Category: Entertainment
-
Did Japan Inspire Blue Bottle? Kissaten and Tokyo’s Roasters
Japan’s Coffee Culture: From Kissaten to the New Wave of Small Roasteries: Japan is famous for tea, yet it has one of the most devoted coffee cultures in the world. Its old-style coffee houses, called kissaten, helped inspire the founder of Blue Bottle Coffee in California, and the same spirit of patient, hand-made brewing now…
-
Japan’s Best Ski Resort in 2022/2023: Appi Kogen Ski Resort in Iwate:
Beautiful Scenery in Japan In this blog, I will gradually share beautiful photographs of Japan’s landscapes, all taken by me over the years. I hope you enjoy discovering the many scenic places that Japan has to offer. This photograph captures the beautiful autumn scenery of Appi Kogen Ski Resort in Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan. Appi…
-
The Perfect 3-Day Fukuoka and Hakata
The Perfect 3-Day Fukuoka and Hakata Itinerary: Three days is enough time to enjoy Fukuoka’s food, temples and waterfront without feeling rushed, thanks to a compact city center and an airport that sits very close to downtown. This itinerary organizes your visit around Hakata, Dazaifu and Tenjin, and the Ohori Park and seaside area, with…
-
Skiing and Snowboarding in Japan
The Complete Niseko and Hakuba Guide Japan is one of the world’s best winter destinations for skiers and snowboarders, and Niseko in Hokkaido and Hakuba in Nagano are the two names most international visitors start with. Niseko is famous for deep, dry powder and a polished, English-friendly resort scene, while Hakuba offers big alpine terrain,…
-
The Beauty of Wisteria
Beautiful Scenery in Japan In this blog, I will gradually introduce some of the beautiful scenery of Japan that I have photographed myself over the years. This is a photograph I took at Ashikaga Flower Park in Tochigi. The park is particularly famous for its beautiful wisteria flowers, and during the blooming season from April…
-
Japanese Fried Chicken “Karaage”
Why Japanese Fried Chicken Has a Reputation for Being So Juicy: Fried chicken exists in some form in nearly every country, but Japan’s version, karaage, has earned a distinct reputation among international visitors specifically for how juicy it is compared to fried chicken elsewhere. It’s a staple at izakaya, convenience stores, and home kitchens alike,…
-
Restaurant Chains with English Touch Panel Ordering
Restaurant Chains with English Touch Panel Ordering: Easy Options for Visitors: A Japanese-only menu can be intimidating if you don’t read the language, and it’s one of the reasons some visitors stick to familiar international chains instead of trying genuinely great local food. The good news is that a number of major gyudon, kaiten-zushi, and…
-
Japan’s Egg Sandwich
Tamago Sando: Why Japan’s Egg Sandwich Has Foreign Visitors Obsessed: Japan’s convenience store egg sandwich, tamago sando, has become something of an internet phenomenon among international visitors in recent years, with travelers regularly posting about how something so simple can taste this good. For Japanese people, though, it’s nothing new at all, it’s a humble,…
-
ONE PIECE, Gundam Spots
ONE PIECE Mugiwara Store and Gundam Spots: A Shopping and Sightseeing Guide: Two of the biggest names in Japanese pop culture, ONE PIECE and Gundam, each have their own network of official stores and, in Gundam’s case, genuinely massive life-size statues worth seeing in person. This guide covers where to find both, including one major…
-
Nintendo shop,Pokémon Center,JUMP SHOP
Nintendo shop,Pokémon Center CYBERSPACE SHIBUYA: The Anime, Manga, and Game Shops Inside Shibuya PARCO: The 6th floor of Shibuya PARCO, branded “CYBERSPACE SHIBUYA,” has become one of Tokyo’s most concentrated destinations for anime, manga, and video game merchandise, packing around ten official shops onto a single floor. If pop culture shopping is on your list,…
-
Pokémon Centers
Pokémon Centers in Tokyo and Kansai: Where to Find Them: Pokémon Center stores are official retail shops selling merchandise, plush toys, trading cards, and region- or store-exclusive items you won’t find anywhere else, and they’ve become a genuinely popular stop for visitors well beyond dedicated fans. Here’s where to find them across Tokyo and the…
-
Tsukiji and Toyosu Market
Is a Food Tour Worth It, or Should You Go Alone?: Tokyo’s fish market complex, split between the outer Tsukiji market and the newer Toyosu wholesale market, is one of the most popular food experiences for visitors, and one of the most common questions is whether to book a guided food tour or simply explore…
