All About 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.

Fukushima

Hike for Hope: A New Long Trail through a Former Disaster Zone

The Fukushima Coastal Trail highlights tragedy and hope following the 2011 triple disaster.

Onsen

Hiking

Hiking Tokyo’s Active Volcano: The “Sacred Fire” of Oshima Island

Mt. Mihara is an active volcano on a nearby island with a fascinating history, superb seafood, hot spring baths, and welcoming local people. It can be climbed on a day trip from central Tokyo, but you should at least plan on staying overnight.

Iwate

Rainbows and Resilience: Hiking the Michinoku Coastal Trail

The 1000-kilometer trail that hugs Tohoku’s Pacific coastline offers hikers some incredible natural scenery and dramatic evidence of the disastrous tsunami of 2011. Andrew Lee hiked some portions of the trail and shares his experience.

Pick Ups

Selected reads from our editors

GO WILD TOKYO 3/ A Retreat in the Natural Surroundings of Hinohara Village

Tokyo is one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, and its borders stretch far beyond the central area’s towering skyline and bustling streets. This is one of a series introducing parts of Tokyo known for natural wonders, spectacular landscapes, and numerous species

GO WILD TOKYO 2/ A Wilderness Experience at Hinohara Village

GO WILD TOKYO 1/ Experience the great outdoors on Izu Oshima Island

Tokyo is one of Japan’s 47 prefectures, and its borders stretch far beyond the skyline and bustling streets. This article is the first of a series called “GO WILD TOKYO,” featuring trips that let you experience Tokyo’s great outdoors. In it we introduce p

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.

Awaji Island Blue: Cycling Japan's Island Birthplace

Awaji Island is an ideal cycling destination located in Japan's picturesque Inland Sea. It is the legendary birthplace of Japan, and present home to a grassroots movement that includes indigo dyers, farm-to-table restauranteurs, unique local potters, and friendly cafes.

Architecture

Kobe

Kobe's Ijinkan: An Eclectic European Enclave

The city of Kobe's Ijinkan-gai (foreigners' house district) is a hillside neighborhood featuring European-style houses built for foreign residents more than a century ago. They are now a prime tourist destination for history and architecture buffs.

Tea

Farming

Steeped in Tradition: The Tea Culture of Shigaraki

Shigaraki, renowned for its pottery, is also the home of one of Japan's oldest tea-growing traditions. Meet two dedicated tea producers who honor centuries-old methods while embracing innovation in cultivation, marketing and brewing. Discover how Shigaraki’s rich tea culture continues to thrive—and how you can experience it firsthand.

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.

Sushi

This Sushi Ambassador Promotes Japanese Culture

Matsunozushi is a historic sushi shop located near Tokyo’s Omori-Kaigan Station. From behind the counter, its fourth-generation chef Yoshinori Tezuka can explain in detail about the sources of the ingredients and the food preparation methods.

Entertainment

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Highlighting Japan

All About Japan Photo and Video Contest: My Fave Japan — Winners Announcement!

From stunning landscapes to vibrant street scenes, participants captured Japan through their unique lens.

Photography

Movies

All About Japan Photo and Video Contest: My Fave Japan

Show Us Your Japan! “Fave Japan” photo and video contest. Share your unique view of Japan — its nature, cities, culture, and people. Open to everyone, from seasoned photographers to beginners.

Design

Fashion

Festival of Fashion and Design “TOKYO CREATIVE SALON 2024”

"TOKYO CREATIVE SALON 2024," one of the largest fashion and design festivals in Japan, will be held from March 14 (Thursday) to March 24 (Sunday), 2024, in 10 areas of Tokyo.

Innovation

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Fukui

Fukui: New Trends Crafted from Traditional Skills

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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Craft Beer

Shikoku

Life in Rural Japan: Three International Kochi Residents

More foreign nationals are finding their base in rural Japan. Here are the stories of three residents of nature-rich Kochi Prefecture.

Museum

Art

The Mesmerizing Art of Munakata Shiko

A major retrospective looks at how "time" and "place" shaped famous 20th c. printmaker Munakata Shiko.

Information

Local Creators' Market

Japan's Amazing DIY Superstores: From Cheap Urban Farming to Building a Home

DIY has always been big in Japan. Now a number of stores cater to the creative in all of us, whether its gardening, interior renovation, crafts or even building your own house.

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Andrew Lee

Azby Brown

Louise George Kittaka

Anthony Davis

Tim Hornyak

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