Japan For Foodies: 47 Prefectures, 47 Must-Try Dishes
In a country where every town has their own specialty dish, there’s no shortage of unique meals to try and what better way to see the country than following your appetite? Japan has an incredible...
View ArticleJapan by Prefecture: Hokkaido and Tohoku Region
What makes Japan so amazing to travel in is the variety—with every new prefecture, city or village you find something unique. Consisting of 47 prefectures, including 43 traditional prefectures, two...
View Article10 Natural Wonders in Japan to Visit in Winter
You have a small window of time for visiting winter wonders in Japan — so don’t miss out! All across the country, these natural wonders come to life when the temperatures drop below freezing. If you’re...
View ArticleYamagata’s Sacred Mountain Temple: 1000 Steps to Serenity
I’d never been to Yamagata Prefecture, nor heard of Yamadera. Somehow I managed to spend nearly a decade in Japan without knowing anything about the mountain temple, or the surrounding region. Yamadera...
View ArticleJapan’s 7 Best Winter Festivals — And How To Get There From Tokyo
The Sapporo Snow Festival is an amazing experience, but there are plenty of other spectacular winter festivals in Japan. The north of Japan is filled with celebrations in the colder months — with...
View ArticleFebruary 2024: Top Events Around Japan
Snow, fire, and even plum blossoms mean there’s plenty to see this month in Japan. The festivals are a pick-and-mix of purification rituals, seasonal celebrations, and playful family events. February...
View ArticleSakata Festival
Held annually since 1609, this three day festival in the Japan Sea port town of Sakata is renowned for its giant lion head floats and unique wheeled floats. What happens? The festival was originally...
View ArticleKasedori Festival
This unique festival from the 1600s gets its name from the male participants wearing pointy straw coats. They are known as the Kasedori and are supposed to be spirit birds that bring prosperity and...
View ArticleYamagata Hanagasa Festival
Don’t miss the dance parade of the summer at the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival. What happens? From August 5 to August 7, 2024, the Yamagata Hanagasa Festival will transform Yamagata’s main street into a...
View ArticleShinjo Festival
Immerse yourself in the centuries-old splendor of Shinjo Matsuri — a feast for the senses in the heart of Yamagata. What happens? Yamagata’s Shinjo Festival is one of the most vibrant festivals in...
View ArticleZao Snow Monster Festival
While most snow festivals feature man-made sculptures, the snow monsters of Zao — called juhyo in Japanese — are entirely natural, created in rare circumstances that require specific weather and tree...
View ArticleZao Snow Monsters
In the mountains of Yamagata Prefecture, you’ll find these 5m+ snow monsters—giant towers of wind-carved rime formed by snow clinging to fir trees. Although the snow-monster season runs from December...
View Article7 Top Things To See and Do in Yamagata
Missed Yamagata when you visited Japan? Big mistake. Huge. Yamagata is in the northern Tohoku region of Japan and often gets overlooked despite its trove of snow sports, picture-perfect onsen towns,...
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