The charming fish flags that celebrate the carp that climbed a waterfall to become a dragon used to only hang outside houses with sons from the middle of April until May 5th (now known as Childrens’ Day), but recently, thrillingly huge schools of them have begun to appear in the skies of Tokyo. When theContinueContinue reading “Where to see the best koi nobori in Tokyo”
Category Archives: Traditional Japan
Pink River Season: The cherry blossoms just keep on giving
This especially fine one is at a park in Kanazawa, but pink rivers are everywhere, once you start to look! Real cherry blossom hunters don’t just sigh and write a wistful haiku about the fleetingness of life when the petals begin to fall. Now it’s time to gear up for Pink River Season! Because asContinueContinue reading “Pink River Season: The cherry blossoms just keep on giving”
Beyond Tokyo: Great only-in-Japan stuff to do in the rest of the country
I’m always telling people they should spend more time in Tokyo because HELLO UNKNOWN GOODNESS, but there are plenty of other places in Japan worth visiting too! You already know the obvious ones, so I’m going to show you some only-in-Japan spots where you’ll be astonished by the experience, not the crowds. MAP TO ALLContinueContinue reading “Beyond Tokyo: Great only-in-Japan stuff to do in the rest of the country”
Where to get a healing souvenir for your ailing loved one
If you have dear ones whose health you can’t stop thinking about—even while on your dream trip to Japan—why not bring back a healing gift to show how much you care? Japan has many healing shrines and temples—some specific, some general—and you need not be a practicing Buddhist or a Shinto believer to enjoy theContinueContinue reading “Where to get a healing souvenir for your ailing loved one”
How to find a traditional Japanese inn and book it yourself online
This is one of the the most luxurious inns I’ve ever stayed at—it’s Miyamasu Onsen in the town of Zao Onsen, in Yamagata So, you’ve asked yourself the question, “Is staying at a traditional Japanese inn heaven or hell?” and decided it’s an experience you can’t afford to miss. But how do you find the bestContinueContinue reading “How to find a traditional Japanese inn and book it yourself online”
What to do in Tokyo on a rainy day
You’ve got every precious day in Japan all planned out…then you wake up one morning and it’s raining. Here are some only-in-Japan things you can do on a rainy day that might deliver even more fun than what you thought you’d be doing today! MAP TO ALL DESTINATIONS • Only-in-Japan Aquariums If the word “aquarium”ContinueContinue reading “What to do in Tokyo on a rainy day”
The OTHER cherry blossom seasons
These kanzakura cherries bloom a week to ten days before The Season cracks a bud Even the official cherry blossom forecasters have a hard time predicting the peak of the somei yoshino bloom, so you’re not alone if you guessed wrong. But failing to hit the precise moment for the fluffy pink variety has aContinueContinue reading “The OTHER cherry blossom seasons”
