The quietest places in Kyoto - The mountains

It hit me, that it was quiet moments such as these that one becomes incredibly candid with yourself;away from the static and noise in the city, away from the he

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Tokyo based atrist Hiroshi Araki 荒木博志

This article is for all art junkies like me, I love seeing art- any kind of it! This exhibition sure was something I have not seen before, keep on reading and a

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Our Top 5 Instagrammable Sights in Oita Japan

Check out our selection of some popular, and some less well-known sights in Japan's hot spring capital prefecture that make for some great photos!

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The quietest places in Kyoto - The mountains

It hit me, that it was quiet moments such as these that one becomes incredibly candid with yourself;away from the static and noise in the city, away from the he

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How to make Bento Boxes like a Japanese Supermarket

In Japanese convenience stores, you often see a lot of affordable prepackaged meals in a box-like format. If you’re in the mood to recreate this in the comfort of your own kitchen, here are some tips and suggestions to get you started

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Artistic Manhole Covers in Japan

When travelling to Japan often people recommend to look upwards since there are many signs on the sides of buildings climbing all the way to the top floors, esp

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5 Essentials for A Bug-Free Summer

I don't know if you're anything like me but I welcome the warmer days. I'm more than happy to shed of my layers of clothing and put away thick bulky comforters.

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Five Critters to Watch Out for When Hiking or Exploring in Japan

Japan has lots of warning signs. Make sure to pay attention to them so you don't end up like this person. ( http://pentecoste-newlife.blogspot.jp/2011/03/blog-

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Samurai Heritage: Asakusa Yabusame Festival

YabusameAny samurai history buff can tell you "The Last Samurai" Saigo Takamori died making a last stand near Kagoshima during the 1877 Satsuma Rebellion. Afte

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Trip Planner

Plan your perfect trip to Japan! Simply click the 'Add to Trip' button on any of the 20,000 sights and hotels featured on this site. With sights across all 47 Japanese Prefectures, we hope to introduce to a number of hidden gems off the beaten track.

Need a little inspiration? Be sure to check out our trip planner overview as well as the pre-made trips below!

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Rainy Day at Sunshine City

The perfect way to spend a rainy day in Tokyo is at Sunshine City located on the East side of Ikebukuro.

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The 5 Lakes of Fuji

Located in Fujigoku, Fuji's famous lakes offer breathtaking views and serve as a hub for outdoor activities. With plenty of hiking trails, camping spots and even ski slopes, this is the perfect area for those that love the outdoors!

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Day Trip to Kamakura

Kamakura is just South of Tokyo and is an easy getaway destination for anyone living in the city. With its various temples, shrines, beaches, hiking trails, and shopping streets, Kamakura allows you to fulfill a whole day of relaxation.

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Tokyo Record Stores

here's nothing quite like putting on a record. And Tokyo boasts a good number of record stores with wide range sub-genres, old and new.

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Intern Ellie's Cycle Kyoto Bike Tour

Our intern Ellie went on a trip to Kyoto and joined a cycling tour! Check out the spots she visited in this handy collection.

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Today's selected sights

Sight in Niigata

Migakiya Ichibankan

This facility, established by Tsubame City, trains individuals in the metal production industry. Visitors can tour the factory and try their hand at polishing t

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Sight in Gifu

Showa Period Village Theme Park

Showa Period Village Theme Park (also known as Heisei Memorial Park) in Minokamo City has been created to resemble idyllic country life during the Showa era.

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Sight in Tokyo

Popeye

This beer-pub is renowned throughout the nation for having the largest number of beers on tap in Japan! Here, beer aficionados can taste a variety of different

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Sight in Gifu

Snow Wave Park Shiratori Kogen

Famous for its powder snow, Snow Wave Park Shiratori Kogen features numerous ski runs and a kids' park area.

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Sight in Kyoto

Gallery Sugata

This gallery in Kyoto has a collection of and sells art made of materials such as bamboo, clay, wood and iron, along with various temporary exhibitions.

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Sight in Okinawa

Himeyuri Peace Museum

Himeyuri Peace Museum is dedicated to the young girls of the Himeyuri Student Corps killed in the battles of Okinawa during WW2.

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Sight in Tokyo

Breizh Café Crêperie

Breizh Café Crêperie is a traditional French crêpes restaurant with several locations in France and in Tokyo. This particular branch is in Tokyo's fashionable O

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Sight in Shizuoka

Fuji Kachoen Garden Park

Located at the Asagiri Plateau southwest of Mount Fuji, this park features an extensive selection of flowers, including begonias, fuchsias, and original hydrang

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Sight in Nagasaki

Shimabara Shitano-cho Samurai Residences

The area of Shitano-cho in Shimabara is known for its historic samurai residences, called buke-yashiki in Japanese. Here, a water stream runs along the middle o

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Today's selected articles

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Japan brand of Pens: Sakura, Pentel, & Cobico markers

Copic Markers: Are a japanese made brand marker, there's two sided marker: usually used in art and design classes, for coloring, shading.I have tested different

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Places worth visiting in and near Matsumoto city

Matsumoto city is an excellent and compact city with lots of local soba restaurants, izakayas, and some tourist attractions. You can ride a bike for free if you

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Article by Claudia Mitsubori

A Fun Time with the Osaka Amazing Pass

Osaka is one of the most popular places in Japan to be visited by foreign tourists next to Tokyo and Kyoto. There are many things to see and to do – and there i

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Surf's up in Chiba, Japan

BY DIEGO ROJAS Surfing in Japan… Say what? That’s right! The land of manga, temples, sumo, and ramen is also the land of a vibrant surfing cul

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8 Fantastic February Festivals

Light lanterns and candles, get cozy in a snow hut or see semi-naked men brave freezing water. Discover February's local festivals across Japan! Matsuri (f

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Japan's Fine Coffee Chains: Takakura Machi

Snapseed.jpg 1.55 MBJapan has a lot of cafes and coffee shops, many which are one-of-a-kind and have their own charm and quality about them. However, many of

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Surprise in Okayama

When I visited Korakuen garden in Okayama last year, they had opened one of the buildings that usually aren’t open to the public (the Kakumei-kan Hall). As I wa

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Traveler Trivia: Why does Japan use both Japanese and Western Names for Animals?

It's almost summer time, and at the top of your to-do list when you come to Japan may be to visit a zoo, aquarium, or a nature park somewhere in Japan, which I

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The Shin Yokohama Ramen Museum Experience

The Shin Yokohama Ramen museum is known to be the world's first food amusement park. It has 9 ramen restaurants which allows you to enjoy different kinds of ram

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Today's selected Regions

Prefecture

Niigata

Niigata prefecture has a long coastline facing the sea of Japan, because of this it was a critical port area during the Edo period in the 17th and 18th centurie

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Prefecture

Shiga

Shiga prefecture is part of the quirky and friendly Kansai region. It includes the vast waters of Lake Biwa, the largest freshwater lake in Japan. The north sho

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Prefecture

Fukushima

Fukushima has been a place of scenic beauty and history for centuries, but since 2011 the world equates the name with the difficulties at the Fukushima nuclear

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Prefecture

Osaka

As the second largest city in Japan, Osaka is often compared to the capital city Tokyo—both popular travelling destinations in Japan. But some would venture to

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Prefecture

Wakayama

Koyasan (Mount Koya) is the heart and soul of Wakayama Prefecture. Koyasan is the birthplace of Shingon Buddhism, founded by Kobo Daishi (Kukai) in the year 885

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Prefecture

Aichi

Aichi is the center of the Chubu region in Japan, and its capital is Nagoya. Nagoya is the fourth most populated urban area in Japan, and is home to a large aut

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Prefecture

Miyazaki

Miyazaki prefecture is on the southeastern side of Kyushu and is known for its majestic mountains and rugged coastal scenery. Surfing has grown in popularity he

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Prefecture

Oita

Oita is sometimes called the “Nara of the West”. It is located in the northeast of Kyushu and is best known for the city of Beppu which has more onsen (hot spri

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Prefecture

Tottori

Tottori prefecture along the Sea of Japan coast is best known for its sand dunes (Tottori Sakyu) and Sand Sculpture Museum. The spiritual center of mountain wor

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