In Itoigawa, Niigata, a hamlet with just 2 year-round residents has launched a 'whole-village rental' stay experience. Guests sleep in a 200-year-old farmhouse and experience the entire village, rice paddies, spring water, snow, as their accommodation. A new model for reviving Japan's vanishing communities.
A new manhole cover featuring a fertility god symbol has appeared in Ninohe, Iwate Prefecture. Discover Japan's unique manhole art culture, the booming manhole card collecting hobby, and the connection to festivals like Kanamara Matsuri.
JTB and MOTO TOURS JAPAN have partnered to develop premium motorcycle tourism for affluent travelers from the West and ASEAN. Discover Japan's legendary riding routes and how to rent a bike as a foreign visitor in the homeland of Honda, Yamaha, Kawasaki, and Suzuki.
Tourists are throwing thousands of coins into the pristine spring-fed ponds of Oshino Hakkai, a UNESCO World Heritage site near Mt. Fuji. The coins poison koi fish with copper and zinc. Here's why this must stop and what Japan is doing about it.
The only Starbucks on a bullet train platform in Japan is temporarily closing for renovations after overwhelming popularity exceeded expectations. Explore Japan's unique ekinaka station culture and what makes Shinkansen travel special.
On March 28, 2026, Tokyo Aqua Symphony — one of the world's largest fountain shows — debuted at Odaiba Seaside Park. Featuring a 150m-high water jet and 250m-wide cherry blossom fountains set to Dragon Quest music, this free spectacle performs 10 times daily against Rainbow Bridge and Tokyo Tower.
The Edo-Tokyo Museum in Ryogoku reopened on March 31, 2026 after a four-year renovation. Featuring new exhibits including life-size models, projection mapping, and immersive Edo-period experiences, plus nearby sumo attractions and travel tips.
Japan's Cabinet approved a new 5-year tourism plan expanding overtourism countermeasures from 47 to 100 regions by 2030, tripling the departure tax to ¥3,000 ($19). Learn about specific measures in Kyoto, Mt. Fuji, and Kamakura, plus how to enjoy Japan responsibly.
On March 28, 2026, Nagoya City Science Museum unveiled 'Railway Square,' featuring the world's only surviving German-made B6 steam locomotive from 1904. Powered by compressed air, this 120-year-old engine now moves its wheels, sounds its whistle, and puffs smoke in downtown Nagoya — for free. Includes a rail fan travel route with SCMAGLEV and Railway Park and Meiji-mura.
Oriental Land Company, operator of Tokyo Disney Resort, established a subsidiary on April 3 to launch Japan's first Disney cruise in fiscal 2028. A $2.2 billion investment and a new ship based on the Disney Wish, carrying 4,000 passengers out of Tokyo. Plus the 208,000-ton Disney Adventure port call in February, and where Japan's cruise market actually stands.
JR Central and JTB have launched the Hokusai Special Train, a foreign-tourist-only sightseeing train running from Mishima to Fujinomiya with Mt. Fuji views and Ukiyo-e art interiors. Part of a full-day tour at $151, this is Japan's latest approach to premium inbound tourism. Here's everything you need to know about booking and what to expect.