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4 Incredible Summer Fire Festivals

These incredible events are sure to get you fired up about summertime in Japan!

Go Away for a Day to Oshima Island

Check out this video highlight of Fukuoka's Oshima Island—and then pack your bags!

The Ise-Shima G7 Summit Regions

10 cities around the country were selected to host ministerial meetings surrounding the 2016 G7 Summit in Ise-Shima. From education to IT and agriculture, each was selected for a very specific reason!

Traditional Shopping in Ise

Oharai-machi and Okage-yokocho are two fantastic places that transport you back in time along the bustling shopping streets of Ise Grand Shrine.

Amazing Aerial Video of Western Japan

Discover Western Japan as you have never seen it before from a breathtaking birds-eye view!

Clear Your Mind & Fill Your Stomach in Toyama

Try your hand at this Buddhist meditative activity at Oiwasan Nissekiji Temple in Toyama—then try the food!

Hike to these 3 Hidden Temples & Shrines

For the brave pilgrim, here are three awesome temples and shrines that are certainly off the beaten path in Tottori, Shizuoka and Oita.

Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival

Located in Aichi, the Ichinomiya Tanabata Festival is one of Japan’s three largest and most famous Tanabata Festivals, celebrating the one day a year when the celestial lovers Orihime and Hikoboshi can meet.

The 6 Main Types of 'Omamori'

These good luck charms can provide you with all kinds of special help!

Tour Ise-Shima with the KINTETSU RAIL PASS

While the Ise-Shima area is best known for Ise Jingu, the area also offers picturesque scenery and gourmet food. And you can access this resort region easily from Osaka using the KINTETSU RAIL PASS!

Texan in Tochigi!

How can you not be fascinated by something called the 'Kanman-ga-Fuchi Abyss'? As our favorite Texan in Tokyo proves, Nikko has something for everyone, rain or shine!

Saiho-ji: Kyoto's Rainy Season Gem

The rainy season brings gray clouds and inclement weather to Kyoto each June, but all that moisture leaves Saiho-ji moss temple glimmering like an emerald!

Shimane Museum of Ancient Izumo

This museum beside Izumo-taisha Grand Shrine attempts to unravel the mysteries of one of the most important religious sites in all of Japan.

5 Amazing Things to Experience in Ise

Canadian 'rakugo' storyteller Katsura Sunshine tries out some of the amazing things you can do only in the Ise area—including some that happen just once every 20 years! Check the list to make sure you don't miss out!

Tsukuba: City of Science & Nature

In addition to being a 'science city,' Tsukuba is also home to one of Japan's oldest shrines, located at the foot of a twin-peaked mountain associated with the origins of the Japanese people.

Treasures on Land, Riches from the Sea

Studded with small bays and inlets, the peninsula known as Ise-Shima­—the venue for the 2016 G7 Summit—is a utopia for those seeking a glimpse of classical Japan, from the expansive environs of the sacred shrine of Ise Jingu to the bounty of the ocean.

The Wedded Rocks: Meoto Iwa

These 'wedded rocks' near Ise Grand Shrine are tied to the origin story of Japan.

5 Can't-Miss Hikes Around Kansai

The Kansai region is famous for its tasty food, historic sights and fun dialect, but this amazing area also boasts plenty of awe-inspiring hikes.

Follow the Footsteps of Poet Matsuo Basho

Pack your hiking boots and get ready for an adventure as we take you to the most fascinating and beautiful spots of Japan's deep north by way of the poet Matsuo Basho.

How to Ninja-Proof Your Castle

Ninja and other assassins were a serious problem for high-ranking officials and royalty back in the day. Here we take a look at how they managed to thwart these silent killers.

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