Japan

Tokyu Hands Shibuya: 10 Convenient Kitchen Products to Enhance Your Life

Shibuya Household Goods Stores

Japanese products have world-class popularity and are both convenient, and easy to use. Tokyu Hands in Shibuya has 24 departments and the selection of products is second to none. LIVE JAPAN has invited Mr. Kamiguri, a clerk from the Shibuya branch’s kitchenware department, to help showcase ten items designed to make everyday living just a bit more convenient. We’re certain you’ll get the urge to buy more than a few of these imaginative items, and remember: If you spend over 5,000 yen, you’re eligible for a tax exemption!

Japanese Pancake Lover? Dream Guide to Tokyo’s Top 10 Pancake Shops

Harajuku Other Cafes and Sweets
Exploring Tokyo Station: 10 Must-Visit Spots Around the Heart of Tokyo

Tokyo Station Downtown
Hokkaido Dining: Enjoying a Bowl of Traditional Sapporo Ramen at Sumire Nakanoshima Honten

Sapporo / Chitose Ramen
Tokyo Daikanyama: Exotic Atmosphere, Beautiful Streets, and 7 Top Shops

Ebisu / Naka-Meguro Other Sightseeing
Internationally renowned Japanese Culture: The Most and Least Favorite Traditions Ranked by Foreigners

Ueno
Top 10 Popular Souvenirs at Tokyo Station

Tokyo Station Gift Shops

Fluffy and Delicious: Enjoy Japan’s Best Pancakes at the Top 3 Cafés in Harajuku and Omotesando!

Harajuku Other Cafes and Sweets

If there’s one universal truth, it’s that everybody loves pancakes. That’s why every country and culture has its very own version of the delicious dish – sometimes sweet, sometimes savory, fluffy and thick or crispy and thin. Japan, known for its sweet tooth, is no exception to this rule. Actually, the world of Japanese pancakes brings forth new and tasty creations year by year, with numerous pancake specialty stores all over Japan and Tokyo ready to satisfy any pancake craving, no matter the season! Japan has undergone a real pancake boom, initially triggered by breakfast and brunch specialty stores. Now, however, pancakes are an integral part of the menu of all sorts of Japanese cafés and restaurants, incorporating the unique tastes and characteristics of the different chefs. While some places win our hearts with their amazingly tasty varieties, others draw us in with their exceptionally beautiful pancakes, so photogenic that it’s hard to take the first bite. Among this colorful pancake variety, one certain characteristic has stood out and is now known as the “Japanese style:” fluffiness. Especially the trendy area of Harajuku and Omotesando has become a hot spot for anyone wanting to try authentic Japanese pancakes! Whether you like it with thick macadamia sauce or matcha powder and azuki beans, we know just where to go.

Learn the Art of Flower Arrangement at Ohara School of Ikebana

Harajuku Other Traditional Arts

Ikebana, flower arrangement, is one of Japan’s most treasured art forms, a time-honored tradition that continues to be relevant even in today’s modern society. Beautifully arranged flowers and plants have permeated Japanese culture in a way that is seldom found in others. The Ohara School of Ikebana has played a major part in keeping the tradition alive, through its many schools in Japan, as well as its 59 chapters abroad, with over 300,000 members worldwide. The beauty of the Ohara School is not only in its floral arrangements, but its ability to share the culture of ikebana with the world. I visited the Ohara Center of Tokyo to try an ikebana class to learn more about this traditional art form.

Inside Japan's Maid Cafés: Our Unique Experience at Classic Maid Café Mai:lish! (Video)

Akihabara Other Cafes and Sweets
Purikura: Change Yourself Up with Photo Booth Fun!

Arcades
[MOVIE] A Japanese Drum Experience at TAIKO-LAB

Shibuya Other Sightseeing
Stringraphy at Studio EVE: A Striking and Unique Musical Experience

Shibuya Other Contemporary Arts
[MOVIE]Shodo Calligraphy: What would you write for luck in the New Year?

Odaiba Traditional Paintings
Kurayami Gohan – Experiencing the Dinner in the Dark

Asakusa Culture Experience

Kamakura Hotels: 3 Comfortable Guest Houses for Every Budget!

Kamakura Youth Hostels

Kamakura and its Giant Buddha and scenic traditional townscape is a popular sightseeing spot with convenient, quick access from Tokyo. It makes for an excellent day trip, but if you really want to discover everything that Kamakura has to offer, you’ll have to stay the night. What might put a lot of people off as unnecessarily expensive at first can actually be a reasonable, fun way to enhance your trip! We found Kamakura’s 3 best little-known guest houses that are fit for every budget.

The Perfect Guide to Ueno Zoo: Popular Attractions and Services

Ueno
Tokyo Hotels Guide: 4 Hotels With Easy Access to Tokyo Disney Resort

Ningyocho / Monzen-Nakacho / Kasai Hotels
Must-buys at Yodobashi Camera Akihabara - recommended by a home electronics buff!

Akihabara Electronics Stores
Akihabara Dining: 3 Must Try Restaurants in Akiba Recommended by Local Gourmets!

Akihabara Ramen
Miura Peninsula #Hotelcation: 4 Coastal Resorts Just 90 Minutes From Tokyo!

Kanagawa Suburbs Hotels
Tokyo Solo Travel Guide: 5 Gourmet Spots in Shibuya for Tourists Traveling Alone

Shibuya

Ueno Tokyo Guide: Mastering the Fine Art of Exiting JR Ueno Station to See the Sights

Ueno

Located in Taito, Tokyo, Ueno is a well-known and popular tourist destination. In addition to the Ameya Yokocho (Ameyoko) shopping street, Ueno boast such sites as Ueno Green Park, which is beautiful in any season, Ueno Toshogu Shrine, the zoo, and numerous art galleries, museums, electronics shops, department stores, and toy stores. Ueno is home to a wide variety of gourmet restaurants and accommodations, as well. The ticket gates and exits of JR Ueno station are located on different floors, or the gates are far from the exit, it can be a difficult station to navigate. This guide will provide more information about which site seeing locations can be found at each gate, and make full and fun day trip in Ueno more than just a dream!

Japan Bar Guide: Inside 9 of Tokyo's Best Bars!

Roppongi Bars & Pubs
The World of Wagyu Steak: Essential Guide to Japanese Beef

Tokyo Station Other Japanese Food
Japanese English: 6 Real Reasons Why Japanese People Can’t Speak English

Ueno
Straight from the locals’ mouths! The popular neighborhoods in Tokyo, Japan

Harajuku Other Townscapes
Having Tattoos in Japan: Is ink in Japan really such a big deal for visitors?

Tokyo Station
Kuramae: Discovering Arts, Crafts, and the Spirit of Tokyo’s Old Downtown

Asakusa Other Shopping

Complete Japanese Phrase List: 25 Phrases to Make Your Hotel/Ryokan Experience Easier!

Tokyo Station Hotels

A key part of any trip to Japan, one which can’t be avoided, is the accommodation. The vast majority of visitors book hotels, hostels, etc. well in advance of their trip. However, when choosing a place to stay a big concern is whether or not the hotel staff understands languages other than Japanese. In particular, small hotels and ones out in the countryside are not likely to have multilingual staff. In fact though, this is no reason not to book a hotel; all you need is just a few Japanese phrases and your trip will be an absolute breeze! So, let’s have a look at some essential phrases, from checking in on the first day, to checking out when you leave.