North of Tokyo is a land of monsters and at night the monsters are lit up in a chilly, spooky, multicoloured display! Zao Onsen is an ancient Onsen town, a ski resort and one of three places in Japan where you can see Juhyo or snow monsters. The bitter Siberian winds whip over the mountains…
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Hidden in the hills of Japan, is a magical onsen town where wooden multi-story ryokans are camped right on the banks of the river. The cobblestone streets, gaslights and red bridges that criss-cross the river add to the romance and nostalgia of this charming town. Ginzan Onsen was founded in the 1400’s. The town took…
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Universal Studios Japan or USJ, as it’s known locally, is located in Osaka. It is smaller than the Disney parks but just as popular, and for any Harry Potter fan it’s a must! USJ is split into sections or worlds (check out the map here): Hollywood, New York, San Francisco, Minion Park, Jurassic Park, Waterworld,…
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Kumamoto Castle suffered extensive damage in the 2016 Earthquake. The Castle is under reconstruction and although the castle itself is not open, some of the grounds and viewing areas are currently open. See below for further details about planned castle unveiling. Kato Kiyomasa directed the building of Kumamoto Castle in 1601-1607. Kumamoto is Japan’s third…
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Mount Aso is the largest active volcano in Japan and is located in Aso Kuju National Park in Kumamoto on the island of Kyushu in southern Japan. The day we went, the rope way and walking paths to the crater were closed due to volcanic activity so we could not walk right up to the…
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Have you ever wished you could design your own flavour of Cup Noodles? At the Cup Noodle museum your dreams can come true! Even if this has never been your dream, a visit to the birthplace of Cup Noodles is a must while in Japan and the kids will love it! There are two Cup…
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North of Tokyo is a little wonderland that will take you back in time, back to the Edo period, a time when Samurai and Ninja walked Japan. Edo Wonderland Nikko Edomura is an amazing theme park where you can roam the streets with Samurai and Ninja and explore what life was like in the Edo…
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Mount Takao or Takaosan is a beautiful mountain hike with a view of Mount Fuji and it’s an easy day trip from Tokyo! Mount Takao is West of Tokyo and is a mountain that offers not only hiking and amazing views but lots of places to explore including a Monkey Park, temple and Onsen. It’s…
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Tokyo is the busy bustling heart of Japan. However, amongst this bustle, you will find parks and gardens, oasis of tranquillity right in the heart of the city. Tokyo has a population over one and a half times greater than the population of all of Australia in a space that is one sixth of the…
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