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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You would be mistaken if you thought that Sumo is just big, almost naked, men trying to push each other out of a ring! Sumo is Japan’s national sport. A sport of strength and skill, bound in tradition and ritual. Sumo wrestling began as an entertainment for deities and the Sumo ring is considered a…
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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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Christmas If you are dreaming of a White Christmas in Japan you can certainly get the white and it’s easy to get to from Australia, however, Christmas is not a big celebration in Japan. You will hear Christmas music (minus the words) playing in the shops and Western shops will be wrapped up like a…
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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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One of Japans most amazing festivals is the Nozawa Onsen Fire Festival which is held each year on the 15th January in the snow fields of Nozawa Onsen. Nozawa Onsen is a picturesque hot spring town in Nagano Japan. It is famous for its multiple public onsens, the amazing ski fields and it is home…
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Okinawa is an amazing and surprising part of Japan. The Okinawa archipelago is a collection of islands in Southern Japan, some 600km south of the main islands. Okinawa has a subtropical climate and with beautiful clear waters and forested mountains, it is often called the ‘Hawaii of Japan’. Okinawa, with the presence of the US…
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