Japan

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Unforgettable 3-Day Itinerary to Japan's Chubu Heartland: Traditional Towns, World Heritage Sites & More!

Castles

The Chubu region, which consists of nine prefectures (including Gifu, Nagano, and Ishikawa), is located in the middle of Japan and is popular among foreign visitors. Its appeal lies in its richness of tradition and history, like the World Heritage Site of Shirakawa-go and the National Treasure, Matsumoto Castle. Besides, there are many exciting places, like Shinhodaka, where you can enjoy the beautiful autumn leaves, or Okuhida Onsengo, with its hot springs, and Hida Takayama and its popular old-Japanese-style landscapes. Driving around would be a convenient way to see all these attractions. Still, many people are worried about driving in a foreign country. That's why today we'd like to introduce you to a 3-day and 2-night bus travel route from Tokyo via public busses. This will allow you to see the sights easily and efficiently with little need for reservations. Refer to this guide for information on busses and fares. *Due to the effects of Covid-19, transportation schedules and business hours of various facilities may be changed or temporarily suspended.

Top 20 Things to Do in Tokyo: Recommended Bucket List Experiences & More!

Tokyo Station
20 Fun Things to Do in Osaka: Embrace These Activities On Your First Trip!

Umeda, Osaka Station, Kitashinchi Other Sightseeing
Local Cuisine: 15 Awesome Tokyo Dishes You Didn't Know About

Tokyo Station Other Japanese Food
What Kind of Flowers Grow in Hokkaido and When are the Best Times to See Them?

Abashiri Other Nature
7 Incredible Winter Hokkaido Tours: Enjoy a World of Snow and Ice!

Kushiro Rivers, Lakes & Canyons
10 Japanese Goods to Beat Hay Fever in 2021 - Carefully Selected by LOFT Umeda Staff!

Umeda, Osaka Station, Kitashinchi Household Goods Stores

Tokyo Brunch: 4 of our Favorite Spots for a Japanese-style Brunch in Asakusa!

Asakusa Japanese cuisine

The district of Asakusa is arguably the most thriving tourist hotspot in northern Tokyo. This is a testament to the variety of cultural activities and top-drawer food that it has to offer. Most notably it is the home of the ancient and iconic Buddhist landmark, Senso-ji, which is also Tokyo's oldest temple and the location of Hoppi Dori—one of the best summer drinking and dining streets in the city. To visitors, one of Asakusa's lesser known shining lights is the plethora of options to get your hands on a Japanese-style brunch. Here we will give you a run-down of our top 4 recommendations, featuring 4 different vintage Japanese cuisines.

Top 10 Japanese Health & Beauty Products at AEON Style Narita

Narita Shopping Malls
Tokyo Banana Releases New Cookie With Surprise Ingredient!

Tokyo Station Department Stores
Tokyo Trends: This Ginza Shop Specializing in Banana Juice is Huge on Social Media Now!

Ginza Other Restaurants
Visit Japan While You're Stuck Home: 5 Breathtaking Places For Your Bucket List!

Spring
Loft Japan Announces Masks and Hay Fever Products for 2020

Tokyo Station Household Goods Stores
Japan Has An Incredible Traditional-Style Starbucks in This Rustic Town

Saitama Suburbs Other Cafes and Sweets

Purikura: Change Yourself Up with Photo Booth Fun!

Arcades

You simply cannot take a trip to Japan without trying one of the mega-popular sticker photo booths known as purikura! For just a few hundred yen and a few minutes, you can take home a souvenir that is as fun to make as it is to share. Purikura isn’t just about the final photos, but about the experience and fun of posing and decoration. This is not your average photo booth! LIVE JAPAN took a visit to the purikura area of the Taito Station game center in Shinjuku to try purikura for ourselves and to take you through the process step by step!

[MOVIE] Achieve Your Cosplay Dreams at Cosplay Studio Crown!

Akihabara Culture Experience
[MOVIE] A Japanese Drum Experience at TAIKO-LAB

Shibuya Other Sightseeing
[MOVIE] Navigating Virtual Airspace with Skyart JAPAN

Shinagawa Adventure Activities
Become a True Gundam Pilot - Stepping into the P.O.D. at a Tokyo Arcade! (Video)

Arcades
[MOVIE] DRUM TAO’S MANGEKYO – a Kaleidoscope of Taiko Drums

Shinagawa Shows
Stringraphy at Studio EVE: A Striking and Unique Musical Experience

Shibuya Other Contemporary Arts

Tokyo's Top 5 Popular Shopping Spots - Plus Why Foreign Tourists Flock to Shibuya, Japan's Fashion Capital!

Shibuya Department Stores

LIVE JAPAN PERFECT GUIDE TOKYO, the largest information services for overseas tourists visiting Japan, has announced the “LIVE JAPAN Awards 2019”. LIVE JAPAN is a one-stop site where you can find information on sightseeing, cuisine, shopping and hotels. By analyzing their user access numbers, a ranking of popular stores by foreign visitors was made. Here are the TOP 5 stores in the Shopping Category (large shopping facilities). We will also take a closer look at the number 1 spot.

Guide to Ginza Itoya: The Century-Old Stationery Store

Ginza Other Shopping
Japanese 101: Helpful Phrases to Know Before Going Shopping for Clothes

Clothing Stores
Perfect for Families on a Budget! Top 5 Places in Shibuya you Can Enjoy For Free

Shibuya Other Sightseeing
How to Eat Sushi: the Complete Guide to Japan’s Most Famous Food

Sushi
JR Edition: Visit all of Tokyo in one Day with the Tokyo Metropolitan District Pass!

Shinjuku Downtown
Solo Traveling: Enjoying a Tasty Night Out in Tokyo!

Shinjuku Other Japanese Food

Visiting the Sacred Japanese Gardens of Matsushima's Entsuin Temple

Sendai And Matsushima Temples

One of Japan's three major scenic spots, Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture, is home to Entsuin Temple. Also known as the matchmaking temple, it is also a popular thing to see in Matsushima for many tourists. There are many fun things to do at Entsuin Temple in addition to walking in its beautiful garden, making original prayer beads, and praying! The autumn leaves when illuminated is a sight you really must see.

Over-wrapped! How To Limit Plastic Waste While In Japan

Tokyo Station

For newcomers to Japan, one of the biggest surprises may be the sheer amount of unnecessary packaging – particularly with plastics. While some Japanese retailers have recently taken proactive steps to encourage consumers to use eco-friendly reusable bags, these approaches have not yet been more widely adopted or imposed by the government. However, as the Tokyo 2020 Olympics approach, eco-conscious discussions have to some extent been reignited, with Environment Minister Yoshiaki Harada saying at a press conference in June 2019 that his ministry plans to introduce legislation curtailing the use of single-use plastic bags that are currently offered for free. Despite this positive step, Japan continues to be one of the largest producers of plastic waste per capita in the world. So if during your trip to Japan you find yourself being bombarded with excess packaging, here are some key phrases and tips on how you can cope!