All About Japan

Holy Hairy Fish!

Locals in Aomori, northern Japan, find fish with algae growing from their heads that looks like hair.

Muddy Fun at a Music & Organic Vegetable Fest

About 150 festival-goers got muddy and munched on fresh organic produce at a festival in Chiba Prefecture.

The 1,000-Year-Old History of Hanawa Bayashi

The small town of Kazuno in Akita Prefecture holds the Hanawa Bayashi Festival, designated by UNESCO as part of Japan’s Intangible Cultural Heritage.

Increase in Unique Themed Hotels in Tokyo

As record numbers of tourists flock to Japan, hotels are providing new experiences to try to attract their business. Want to train to be a pilot at your hotel near the airport? How about stay in a room straight out of the pages of a comic?

Fushimi: Come to the Shrine, Stay for the Sake

Most famous for the iconic Fushimi Inari shrine, Kyoto’s Fushimi district is also one of Japan’s top sake-producing regions. Be sure to make the most of your visit by taking a look around its historic brewing district. Kanpai!

Getting the Great Buddha Ready for Summer

Watch as Nara's Great Buddha, in Todai-ji Temple, gets cleaned before the Obon summer holiday.

150 Years of Lighthouses in Japan

Nippon TV takes a look at lighthouses in Japan 150 years after the first one was lit in 1869.

Electronic Customs Declaration Gate at Narita

The electronic customs declaration gate at Narita Airport is now available for use by all travelers arriving at Terminal 3!

Empress Masako at Nightingale Medal Ceremony

Empress Masako pins prestigious medals on two Japanese nurses at the Florence Nightingale Medal Ceremony in Tokyo.

Four Fantastic Things to Do in Kagoshima

Take a trip to Kyushu’s southernmost big city: a land of sunshine, hot springs and spectacular scenery, all watched over by the mighty volcano, Sakurajima!

Unveiling Hiroshima Museum's Updated Exhibit

The Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum has a new exhibit, replacing a mannequin exhibit that survivors felt understated the tragedy of the atomic bomb.

Tokyo & Osaka Among Top 3 World Safest Cities

"The Economist" published the latest iteration of its Safe Cities Index, which ranks 60 major urban centers from around the globe. Asia-Pacific metropolises had a strong showing in 2019, accounting for six of the top 10 slots and sweeping the top three.

Shine on at the Yamaga Lantern Festival

Witness one thousand women dancing with gold and silver lanterns on their head, reenacting an ancient mythical tale.

Yokohama Now Has Its Own KitKat!

The latest in Nestlé Japan's line of local KitKat flavors, Yokohama's debut is based on a famous local souvenir.

Giant Panda Saihin Celebrates First Birthday

Saihin, a giant panda at Wakayama’s Adventure World, just turned one, and we have the cute video.

Imperial Couple's Summer Vacation

Emperor Emeritus Akihito and Empress Emerita Michiko visit a community of returnees from postwar Manchuria in Nagano.

Unmanned Stations, Gorgeous Scenery

Unmanned stations on Japan's smaller train lines are becoming an increasingly popular tourist attraction, and one glimpse at the views some of them offer is all you'll need to understand why!

Ritsurin: Shikoku's Finest Daimyo Garden

Ritsurin is a 400-year-old daimyo garden in Kagawa Prefecture's capital city, Takamatsu. It is a stunning landscape of idyllic ponds, wooden bridges and expansive greenery.

Kanazawa Geisha Training

Tourists get a glimpse of the training regimen of Kanazawa geisha.

Olympic Planners Study Tokyo's Sizzling Summer

2020 Olympic planners test ways to deal with the extreme heat at the Sea Forest Waterway rowing and canoeing venue.

know-before-you-go