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Capital of an outdoor paradise with deep Buddhist roots Zenkō-ji, a 1,400 year-old Buddhist temple, is the traditional soul of Nagano. A highland capital in the Japan Alps, the city grew up around this sacred storehouse of the Ikkō Sanzon Amida Nyorai, a Buddhist image believed to be the first… Read More
Enjoy the finer things in a hot spring town on Hakuba’s doorstep Traditional hot spring inns with revitalising baths; glassy lakes reflecting the jagged lines of snow-capped mountains. These are the classic hallmarks of a secluded Japanese alpine retreat, and Omachi has them in abundance. T… 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
The beautiful heart of frontier Japan Quintessentially still a country town, Furano has Eden-like qualities that have long attracted nature-lovers, artists, photographers and film crews. Its seasons are similar to Northern Europe, with heavy snows blanketing the landscape in winter, and mil… 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
Fall in love with Hokkaido's historic port A fishing port close to Sapporo, Hokkaido's capital, Otaru grew with the development of the island's rail network to inland coal fields during the nineteenth century. Beautifully maintained European heritage buildings constructed during this era still… Read More
Hot spring heaven around the corner from Niseko Niseko still has a few secrets up its sleeve, and one of these is Niseko-cho, or the Niseko town district. Covered by forests and rivers, it is an abundant farming area known for melons, asparagus and tomatoes; eateries in town serve farm prod… 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
Maiko Maiko are the apprentice geisha of Kyoto, which remains a bastion of this antique entertainment culture in Japan today. Although they may come from any part of Japan to study the geisha arts, once they become maiko, all speak in the Kyoto dialect. Maiko live, study and work in the Gion… 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
Everywhere you go in Japan there’s a different kind of local Japanese food, and the Mount Fuji and Fujikawaguchiko area is the same. Blessed by bountiful nature and the spring water of Mount Fuji, the farm produce grown here is fresh and juicy. There are many little veggie patches along the lake… 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
The hotels of the Hachimantai resort area lie at the foot of the rugged Mt Iwate (2,038 m), and are a haven for nature lovers throughout the seasons. This complex volcano is one of Japan's 100 famous mountains, and one of the many in Towada-Hachimantai National Park, which encompasses a vast area o… Read More
HOTEL APPI GRAND With ski-in, ski-out access to the slopes, fine-dining restaurants and hot spring baths, Hotel APPI Grand provides its guests with luxury and convenience. The hotel is a creation of pioneering Japanese designer Yusaku Kamekura, and with an eye-catching lemon-coloured exterior, is… Read More
