Travel Guides

Halloween continues to grow in popularity in Japan. It burst onto the scene in 2000 when Tokyo Disneyland 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 31.

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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Ryokan and onsen are common concepts in Japan. To many city dwellers, these terms signify a getaway, a break from the hustle and bustle of life. What are onsen and ryokan?

An onsen is a hot spring, touted for its healing capabilities. Onsen may feed public or private baths where people go to relax. Ryokans are traditional Japanese inns, which developed to house travelers during the Edo period, especially on the route between Tokyo and Kyoto. Visitors to ryokan today still wear yukata robes and get sandals, and are treated to traditional multi-course dinners and breakfasts.

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Will there be any more sought-after tickets next year than than those for the Tokyo 2020 Olympics? Probably not. The most anticipated sporting event of next year is approaching quickly and sports fans are already jostling to get their hands on tickets!

How can you buy Tokyo 2020 tickets? Tickets will be sold online through official ticket sales channels in every country and through ticket outlets in Japan. Tokyo 2020 will go on general in autumn 2019.

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Byodoin is a stunning Buddhist temple located in the small city of Uji. There is an incredible amount to see at the UNESCO World Heritage site which has drawn visitors for over 1000 years.

It’s such an iconic landmark in Japan that it appears on the 10 yen coin.
Along with its garden, the temple represents the “Pure Land Paradise” and its design was highly influential on subsequent temple construction.

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Climbing Mt Fuji is on many travelers’ bucket lists. The iconic peak, which has inspired Japanese art and literature for centuries, is both Japan’s highest and most famous mountain.

The height of Mount Fuji is 12.390 feet (3776 meters) and there are different ways to climb it. There are 4 main routes which differ in difficulty and the time needed to make the journey. The views from the top combined with the sense of achievement make the trip incredibly rewarding.

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Sumo wrestling is considered to be Japan’s national sport and it’s a huge hit with tourists. It’s a fantastic spectacle which offers unique insights into Japanese culture as it has been performed ever since the ancient Shinto period.

There are many places to see sumo wrestling in Japan though the best way is to catch one of the spectacular sumo tournaments. The competitions normally last around 15 days and feature the biggest and best sumo wrestlers in Japan.

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