Japan tourism
It’s time to plan your sightseeing campaign across Japan! Read More
The whisky distiller, famous for upstaging Scottish standbys to be crowned “Best Whisky in the World” in 2014, recently renovated their open-to-the-public facilities. We figured it was as good an excuse as any for a tour and tasting!
The number of foreign visitors visiting Japan has increased recently, and with Tokyo set to host the 2020 Olympic Games that trend is likely to continue. Now is the perfect opportunity for the city to show off its offerings as a must-see destination.
In an effort to appeal to and satisfy more tourists, a recent survey of Japanese Tokyoites ranked the top 10 drinking districts that they think tourists to Japan should visit to see and experience the “real” Tokyo.
Ashley is now safely back in the US after her exciting adventure here in Japan, so it’s time for a wrap-up post!
Our Japan Wish competition winner’s time with us was a whirlwind of fun, food, and typhoons as her dream of coming to Japan became a reality. Go ahead and watch the video below for a glimpse at just some of the amazing things Japan has to offer for a visitor, as well as to see Ashley’s emotional goodbye.
You would think that a country like Japan, rich as it is in both traditional culture and technical innovation, as well as plenty of weird and wacky things you’ll never see elsewhere, would be a huge hit with tourists. But as it turns out, Japan is actually not such a popular destination for people traveling abroad. Join us after the jump to find out why.
Nowadays with discount airlines, hybrid cars and night buses, it’s easy to get where you want to go quickly and cheaply. Of course, in Japan trains are probably the most utilized mode of transportation. Some train companies around Japan, however, have really taken to heart the idea that “Life is a journey, not a destination,” as there are many train lines which are designed as sightseeing trains, or just happen to pass through beautiful scenery and let you enjoy the journey – the beautiful forests, the stunning seaside, sometimes even the trains themselves are part of the experience.
Recently Rakuten Travel announced its top 10 list for the best local trains around the country. Let’s take a look at what these train lines have to offer after the jump.
In 2013, a grand total of 10,363,904 foreign tourists visited Japan! That number surpasses the goal of the Visit Japan Campaign, which began in 2003 with a goal to increase the number of overseas visitors to 10 million.
The Japanese language version of popular travel planning and information website TripAdvisor was quite excited by this news, and recently produced their own visual graphic detailing some fun facts about foreign tourists in the Land of the Rising Sun during 2013. Can you guess which country most of the visitors came from, or which country had the highest percentage jump in visitors? How about the most popular tourist destinations for foreigners traveling in Japan? Find out all that and more after the jump.
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Now
Japanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
Mysterious light-up rainy night-sound Totoro figure doesn’t actually show a scene from the anime
Our Japanese writers dress up as Winter Shogun
One of Japan’s rarest sweets is a sell-out hit that looks and tastes like frost
Skirt that will make cat cafe cats love you supposedly found at Uniqlo’s sister brand
Starbucks Japan releases a special tea latte to celebrate the Year of the Snake
Ghibli Park puts up Christmas trees and decorations, invites fans to “come search for Christmas”
Studio Ghibli showcases traditional craftsmanship with new wallet range
Miniature keychain versions of Japan’s Death Spray are coming to capsule toy machines soon
Toyota built a life-sized Miraidon Pokémon and are letting people test drive it this weekend
Weekly
Studio Ghibli tea blends contain ingredients inspired by My Neighbour Totoro
Starbucks Japan is calling it quits with paper straws
Japan’s Kanji of the Year announced, shows the bright and dark spots of 2024【Video】
Studio Ghibli coasters keep your drinks hot and your heart warm this winter- Japanese company develops classy heavy metal band frames for glasses
Japan’s tap-to-pay Suica train card system aims to go tapless with walk-through gates, location data scans
Starbucks teams up with 165-year-old Kyoto doll maker for Year of the Snake decorations【Photos】
Over 800 Studio Ghibli anime world paintings compiled in beautiful new hardcover art book【Pics】- One of Japan’s rarest sweets is a sell-out hit that looks and tastes like frost
Sushi Bears restaurant opens in Tokyo, offers exactly what its name promises【Photos】
Monthly
Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
Uniqlo announces first-ever collaboration with horror manga master Junji Ito【Photos】
J-pop mega star Ado reveals she’s been living in the U.S., may not understand language acquisition- Starbucks Japan is calling it quits with paper straws
Studio Ghibli releases new range of cardigans for anime fans
Japan’s most popular castle raising ticket prices by up to 200 percent for non-local tourists
Furikake rice seasoning sales are soaring, which is bad news for Japan as a whole
Studio Ghibli heroine cardigans give you warmth and strength to face everyday challenges
Eight unforgettable hot springs, as recommended by Japan’s “Professor Bath”
Berserk T-shirts coming to Uniqlo for launch of new Manga Curation line【Photos】
Yearly
McDonald’s new Happy Meals offer up cute and practical Sanrio lifestyle goods
Foreign tourists on Shinkansen bullet train break suitcase etiquette, angering local passengers- Possessing Harry Potter’s Sword of Godric Gryffindor is now illegal in Japan
[Deleted] Article written for April Fool’s Day 2018
Japanese government to make first change to romanization spelling rules since the 1950s
Foreigner’s request for help in Tokyo makes us sad for the state of society
Japanese convenience store Family Mart announces abolishment of eat-in spaces
Life-size vibrating Legend of Zelda Master Sword for sale from Nintendo【Photos】
Princesses, fruits, and blacksmiths: Study reveals the 30 most unusual family names in Japan
Studio Ghibli releases free-download board game — Here’s how to play it without reading Japanese
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Starbucks Japan releases a special tea latte to celebrate the Year of the Snake
Ghibli Park puts up Christmas trees and decorations, invites fans to “come search for Christmas”
Studio Ghibli showcases traditional craftsmanship with new wallet range
Miniature keychain versions of Japan’s Death Spray are coming to capsule toy machines soon
Toyota built a life-sized Miraidon Pokémon and are letting people test drive it this weekend
We attend the official release ceremony for the new iPhone 11 in Japan
A talk with the first Japanese person to play in Major League Baseball, Masanori Murakami
7-Eleven now has make-it-yourself smoothies in Japan, and they’re amazing
Rolled up balls of paper win 1st and 3rd place in Tokyo Tech paper airplane contest
Finding a half decent gym in Japan: A survival guide
Japanese bodybuilder becomes world-famous on Twitter, but not for his swole bod
One of Japan’s most beautiful hot spring towns announces new limits on number of day trippers
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