Japanese Culture: What Should I Pay Attention to in Hatsumode?
Happy New Year! New Year’s Day is celebrated on January 1 in Japan, and usually between the end of December and the beginning of January, the entire country takes a…
JR EAST Welcome Rail Pass 2020 on Sale! Available on non-Japanese passport
The “JR EAST Welcome Rail Pass 2020”, a rail pass originally planned to be on sale exclusively for the Tokyo Olympics from July to September 2020, was postponed at the…
My Mizu: An App for Finding Public Drinking Water
Japan is one of the largest consumers of plastic in the world, coming in second only behind the United States, which mind you, has 200.2 million higher a population (Statistics…
The New Generation of Data: eSIMs for Travel in Japan
A totally digital SIM?! Is that even possible? That’s right, with the advent of eSIMs, getting your phone connected to a data network abroad might be easier than ever before,…
Picking up Your Pocket WiFi Rental at Narita Airport Post Office
Get Around Japan Reader Exclusive Offer! Use the following coupon code at CDJapan Rental and receive 6% off all items! COUPON CODE: GETAJ If you were to say your trip…
Do People Smoke in Japan?
In the past 30 years, the culture around tobacco has changed in big ways. Now that many countries recognize that second hand smoke has its own slew of health risks,…
Veganism is a Japanese Tradition Too! Shoujin Ryouri
A promise to make no use of animal products as a rejection of causing harm to other living things. Well, that’s how many people would describe veganism, right? When people…
The Best Pocket WiFi Rental in Japan 2019
Get Around Japan Reader Exclusive Offer! Use the following coupon code at CDJapan Rental and receive 6% off all items! COUPON CODE: GETAJ More than ever before, Japan is welcoming…
6 Easy Ways to Reduce Your Travel Footprint in Japan
For those trying to think about the effect of their lifestyle on the environment, traveling responsibly can be difficult, especially if you don’t speak the language or know the culture…
How to Budget Your Trip to Japan
Some people get big thrills from budgeting, for others not so much. But whether you enjoy it or not, planning out your budget before you come to Japan is essential!…
5 Money Saving Tips that Locals Love in Japan
At the onset of a vacation, it might be fun to indulge at fancy restaurants and on little shopping splurges. But after a few days, when the sparkle starts to…
Tokyo Tomari: Sawanoya Ryokan, a Taste of Old Tokyo
The neighborhoods that still retain the feeling of old Tokyo are ever dwindling. Many buildings were destroyed during WWII, and commercial development is little by little absorbing these areas in…
Travel Smart: Benefits of Renting a Pocket WiFi in Japan
Now that you’ve started tackling the logistics of your plan for Japan, when searching for WiFi Rentals and SIM Card options, you’ve probably come across a little gadget called Pocket…
The Ultimate Guide to the Japan Rail Pass: From Plan to Purchase
No doubt, while on vacation in Japan, transportation can be one of the largest (and perhaps unexpectedly expensive) expenses. Train systems across the country are incredibly convenient, and all that…
Book Lovers 1 Day Tokyo Itinerary
For some people, clubbing or going out might be the highlight of a vacation, but hey, introverts love to travel too! There are a million ways to enjoy being in…
Quick Tips for Train Manners in Japan
You’ve likely seen pictures of video or the trains in Tokyo stuffed past capacity, office workers nearly spilling out of the doors during the morning and evening rush. With nearly…
National Holidays in Japan 2019 and Travel Tips for the 10 Day Golden Week
How many of us have had this happen. You get into your destination city, and your first day out, you’re ready to make your way to that small cafe or…
Movie Theater Guide and Discount Days in the Shinjuku Shibuya Area
Sure, you could stay home and stream movies on your computer, but there’s still nothing quite like cozying up in the seat of a dark theater with warm popcorn, a…
Navigate Japan Offline With These 3 Apps!
The hotels are booked, your itinerary is set, and you’re excited to head to Japan for some much needed exploration. If you happen to get in on a late night…
Best 3 English Booking Sites for Ryokans, the Traditional Japanese Inn
Now that we’ve moved past a wave of late summer typhoons, fall is finally in the air! With the cooler weather and fall foliage at our doorstep, it’s the perfect…
Regional Specialties: Fukuoka’s Top 3 Ramen Spots
During your stay in Japan, if you find yourself in the southern island of Kyushu, stopping into the city of Fukuoka. Fukuoka, found in the north of the island of…
Must Check! Shopping at Shinsaibashi-suji Shopping Street
Shinsaibashi-suji is located at Chuo-ku ward, one of the wards of Osaka. It is famous because of the 600m roofed shopping arcade. Along the street, there is a variety of…
Basic Guide to Hot Spring “Onsen” in Japan
Japan has thousands of natural hot springs and resort towns that surround them. Going to an “onsen,” hot springs in Japanese, is part of Japanese culture; staying at an osen…
2018 Public Holidays in Japan
Before or after you plan your travel to Japan, it’s worthwhile to check if there are any public holidays during your stay in Japan, not only because some museums, shops…
Use LUGGAGE-FREE TRAVEL for Easier Travel in Japan
JTB, Panasonic, and Yamato Holdings will launch LUGGAGE-FREE TRAVEL, a luggage transportation service for foreign tourists in January 2018. The service will enable foreign tourists to send their luggage easily…
Where to Turn in Your Exchange Order to get JR Rail Pass in the Airports
For many foreign tourists, Japan Rail Pass is a must buy when they are planning to travel throughout Japan by JR railways. You need to purchase an exchange order before…
What You Should Do When You’ve Lost Your Personal Belongings in Japan
Otoshimono (落し物)are “lost items” in Japanese. A lot of you may have heard that lost items are actually found in Japan. It’s kind of true. So, what if you have…
Buy a Unique Little Souvenir Using Your Leftover Coins -Gacha in Airports-
Many visitors who are about to finish their trip in Japan may find some left over Yen coins in their pockets. Usually, these coins cannot be exchanged for local currency…
New Languages Available Now on Automatic Ticket Vending Machine and Automatic Fare Adjustment Machine from Tokyo Metro
Aiming to make ticket buying more convenient for foreign visitors to Japan, seven languages are now available on all the stations* of Tokyo Metro lines.The languages include Japanese, English, Simplified…
Earthquake Safety Precautions in English by Tokusuru Bosai Project
Japan Weather Association’s “Tokurusu Bosai” Project website has released new contents in English titled “避難（ひなん）の心得（こころえ） 地震編（じしんへん）for foreigners” (Hinan no kokoroe jishinhen for foreigners), which explains how to protect yourself when…