We had a wonderful presentation on How to Travel Japan Responsibly at this year’s Atlanta Japan Fest. We met some great people and enjoyed sharing our knowledge about Japan with everyone.
Choosing the best time to visit Japan is just as important as choosing your destinations. It could be the difference between a trip of a lifetime or a mild nightmare.
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Takayama holds one of the most beautiful festivals in Japan. Three hundred year old floats elegantly decorated with intricate carvings, dolls, curtains, and lacquerware parade the streets.
The festival takes place twice a year, in the spring and in the fall. The Spring Festival or Sanno Matsuri is held every Read more
The Kishiwada Danjiri Festival, or Danjiri Matsuri, dates back over 300 years and is held every year in September in Osaka. Around 500,000 tourists visit Kishiwada to experience this exciting festival.
Danjiri are traditional floats used in festivals in Japan. The floats at this festival are hand-made from wood and Read more
Mount Fuji is the highest mountain in Japan and is open to climbers for only a couple of months of the year. The climbing season starts on July 1 and opens with an official ceremony at Kitaguchi Hongu Fuji Sengen Jinja, a shrine in Yamanashi prefecture at the base of Read more
Hamamatsu, known as the windy city, is an excellent place for a kite festival. Every year in May, the 450-year old Hamamatsu Festival, or Hamamatsu Matsuri, features around 170 gigantic kites that take to the sky at Nakatajima Dunes in a beautiful display.
Each kite, measuring 3.5 x 3.5 meters, Read more
The Fuji Rock Festival is Japan’s largest outdoor music festival held every year at the Naeba Ski Resort in Niigata Prefecture. It is a 3-day event that draws in over 100,000 people from all over the world.
This year, the event will be held July 28-30. The lineup includes musicians Read more
Anime Japan, one of the largest anime fairs in the world, will take place at Tokyo Big Sight on March 25-26 this year.
There will be over 150 exhibition booths, Cosplayer’s World, a Food Park, and shopping. Exhibition booths include Japanese and foreign production companies, toys, games, and software. Read more
Cherry blossom viewing, or hanami, is a big event in Japan. Every year, forecasts are released recommending the best time frame to view the cherry blossoms in each area of Japan. There is only about a week and a half to enjoy the cherry blossoms, so the viewing is celebrated Read more
Every year more than 200,000 people visit Lake Shikotsu in Hokkaido to view beautiful ice sculptures during the Hyoto Matsuri or Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival.
The ice sculptures take on a beautiful blue color during the daytime and are lit up with multi-colored lights starting at 4:30 in the evening. Read more
Becki and Shawn
Japan Travel Specialists
Hi, we’re Becki and Shawn! We love Japan and are truly passionate about Japan and Japan travel.
We’ve lived, worked, and traveled in Japan for 20+ years, so we know where to go, what to see, and how to get there. Join us in Japan for an adventure of a lifetime!
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CloseFall 2019 – Takayama Festival
Becki or Shawn will meet you at the airport and take you to your hotel.
Free time to explore the area and view the architecture of Tokyo Station.
Start your adventure off by visiting Tsukiji’s lively and historic Outer Market with vendors selling fresh seafood and produce.
Then head over to Asakusa to explore Senso-ji, Tokyo’s oldest Buddhist temple built in 645 AD.
Included Welcome Dinner at a Japanese Izakaya.
Ride the Japanese bullet train, or Shinkansen, one of the three fastest trains in the world.
Take a day-trip to Nikko and see the elaborately decorated tomb of Tokugawa at Toshogu Shrine. The World Heritage Site is covered in beautiful wood carvings and gold leaf.
View the vermillion painted Sacred Bridge.
Travel to Lake Kawaguchi to view the magnificence of Mount Fuji. Stay in a traditional Japanese ryokan, soak in a mineral-rich hot spring onsen (private bath available upon request), and have an authentic Japanese Kaiseki dinner. This will be a very memorable experience!
Included Dinner at Ryokan.
Travel to Matsumoto and visit Matsumoto Castle, one of only five original castles in Japan and a National Treasure.
See the nicely preserved shopping streets of the historic Nakamachi District.
Optional Homestay Dinner with a Japanese family (if available).
In the morning, visit Zenko-ji Temple, founded in the 7th century, and experience a Buddhist morning service.
Then, head to Kanazawa to see the restored Geisha entertainment district of Higashi Chaya, the Nagamachi Samurai district, Onomichi Market, and the Kenrokuen Garden, one of three most beautiful landscape gardens in Japan.
Slip back to earlier time and enjoy the beautifully preserved post towns of Magome and Tsumago in the Kiso Valley. The towns used to serve travelers on the Nakasendo Trail, the route connecting Tokyo and Kyoto during the Edo Period.
Walk a section of the Nakasendo Trail through the countryside of Japan with bamboo forests, rice terraces, and waterfalls.
Take a day trip to Kyoto. Visit the World Heritage Site of Kiyomizu Temple and walk the Higashiyama District with old wooden houses and shops.
Then, visit the geisha district of Gion and enjoy a delicious Included Kaiseki Dinner with geisha.
Included Farewell Dinner.
Travel back to Tokyo and enjoy some free time to explore the city or shop for souvenirs.
Check out of the hotel and head to Narita Airport.
