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Every article on the site β€” hotel guides by station, day trips, and culture deep-dives. Filter by category, or just scroll with a drink in hand.

Winter Illuminations in Tokyo & Yokohama: The Best Light Shows by Month
Nature & Outdoors

Winter Illuminations in Tokyo & Yokohama: The Best Light Shows by Month

Roppongi Keyakizaka-dori β€” the tree-lined street between Roppongi Hills and the surrounding development β€” hosts one of Tokyo's…

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Wajima: Japan’s Lacquerware Capital & the Noto Peninsula Morning Market
Destinations

Wajima: Japan’s Lacquerware Capital & the Noto Peninsula Morning Market

The Noto Peninsula (θƒ½η™»εŠε³Ά) extends northward from Kanazawa into the Sea of Japan like a peninsula reaching toward…

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Visiting a Japanese Izakaya Alone: Ordering, Seating & What to Drink
Experiences

Visiting a Japanese Izakaya Alone: Ordering, Seating & What to Drink

The izakaya (居酒屋) β€” Japan's informal drinking-and-eating establishment, conceptually between a pub and a restaurant β€” is one…

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Vending Machine Culture in Japan: Everything You Can Buy from a Machine
Culture & History

Vending Machine Culture in Japan: Everything You Can Buy from a Machine

Japan has approximately 4 million vending machines β€” the highest density per capita in the world, at approximately…

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Unagi (Eel) in Japan: Where to Eat It & Why Summer Is the Season
Food & Drink

Unagi (Eel) in Japan: Where to Eat It & Why Summer Is the Season

Unagi (ι°» / freshwater eel) occupies an unusual position in Japanese food culture β€” simultaneously a highly refined…

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Tsuwano: The Tiny Mountain Town That Preserved Edo-Era Streetscapes
Culture & History

Tsuwano: The Tiny Mountain Town That Preserved Edo-Era Streetscapes

Tsuwano (ζ΄₯ε’Œι‡Ž) β€” a town of approximately 7,000 people in the mountains of Shimane Prefecture, 3 hours from…

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Tsukiji Outer Market: What to Eat, When to Go & How to Avoid the Crowds
Food & Drink

Tsukiji Outer Market: What to Eat, When to Go & How to Avoid the Crowds

The Tsukiji Market (η―‰εœ°εΈ‚ε ΄) story requires a brief clarification. The inner market (ε ΄ε†…εΈ‚ε ΄) β€” the wholesale fish trading…

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Train Etiquette in Japan: The Unwritten Rules Every Visitor Should Know
Culture & History

Train Etiquette in Japan: The Unwritten Rules Every Visitor Should Know

Japan's train system β€” the most used and most punctual in the world β€” functions not merely through…

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Toyosu Market Tuna Auction: How to Get a Ticket & What to Expect
Food & Drink

Toyosu Market Tuna Auction: How to Get a Ticket & What to Expect

Every morning before dawn, at Toyosu Market (θ±Šζ΄²εΈ‚ε ΄) in Kōtō Ward, the largest tuna auction in the world…

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