Journal

  1. The Most Underrated Castles in Japan for a Richer JourneyJapan’s famous castles often dominate travel itineraries, especially Himeji, Osaka, and Matsumoto. Yet some of the country’s most rewarding fortress towns…
  2. Japanese Zodiac Temples And Your Birth YearJapan’s zodiac tradition connects each year with one of twelve animals: rat, ox, tiger, rabbit, dragon, snake, horse, goat, monkey, rooster, dog, and boar.…
  3. Exploring Naoshima’s Museums and Outdoor ArtNaoshima is a small island in Japan’s Seto Inland Sea where contemporary art, dramatic architecture, and quiet coastal scenery share the same landscape. Once…
  4. How to Use a JR Pass Effectively Across JapanJapan’s railway network makes it possible to travel from snowy Hokkaido to tropical Kyushu with impressive speed and comfort. For visitors planning several…
  5. The best local snacks to buy at Narita Airport before departureNarita Airport is more than a gateway to Tokyo. It is one of the easiest places to pick up edible souvenirs from Chiba, Tokyo, and other regions of Japan just…
  6. Why You Should Try a Japanese Capsule HotelA capsule hotel offers one of Japan’s most distinctive forms of accommodation: a compact private sleeping space inside a larger shared facility. Originally…
  7. The History and Significance of Torii Gates at Fushimi Inari ShrineFushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto is one of Japan’s most recognizable Shinto sites, known for the seemingly endless path of vermilion torii gates climbing Mount…
  8. How to spend a weekend in Kanazawa: geisha, gold leaf, and KenrokuenKanazawa is one of Japan’s best cities for a compact cultural escape. Its historic districts, refined gardens, samurai residences, traditional crafts, and…
  9. A practical guide to Japan’s department store food hallsA depachika is the food floor found in the basement of many Japanese department stores. The name combines depāto (department store) and chika (basement),…
  10. Japan’s typhoon season: travel tips and safetyJapan’s typhoon season generally runs from June through November, although the greatest activity usually occurs between August and September. A typhoon can…