Art & Culture

Dining with Geisha and Delving Into Kyoto’s Cinematic History at the Kyoto International Film and Art Festival

Popular actor Tadanobu Asano picked up the Toshiro Mifune Award at this year’s Kyoto International…

Exploring the UNESCO and Anime-Inspiring Wonders of the Hokuriku Region

A three-day tour of the Hokuriku region began in Kanazawa and ended in Toyama. Along…

48 Hours in Sanjo-Tsubame: Meet Top Japanese Artisans and Try Metalworking

We arrived just in time to catch a glimpse of the sweat, blood, and tears…

Tsutaya Dedicated To Japanese Pop Culture Opens in Ikebukuro

Whether it’s idol music, manga, anime or video games, Japanese pop culture is a huge…

The Ninth Okinawa International Movie Festival: Sun, Stars, and Sustainable Development

Now in its ninth-year Okinawa International Movie Festival has become much more than a movie event.…

Yubari’s Film Festival Is a Fantastic, Unpretentious Romp Amidst the Snow

Full of sex, blood and lots of snow, Yubari International Fantastic Film Festival is truly…

A Wedding Chapel as Lovely as the Landscape That Surrounds It

A pair of spiral staircases give this unique wedding chapel an immediate appeal – and…

The People of Okinawa: Meet Three Creative Locals

The islands of Okinawa are having a moment: tourist numbers are climbing as the world…

Why Three Days in Ishikawa Prefecture Just Isn’t Enough Time

Ishikawa Prefecture has always been an intriguing travel destination, but the lack of a direct…

Teenage Author and Illustrator Draws Her Own Conclusions About Life in Japan

It’s not often you meet a teenager who has written and illustrated a book based…

Be Dazzled at Hakone’s Glass Forest Museum

Take a glittering tour of one of Hakone’s classic museums. Like the art form of…

Take a Journey into the Heart at The Museum of the Little Prince

The Museum of the Little Prince in Hakone offers a trip into outer space –…

Get on Board This High-Speed Gallery on Rails

In Japan, it certainly wouldn’t be far-fetched for someone to hop on a Shinkansen in…

Book and Bed Hostel Looks To Be a Bookworm Traveler’s Dream

This new budget getaway in Tokyo is turning the page on conventional hostel concepts. Rather…

Kyoto International Film & Art Festival 2015

Like the city in which it’s based, Kyoto International Film and Art Festival revels in…