Escape from Tokyo: Day trips from the capital
Got a spare day and not sure what to do? Russell Thomas suggests some easy day trips from Tokyo, whether you're after sake, art, history, mountains, shrines, festivals or flood defenses.
Popular Mount Hakone tourist site reopens after volcanic alert level drops
A popular tourist site on Mount Hakone was reopened Friday, ending a six-month closure caused by an increase in the volcanic alert level in the hot spring resort area, local authorities said. The Owakudani valley district, famous for its sulfur vents and geothermal hot springs, ...
Closed typhoon-hit trails in Japan put damper on rush to view autumn leaves
November typically sees a surge in hikers seeking to enjoy autumn leaves, but several trails in Kamakura, Hakone and other destinations across Kanagawa Prefecture — and elsewhere in the Kanto region — remain closed indefinitely after two powerful typhoons tore through the country in ...
TPP negotiators gather in Japan to confirm domestic progress toward full ratification
Chief negotiators from the 11 signatories to the Trans-Pacific Partnership gathered Wednesday in Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, to check on their progress with domestic procedures to ratify the pact, amid fears of a trade war. During talks through Thursday, negotiators will also discuss how to welcome ...
With self-parking slippers, Nissan drives hospitality to a new level
Old traditions are constantly being updated with new technology, and one ryokan (guesthouse) is making use of automated driving technology to offer the latest in hands-free hospitality — self-driving slippers. Nissan Motor Co. has developed a system for slippers to "park" themselves at the entrance ...
TPP chief negotiators meet to hash out deal with or without U.S.
Chief negotiators from the 11 Trans-Pacific Partnership countries met Wednesday in the hot-spring resort town of Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture, to discuss how to breathe fresh life into the massive free trade deal after the U.S. withdrew. Kazuyoshi Umemoto, the chair of the meeting, said at ...
Dipping into Hakone's more unusual hot spas
"I love red wine, it's my favorite thing!" These are perhaps not the words that a mother particularly likes to hear from her young daughter — especially when she is only 4 years old. But this was precisely what my daughter told me when we ...
Hakone: a paradise for the 'onsen' aficionado
Those seeking to escape the hustle and bustle of Japan's big cities will find what they are looking for in a hot-spring paradise hidden deep in a forest. Located about 90 kilometers west of Tokyo, Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture is a famous onsen (hot springs) ...
Wine lovers in Japan toasted the release of this year's vintage of Beaujolais Nouveau on Nov. 17 by swimming in a hot-spring bath mixed with the renowned French tipple. A sommelier was on hand to pour wine over the dozens of attendees at the 11th ...
Odakyu plans to debut new luxurious Romancecar on Hakone run in 2018
Odakyu Electric Railway Co. has unveiled a new design for its signature Romancecar limited express train connecting Tokyo with the hot-spring resort of Hakone in Kanagawa Prefecture. The new train will offer luxurious trips to and from the famed area near to Mount Fuji. The 70000 ...
Hakone in hot water: Romance, gimlets and raunchy 'onsen'
"I think they're having an affair," murmurs my companion, the ever-observant Megumi. She nods at a middle-aged couple sitting next to us on the "Romance Car," the limited express train that links Tokyo and the hot-spring resort of Hakone, Kanagawa Prefecture. "How can you tell?" ...
Supporters share 'ekiden' drama with athletes
As Daichi Kamino crossed the finish line at the end of the first day of last year's Tokyo-Hakone collegiate ekiden (relay marathon) championship, he ran straight into the arms of his ecstatic teammates. Kamino ensured Aoyama Gakuin University had a day to remember, seizing the ...
