Local Life & Culture Goshuin: The 700-Year-Old Stamp Collecting Habit Every Visitor Should Try
Goshuin are hand-stamped, hand-written inscriptions available at shrines and temples across Japan, and they're a genuine...
Japan travel
Local Life & Culture 
Food & Dining How to Order Udon in Japan Without Panicking in Line
Udon is a thick, white wheat noodle that's currently most popular served cold, which catches a lot of first-time visitor...
Local Life & Culture Japan Is a Cash Society” Is Outdated — Here’s What’s Actually True
The advice to "bring lots of cash to Japan" is one of the most repeated pieces of travel wisdom out there, and it's more...
Local Life & Culture Tokyo’s Closest Onsen Town Is Having a Major Comeback
Atami is one of the closest hot spring towns to Tokyo, reachable in well under an hour by shinkansen — closer, in travel...
Local Life & Culture iPhone Users Don’t Need to Buy a Suica Card in Japan
If you're traveling to Japan with an iPhone, there's a shortcut worth knowing about before you go: you likely don't need...
Local Life & Culture The ATM Rule Every Tourist in Japan Should Know
Japan has a reputation for being safe and convenient, so most visitors assume finding a working ATM will be easy. In pra...
Shopping & Items The Rugby Specialty Store Near Tokyo Station Most Tourists Miss
Rugby fans visiting Japan are often surprised at how hard it is to find Japan National Team merchandise, or gear for the...
Local Life & Culture Japan Has 1,500 Earthquakes a Year — What “Normal” Looks Like, and What Doesn’t
Our deepest condolences go out to everyone affected by the recent earthquake in the Kumamoto region, and our thoughts ar...
Food & Dining Izakaya 101: Japan’s Bar-Restaurant Hybrid and the Snack Charge Nobody Warns You About
Izakaya are Japan's version of a pub-meets-restaurant — places built around the idea of eating and drinking together rat...
Food & Dining The Japanese Dish Locals Save Up For (That Most Tourists Skip)
While sushi and ramen dominate the international idea of Japanese food, unagi (grilled eel) is quietly one of the dishes...