All About Japan

Shodoshima: Fermentation, Art, and an Island Shaped by Time

Floating in the calm waters of the Seto Inland Sea, Shodoshima is a place shaped by climate, by centuries of small-scale industries, and most of all by the people who live here. It is often associated with olives or soy sauce, but offers much more: unique sake, a revival of almost lost traditions, and a quiet but growing reputation for contemporary art.

Museum

Tokyo

Dive Into Tokyo’s Evolution at the Refurbished Edo-Tokyo Museum

After a four-year closure for renovations, the Edo-Tokyo Museum has reopened to tell the story of the capital's remarkable evolution and transformation.

Pottery

Saga

The Porcelain Legacy of Arita’s Kilns

Japan's porcelain industry was kickstarted by events that shook the country 400 years ago. Andrew Lee visited Saga Prefecture and discovered the history of the region's ceramics.

Sports

Sumo

Get Thunderstruck at a Sumo Training Session

Japan’s titans of the ring live and train at roughly 40 sumo stables, with the majority located in Tokyo. A visit to one of these grappling incubators will give you a closeup look at how these giants train and what their lives are like.

Pick Ups

Selected reads from our editors

Nara Prison Museum Opens Its Doors

A landmark new cultural attraction opens in Nara this spring, as Hoshino Resorts launched its first-ever museum on April 27, 2026. Founded in 1914 and widely regarded as Japan's most innovative luxury hospitality group, Hoshino Resorts has built its reputation on reimagining overlooked or underutilized spaces—from historic hot spring towns to remote natural landscapes—and transforming them into distinctive, design-led destinations. The Nara Prison Museum brings new life to the former Nara Prison—a designated Important Cultural Property — transforming one of Japan's most architecturally striking Meiji-era (1868—1912) buildings into a thought-provoking destination for visitors from around the world.

A Major New Tokyo Museum Opens: MoN Takanawa—The Museum of Narratives

Opened in March 2026, MoN Takanawa: The Museum of Narratives is a striking new multi-level museum consisting of six floors above ground and three below. It is part of Takanawa Gateway City, one of Tokyo's largest new urban developments, directly connected to Takanawa Gateway Station.

“YBA & BEYOND: British Art in the 90s from the Tate Collection” at the National Art Center, Tokyo

The exhibition “YBA & BEYOND: British Art in the 90s from the Tate Collection” is running until May 11 at the National Art Center, Tokyo in Roppongi. At the museum, one of Japan’s largest art spaces, visitors can follow the radical developments in British art during the 1990s.

RIHGA Royal Hotels launches new hot spring resort brand–“Noir by RIHGA”

Royal Hotel Co., Ltd. has announced plans to open Noir by RIHGA Kobe Arima, a new hot spring resort under the Noir by RIHGA brand, in the Arima area of Kita Ward, Kobe, Hyogo Prefecture. The opening is scheduled for late February 2028. Making the most of its location along the Arima River, the property is planned as a luxury hotel where guests can enjoy seasonal scenery from their rooms, relax in Arima’s famous hot springs, and take time to savor local cuisine at a leisurely pace.

Dive Into Tokyo’s Evolution at the Refurbished Edo-Tokyo Museum

After a four-year closure for renovations, the Edo-Tokyo Museum has reopened to tell the story of the capital's remarkable evolution and transformation.

Pottery

Saga

The Porcelain Legacy of Arita’s Kilns

Japan's porcelain industry was kickstarted by events that shook the country 400 years ago. Andrew Lee visited Saga Prefecture and discovered the history of the region's ceramics.

National Parks of Japan

Hokkaido

A Great Wetland Wilderness: Exploring Kushiroshitsugen National Park

This sprawling land of reeds, winding rivers, and open sky is Japan’s largest wetland and a sanctuary for rare wildlife. Ancient marshlands and local communities exist in careful balance, shaped by water, conservation, and time.

Food & Drink

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Nara

Eating and Drinking the Back Streets of Nara

Most people do Nara as a day trip, but actually staying there and spending a few days--and nights--lets you explore the rich cuisine of its backstreets.

Restaurants

Taste of Japan

Humble Feasts: 36 Hours of Osaka Comfort Food

Osaka’s vibrant southern district of Namba offers a wealth of reasonable dining options, the best of which are neighborhood landmarks serving local favorites.

Shizuoka

Savoring Shizuoka: A Gourmet Adventure

A short distance south of Tokyo, Shizuoka Prefecture is earning a reputation as a luxury destination for those in search of unique accommodations and culinary discoveries.

Entertainment

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Museum

Nara

Nara Prison Museum Opens Its Doors

Museum

Tokyo

A Major New Tokyo Museum Opens: MoN Takanawa—The Museum of Narratives

Art

“YBA & BEYOND: British Art in the 90s from the Tate Collection” at the National Art Center, Tokyo

Innovation

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Fukui

Fukui: New Trends Crafted from Traditional Skills

This August, LUMINE Singapore, the concept store featuring Japanese fashion and lifestyle brands, will feature the best of Fukui Prefecture’s craft products in a pop-up store commemorating the opening of its new flagship store at Raffles City.

Weaving

Okinawa

Tsumugi Silk: Poor Man's Fabric Turned Luxury Folkcraft

Tsumugi silk is the result of a labor-intensive artistic weaving style that is prized for its supple softness and unique designs.

Design

Architecture

Small Spaces, Part IV: Japanese Ideas for Small and Tiny Homes

The fourth of a series on innovative, space-saving methods from traditional and modern Japanese architecture that can be used in any home, regardless of size.

Life in Japan

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Architecture

The Wisdom of Wood: Why Japan’s Old Farmhouses Matter More Than Ever

A look at the traditional farmhouses now commonly called kominka—“old folk dwellings”—a name that underscores their age. They were built for living, working, and passing knowledge from one generation to the next.

Craft Beer

Shikoku