About 31% of Japanese people now prefer solo cherry blossom viewing over traditional group parties. We explore how rising single-person households, the 'ohitorisama' economy, and solo activities like solo camping are reshaping one of Japan's most iconic spring traditions.
The TV anime Frieren: Beyond Journey's End teams up with Universal Studios Japan for the first time. The ultra-immersive Story Walk attraction recreates Frieren's staff and Himmel's statue, running May 30, 2026 through January 11, 2027. A Story Ride and themed restaurant are also confirmed.
Discover the Owari Tsushima Wisteria Festival at Tennogawa Park in Aichi Prefecture. Walk beneath a 275-meter canopy of cascading purple blooms across 12 varieties of wisteria. Just 25 minutes from Nagoya by train, this post-cherry blossom spring destination features stunning water reflections and magical nighttime illuminations. Plus: the cultural significance of wisteria in Demon Slayer and Japanese tradition.
Japan earned the top spot in the World Travel Index 2026 with a score of 88.33, widening its lead over competitors for a second consecutive year. With record 42.7 million visitors and $60 billion in spending in 2025, Japan's blend of safety, infrastructure, cuisine, and yen-driven value is unmatched — but overtourism and labor shortages pose real challenges on the road to its 60 million visitor target by 2030.
Sanrio is converting Harmonyland in Hiji, Oita into a stay-and-play resort under its Sky Park plan, announced December 8, 2025: 10 billion yen in initial investment, tens of billions in total, more than a decade to finish. On June 15, 2026 it acquired 30.85 hectares, growing the site roughly fivefold. Targets: one million visitors, then two million.
Toshiba's C-type escalator, whose handrail drops vertically into the floor instead of looping, existed in just two places: the 8th and 9th floors of Nagoya's Meitetsu Department Store. They stopped when the store closed on February 28, 2026, after 71 years. Demolition is now on hold and Yodobashi Camera is moving in.
Tokyo's hit immersive show "Ninja+Kabuki Tokyo" in Shinjuku Kabukicho has unveiled a reimagined program in March 2026. With 80% of its 25,000+ audience from Western countries, this non-verbal spectacle fuses ninja mysticism with kabuki artistry. Directed by Denjiro Tanaka VII, here's everything you need to know — including tickets, access, and what makes the new show unmissable.
16-time Grammy winner Bruno Mars marked his first solo album in a decade, 'The Romantic,' with the world's only collaboration cafe, at SHIBUYA TSUTAYA in Tokyo. Album-inspired drinks, Japan-exclusive artwork, and the long list of reasons Bruno keeps coming back to Japan.
Kyoto's Uzumasa Movie Village reopened on March 28, 2026 after a 50th-anniversary overhaul, reborn as an immersive Edo-period experience park aimed at adults. It features a 360-degree real-time drama staged across the whole village, R-18 night events including a torture house and dice gambling, samurai training, a non-verbal ninja show and hands-on cultural workshops: a side of Kyoto beyond temples and shrines.
Konica Minolta's "Starry Sky Jazz Lounge" at Planetaria TOKYO in Yurakucho sold out every reserved seat it offered. Inside the 360-degree dome visuals and the live piano, saxophone and contrabass jazz that filled 90 minutes on a Friday night, plus a look at why Japan builds so many of the world's planetariums.
The Car-Lator at Suma-ura Sanjo Yuen in Kobe, Japan's only belt-conveyor mountain ride, turned 60 on March 18, 2026. Famous for marketing its terrible ride comfort as the attraction, it ran red-vested anniversary cars, hard-stock commemorative tickets and a hillside hike to mark the occasion.