Japan is an incredible country to visit but it’s pricey. If you’re traveling on a budget or you miss the last train and find yourself in need of accommodation, you can stay at a capsule hotel.
Capsule hotels (also known as pod hotels) have been steadily growing in popularity in recent years and more and more of them continue to pop up in Japan’s cities. They are like normal hotels but instead of a normal-sized room, you sleep in a small cubicle.
What do you picture when you think of Japan? The bustling neon city of Tokyo? Or the historic shrines, picturesque views, and quaint towns? If you’re looking to go beyond the city to meet the charming, slower-paced side of this interesting nation, Shikoku may be for you.
Shikoku is the smallest of Japan’s four main islands. While small in size, this destination offers big rewards to the well-informed traveler. From white-clad pilgrims walking the circuit of the Eighty-eight Shines, to installations of modern art, Shikoku has something for everyone!
The cherry blossom is an iconic symbol of Japan. Encompassing the renewal of spring, the beautiful cherry blossom is celebrated wherever Japanese cherry trees grow, throughout the world. To truly experience the majesty of the annual cherry blossom festivals, however, one must travel to the heart of it all – to Japan itself.
Before you board your international flight, there are a few things you should know, such as the cultural significance of the cherry blossom, when and where to see them, and how to capture the best cherry blossom photographs.
Nagasaki, capital of the prefecture of the same name, is a port city on the island of Kyushu. It has been a prominent Japanese city for centuries due to its proximity to mainland Asia. Nagasaki also holds an unenviable role in world history, that of being the second city to endure an atomic weapon.
In the years since that tragic event, Nagasaki has recovered and flourished. Today, tourists flock to Nagasaki to see breathtaking scenery, historic reminders, and religious relics. Start planning your next trip to Nagasaki with the help of this handy travel guide.
For decades, nature lovers have reveled in documentaries featuring snow monkeys that warm themselves in natural hot springs. Did you know that you can view these unique creatures in person? You can at the Jigokudani Monkey Park.
The park’s monkeys are Japanese macaques, which live in large social groups. They have become accustomed to human visitors, and so their playful antics can be observed as they interact with one another. The phenomenon of the bathing monkeys occurs nowhere else in the world.
The Moonlight Nagara sleeper train between Tokyo and Ogaki in Gifu prefecture has now been suspended. March 29, 2020 marked the last day of operations for this cheap and convenient service.
Nevertheless, the popular Sunrise Express overnight train, which connects Tokyo with the Izumo and Sea of Seto areas, is still in operation and included in the Japan Rail Pass.
