Travel Information for Japan

Sakura Cherry Blossom Calendar Forecast for 2010

It’s Hanami season again. Hanami is the traditional viewing of cherry blossoms in Japan. The season is just about starting out now with the earliest bloom scheduled for about March 14th in Fukuoka and the latest cherry blossom blooming scheduled for Sapporo and above, starting in the first few days of May. If you don’t [...]

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More Japan Airfare Discounts Possibly on the Way

More Korean budget airlines are offering service to Japan’s airports, including Kansai International (KIX). This could mean cheaper airfares to and from Japan if you are willing to go through Korea. The airport in Seoul is really nice so that should not be a big problem if you are willing to have a long layover. [...]

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Airline Tickets in Japan Advice

Yet again I had to buy airline tickets to travel internationally starting and ending in Japan. Faced with two main options, JTB and H.I.S., again, I gave both of them a chance for my business. I’ll tell my story here, then end with some advice I’d like to give people about buying airline tickets in [...]

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More on Using Cash and Credit Cards in Japan

This is an update to a previous post about using credit cards and atm cards in Japan. I have recently gone around Japan with some friends, and although most places I go take credit cards (Visa and Mastercard are the most widely accepted), I have recently been to a few family restaurant chains, and less [...]

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Hotel Okura Tokyo Review

When it comes to hotels in Japan, prices and services can vary greatly, but it’s important to note right off the bat that the price of a hotel is not necessary a reliable indicator of a hotel’s quality and services. I recently had occasion to stay at the Hotel Okura in Tokyo. I have also [...]

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Tanabata Festival and Tanabata Light-Down

July 7th in Japan is not a national holiday. Schools are open, banks and post offices are open, and life goes on as normal. However culturally July 7th is something of a holiday. I guess you can think of it as on the level of Halloween in the U.S., and like Halloween, it is mostly [...]

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