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A Chance to Learn the Ancient Art of Sake Brewing
The Kitsukura Sake Brewery, established in 1696 in the Saku region of Nagano prefecture, offers a unique program to discover the fascinating art of brewing it. Blessed with abundant pure water sources, an ideal natural environment and some of the finest rice grown in Japan, the region has been producing sake for centuries. That profound […] -
Ama Divers Host Memorable BBQs in Shima Peninsula
Japan is of course world famous for its fabulously fresh seafood. While there are many places to enjoy it, this is a unique opportunity to enjoy it in the company of local female fishermen – called “ama” – who follow the age-old tradition of diving deep in the sea to catch shellfish and seaweed for […] -
The Long-Awaited Studio Ghibli Theme Park is Now Open
Given the box-office smash success of its multi award-winning animated films, the opening of Studio Ghibli’s theme park near Nagoya can be confidently expected to draw millions of fans from all over the world. As you might expect from such an innovative studio, this is a very different take on the traditional theme park. Brilliantly […] -
Visitors Welcomed Back with COVID Restrictions Now Lifted
Japan’s anti-COVID precautions were more stringent than many other countries, but the main ones were lifted on 11 October and visitors from nations that did not require a visa pre-pandemic will again be able to enter without one. As with most countries, the only remaining caveats are that visitors must have adequate health insurance and […] -
New Bullet Train Service Gives Nagasaki Travel Boost
Almost 60 years after Japan launched its first bullet train or Shinkansen, a service between Hakata and Nagasaki will commence this September, reducing the travel time to just 1 hour and 20 mins between the two cities. The country’s first bullet train eased transportation between Tokyo and Osaka in October 1964 for the first Tokyo […] -
Fuji Speedway Hotel Combines High-Speed Thrills with Majestic Landscapes
The new Fuji Speedway Hotel is the first property under The Unbound Collection by Hyatt brand to open in Japan and will debut in Autumn 2022. Situated next to the legendary Fuji Speedway, the 120-room hotel will present guests with spectacular views of iconic Mount Fuji and showcase the exciting Fuji Motorsports Museum. Facilities at […] -
Japan’s Craft Beer Scene – What to Try & Where to Visit
Sometimes an ice-cold beer is a perfect partner to hot summer weather, though walk into a convenience store in Japan, and you will be bombarded with an overwhelming variety of beers, namely Asahi, Kirin, Suntory, Sapporo… so which one do you choose? These are major beverage brands in Japan, but I would suggest stepping out […] -
Setouchi Triennale Art Festival 2022 Reveals a Bright Future
The World-famous Setouchi Triennale Art Festival 2022 is celebrating its 5th anniversary this year. The exhibition is held every three years in spring, summer, and autumn. There are a total of 214 pieces of art by 184 artists from 33 countries; the art is exhibited across 12 islands and two areas in Setouchi. There will […] -
Japan’s HOT New Hotels in the Spotlight
Some exceptional new hotels are opening in Japan that simply can’t be missed. Here we will give you the lowdown on these wonderful places to stay, that has also made it into TRAVEL+LEISURE, the Best New Hotels in the World list. We are spreading details of this list of hotels over two issues of Asia […] -
Sustainable Rural Retreat in Chino at the Foot of Mt. Yatsugatake
Nagano prefecture has many excellent destinations and attractions to choose from such as the castle town of Matsumoto (30 minutes by train), and the Nakasendo trail checkpoint of Kisofukushima (70 minutes by train), and Jigokudani monkey park (90 minutes by train). However, the city of Chino in this prefecture remains a hidden gem where you […] -
Learning the Way of the Samurai in Aizu
On an Aizu Kengido Samurai Tour with Destination Asia Japan, discover first-hand the way of the samurai. -
Destination Asia Japan Launches Long-Anticipated Adventure & Nature Programmes in Hokkaido
After years of planning, Destination Asia Japan is excited to announce that three multi-day itineraries and nine day-excursion products in Hokkaido are now available to book, with more to come later year.