All About Japan

The Association of the Most Beautiful Villages

The Association of the Most Beautiful Villages in Japan is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and preserving the most interesting and beautiful rural towns in Japan. There are truly some hidden gems on this list!

Fall Leaves Redder than Usual in Central Japan

Visitors to Mount Norikura in central Japan can now enjoy fall foliage. And wow are they in for a treat this year!

A Perfect Weekend in Gifu

Easily accessible from Tokyo, Kyoto, Nagoya and Osaka, Gifu is the perfect location for a perfect weekend. Enjoy this local expert's tour itinerary to the unique art of cormorant fishing, a large gold statue of Buddha, and the classic Gifu Castle.

Life-Size Dolls Enliven Girls' Festival Event

Life-size “Hina” dolls are on display at a historic inn in Shizuoka Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo, for the doll festival on March 3.

Niigata Craft Gin to Promote Sustainability

A man in central Japan is working on promoting sustainability and boosting local tourism by making gin.

Delivering Holy Stones to a Mountaintop Shrine

Shinto priests are on a mission to deliver holy stones to a shrine on the summit of Mount Tsurugi in central Japan.

Brit Amelia Hiorns is Working to Save Japan’s Bear Population

Amelia Hiorns has one of the most unusual jobs in Japan. As a member of the Picchio Wildlife Research Center’s Bear Team, she works with black bears, Karelian bear dogs, and humans, all in an effort to promote wildlife conservation.

Central Japan's Husband-Throwing Festival

You won't believe this wacky winter ritual where locals throw a married man down a snowy hill to his wife.

Mt. Fuji Gets First Snowcap

Mt. Fuji got its first snowcap of the season, two days earlier than usual.

Persimmons: Only $1,000 Each!

One of the weird and fun things about Japan are insanely expensive fruits. Including a box of persimmons that fetched 100,000 yen in the season’s first auction in Ishikawa Prefecture.

The City of Salmon – A Day in Murakami

Murakami, in northern Niigata, is home to the eerie tradition of hanging salmon. It is also famous for tea, sake, wagyu, and more!

Bear Attacks in Japan: There Is A Solution

Tried and True Ways to Coexist as told by a bear conservationist

Adorable Capybaras Enjoy Relaxing Soak

In search of a spirit animal? Check out these capybaras as they enjoy a hot bath at an animal park in Shizuoka Prefecture, southwest of Tokyo.

Discover Gems of Japan in the Mount Fuji Area

Mount Fuji peeks between high-rises across the Greater Tokyo Area. Though magnificent even from afar, the sacred mountain begs a closer look! One of the best ways to explore it is by roaming around Shizuoka, Yamanashi, and Kanagawa prefectures.

Ceramics Workshop Designed by Kengo Kuma

Star architect Kengo Kuma puts his signature stamp on yet another building with this ceramics museum and workshop in Komatsu.

Trekking Ancient Trails Along Tokamachi's Amazing Rice Terraces

The terraced rice fields of Tokamachi Tanada have been called one of the most beautiful scenic spots in Japan. Here's a hike that follows ancient trails through the spectacular landscape.

A Visit to Japan's Keith Haring Collection

The only museum in the world dedicated to the works of Keith Haring, the legendary king of 1980's New York City street art, is is nestled in the forests of Yamanashi Prefecture.

Travel by Train to Superb Sakura Viewing Spots

Some lesser-known but magnificent hanami spots in Japan’s eastern and northern regions and tips on how to reach them using the excellent railroad passes.

Deep in Snow Country - Yuzawa and Minakami

Join us as we search for onsen and winter scenery through the Yuzawa and Minakami regions of central Japan.

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