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Faster than a speeding bullet! Ride the Tokyo to Kyoto “Nozomi” Shinkansen...
Even if you’re not exactly a trainspotting otaku, chances are you still find the idea of riding a Japanese bullet train seriously appealing. After all, those things get up to some crazy speeds, and...
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Ads for JR’s “Seishun 18″ rail pass celebrate the isolated beauty of Japan’s...
It seems so easy to plan an entire Japan vacation around a single tour of the Tokyo metropolitan area. The mega city has just about everything a tourist could possibly want to see, from Akihabara’s...
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Despite raging typhoon, Gion Matsuri goes on as it has for over 1,000...
The Gion Festival, or Gion Matsuri, has been celebrated consistently for over a thousand years and is one of the most famous festivals in Japan. The highlight is the Yamahoko Parade which occurs...
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Smoking food and sword juggling at Kyoto’s Ninja Labyrinth restaurant【Video】
Time to rewatch Naruto and brush up on your ninjutsu, folks! We took our Japan wish competition winner to experience a modern twist on an ancient part of Japanese culture. Come and take a look at the...
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The quintessential Kyoto experience: becoming a maiko for the day! 【Pics &...
They say that it’s rare to see a real maiko walking the streets of Kyoto, since these artists usually work at night and live in their own secluded world, far from the rest of Japanese society. In...
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We say goodbye to our Japan Wish winner and look back on her time in...
Ashley is now safely back in the US after her exciting adventure here in Japan, so it’s time for a wrap-up post! Our Japan Wish competition winner’s time with us was a whirlwind of fun, food, and...
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Kyoto has had enough of rude tourists, created an infographic to show how to...
With thousands of temples, beautiful gardens, geisha and maiko (geisha-in-training), and more history than you can shake an encyclopedia at, Kyoto is the place to be when visiting Japan. So with so...
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Kyoto store makes embroidered badges, tests our knowledge of traditional...
How well do you know your wagashi (Japanese sweets)? If you’re struggling to put a name to any of the traditional delectables pictured above, there’s a store in Kyoto that can help. By creating...
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Breathtaking video captures the beauty of traditional Japanese washi paper...
The traditional art of Japanese paper making has a history that dates back well over 1,000 years. Kurotani in Kyoto is one of the oldest paper-making villages where the tradition continues in earnest,...
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Kennin-ji Temple Masters Project: craftsmen make ornate watch inspired by...
Kennin-ji is one of Japan’s most historic landmarks. Founded in 1202, it’s the oldest Zen Buddhist temple in Kyoto and its founding monk, Eisai, is credited with introducing the philosophy of zen to...
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Five nature hikes and trail runs just off Japan’s bullet train
Japan’s major cities offer just about everything, but did you know that includes great nature trails? From forests and waterfalls to ancient temples and shrines, many of Japan’s best hiking trails are...
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Turns out 15 seconds a day is enough to document a two week trip to Japan【Video】
After living in Japan for long enough, you might find yourself occasionally forgetting the beauty and wonder you felt when you first arrived. Being surrounded by it all the time, it might alip your...
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Dine like a samurai on the night of the Ikedaya Incident at Kyoto-themed...
If you’ve ever wanted to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of Kyomachi, the old streets of Kyoto, there’s a special dining establishment in Tokyo that will take you there. The Kyomachi Koishigure...
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Mounted police officers in Kyoto get Heian Period outfits to match their...
Though the Heian Period probably evokes more images of poetry and courtly love affairs than daring action, there was still plenty of work for the kebiishi, the peacekeepers of the time. Though the...
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Kyoto’s Rurikoin Temple to offer stunning views of autumn leaves for a...
Tourists flock to Japan’s ancient capital of Kyoto during the cherry blossom-viewing days of spring, but equally stunning are the sights of brilliantly colored autumn leaves amidst ancient structures...
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Brilliant Art Aquarium takes over Nijo Castle in Kyoto for a spellbinding...
Kyoto is, of course, one of Japan’s most loved and visited sightseeing destinations, so it doesn’t really need any extra help drawing crowds. But that doesn’t mean something a little extra-special...
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See a whole other side of Kyoto in this beautiful, quintessentially Japanese...
With all the sights, sounds, and history Kyoto City has to offer, from the Golden Pavilion to the thousands of torii shrine gates at Fushimi Inari Shrine, most people forget that there is much more to...
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“Amazing Kyoto” shows us sides of Japan’s old capital we’ve never seen before...
Kyoto, which was the capital of Japan for more than 1,000 years, is one of those cities that looks beautiful no matter what time of the year it is. But out of all the seasons, autumn is by far the...
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Samurai hoodies are a bushido blend of old-school style and modern fashion...
When you think about it, a topknot hairstyle really would have you wanting some way to keep your head warm in winter. Last month, we took a look at some avant-garde kimono and hakama from Kyoto-based...
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The “Venice of Japan” in Kyoto: a secret destination tourists don’t know...
If you’re looking for a spectacular tourist destination without all the tourists, you’ll want to visit Kyoto’s sleepy little fishing town that floats on the sea. Located on the shore of Ine Bay in...
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