Get the Best Seats on the Shinkansen
Japanese bullet trains, or Shinkansen, offer three types of seats for your traveling ease. Check this out for a helpful description of each as you plan your next train trip around Japan!
How to Get Around (& to) Tohoku
Ready to start your trip to Tohoku? Before grabbing your luggage and putting on your shoes, you'd better plan how to move around once you’re there. We’re here to help!
The 11 Best Things to See in Golden Week
Golden Week is the biggest holiday of the year in Japan, and these 11 spots and events each offer something unique that can only be experienced at this time of year. You don't want to miss them!
Go Natural at 4 Amazing UNESCO Sites in Japan
World Heritage , Natural Japan
All across Japan, you can easily find an incredible mix of technology and greenery. And among all of its protected natural sites, four of them are UNESCO natural sites! Let's explore these verdant green wonderlands!
East Japan Shines in 5 Videos of Wintry Wonder
If you can't make your way out to Fukushima, Tochigi or Ibaraki Prefectures, Diamond Route Japan is bringing their majesty to your screen in five breathtaking videos that will have you packing your bags immediately!
Posh Japan Train Travels to Try Before You Die
If you think cross-country train rides only offer magnificent views, think again. Japan, teeming with glorious natural wonders, has made moving from one prefecture to another a luxurious experience you'll never forget!
How to Fully Enjoy Your First Visit to Tohoku
Follow along with our writer Wut who went on an incredible journey to Tohoku to discover the best things to see and do for any traveler's first trip to the region.
Tohoku's Late-Blooming Sakura Wonderland
Cherry Blossoms , Spring in Tohoku
Join our writer Nick as he travels with the JNTO to capture a glimpse of some of northern Japan's beautiful cherry blossom scenery.
10 Reasons to Visit Tohoku in Spring
There's a lot to love about Japan's northern region of Tohoku, no matter the season. Travel along with Nick to find out why the area really shines in spring.
The 10 Best Spring Spots in Tohoku
Cherry Blossoms , Spring in Tohoku
With some of the best nature and scenery in all of Japan, spring is particularly spectacular in Tohoku, with a magnitude of cherry blossom viewing spots that typically bloom a few weeks later than Tokyo and Kyoto.
The Samurai Spirit of Aizu Lacquerware
This reflective video from Emmy Award-winning filmmaker Taylor Hawkins introduces us to three artisans in the former samurai town of Aizu-Wakamatsu, who continue to work together to bring a beautiful, heartfelt tradition to life.
Flock with the Seagulls at Kabushima Shrine
Take flight with our writer Nick as he heads back to Tohoku to visit a shrine that's quite literally 'for the birds!'
Top 10 LGBT+ Pride Events Outside Tokyo
While Tokyo Rainbow Pride is probably Japan's best-known pride extravaganza, there are plenty of rainbow flags flying across the country. Here are Japan's best-kept-secret prides!
Japan's Biggest Morning Market
Chris and Ryotaro from 'Abroad in Japan' head up to Hachinohe to check out the biggest morning market in Japan. Who wants squid mouth? Not Chris.
Samurai Signs Teach Bathing Etiquette & More
Trying to navigate your way through the myriad rules in Japan? These signs are hilariously informative!
Top 10 'Hanami' Spots in Japan
Historical Site , Cherry Blossoms
The transient nature of cherry blossoms is an essential part of their beauty, but no one wants to be left in the dark when it comes to finding the perfect spot to see them.
The Best 'Hanami' Spots in Each Prefecture
Enjoy the best of the cherry blossom viewing season with this list of the top spots to see sakura around the country.
3-Day Unlimited Pass for Tokyo & East Japan
Planning to be in Japan in late July? JR East is offering a cheap three-day pass covering Tokyo and northeastern Japan for a limited time!
Touching Last Photos of Grandmother & Grandson
In 2011, Akihito Yoshida discovered a very special relationship between his younger cousin and his grandmother. He photographed the pair, which sadly captures the memories of two people no longer with us in this beautiful but tragic story.
Embracing the Warmth of Tohoku in Hachinohe
My journey to northern Japan led to an immersion in the rich culture and hospitality of the residents and regions of Hachinohe, Aomori.
