Meoto Iwa: The Wedded Rocks of Futami — Complete Visitor Guide
Complete guide to Meoto Iwa (Wedded Rocks) at Futami near Ise: what they are, best time to visit, how to get there, the sacred rope ceremony, and tips for sunrise photography.
Sendai Tanabata Festival Guide: Japan Star Festival for International Visitors
Complete guide to the Sendai Tanabata Festival for international visitors. Star festival dates, shopping arcade decorations, fireworks display, and how to get there from Tokyo.
Sapporo Snow Festival Guide: Everything International Visitors Need to Know
Complete guide to the Sapporo Snow Festival (Yuki Matsuri) for international visitors. Ice sculptures, best sites, when to go, where to stay, and how to combine with Hokkaido skiing.
Kyoto Gion Matsuri Festival Guide: What to See, How to Experience
Complete guide to the Kyoto Gion Matsuri for international visitors. Float parade dates, Yoiyama evenings, where to stay, and how to book the best festival experience.
Shimane Japan Travel Guide: Izumo Taisha, Matsue Castle and the San-in Coast
Shimane Prefecture sits on Japan’s San’in Coast — the northern flank of western Honshu that faces the Sea of Japan — and it is, by almost any measure, the most historically significant and least-visited prefecture in the entire country. Home to Izumo Taisha, Japan’s oldest and most important Shinto shrine, the only remaining original castle tower in western Japan, a garden repeatedly ranked the finest in the country, and a dramatic 75-kilometre coastline of sea caves, basalt columns and pristine fishing villages, Shimane offers a depth of cultural and natural experience that rivals anything on Japan’s famous Golden Route — […]