Explore Japan through local eyes. Discover hidden places, authentic food, cultural insights, practical travel tips, and experiences beyond the typical tourist routes.
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Everyone loves Hokkaido Sweets
Hokkaido Sweets Guide: Shiroi Koibito, Royce’ Potatochip Chocolate and Rokkatei Marusei Butter Sand: Hokkaido is famous for its dairy, and its sweets are among the most loved souvenirs in Japan. Locals buy them as gifts for friends and coworkers, and overseas visitors line up for the same boxes. This guide introduces the three biggest names,…
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Experience the Brilliant Colors of Autumn in Japan
Beautiful Scenery in Japan In this blog, I’ll be gradually sharing beautiful photographs of Japan’s landscapes, all taken by me. This photo captures the stunning autumn foliage at Morioka Central Community Center in Iwate Prefecture. The park is home to many large Japanese maple trees, which turn brilliant shades of deep red in autumn. Although…
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Love Japanese Rice? Enjoy the Taste of Japan at Home
Japanese Microwave Rice Packs: The Easy Souvenir That Brings Japanese Rice Home: Cooking Japanese short-grain rice well takes the right rice, the right water ratio and a bit of practice, which is hard to repeat abroad. Japan’s ready-to-eat rice packs skip all of that. You peel back a film, heat the pack in a microwave…
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Nice Souvenir: Japanese Curry and Cream Stew Roux
The Easy Souvenir That Makes Home Cooking Taste Like Japan: One of the smartest things you can carry home from Japan is a few small boxes of roux (pronounced “roo”). Japanese curry roux and cream stew roux come as solid blocks or flakes that dissolve into a rich, thick sauce. You simmer meat and vegetables,…
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Why Everyone Shops Don Quijote and What to Buy
Don Quijote (Donki) Guide for Visitors: Don Quijote, nicknamed “Donki,” is one of the most popular stops for overseas visitors in Japan, and for good reason. It is a giant discount chain where almost everything you might want to take home, from snacks and medicine to cosmetics and gadgets, sits under one roof. Many stores…
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How to Buy Shinkansen Tickets for Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Hakata
How to Buy Tokaido, Sanyo and Kyushu Shinkansen Tickets (JR Central, JR West, JR Kyushu) If you are riding the bullet train from Tokyo to Nagoya, Kyoto, Osaka, Hiroshima, Fukuoka or Kagoshima, this is the guide for you. These lines are run by JR Central, JR West and JR Kyushu, and they share one online…
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How to Buy Shinkansen Tickets for Tohoku, Hokkaido, Hokuriku
How to Buy JR East Shinkansen Tickets: If you are riding the bullet train from Tokyo to Utsunomiya, Sendai, Morioka, Aomori, Hakodate, Niigata, Nagano or Kanazawa, this is the guide for you. These lines are run by JR East (with JR Hokkaido for the Hokkaido section), and they have their own English booking site called…
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Gold Leaf Jewelry and Skincare
Hakuza: Gold Leaf Jewelry and Skincare from Kanazawa, Japan (Shipping Worldwide): Hakuza is a Japanese gold leaf brand whose official online shop sells jewelry, skincare, tableware, food and even raw gold leaf materials. This short guide focuses on two categories that suit overseas visitors and online shoppers best: necklaces and earrings, and gold leaf skincare.…
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Did Japan Inspire Blue Bottle? Kissaten and Tokyo’s Roasters
Japan’s Coffee Culture: From Kissaten to the New Wave of Small Roasteries: Japan is famous for tea, yet it has one of the most devoted coffee cultures in the world. Its old-style coffee houses, called kissaten, helped inspire the founder of Blue Bottle Coffee in California, and the same spirit of patient, hand-made brewing now…
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Japan’s Best Ski Resort in 2022/2023: Appi Kogen Ski Resort in Iwate:
Beautiful Scenery in Japan In this blog, I will gradually share beautiful photographs of Japan’s landscapes, all taken by me over the years. I hope you enjoy discovering the many scenic places that Japan has to offer. This photograph captures the beautiful autumn scenery of Appi Kogen Ski Resort in Iwate Prefecture, northern Japan. Appi…
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The Perfect 3-Day Fukuoka and Hakata
The Perfect 3-Day Fukuoka and Hakata Itinerary: Three days is enough time to enjoy Fukuoka’s food, temples and waterfront without feeling rushed, thanks to a compact city center and an airport that sits very close to downtown. This itinerary organizes your visit around Hakata, Dazaifu and Tenjin, and the Ohori Park and seaside area, with…
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Skiing and Snowboarding in Japan
The Complete Niseko and Hakuba Guide Japan is one of the world’s best winter destinations for skiers and snowboarders, and Niseko in Hokkaido and Hakuba in Nagano are the two names most international visitors start with. Niseko is famous for deep, dry powder and a polished, English-friendly resort scene, while Hakuba offers big alpine terrain,…
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