north of Tokyo by bullet train. Some 160,000 hectares of the prefecture is na… Read More
> Vast quantities of Japan's best powder > World-class facilities > Loads of after-ski entertainment What is it that makes the snow holiday experience at Niseko so addictive? Is it the free and easy off-piste policy? The nightlife? The parks, schools and va… Read More
Highlights from a century of skiing in Japan 1911 THE BIRTH OF SKIING IN JAPAN A demonstration of skiing down Mt Kanaya, Niigata Prefecture, by visiting Austro-Hungarian army officer Theodor von Lerch in 1911 is credited as the birth of the sport in Japan. For many locals of Japan's snow… Read More
BUILT TO SATISFY Secluded amidst the rugged mountains in the north of the Hakuba Valley lies Hakuba Norikura Onsen Ski Resort. Known as Hakuba Norikura, this resort is popular for its wide variety of courses, excellent powder and relaxed local atmosphere. With a range of facilities, accommodatio… Read More
Owakudani geothermal area, Mount Fuji, Lake Ashi and Tonosawa hot springs At 1,050 metres above sea level, the Owakudani geothermal area offers one of Hakone's best views of Mount Fuji. This valley steams and hisses with vapour coming straight through the earth's crust, and… Read More
With spectacular views of Mount Fuji and abundant natural hot springs, Hakone is a rewarding short trip close to Tokyo Hakone has long been a favourite getaway spot for Tokyoites. An historic hot spring town located some 80 kilometres away from the city in Kanagawa Prefect… Read More
Hakone Sekisho checkpoint, Hakone Shrine, and the Hakone Open-Air Museum As the tenth post town on the old Tōkaidō highway from Tokyo, Hakone was strategically important to the samurai government of Japan's Edo era (1603-1867). Its Hakone Sekisho building served as a checkp… Read More
What you need to turn a good trip into a great one So, can you save money on riding the shinkansen, and free up some more for exploring Japan's never-ending maze of awesomeness? Do you know where to drop your suitcase so you're not heaving it along with you? Here we introduce why Japan is not just… Read More
Steaming mineral-rich pools of health and happiness are found everywhere in Yamagata, from the prefecture's coastline to its mountainous interior. Its hot spring bathing culture dates back over 1,900 years, when a wounded warrior is said to have stumbled upon one of its most legendary spring… Read More
SNOW MONSTER COUNTRY Zao Onsen Ski Resort is one of Japan's vintage snow resorts, famous for its combination of rare scenery, abundant hot springs and amazing powder snow. It was established in 1925, soon after the birth of skiing in Japan, and now covers an area of more than 300 hectares in… Read More
The neighbouring town to the snow monkey park, full of charm and tradition SHIBU Onsen is a quaint hot spring town in Nagano Prefecture that opens up behind a curtain of steam, revealing traditions and architecture of years passed, still standing tall and proud. The town's original spring-head w… Read More
Enjoy the finer things in a hot spring town on Hakuba’s doorstep Just 40 minutes from Hakuba, Omachi is local to the ski resorts of Kashimayari Sports Village and Jiigatake. Its hot spring area of Omachi Onsenkyō is set in deep forest, and skiers and snowboarders overnight here from … Read More
