Travel
First Rosewood-branded hotel to open in Japan on Miyakojima
Rosewood has signed a management agreement with Mitsubishi Estate to open the first Rosewood-branded hotel in Japan. Scheduled to open in 2024, the 55-villa Rosewood Miyakojima will be located on Mikayo Island in the Okinawan archipelago. Miyako Island and nearby isles offer miles of soft, white sand with endless vistas… Read
Tracing the remains of the ancient Fujiko cult in Tokyo’s mini Mount Fujis
Mount Fuji has always been regarded as a sacred mountain, but for much of their history, the Japanese have been content to admire the iconic peak from afar. The only people interested in actually climbing it were the mountain-loving followers of Shugendo, (修験道 "the way of self-discipline"), a sect of… Read
Saga: Fun in the mud
Saga is the smallest prefecture on the island of Kyushu, best known for its prized and pricey pottery. Located between the lively Nagasaki and Fukuoka, Saga’s attractions are refreshingly rural. Visitors are drawn to the picturesque natural landscape and hot springs dotted around the prefecture, safe knowing they’re unlikely to run into large crowds… Read
Udo Shrine – origin myths in a cliff-side cave
There are many reasons to visit Japan’s shrines. They are, of course, religious sites, often dedicated to particular guardian gods or to receiving prayers for particular purposes. The shrine structures themselves are often of architectural interest and many are located on sites of great natural beauty, often selected based on… Read
IHG signs 3 hotels in Japan
IHG has signed an agreement with Iwate Hotel & Resort Co Ltd to open or refurbish three hotels in Japan’s Appi region and badge them under IHG brands in December 2021. With more than 1,000 rooms joining IHG’s Japan portfolio across the ANA InterContinental, ANA Crowne Plaza and ANA Holiday… Read
Make waves this summer with this ‘Mermaid Swim’ diving package in Amami Oshima
Dive right in and get closer to the underwater world than ever before with this unique "Mermaid Swim" diving package from OCEANZ. Based in Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture, OCEANZ is a diving school which specializes in skin diving (the act of diving and exploring the ocean without the use of any breathing… Read
Sakura season is over; time for tulips at Osaka’s Expo Park
Cherry blossom season came early this year, and it disappeared just as quickly. Everyone’s SNS feeds were full of white and pink petals for a few weeks, but their fleeting beauty is gone now… However, that’s not to say you have to forget about flower viewing completely until next spring.… Read
ANA to introduce plastic-free meal trays
All Nippon Airways (ANA) will become the first Japanese airline to introduce meal trays made from biodegradable materials. Composed of bagasse - the waste fiber created from pressing sugarcane - these biodegradable trays will further reduce ANA's carbon footprint. This is the latest in a long line of sustainability initiatives from ANA,… Read
Japanese whisky tasting online: Suntory’s Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries now have remote tours
Ever since the pandemic hit Japan last year, Suntory’s Yamazaki and Hakushu distilleries have been closed to the public. That means their popular distillery tours have also been put on hold, but thanks to the Internet, the tours have taken a new form, and are now being offered online. This newfound… Read
Why not a workation in the wilderness of Wakayama?
Deep breaths. One foot in front of the other. I’m ascending a section of the Kumano Kodo, a network of ancient roads that run through the mountains of Japan’s Kii Peninsula. A canopy of cedars towers above me. The stones that comprise my path have been worn smooth after centuries… Read
