Travel | BACKSTREET STORIES May 11, 2018
Slow-paced Izu Oshima is anything but sleepy
by Kit Nagamura
A mere Jetfoil away from Tokyo, travelers to Izu Oshima island can expect volcanic hikes, fresh local cuisine and an abundance of hospitality.
Travel | HOTELS & RESTAURANTS May 10, 2018
The ANA InterContinental Tokyo will offer a collaborative dinner between chefs from two restaurants — the hotel's Japanese restaurant Unkai and Odette, a two-star Michelin restaurant in Singapore, from May 24 until May 26. Titled "UNKAI's Traditional Japanese x Odette's Modern French Cuisine," the dinner ...
Travel May 4, 2018
Beat the heat with summer sports in Niseko
by Tyler Rothmar
With a pantheon of outdoor sports such as mountain biking, ziplining, hiking and more, the summer season in Hokkaido's Niseko is increasingly switched on.
Travel | HOTELS & RESTAURANTS May 3, 2018
During May and June, Grand Hyatt Tokyo's Keyakizaka teppanyaki (iron grill cooking) restaurant is offering Mother's Day and Father's Day lunch courses — the perfect way for guests to celebrate and thank their parents. The Mother's Day Premium Tasting Course is offered throughout May for ...
Travel Apr 27, 2018
A feast for the senses: Ashikaga offers travelers more than just wisteria
by Stephen Mansfield
In Tochigi Prefecture, the Ashikaga Flower Park is home to an abundance of wisteria, a plant that has been celebrated across the centuries in Japanese literature.
Travel | HOTELS & RESTAURANTS Apr 26, 2018
The InterContinental Tokyo Bay Hotel is offering a Mother's Day promotion until May 31. Every restaurant and bar will have celebratory drinks and desserts decorated with customized messages available for families. Packages that include flower bouquets, cakes, lunch and dinner plans are also available, and ...
Travel Apr 20, 2018
Fly-fishing in the remote reaches of Hokkaido
by Melissa Devaughn
Akan National Park is renowned for some of the best fly-fishing in all Japan, and anglers can expect plentiful, seasonal catch.
Travel | HOTELS & RESTAURANTS Apr 19, 2018
The Conrad Tokyo's bar and lounge TwentyEight will offer the Strawberry Royal Wedding Afternoon Tea in collaboration with Dutch jewelry company Royal Asscher between May 1 and June 30. Royal Asscher, which has a history of more than 160 years, is the only diamond jeweler ...
Travel Apr 13, 2018
Decompress from Tokyo in picturesque Ito
by Andrew Curry
An ideal trade-off between city and nature, with its rich history, relative ease of access from Tokyo and abundance of hot springs, Ito is a go-to spot for respite from the hyper-hustle of Tokyo city life.
Travel | HOTELS & RESTAURANTS Apr 12, 2018
Through Aug. 31, the Yokohama Bay Sheraton Hotel and Towers is offering accommodation plans to celebrate the renewal of its luxury floors. With the 2020 Olympics in sight, the hotel is planning a complete renewal of all rooms. The second phase of renovation was for ...
Travel Apr 12, 2018
Layers of artistic heritage in Aomori Prefecture
by Katherine Whatley
The weather is crisp when I arrive at Shin-Aomori Station via the Tohoku Shinkansen. I'm not surprised, though, the northernmost prefecture on the island of Honshu is known as a cold and isolated place. It's likely thanks to the chillier environment keeping people inside with ...
Travel | BACKSTREET STORIES Apr 6, 2018
Swordplay and samurai in Tokyo's Maruyamacho district
by Kit Nagamura
Traditional businesses are heating up in Shibuya's old geisha quarter.