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Noto Satoyama Pokémon With You Airport wants to help bring travelers to a part of Japan that could use more visitors.For domestic flights, the standard recommendation is to get to the airport an hour ahead of your scheduled takeoff so that you have ample time to get through any check-in, baggage-check, and security protocols, plus make your way to your gate for boarding. However, even though Japan’s Noto Satoyama Airport only has domestic routes, we strongly encourage travelers give themselves m
Government probably always just assumed common sense was enough.When it comes to choosing something to eat, there’s always a risk-reward calculation that needs to be done. For example, when it comes to eating pufferfish, even though the risk of dying a horrific, fully-conscious death is rather low, I personally decided that it was mid-tasting enough that I could easily live the rest of my life without ever eating it again, and just drop that risk right down to a flat zero.▼ Ironically enough for
A Night in the Valley of Witches makes its screening debut, and Hayao Miyazaki’s first-ever art exhibition created for Ghibli’s theme park, three years in the making, opens too.Back in April, Studio Ghibli announced that it was producing a new anime that would screen exclusively at the Ghibli Park theme park in Aichi Prefecture. As of July 8, it’s made its debut, and so has a brand-new art exhibit from Hayao Miyazaki, the Ghibli co-founder’s first-ever work created for Ghibli Park.As also reveal
Late-night incident highlights concerns over Japan’s illegal “white taxi” operators.Three foreign tourists were injured in a crash involving a Nissan GT-R near Tokyo’s Shibuya Scramble Crossing after the driver allegedly approached them on the street and offered them a paid sightseeing ride. A 38-year-old male company employee from Kawasaki was subsequently arrested on 7 July on suspicion of operating an unlicensed taxi service and causing injury through negligent driving.Accor
Ceremony marks official start of climbing season for this six-step summit trail.While Japan’s alpine topography, of course, exists all year round, many of the country’s most prominent mountains have a dedicated climbing season. Sometimes this is done for safety reasons (like how Mt. Fuji is closed to hikers for most of the year), and in other places the climbing season is more of a traditional cultural custom.Regardless of the reason, those mountains that do have a climbing season often hold a c
The Nakano family opens a second rice paddy art site this year and shares more about the process that goes into their annual labor of love. For the 16th year, the Nakano family in Nasushiobara, Tochigi Prefecture creates stunning rice paddy art for the public to enjoy. Part of their mission is for visitors to discover the charm of the northern Kanto region, which consists of the prefectures north of the Greater Tokyo Area but south of the Tohoku region.This year’s artistic creation, which
This bargain bag comes with a unique performance, but things have changed over the years.Ameyoko (short for Ameya Yokocho, or “Candy Store Alley”) has changed dramatically over the years. Starting off as a black market after World War II (some believe the “ame” in the name is short for “America”), the area grew to become known for its abundance of fresh seafood, produce and specialty foods, leading it to be dubbed “Tokyo’s kitchen” by locals. The lively calls
Following suspiciously swift sell-out of Yoshinoya’s Dragon Quest Slime bowls, new policy means that everyone who wants one can buy one at the regular price.At the start of the month, beef bowl chain Yoshinoyakicked off a collaboration with the Dragon Quest video game franchise. Part of the promotion were Dragon Quest Slime figures being given out as part of a Dragon Quest Walk Set meal being served at Yoshinoya branches, and we went on a very happy (and tasty) quest to get ours.In addition to t
Both Japanese and overseas travellers could soon be paying more to stay in Tokyo.The Tokyo Metropolitan Government has announced major revisions to the city’s accommodation tax, replacing the current flat-rate system with a percentage-based tax from April 2027.Under the current system, guests staying in Tokyo hotels and ryokan (traditional Japanese inns) pay a tax of 100 yen (US$0.70) per person per night for rooms costing between 10,000 yen and 15,000 yen, and 200 yen per person per night for r
Vietnam’s star sandwich reaches a new milestone on the road to mainstream popularity in Japan.I’ve had a lot of people in Japan ask me what foods I miss from my hometown. Usually they assume I miss hamburgers, and as someone who grew up in southern California I do have a lot of fond memories of In-N-Out (and, as a cultured native son of San Dimas, I have especially fond memories of Bravo Burgers). But high-quality burgers aren’t all that hard to find in the Tokyo area, and the sandwiches I most
If you’re looking to start your Mt. Fuji hike as early as possible without having to spend the night, here’s how.Popular tourism destination though it may be, there’s still a certain amount of planning and determination required to hike to the top of Mt. Fuji. As a matter of fact, just making it to the mountain itself from the Tokyo area can require some research, especially if you’ve got a time you want/need to arrive at the summit by and then have to work backwards through your various lodging
Dressed to impress.An age-old problem for many parents is how to get kids to eat their vegetables. In an age of hyper-palatable ultra-processed food, it can be hard to turn kids on to the wonders of spinach or even good old ants on a log. According to a survey of mothers in Japan, 90 percent want their children to eat vegetables, but struggle with the kids’ picky eating habits.This is a problem that food research firm and seasoning maker Riken Vitamin has decided to try tackling. Some might reco
Nintendo’s big-appetite video game star is ready to get summer started.When does summer start? For a layperson, the first day of June might seem the most natural, since it can feel weird to call, say, June 15 a “spring” day. Astronomers, though, would say we’re not into summer until we get past the solstice, which takes place around June 21. Meanwhile, staunch defenders of traditional Japanese culture and linguistic norms might argue that summer doesn’t begin until the end of the “rainy season”
Including a chance to relive your starter Pokémon anxiety a whole nine times.Japan is a nation that loves a stamp rally, and it’s not just kids getting in on the action. From highway rest stops to manhole covers, the simple act of stamping a design on a piece of paper is an enjoyable pastime for many people. Of course, there’s also the more traditional version of the activity, with countless people collecting the beautiful, handwritten calligraphic stamps called goshuin, which can be obtained at
There’s actually a good reason for a train to quickly get people between the Tokyo area’s two airports.Keisei Electric Railway, which operates trains in Tokyo and the neighboring prefecture of Chiba, is planning to add a new high-speed train service from Narita Airport, one of the Tokyo area’s major international travel gateways. Where will this speedy new train take passengers to? Tokyo’s other airport, Haneda.The idea of spending several hours on a plane to fly to Japan, only to get off, colle
Government reveals long-awaited fee schedule ahead of proposed October implementation.On 3 July, the Immigration Services Agency of Japan published detailed draft guidelines setting out a new fee structure for visa renewals and permanent residency applications, following revisions to the Immigration Control Act passed in May.According to the draft proposal, fees for visa renewals and changes to status-of-residence will no longer be charged at the current flat rate of 6,000 yen (US$37.40) for in-
Programmes on community etiquette may also become part of the screening process.Japan is moving forward with plans to establish more formal guidelines for foreign nationals seeking permanent residency in Japan, as part of a broader push by the government to strengthen integration and screening standards for foreign residents.The new policy guidelines, published on 3 July, were drafted by a specially appointed Immigration Services Agency project team led by Parliamentary Vice-Minister for Justice
Nicknack is the culmination of layers upon layers of branding quasi-copying, and also home to some very unusual Pikachus.Our travel-loving Japanese-language reporter Ikuna Kamezawa recently took a trip to Sri Lanka, and while out and about in the capital city of Colombo, she thought she spotted a familiar-looking sign in a shopping mall. The color scheme, font, and mixture of Latin alphabet letters and Japanese katakana script design instantly had her thinking of Uniqlo, Japan’s favorite casual
New melon pan crossover looks set to be a hit with customers.7-Eleven has been shaking up the convenience store scene in Japan recently, overhauling sandwiches with pink bread, rolling out tea-brewing machines, and adding Korean cheese balls to its hot food lineup. Now, the chain is continuing its run of exciting new creations with another innovation: chocolate cookies that taste like freshly baked melon bread.Produced for the chain’s “Seven Cafe Bakery” line, which features products