Diary of a Japan Tour Guide: Ayu in Bunkyo Ward
Japan Tour Guide (JTG) is an online portal that aims to match volunteer Japanese guides with visitors coming to Japan. Read about their tours put together for tourists by these friendly local guides in...
The entrance to Sumida River, Kachidoki Bridge
An international expo was scheduled for Tokyo in 1940, whose main venue would have been in Tsukishima. This expo was planned to celebrate Japan’s 2,600th anniversary. According to historical document “Nihonshoki” written in the...
Japan`s World Heritage Site: Buddhist Monuments in Horyuji
Horyuji Temple: The World's Oldest Wooden Building
While Kyoto may be home to many of Japan’s most famous and photographed temples, it was nearby Nara Prefecture’s Horyuji Temple that captured UNESCO's attention to become Japan's first...
World Heritage (2): Himeji Castle
Himeji Castle: Japanese castle architecture perfected and preserved
After 5 and a half years of renovations, Himeji Castle reopened to the public in March in blazing white glory, with not just repainted walls and new roof tiles,...
Training Through Tohoku (1): The Must Do List
Tohoku - the northeastern region of Japan's main island - is most enjoyable in autumn, when this scenic area is aflame with fall colors, and its famed fruits and seafood are in full harvest. And...
Hie Shrine, Japan’s Most Urban Power Spot
A sacred shrine you reach by escalator
Presiding over a steep slope in the middle of Tokyo, the Hie Shrine is probably Japan's most urban shrine. Located in Nagatacho of the Chiyoda Ward, the shrine is surrounded by a...
Japan`s World Heritage Sites: Kumano Pilgrimage Route
The World's Most Picturesque Pilgrimage
If you take just one pilgrimage - or perhaps just a long hike - in your life, you won't find a more scenic one than here.
Though a slight trek off the...
The Japan Subculture Cheat Sheet
From Atom Boy to Akihabara – everything you need to know about Subculture in Japan
It’s not too far off to say that every Japanese grows up on a diet of anime and manga, differing...
Picturesque Japan: The Takachiho Gorge
Like magic to your eyes
Located on the north edge of Miyazaki prefecture on Kyushu Island, the Takachiho Gorge is without a doubt, one of Japan's most impressive natural landscapes. With dramatic cliffs, verdant forests, an...
