Tagged: japan

The Safest and Most Dangerous Destinations for LGBTQ+ Travelers in 2026

The arc of the moral universe is long and (supposedly) bends toward justice, but it appears to be doing a loop-de-loop with regard to LGBTQ+ rights and safety worldwide.That’s the…

The Tourist Tax Is Becoming the Norm in Japan (and Other Places)

Bimyō (微妙) is an essential concept in Japanese culture. An embrace of ambiguity, of subtlety, of nuance, the word explains everyday conversations where nobody says exactly what they…

How to Save Money on a Japanese Vacation: Tips from the Author of 'Frommer's Japan'

The interview that follows is the second part of a conversation between Pauline Frommer and Frommer's Japan author David McElhinney, a recent guest on the Frommer's Travel Show…

How to Experience Japan's Pop Culture, Sacred Pilgrimages, and Foods That Make You Live Longer

This is part one of a two-part interview from a recent edition of the Frommer's podcast. Pauline Frommer spoke with David McElhinney, author of the newly released Frommer's Japan…

A Weak Yen Is Making Japan Vacations Cheaper Than They’ve Been in 30 Years

The U.S. dollar soared this week to its highest rate against Japan's yen since 1990. As of Friday, 1 dollar equates to around 157 yen, according to Reuters—the dollar's strongest…

Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, the World's Biggest Harry Potter Exhibit, Just Opened—Explore Inside

On June 16, 2023, the world’s largest indoor Harry Potter attraction, the Warner Bros. Studio Tour Tokyo, opened in the city’s Nerima ward. Just like at the original London…

New Starlux Airlines to Fly from the U.S. to Asia from $464 Each Way

Americans are about to enjoy the price competition that results when a new challenger enters a market. Starlux Airlines is coming to Los Angeles, and its arrival on the scene should…

The 10 Most Extreme Snowboarding Terrains

Major to moderate steeps, perhaps a chute or three, and glades where good carvers can slide between the trees—these are the types of terrain where you’re liable to find expert…

Tokyo Cafe’s Robot Waiters Operated Remotely by Staffers with Disabilities

We usually think of robots as taking jobs away from humans, but the opposite is true at a new cafe in Tokyo. Opened June 22 in the city's Nihonbashi area, Dawn Avatar Robot Cafe uses…

It's Looking Like Japan Won't Let Tourists Into the Country for the Olympics

When you watch the Olympic Games this summer, you're bound to feel many emotions: national pride, awe at the athletic feats, and even gratitude that the Covid-19 situation has improved…

Japan’s “Crying Therapy” Walking Tours Seek Healing Through Sob Stories

If you've been crying more lately due to, oh, everything, tell your concerned friends and family that you're not having a breakdown—you're practicing a Japanese therapy called…

Meow! It's Japan's New Covid-Fighting Kitty Cat Mascot

Japan is putting the cat in catastrophe with its new pandemic mascot, a coronavirus-combatting kitty named Koronon. On most days, the mascot can be spotted in busy parts of Tokyo such…

Ghouls of the Road: Drive-Through Haunts Are a Frightful Halloween Trend

Given the still-raging pandemic and the looming U.S. presidential election, there's plenty to fear this fall, even with the cancellation of haunted houses and other Halloween…

Let This Japanese Inn Livestream Your Stay and You’ll Only Pay $1 a Night

Exhibitionists on a budget have a new lodging option in Japan. The Asahi Ryokan, located in Fukuoka on the subtropical island of Kyushu, is offering one room on the property at a rate…

At Tokyo’s Weird New Poop Museum, Wipe Boredom Away

As the capital of a nation famous for high-tech toilets, Tokyo is now also the seat of places that honors what goes into them. Now it’s where you’ll find the Unko Museum Tokyo, which…

Japan Finishes Building a Grand, 600-Mile Trail of its Coastal Treasures

Fewer than 2% of international visitors to Japan venture farther north to the vast, remote, and undeveloped region of Tohoku. That may change soon as word gets out: The final section…

Kid-Friendly Ninja Museum Opens at Historic Japanese Castle

A new museum in Japan shines a light on the shadowy history of ninjas, and, via kid-friendly interactive exhibits, gives visitors a chance to hone their own ninja skills. Opening April…

In Japan, I Was Transformed Into a Geisha. You Can Do It, Too

Geisha have fascinated the world with their ethereal blend of beauty and mystique. That porcelain-white face. Those ruby-red lips. The colorful kimono. The jet-black hair. Although the…

Tipping in Japan? Not So Much a Thing

Japanese codes of etiquette often strike outsiders as elaborate to a bewildering degree, but, fortunately for visitors, the dos and don’ts of tipping in Japan are pretty simple. In…

In Japan You Can Build Your Own Kit Kat Now

Like compact cars and the band Cheap Trick, Kit Kat candy bars weren't born in Japan, but they sure went big there. The chocolate-covered wafers (a U.K. creation currently owned…

Japan's Iwate Prefecture: Wild, White, and Wonderful

Although a record-breaking 28 million international visitors came to Japan in 2017, only one million made their way to the northern Honshu region of Tohoku. While it’s true that not…

Hello Kitty Bullet Train to Make Japan Even More Adorable

We're just going to leave this right here.On June 30, 2018, a brand-new bullet shinkansen service will make its debut in Japan: a Hello Kitty train. The Hello Kitty Express, as we're…

Strange Japanese Ferris Wheel Reopening After Nearly a Decade

It sure doesn't look like it, but the structure pictured above is actually a Ferris wheel. The oblong oddity adorns the Don Quijote discount shopping center along the Dotonbori River…

Huge Nature-Themed Light Show Illuminates Winter Nights in Japan

Each winter at Japan's Nagashima Resort in the city of Kuwana, millions of LED lights are used to create ravishing nighttime nature scenes. Held in the gardens of the complex (which…

Two New, And Quite Appetizing, Culinary Travel Books

The old cliché "I live to eat" has a new corollary: "I travel to eat." More vacationers are letting their taste buds decide where their feet (and wallets) will lead them. To aid with…