Japan’s famous Shinkansen rail network got its biggest exposure yet following the release of the Hollywood blockbuster, Bullet Train.
This explosive action movie set almost entirely on the tituar mode of transport was released on August 5th, 2022. But it and generated a huge amount of buzz from both Japanese and international film fans alike.
Umeda is the name of the area surrounding both Umeda Station and Osaka Station. Umeda is considered the transportation hub for sightseeing in the Kansai Region, which includes popular destinations such as Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe.
Japan has now significantly relaxed its COVID-19 travel restrictions. If you are thinking about traveling to Japan, you can check this regularly updated page and find out what you need to visit the country.
Below you’ll find information about the reinstatement of visa exemptions, vaccine and testing requirements, and other coronavirus measures in Japan.
Did you know that the country of Japan is actually a series of islands? The four largest islands – Hokkaido, the main island of Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu – form a long, narrow shape and provide ample coastline against the Pacific Ocean to the east and the Sea of Japan to the west.
Additionally, over 3,000 small islands surround the Japanese mainland, most notably the southern island of Okinawa and the 150 islands of its prefecture.
There are countless local festivals (祭り, matsuri) in Japan each year. They are all spectacular, extravagant, and fun but also unique. Each celebration is based around an individual shrine which pays tribute to a different deity or a famous historical event.
The celebrations vary greatly as each has features based upon the specific shrine but hey also have many similarities. Almost all of them involve energetic processions where thousands of people dance, chant, and dress up in special clothes.
The Obon festival (お盆, also known as Bon festival) is an annual Japanese holiday that commemorates and remembers deceased ancestors. It is believed that their spirits return at this time to visit their relatives.
Chochin (paper) lanterns are hung to guide the spirits and Obon dances (bon odori) are performed. Families have reunions and visit the graves of their relatives and make food offerings at altars and temples.
