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Japan travel (Page 8)
Pokémon hot spring footbath opening in Japan this spring
- Casey Baseel
Apr 19, 2026 - Tweet
A relaxing, adorable, and free place to soak your toes with Pikachu, Gyarados, and more.
- Japan
- (anime • ashiyu • cool • cute • footbaths • hot spring • Ishikawa • Ishikawa Prefecture • Japan travel • manga • manhole covers • Noto • Noto Peninsula • onsen • Poké Lids • Pokéfuta • Pokemon • Pokémon manhole covers • tourism • travel • video games)
Japan’s awesomely beautiful Alpen Route snow corridor is now open
- Casey Baseel
Apr 18, 2026
This part of Japan gets so much snow you have to wait until spring to see it, but the wait is over!
- Japan
- (Alpen Route • awesome • beautiful • COK • Japan travel • outdoors • snow • Tateyama • Tateyama Kurobe Alpen Route • tourism • travel)
Brand-new Pokémon manhole covers coming to help the recovery of a disaster-stricken part of Japan
- Casey Baseel
Apr 18, 2026
Noto Peninsula is ready to welcome travelers again, and these Pokémon are ready to help them do it.
- Japan
- (anime • Ishikawa • Ishikawa Prefecture • Japan travel • manga • manhole covers • Noto • Noto Peninsula • Poké Lids • Pokéfuta • Pokemon • Pokémon manhole covers • tourism • travel • video games)
30 Pikachus want to share a Tokyo hotel room with you that has separate Grass, Water, Fire spaces
- Casey Baseel
Apr 10, 2026
Grand Hyatt Tokyo celebrates the 30th anniversary of the Pokémon franchise with one Pikachu for every year.
- Japan
- (anime • awesome • COK • cute • Grand Hyatt • Grand Hyatt Tokyo • hotels • Hyatt • Japan travel • manga • Pikachu • Pokemon • tourism • travel • video games)
Starbucks Japan closing only Shinkansen platform branch for popularity-triggered renovations
- Casey Baseel
Apr 6, 2026
Even the massively popular coffee chain itself wasn’t expecting such a positive response, prompting temporary closure less than half a year after opening.
- Japan
- (bullet train • bullet trains • cafes • coffee • COK • cool • drinks • Japan travel • Shin-Yokohama • shinkansen • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • stations • Tokaido Shinkansen • tourism • trains • travel • Yokohama)
Can a downtown Tokyo super sento bathhouse beat a hotel for a one-night stay?
- Elliot Hale
Apr 5, 2026
Does the morning sauna make up for a night of communal snoring?
- Japan
- (Ahiruneko • bathhouse • bathhouses • baths • COK • hotels • Japan travel • Kabukicho • Masanuki Sunakoma • onsen • public baths • sento • shinjuku • SNJO • super sento • Thermae-Yu • Tokyo • tourism • travel)
Tokyo turns its phone booths into free Wi-Fi hotspots, and here’s how to use them
- Oona McGee
Apr 2, 2026
A vital service you’ll need to know about in the event of a disaster.
- Japan
- (free wi-fi • Japan travel • news • pay phones • payphone • payphones • phone • phones • public phones • Tokyo • Tokyo Metropolitan Government • tourism • travel • Wi-Fi)
Float all of your troubles away with a boat ride down the Shimanto River in Kochi Prefecture
- Krista Rogers
Apr 1, 2026
Escape the urban sprawl by taking a tour on “Japan’s last clear stream” that will leave you clearly in tune with nature.
- Japan
- (boat tour • COK • Japan travel • kochi • Marie Morimoto • nature • outdoors • Shikoku • Shimanto City • sightseeing • SNJO • submersible bridge • tourism • travel • yakatabune)
Three ways going to see cherry blossoms alone is better than seeing them with other people
- Casey Baseel
Apr 1, 2026
Solo-seen sakura are sometimes the best sakura.
- Japan
- (cherry blossom-viewing • cherry blossoms • COK • hanami • Japan travel • Mariko Hanabatake • sakura • SNJO • society • tourism • travel)
Tokyo subway and almost all Tokyo train lines now accepting credit card tap payments
- Casey Baseel
Mar 31, 2026
New system allows you to travel with just a credit card on more than 50 lines in and around the capital, but with one major holdout.
- Japan
- (COK • credit cards • Japan travel • Subway • Tokyo • Tokyo Metro • tourism • trains • travel)
Final Fantasy invites you to adventure in Fukushima with Fukushima Fantasy Chocobo fun[Video]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 27, 2026
A cool/kweh-l reason to visit fantastically beautiful Fukushima.
- Japan
- (cool • cute • Final Fantasy • Fukushima • Fukushima prefecture • Japan travel • Square Enix • stamp rallies • stamp rally • travel;tourism • video games)
Japanese kindness restores our faith in humanity after a highway bus accident in Tokyo
- Oona McGee
Mar 27, 2026
Traumatic event becomes a heartwarming one, thanks to the work of both driver and passengers.
- Japan
- (bus • bus driver • busses • etiquette • heartwarming • highway buses • Japan travel • Japanese bus • kindness • manners • public transport • SNJO • society • Tokyo • tourism • transport • travel)
Ramen restaurant in top Tokyo tourist neighborhood skips price gouging, but how does it taste?
- Casey Baseel
Mar 25, 2026
One-coin lunches still exist in Asakusa, but now to find out if it’s money well spent.
- Japan
- (Asakusa • cheap eats • cheap food • COK • food • Japan travel • Noodles • ramen • restaurants • SNJO • tourism • travel)
Japan now has a “for foreign tourists only” Mt. Fuji sightseeing train[Video]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 24, 2026
Hokusai Special Train made its first run this month.
- Japan
- (Central Japan Railway Company • hokusai • Japan Railway Company • Japan travel • JR • JR Central • JTB • Katsushika Hokusai • Mt. Fuji • overtourism • Sunrise Tours • tourism • trains • travel)
Nine amazing off-the-beaten-path cherry blossom spots in Japan for yaezakura and shidarezakura
- Casey Baseel
Mar 21, 2026
Yes, Japan’s most famous sakura spots and species draw big crowds for good reasons, but they’re not all that cherry blossom season has to offer.
- Japan
- (beautiful • cherry blossoms • COK • flowers • Jalan • Japan travel • outdoors • sakuram • shidarezakura • survey • tourism • travel • weeping cherry blossoms • yaezakura)
When will the cherry blossoms reach full bloom in Japan this year?[Forecast]
- Casey Baseel
Mar 19, 2026
Latest forecast says peak sakura season is coming very early in 2026.
- Japan
- (cherry blossom forecast • cherry blossom forecast 2026 • cherry blossoms • cherry blossoms forecast • cherry blossoms forecast 2026 • COK • flowers • hanami • Japan cherry blossom forecast • Japan cherry blossoms forecast 2026 • Japan travel • mankai • nature • sakura • sakura forecast • sakura forecast 2026 • tourism • travel)
Cherry blossoms begin blooming in Japan with record-early starts for sakura season
- Casey Baseel
Mar 18, 2026
Three cities share the status of this year’s first sakura arrivals, with a fourth joining them one day later.
- Japan
- (cherry blossom forecast • cherry blossom forecast 2026 • cherry blossoms • cherry blossoms forecast • cherry blossoms forecast 2026 • COK • flowers • Japan cherry blossom forecast • Japan cherry blossoms forecast 2026 • Japan travel • nature • sakura • sakura forecast • sakura forecast 2026 • tourism • travel)
Komachi Shokudo: Japanese mum’s-style cooking for breakfast, lunch and dinner in Tokyo
- Oona McGee
Mar 14, 2026
Shhh…don’t let anyone know we told you about this secret cheap eat destination loved by locals.
- Japan
- (breakfast • cheap eats • COK • food • home cooking • homecooked meals • Japan travel • Japanese food • kamome shokudou • Komachi Shokudo • restaurants • SNJO • Tokyo • tourism • travel)
15 years after Tohoku tsunami, Japan’s free disaster phone message number is important to remember
- Casey Baseel
Mar 12, 2026
Free-to-use system helps disaster victims connect with loved ones in times of crisis, and is worth remembering for anyone traveling or living in Japan.
- Japan
- (3.11 • disaster preparedness • disasters • earthquakes • Japan travel • Tohoku Earthquake • Tohoku earthquake and tsunami • Tohoku tsunami • tourism • travel • tsunami)
Starbucks Japan opens new cafe and art gallery in top Tokyo tourist neighbourhood
- Oona McGee
Mar 11, 2026
Blending coffee culture with art in a historic district of Tokyo.
- Japan
- (art • art galleries • art gallery • artists • cafes • coffee • cool • Japan travel • Starbucks • Starbucks Japan • Tokyo • tourism • travel • Yanaka • Yanaka Ginza)
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Recent Posts
- Akihabara restaurant with 1.7 million sushi bowl options will have us coming back again and again
- Cup Noodles go isekai in crossovers with three of Japan’s other favorite foods [Taste test]
- Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
- Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
- Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
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MOST POPULAR
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Today
Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
Starbucks Japan releases new Bearista glass tumbler that changes character with every drink
Yesterday’s cooking oil powers 410,000 pink winter sakura lights along Tokyo’s Meguro River
Tokyo police arrest the Ame-zing Spider-Man
Ichiran Japan is giving away free 2027 desk calendars, and here’s how to get them
Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
Cup Noodles go isekai in crossovers with three of Japan’s other favorite foods [Taste test]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Weekly
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Ichiran releases an at-home counter kit that turns your desk into a ramen restaurant
America’s first-ever permanent One Piece store is now open [Photos]
Tokyo neighborhood adds new “smart trash cans” to deal with increasing amounts of tourist litter
Two Tokyo neighborhoods to gather on bridge and shift their recognized border through tug-of-war
Starbucks Japan unveils new winter drinkware collection with limited-edition Stanley cups
New Era celebrates three decades of Pokémon with new 30th anniversary cap line [Photos]
Pokémon card game’s expansion features art from Fist of the North Star creator
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
Japanese hoodie for cat-loving gamers will keep you and your feline friend warm and fuzzy [Pics]
Monthly
Pokémon Company announces first-ever permanent Pokémon store to open outside Asia
Japan ends tax-free shopping system for foreign tourists, new refund request system now in effect
Japan’s TeamLab digital art group is opening a permanent museum in America
Beautiful Ghibli diorama kits lets you build anime characters’ homes inside yours [Photos]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Chainsaw robots helping keep trains running safely in east Japan [Video]
New Studio Ghibli anime gets extended run at the only cinema in Japan where it’s being shown
Osaka’s famous Glico Running Man will be removed and replaced with a new-look sign
Tokyo cracks down on Airbnb-style rentals with new laws limiting operator days and more
Studio Ghibli creates illustrated Kyoto sightseeing map, available at any 7-Eleven Japan store
Yearly
Japan announces sudden 400-percent increase in visa fees for foreigners entering the country
Japan’s human washing machines will go on sale to general public, demos to be held in Tokyo
Studio Ghibli has a new anime out, and there’s only one place in the world where you can see it
Starbucks Japan releases new drinkware and goods for Valentine’s Day
Starbucks Japan releases new sakura goods and drinkware for cherry blossom season 2026
Japan’s newest Shinkansen has no seats…or passengers [Video]
Tokyo subway installing new ticket gates that don’t accept payment through Suica or other IC cards
Japanese ninja certification exam attracts 131 candidates from Japan and abroad
Salomon releases Japan-exclusive Mt. Fuji hiking gear that doubles as an amazing souvenir
Japan reportedly adding Japanese language skill requirement to most common foreigner work visa
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RECOMMENDED STORIES
Life-size Gundam head going on display in Osaka, hopefully will find permanent home
Cup Noodles go isekai in crossovers with three of Japan’s other favorite foods [Taste test]
Family Mart releases 47 convenience store socks and stickers, one for every prefecture in Japan
Starbucks Japan reveals new Joyful Capsule gacha toy release date
KFC now sells takikomi gohan rice boxes in Japan, if you know where to look for them [Taste test]
Move aside, Asahi Super Dry – Asahi Spice Beer is in town, and it’s hotter than you think
Why people in Japan hardly ever say “sayonara,” and what they say instead
Akihabara restaurant with 1.7 million sushi bowl options will have us coming back again and again
Yakuza boss sues expressway owners for discrimination against criminals
Japan’s upcoming Romancecar train seeks to end intimacy with its super-wide seats
Historical-themed illumination display returns to Osaka Castle this winter
“Sweet sake” with yuzu is coming to Japan’s wonderful world of hot canned drinks this winter
Is hamburger patty ramen a case of too many good things in one bowl? Let’s find out! [Taste test]
KFC Japan starts selling soft-serve ice cream at select locations, and they’ve even put it in a biscuit
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