The Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo opens their luxurious doors during the summer to welcome guests into their garden for a special firefly viewing event. Running annually until early-to-mid July, the event is free of charge and well worth a trip to see, even ..
The Shitamachi Tanabata Matsuri is the most well-known Tanabata festival celebrations. This four-day festival runs from Ueno to Asakusa. It is to celebrate the meeting of two deities: Orihime and Hikoboshi, star-crossed lovers who are only allowed to..
Marine Day or umi no hi (literally ‘day of the sea’), is celebrated every third Monday of July. While there aren’t any traditional ceremonies (being a newer national holiday), many people choose to visit the beach on this day. Parks..
A 35-minute train ride away from Shinjuku, Machida provides a respite from the chaos in downtown Tokyo. The town offers a mix of traditional charms and modern entertainment to keep visitors busy. Animal lovers can head straight for Squirrel Park, where 100 squirrels roam and can be fed. For farming ..
Step into the world of youth subculture and quirky fashion in Harajuku, where you will be greeted by groups of teenagers in the wildest outfits. This is one of Tokyo's vibrant towns — a combination of an urban facade and traditional attractions. There is much to do in Harajuku, starting fr..
Once the first stop on the long road from Tokyo to Kyoto, today Shinagawa is one of Japan's busiest neighborhoods, filled with shopping, entertainment and activities. Located in the heart of Tokyo near Haneda Airport with direct connections to Narita Airport, Shinagawa is much more than a conven..
If you've seen the 2014 movie "Chef" starring Jon Favreau, Sofia Vergara and Scarlett Johansson amongst others, it's likely that you've heard of the Cubano sandwich. Introduced to the United States by Cuban immigrant workers in ..
Anyone who has visited Japan in the height of summer knows that the season is hot and humid. There are ways and means to make the heat more bearable, though - and one of the best has to be enjoying a frozen sweet treat. There are plenty of great spot..
If you’re a vegan and headed to Tokyo, it may come as a pleasant surprise that more and more eateries are popping up with entirely vegan menus. There are spots dedicated to vegan ramen, vegan burgers, vegan desserts and more, so you’re no..
Faced with a late night and early next-day departure from Tokyo one time, I decided (as I often do) that it would be easier to stay in town rather than go home then get up early and come back in again for my bus. Not needing luxury I looked for somew..
Located minutes from the Imperial Palace grounds near Takebashi station, Nine Hours opened its sixth location in March 2018 continuing the expansion of this capsule hotel chain. The capsule hotel concept has fascinated yet also bemused many a travele..
Guesthouse Sensu is a fascinating and cozy place, and its owner, who goes by the name Toshi, has a rather interesting background. He was born and raised in Ota City and has been practicing tea ceremony—known in Japanese as ‘sado’ (t..
Tokyo Station is the main train terminal and a major bus terminal in Tokyo bringing people to other cities in Japan. It is also the busiest, with over 3,000 trains per day for the many passengers, both local and foreign, that go through this beautifu..
Situated in the Tokyo suburb of Sangenjaya is Tokyo Saryo, which could be described as a modern take on a traditional Japanese tea house. If you’re a fan of chic, minimalist design, you'll feel right at home as soon as you arrive. The brigh..
From Tokyo Station, the Chuo main line whisks you from station to station, with skyscrapers eventually giving way to the suburban expanse. Following the line out of central Tokyo is an important part of understanding the city. Even as the views chang..
