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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
Time-travelling in Kyoto and Nara Beautiful temples and shrines nestled in mystical forests abound throughout Japan, but there are few that can match the enormous scale of Kyoto's Fushimi Inari Taisha Grand Shrine and Nara's Tōdai-ji Temple. These World Heritage-listed sites, which include … Read More
Taste sensations of Tsukiji Just a stone's throw from the biggest wholesale fish market in the world, sushi restaurants in Tokyo's Tsukiji area easily attract breakfast queues that snake out onto the footpath well before sunrise. Sushi Zanmai and Sushi Dai are two budget to mid-priced break… Read More
Island-hopping around Okinawa Subtropical Okinawa is traditionally known as the Ryukyu Islands, and enjoys the best of Japan's most amazing beaches. What helps seal the deal for international visitors is the fascinating native culture of the Ryukyus, which sets them apart from other beach reso… Read More
With over 30,000 Australian travellers visiting Japan in 2014, Japan has become one of the most popular holiday destinations for many Australians and no longer a curious island country far up in Asia. Japan is home to a unique culture that comes from a mixture of traditions and futuristic technolo… Read More
Experiencing the bounty of a Japanese Bordeaux Echigo-Yuzawa is part of a region called Minami-Uonuma, which is in many ways a Bordeaux of Japan. Just as Bordeaux has an ideal climate for viticulture, Minami-Uonuma has an ideal climate for rice farming, and the quality of its Minami-Uonuma Koshi… Read More
Discovering an ancient healing retreat When Hanroku Takahashi descended into a valley in Echigo-Yuzawa some 900 years ago, a hot spring bath was the last thing he had in mind. The local warrior had fallen ill on a journey through what was then a wilderness area, and was trying to catch medicina… Read More
History flows through the hot springs of Yudanaka Onsen From the moment you step off the train at Yudanaka station, you are already fully immersed in this onsen (hot spring) town. The station has its own hot spring facilities for day-trippers, and outside there’s a foot bath you can enjoy to kic… Read More
An extended stay in Omachi often happens naturally when day visitors fall in love with its charming hot spring inns, restaurants and izakaya bars... HOT SPRING INNS & HOTELS With its long history, traditional architecture is one of Omachi's trademarks, and inn rooms with slidi… Read More
A kaleidoscope of colour all year round... It’s a sobering -20°C, and you’re standing in a giant igloo filled with the glow of luminescent reds, pinks and purples. The colours warm the interior with a charming glow that evokes fairy floss, big tops and other childhood pleasures, and cast an… Read More
A place of never ending fun - in and out of the snow” Whether it’s your first snow holiday or your 100th, a holiday at Hoshino Resorts Tomamu is a new kind of holiday experience you must try. Located between Asahikawa, New Chitose and Obihiro Airport, the resort is accessible by train or car w… Read More
The powder is on ice in Japan's coldest place In the centre of Japan’s skier and boarder holy ground, Hokkaido, is Tomamu, a small mountainous area unlike any other. Tomamu belongs to the village town of Shimukappu, known as the coldest place in Japan, and in winter, the skiers and boarders alike … Read More
To go where no piste has gone before Tokachidake is nature in the Hokkaido Powder Belt 'as is'. There are no lifts, no groomed runs, and no crowds; just pure powder to be enjoyed. The area consists of Tokachidake, a 2,077m high volcano, and Tokachidake Onsen, a hot spring village dotted with … Read More
Fall in love with Hokkaido's historic port The town of Otaru is known as a port town and where Hokkaido's railroad network sprung out of back in the 1800s. Not only is it one of the more warmer places in Hokkaido but it is rich in history, romance and seafood and has a welcoming mood for visit… Read More
Explore Japan’s own soul food region Known as Naha City’s kitchen, Kousetsu Ichiba, the city marketplace is the most liveliest, flavourful place to learn about Okinawa’s distinctive food culture. It has been the locals’ go-to place for grocery for over 60 years, and with the growth of Okinawa… Read More
Island hopping in Okinawa: From one eclectic world to another Okinawa is made up of 160 islands that are full of life on and off the islands. There is no way to appreciate Okinawa without exploring these islands, and letting the local guides take you on a journey filled with gorgeous subtro… Read More
Connect with Okinawa through the beauty of its traditional culture The traditional arts and culture of Okinawa comes from the perfect harmony of man, nature and spirit. The experiences you can find on the main island completely reflect that harmony and with it, you’ll be able to create a st… Read More
// Are you ready for a little challenge for a big prize? Okinawa is made up of 160 islands, all rich in nature and all filled with a timeless, tropical atmosphere unlike anywhere else in Japan. It’s located in the southernmost part of Japan right next to the East China Sea and the Western Paci… Read More
