Best Day Trips from Osaka by train

Osaka might not exude beauty the way Kyoto might, but the city definitely has charm, color, and great food. Set in the Kansai region, Japan’s third largest city is extremely well connected and has plenty of surprises in store.

If you’re a foodie, Osaka is the place to be. Its unofficial slogan is kruidaore which means ‘eat until you drop’.  A highly photogenic spot in the city is Dōtombori, here you will find several pedestrian streets and numerous illuminated billboards. One of the most famous signs is the Glico Running Man.

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Best Michelin star restaurants in Japan

Are you a foodie – someone who eats, not just out of hunger, but because you have an ardent interest in food and make enjoying it your hobby? Do you like to travel? Trying new foods – and splurging beyond the ordinary – are two of the best aspects of travel.

Today, dedicated foodies go out of their way, sometimes making international sojourns, to sample the best foods that the world has to offer. Michelin-starred restaurants, ranked among the best in the world, are frequent destinations.

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Toyosu Fish Market: The Successor to Tsukiji

For decades, the Tsukiji Fish Market was a staple among Tokyo’s top attractions. What made this fish market so special?

Tsukiji was not only the largest wholesale fish market in Japan, but on the entire planet. It opened in 1935, and sold everything from seafood staples like tuna to exotic delicacies, such as sea urchin and whale. It was famous for its pre-dawn tuna auctions, providing the area with ample fresh fish for sushi and other dishes. Giant bluefin tuna were often auctioned for thousands of dollars a piece.

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Alfa-X Shinkansen: The 400 km/h Bullet Train

The next generation of Shinkansen bullet trains will begin testing next year. The state-of-the-art ‘Alfa-X’ is expected to travel faster than 400 km/h (almost 250 mph!) and will have a range of groundbreaking features.

The new bullet train will have an aerodynamic, 22-meter nose (longer than any train’s in history), improved traction control, and will be made from ultra-light materials.

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Halloween in Japan: Costumes, traditions, and where to go

Halloween continues to grow in popularity in Japan. It burst onto the scene in 2000 when Disneyland Tokyo hosted its first Halloween event. It was a triumph and other theme parks followed suit. Now Halloween is one of the biggest events on the calendar, held, of course, October 31th.

However, Halloween in Japan isn’t just an imitation of the American version. First of all, there’s no ‘trick or treating’. Secondly, as it’s a new phenomenon, people don’t care about most of the Halloween traditions which are important elsewhere.

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Christmas in Japan: Facts and traditions

Christmas is in the air! While it isn’t a national holiday in Japan, since only about 1 percent of the whole population in Japan is Christian, it’s still felt throughout the country. It is a festive and special time of the year especially because Japanese have a National Holiday on December 23rd to celebrate the reigning Emperor’s Birthday.

If you are visiting before the New Year in Japan, you will find many things traditionally associated with Christmas: decorations, Christmas markets, and magnificent lights. You can also discover a few unique Japanese traditions with numerous charms that can and should be appreciated in their own right. So while it may be a little different from what you might be used to, Christmas is still felt and celebrated in the land of the rising sun.

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Harajuku Travel guide: Tokyo’s fashion district

Surrounding JR Tokyo’s Harajuku Station is an area known as Harajuku. It has been called “the center of Japan’s most extreme teenage cultures and fashion styles”, and as such draws a youthful crowd from across Japan and around the world. The most prominent area of this Harajuku style is Takeshita Dori, or Takeshita Street, along with its side roads, all of which are lined with shops, restaurants, and food stands.

Harajuku is not only a land of youthful fantasy, however. It is also home to historic sites and shopping venues catering to adults. If you plan on visiting this district of Tokyo, allow the following travel guide to show you the ways in which Harajuku has something to offer for any age group.

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The best manga and anime locations in Japan

To many, the artistic styles of anime cartoons and manga comic books are synonymous with Japanese culture. Not only are these entertainments enjoyed within Japan, but fans flock from around the world to experience anime themed places and events. Consider this list of some of the best anime and manga experiences that Japan has to offer.

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Taking the Tokaido Shinkansen with the Japan Rail Pass

Tokyo and Yokohama, Nagoya, Osaka and Kyoto. These five cities represent the three largest metropolitan areas in Japan. Together, they encompass some of the hottest travel destinations in the country.

If you’d like to visit all of these areas on your next visit to Japan, you are in luck. The Tokaido Shinkansen, one of Japan’s famous bullet trains lines, connects these cities, providing you with fast and easy access to the locations you want to see most.

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Top 10 restaurants in Japanese train stations

Traveling can be a hungry endeavor. If you are like many travelers, sampling unique and different foods is an integral part of the journey.

Whether you are looking to grab a quick snack during a train transfer, pass the time as you await your departure, or indulge in traditional or gourmet cuisine, Japan’s train stations offer something for every taste. Extended hours and shorter wait times mean you can count on something to eat almost any time of day, whether you are starting your travels early on returning after a long day of sightseeing. Book your Japan Rail Pass today, and send your taste buds on the journey of a lifetime.

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