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Welcome to Tokyo, the only place in the world that you can eat Michelin-starred food for under $10, sleep in a capsule, or watch live baseball at 4am in the morning. It is without a doubt one of the busiest, craziest, more bizarre cities on the planet! The list of things you can do here is lite… Read More
Meditate on the Zenkōji Plain from an amazing hot spring Yomase Onsen is a small hot spring oasis with incredible views from Kita Shiga Kogen's 1,352-metre Mt Kosha. With snowflakes melting on them as they fall, skiers and snowboarders soak in its famous Tōmi-no-yu outdoor baths (rotenburo) du… 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-h… Read More
Welcoming hot spring town with retro charm Togura-Kamiyamada Onsen carved itself a place on Japan's hot spring destination map just over 120 years ago in 1893. Times were tough, and to revive the local economy, the head of the town implemented a plan to dig for hot springs. Since the waters beg… Read More
Where the polar bears play, and the skiers stay Mid-winter in Asahikawa, Hokkaido's second-largest city, is a time of diamond dust sparkling in the morning sun, and giant snow sculptures lighting up the night with luminescent colour. The city's average daytime temperature during February is… Read More
www.snowtomamu.jp/winter/en/ | 079-2204 Nakatomamu, Shimukappu-mura, Yufutsu-gun | 2+81-167-58-1111 | Days 9:00-16:00, Nights 16:00-18:00 (Mon-Thu), 16:00-19:00 (Fri-Sun, Holiday) | Travelling times to Hoshino Resorts TOMAMU New Chitose Airport: 1 hr 30 min (car), Asahikawa Airport: 3 h… Read More
Home of Hokkaido's larger-than-life snow festival The Sapporo Snow Festival (Sapporo Yuki Matsuri) is one of the biggest highlights of the winter season in Japan. Hundreds of ice sculptures and statues take over Sapporo's Odori Park, and Tsudome and Susukino areas for the festival every Februa… Read More
The bullet train journey from Tokyo through the Japan Alps to Ishikawa Prefecture is like being fast-forwarded through a Japanese winter hall of fame; a snow resort from the Nagano Winter Olympics here, a hot spring retreat that inspired a Nobel Prize-winning novel there. The pot of gold at the end… Read More
Edomae sushi In the days before refrigeration, soy sauce, salt, vinegar and wasabi weren't just optional extras with sushi; they were essential ingredients used to preserve the texture of fish, and keep bacteria from rapidly invading. The creative use of these ingredients established a numbe… Read More
Essential highlights of Japan now and then The towering skyscrapers and ornate temple pagodas that symbolise Tokyo and Kyoto today are also an expression of the rich culture and history of Japan. Each city is a fascinating journey between modernity and tradition, and must be experienced on any tri… Read More
Day or night, the 'Kitchen of Japan' brims with traditional charm and modern edge Travelling through time in Osaka Read More
Osaka’s mecca of street food Kuromon Ichib Known as one of Osaka’s largest food markets, Kuromon Ichiba is a must-visit spot for a tasty feed. Locals come to this 114 year-old market for their daily shop, some socialising, and of course delicious street food. The market spreads out in all f… Read More
Loud and proud nightlife hub Dotonbori Dotonbori prides itself as the most popular entertainment district in Osaka; Encompassing both sides of the Dotonbori canal, the area is home to many of Osaka’s signature nightlife destinations. The best way to begin your adventure there is with a walk… Read More
Lake Kawaguchiko is famous as a hot spring area; it has many well-established lakeside inns with restaurants and outdoor baths with views of Mount Fuji, and there are many family-run bed and breakfasts in town. In recent years, with a further increase in the number of overseas visitors, basic ac… Read More
Mount Fuji, or Fujisan as it’s called in Japanese, has long been an influential presence in Japanese art. The work of countless Japanese artists captures this majestic icon, and an all-time classic is Katsushika Hokusai's ‘Koshu Misaka Suimen' ([Reflection in the] Surface of the Water, Misaka, Kai … Read More
APPI / HACHIMANTAI SKI AREA 2016-17 - Rural Town Bar & Hot Spring Version A DEEPER LOOK AT MATSUKAWA ONSEN The Matsukawa Onsen hot spring inn community is an excellent choice for experiencing Hachimantai's hitō hot springs in winter. Hitō means a hidden or secret hot spr… Read More
SNOWSHOE NATURE TRAIL & WINTER MOUNTAIN TREKKING The snowshoe nature trail allows participants to step off the fast lane, stop and admire the beauty that surrounds them. The forest behind Hotel APPI Grand is host to all kinds of flora, fauna and fluffy snow to play with. Explore yourself o… Read More
APPI, SKI RESORT, JAPAN - 2016-17 Winter Version Essential resorts, accommodation, food and entertainment VISIT APPI WITH A JR EAST PASS The Tohoku Shinkansen bullet train completes the journey to the north-eastern Japanese castle town of Morioka i… Read More
How will you enjoy Japan? Twelve great ways to relax in Japan, taste its amazing cuisine, discover its nature, culture and history, and celebrate with its people. RELAX Just want to put your feet up and let the world float by from the comfort of a beach or hot spring? Or perh… Read More
Japan's top three festivals The grace of a Japanese shrine can easily invoke a quiet, contemplative ambience, but when one is lifted up and shaken vigorously down the street atop a heaving crowd, it calls for the sort of raucous cheers more appropriate for a grand final. Portable shrines li… Read More
