A 25-room luxury accommodation is coming to the former grounds of Todai-ji Temple, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Nara, Japan. Kintetsu Miyako Hotels will build low-rise pavilions across a 12,000 m² site where the ancient Western Gate once stood. Opening fall 2028, the retreat will feature a tea ceremony room, local cuisine restaurant, and immersive cultural experiences. Here's what this historic collaboration means for Nara's tourism future.
A 1908 mansion built by Hakodate's wealthiest merchant is reborn as a 3-room heritage hotel. Japan's new "Kazeno Heritage" brand lets guests sleep inside nationally designated cultural properties — and help preserve them.
Echizen City in Fukui Prefecture is emerging as a craft tourism destination where visitors can enter real workshops of 1,500-year-old washi paper, nail-free tansu furniture, and hand-forged knives. Artisans share how welcoming tourists is helping preserve traditions, attract new audiences, and revitalize their community—all made more accessible by the Hokuriku Shinkansen extension.
Japan's miso exports have surged 7x in 30 years, and natto sells for $20 at high-end NYC supermarkets. Driven by the gut health movement, plant-based eating, and top chefs' fascination, traditional Japanese fermented foods are reshaping global dining. Discover the science behind koji mold, Japan's "national fungus", and how a $250+ billion fermented food market is booming worldwide.
Japan's 2026 ehomaki (lucky sushi rolls) generate ¥73 billion in economic impact, yet an estimated ¥1.65 billion worth are thrown away. Explore the structural causes behind Setsubun food waste and the tension between cultural tradition and sustainability.
Discover Japan's most spectacular fire festival in Omihachiman, Shiga. The 400-year-old Sagicho Festival features massive floats decorated entirely with food ingredients, intense "fighting" where floats crash together, and a dramatic burning finale. Once beloved by warlord Oda Nobunaga, this "most eccentric festival" heralds spring in the Lake Biwa region.
Japan considers cutting high school baseball from 9 to 7 innings by 2028. While 70% of schools oppose the change, heat stroke concerns and player safety drive the debate. How will Japan balance tradition with modern athlete welfare?
21-year-old Ukrainian refugee Aonishiki (Danylo Yabgushyshin) achieved back-to-back sumo championships—a feat not seen since legendary Futabayama in 1937. After fleeing the war and arriving alone in Japan, this young wrestler's historic rise is inspiring fans worldwide. Explore his journey and the role of foreign wrestlers in Japan's traditional sport.
After leaving the Japan Sumo Association, former yokozuna Hakuho unveiled his "World Sumo Grand Slam" vision, hinting at future cooperation with the JSA. Chairman Hakkaku's response reveals deep tensions. Explore how sumo's greatest champion challenges tradition from the outside.
Japan's National Treasure "Prince Shotoku Illustrated Biography" (1069 CE) is now free to view online with ultra-high-definition 3.6 billion pixel images. Available in Japanese, English, Chinese, and Korean. This groundbreaking digital archive project launched in January 2026 lets you explore details invisible to the naked eye from anywhere in the world.
Discover where and when to avoid wearing perfume in Japan, including Japanese restaurants, sushi bars, hospitals, and funerals. Learn about Japan's unique "unscented culture" and understand why fragrance etiquette matters so much in this country known for its consideration of others.
