2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan: Travel guide

Rugby fans around the world are already looking forward to the 2019 Rugby World Cup in Japan. It is the first time in the event’s history that it will take place outside the traditional heartland of the sport, and the first time it will be held in Asia.

The 6-week tournament will kick off on September 20 and will finish with the final on November 2 in Yokohama Stadium. The fixtures will be played in twelve stadiums around Japan, providing rugby fans with the perfect excuse to visit a fascinating and unique country.

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Narita to Haneda: How to travel between Tokyo airports

Narita and Haneda both serve Tokyo and it’s typical to transfer between the two airports. However, people who are booking flights often underestimate the distance between them.

Narita is 70 km east of Tokyo whereas Haneda is 19 km south of the capital. There are many ways of making the journey from Narita to Haneda (or vice versa) and the journey time varies greatly depending on the chosen route.

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Plum blossoms in Japan: Best places and 2020 forecast

People throughout the world are familiar with the famous Japanese cherry blossoms. They may have attended any of the numerous cherry blossom festivals held each year in the United States and elsewhere, or they may have thrilled to the sound of “Sakura Sakura”, a traditional Japanese folk song celebrating this beautiful flower.

Before the cherry blossoms emerge, however, another beautiful tree graces the island of Japan. Mid-February marks the start of spring and the beginning of the plum blossom season. If you want to see the plum blossoms in 2020, keep on reading!

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Japan train etiquette: Tips for understanding Japanese manners

Train etiquette in Japan is something that Japanese people usually take very seriously. Trains in Japan are extremely punctual and are one of the most efficient and convenient means of transport, so it is one of the most used, especially in large cities. Most of the time we board a train, we will be sharing it with other passengers.

Millions of people use Japan’s train system each day. While navigating the train network can seem daunting, these etiquette tips will help make your trip a pleasant one.
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The West Express Ginga: The Futuristic “Galaxy” Train

JR West has announced the launch of a new train which will link the Keihanshin area with a number of stations in the Sanin and Sanyo regions in western Japan. The Ginga train will launch in spring 2020.

The concept of the long-distance train is based around interstellar travel. Ginga means ‘Milky Way’ in Japanese, and the trains route along the western regions will represent the stars spread throughout the galaxy.

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