Japan’s railways are justly world-famous. From the sleek bullet trains whizzing from neon-lit Tokyo to historic Kyoto at astounding speeds, to the adorable, themed trains featuring beloved characters such as Hello Kitty and Pokemon; they all bring their passengers safely, comfortably, and with legendary punctuality. Unfortunately, the JR Group has found it necessary to announce […]

The Junei Hotel Kyoto and its sister property the Junei Hotel Kyoto Imperial Palace West are tranquil, exclusive hideaways with a deeply relaxing Zen-like ambiance and beautiful fittings sourced from local master craftsmen. These include Kyo-Karakami embossed paper headboards, tapestries made with yumekorozome, a unique local dye, and large bathtubs made of Hinoki cypress or […]

Japan and especially Kyoto have an ineffable sense of tranquility and Zen-like balance, and there’s no better place to experience it than the recently opened Garrya Nijo Castle Kyoto. The latest addition to the Banyan Tree Group’s rapidly expanding global portfolio of outstanding properties, this 25-room luxury boutique hotel was purpose designed to welcome and […]

The Iizuka-tei boutique hotel is truly unique. This 200-year-old mansion, which has been registered as a cultural heritage property, has now been renovated and converted into a premium quality hotel. The main building itself is typical of the Edo period, with lots of wood and a gently sloping roof; the sort of place that transports […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]

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 […]