Matsushiro Area：A historic town of samurai, powerful clans and castles
If you are interested in the history of Japan, then you cannot miss the chance to visit Nagano city. In this historic district, ninjas and warlords familiar from games and manga lived and played...
Togakushi & Iizuna Area: Ninja history shrouded in stunning nature
Togakushi Jinja Shrine
Discover mysterious legends and powerspots
Togakushi Shrine consists of five shrines located at the base of Mt. Togakushi. According to Japanese mythology, a grief-ridden Amaterasu, goddess of the sun, hid herself in a...
A FOODIE PARADISE ON ISETAN SHINJUKU STORE’S DEPACHIKA FLOOR
Depachika roughly translates to “an underground floor of a department store”, but it is much more than just a location. Not to be confused with an ordinary supermarket, a depachika, as is the case...
Sushi: The evolution of sushi
No conversation about Japanese food can go without mentioning sushi, since the popularity of this particular seafood dish has made waves around the world. As mainstream as sushi is within the global vernacular, you...
TEMPURA: Japan’s Deep-Fried Delight
Few food symbols are as iconic as the golden, crispy batter-covered shrimp tempura. In Japanese kanji the “ten” in “tempura” uses the character for “heaven”, and the addition of this traditional cuisine to the...
Unagi: Japanese Grilled Eel and the History of Kabayaki
Seafood has always been a staple of the Japanese diet thanks to the bountiful ocean that surrounds the island country, and unagi (eel) is no exception. Unagi harvested from freshwater is prepared in a...
Soba-kiri: Edo’s First Culinary Hit
Of the top four culinary superstars which emerged during Japan’s Edo period, soba was the first to grace the table. Soba is actually the Japanese word for buckwheat, the main ingredient of the popular...
Nagano Station Area：A cultural core, a splendid temple and a historical gathering spot
Zenkoji Temple attracts numbers of tourists who seek knowledge of ancient Japanese culture and enlightenment. Among the picturesque mountain peaks, you can sense the spirituality that filled patrons of this sacred place when Zenkoji...
A Panoramic View of Sakura Blossoms in Kaminoyama-shi, Yamagata-ken
Located at the foot of Mt. Zao, Kaminoyama-shi thrived as a castle town and a place for travelers to rest as they traveled along the Ushu-kaido, one of the routes established to connect Edo...
Greet the Gorgeous Pink Sakura in Fukushima’s Inawashiro-machi
Located at the heart of Fukushima-ken, Inawashiro-machi is a town at the foot of Mt. Bandai. To its south side are the clear waters of Lake Inawashiro and to the north is Mt. Bandai....
