NATURE

This city up north is no stranger to natural beauty. Nicknamed as the City of Trees, Sendai is an urban center that boasts of numerous tree-lined avenues, shrines, and parks. Come spring time, like the rest of Japan, it awaits that brief time period when pink cherry blossoms (sakura) take over t...

Kamakura is a beautiful coastal town that is located less than an hour away in the southern part of Tokyo. It is well known for the Daibutsu (Great Buddha Statue) and the many temples and shrines in the surrounding area. Without a doubt, Kamakura is filled with many natural attractions. Even tho...

Occupying the northeastern section of Japan’s main island Honshu, Tohoku region is without a doubt one of the most picturesque areas in the country. It is known for its remote landscapes, nostalgic castle towns, and rural way of living. Needless to say, all these are made more dreamy in spring w...

Nikko is well known for its scenic beauty surrounded by natural attractions such as mountains, marshlands, and lakes. It is also famous for the ornate and multicolored carvings on Nikko Toshogu Shrine, the World Heritage site. Nikko Toshogu Shrine serves as the final resting place of Shogun Toku...

Oirase Gorge is a famous picturesque spot for every visitor to Aomori Prefecture. Oirase Gorge gets the largest number of visitors in autumn when the leaves get colored, but the beauty of winter is unbelievably magical. Frozen waterfalls and snowy forests will definitely one of the most magical ...

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. For a brief time, the city is bathed in hues of pink as locals and tourists alike come out in droves to witness Mother Nature showing off. Why Sakura season is highly anticipated in Japan needs no explanation. A more relevant question to ask, however, is...

Known for its hot springs, sprawling nature, and majestic views of Mt. Fuji, Hakone is one of the most popular side trip options from Tokyo. Only an hour and a half ride by train, it is near enough for a day’s worth of excursion. However, the best way to consume its beauty is to wind

The weather got warmer a little bit, and we started seeing plum flowers on streets in Tokyo! Plum flowers, in Japanese “Ume”, is iconic flowers to us Japanese like cherry blossoms. In the past, when Japanese think about flowers, they imagined about plum flowers. Plum flowers often appear in old ...

Nikko provides the perfect setting for those who want to combine exploring nature with a bit of reflection. The area is so beautiful – it almost seems like an escape to a distant world. Blessed with mountain landscapes and centuries-old monuments, it sure is one of those places to leave you gapi...

Walking the streets of Harajuku gives you a sense of adventure. It’s a place where you can find surprises in every corner. An amazing place where you can dine, shop, play and explore the unique culture that can only be found in Japan. Harajuku is a haven for teenagers and you’ll often see them i...

Tokyo may be notorious for being a dense urban concrete jungle, but good thing it has more than enough pockets of green to make city life more breathable. Scattered around the metro are scenic Japanese gardens of various scales, where anyone looking to find a piece of quiet can surely enjoy a re...

When it comes to class, no other neighborhood in Tokyo can beat Ginza. Not only is it the center of high-end retail shopping, but it is also where the latest trends from the world over converge with timeless traditions. Whether it’s fashion, art, or cuisine, what you will witness is the result o...

BE A LOCAL is a part of Hub Japan’s service to match local Japanese people and tourists from overseas. This is a report of the day local Japanese hosts took guests to Sugamo, Rikugien Garden, and Yanesen. – BE A LOCAL Report 1 – Tour to Ueno, Meiji Shrine, and Harajuku We received a request to

Shinjuku is full of amazing things to do all of which are great shows of Japanese culture and scenery. It shows both the new and old with Hanazono Shrine being the old to Cat Cafe Calico being the new. There is great scenery at places like Shinjuku Gyoen National Park. There is surely something ...