New Service Offers Free WiFi In Wide Area Around Shibuya Station
When it comes to favorite meeting spots in Tokyo, few places are mentioned as frequently as the Hachiko statue in Shibuya. With its famous Shibuya…
Travel
All-You-Can-Eat Fall Buffet Is Filled With Fragrant Matsutake Mushroom Dishes and Colorful Regional Vegetables
All-you-can-eat buffets in Japan There are countless all-you-can-eat buffets in Japan, from run-of-the-mill salad bar buffets at Western cuisine restaurant chains, to hotels which offer…
Station Master Tama the Cat Remains Railroad Goddess After Her Death
JAPAN Forward, Kaichi Iwamoto Tama’s Enduring Popularity The popularity of the endearing “station master” Tama, a female calico cat on the Wakayama Electric Railway Kishigawa…
Photographer Explores Kyoto Shrine and Finds Tiny Hidden World
Fushimi Inari Taisha in Kyoto is one of the most popular tourist spots in the area. The sprawling shrine is most famous for its path…
Ushiku Buddha Japan’s Tallest Statue Lights Up With Firework Show
The Ushiku Daibutsu, a 120-metre-tall bronze figure of Buddha, is the tallest statue in Japan and third tallest in the world. Despite only being just…
Making Satsuma Shochu Liquor: A Proud Kagoshima Tradition
For the longest time, sake has taken center stage around the world. However, shochu is in fact Japan’s national alcohol, enjoyed more commonly than sake…
Nara’s Famous “Child Granting” Temple Reveals The Nature Of Japanese Power Spots
In Japan, some of the most celebrated sightseeing areas are not simply tourist attractions, but what are known as “power spots”. Power spots are believed…
Soba Restaurant with Possibly the Narrowest Entrance in Japan Puzzles Twitter
Picture the scene. You’ve been travelling around Nagano prefecture and you’re in a random countryside station called Shiojiri. You’re starving, you’ve just had a long…
Chachanoma – Green Tea Heaven in Harajuku, Tokyo
Quality and presentation seem to be the name of the game at this café off Harajuku’s Cat Street. Offering a wide range of green teas,…
A Cafe with No Staff on an Idyllic Okinawan Island? Sounds Like Paradise
With its tropical beaches, glorious weather and laid-back attitude, Okinawa is Japan’s island paradise. It’s the perfect refuge for those trying to escape the bustle…
Kyoto’s Haunted Taxi Tour Spirits You Away to the Historical Capital’s Spookiest Spots
As Japan’s former capital, Kyoto is bursting with historical charm. You can’t walk a few feet without stumbling upon something belonging to the country’s bygone…
Tattoos and Onsens – They Do Mix
Ah, the onsen—a distant dream for those with tattoos in Tokyo…or so we thought. More and more bathhouses are allowing our branded friends through the…
Japan’s Gyoza Hot Dog is the Pinnacle of Junk Food Achievement
In Japan’s food capital, an extra carby challenge awaits. The Gyoza Dog. Gyoza are a type of pan fried dumplings, commonly known as pot stickers…
Japanese Village Faces Ninja Shortage–Even With Salaries As High As $85,000
Japan’s Iga City, the birthplace of ninja, is running out of ninja in 2018. Update: Iga city officials now deny the reported salary and the…
Omiya Railway Museum Showcases Dawn of Railroads in Japan Until Sept. 30
© Japan Forward Text: Earl H. Kinmonth, Professor Emeritus, Taisho University This year is the 150th anniversary of the Meiji Restoration. In a narrow sense…