Tokyo Weekender

Colorful balloons, a DJ spinning bops and the buzz of anticipation at Yokohama’s PRagmatic Academy on a public holiday in November: it looked like the setting for a lively party. Yet, despite appearances, it was the scene of Japan’s second Strongirls Strength Festival, a women’s powerlifting competition (known as a …

Yamagata Prefecture boasts endless mountain landscapes, an abundance of terraced rice fields, 70 percent of Japan’s annual cherry yield and not a lot else. Or so the humble rural idyll would have you believe. Look closer and you will find, in the mountains of Yamagata’s northern Shonai region, Japan’s best-kept …

Owl Eyes, Australian indie-pop song writer and songstress is back in Japan for the Snow Machine Music Festival and her debut Japan tour. Owl Eyes regularly performs with Flight Facilities, including coveted slots at Coachella and Glastonbury. In 2019, Owl Eyes released two singles “You and I” and “Le Soleil” …

Jonas Blue, DJ, songwriter, record producer, pop mega-powerhouse is back in Japan for his sold out The Blueprint 2020 Tour Japan. He will be traveling to seven cities throughout his tour, starting in Tokyo and finishing in Nagoya. With his debut single “Fast Car” earning him multi-platinum, platinum and gold …

Valentine’s Day is looming around the corner. Every shopping mall, department store and major train station in Tokyo is bursting with Valentine’s Day chocolates, treats and drinks. Shibuya Scramble Square is no exception. From Valentine’s bento boxes to cocoa butter face cream, here are five ways to begin your preparation …

As Valentine’s Day falls on a Friday this year, this is the perfect date opportunity for you and your significant other. Here is our list of things to do to plan the picture perfect Valentine’s Day weekend in Tokyo. Don’t show up to your Valentine’s Day date empty-handed. Well-known for …

For those heading to Tokyu Plaza Shibuya’s public grand reopening on December 5 make sure you don’t end up at the nearby Tokyu Department Store, as it was easy for some of us to get lost and mistakenly walk to the wrong Tokyu shopping complex. Once we were within eyeshot …

While picking tea leaves in the fields of the Sayama Green Tea School, I glanced up and saw a friendly Totoro statue standing outside a neighboring house...

Until recently, Kumagaya City was a hidden gem in Japan’s rural landscape, and a place I was lucky to call home for five years. Now, with the Rugby World Cup soon approaching...

The last few years have seen sales of Japanese translated fiction booming in the West. As a result, more of these talented writers are finally being translated for people to enjoy. Here are some of the contemporary Japanese writers people are talking about, and where you should start. Author of …

Many of us have taken off our slippers to shuffle barefoot across the soft, cushioned floors of a tatami mat-covered room at some point in our lives. Although this traditional flooring is disappearing in many households, it’s still an intrinsic part of Japanese culture.

With their charmingly retro architecture and atmosphere, these traditional towns around Japan offer a glimpse back in time to the Edo period — perfect for a strolling weekend getaway.

The ultimate guide to all of Japan's national parks and what you can do there.

Nikko: one of the most famous areas in Japan, and home to Nikko Toshogu Shrine, one of the nation's most popular destinations. While it's a great starting point, we find out exactly what the area has to offer.

Every December in Japan, as the year comes to a close, groups of friends and companies gather for bonenkai, or “forget the year parties.” Here are some of the finest places to say goodbye to the year in style.

The goshuin stamp and goshuincho book is a trend that has been developing in Japan over the last few years, and is particularly popular among women. But what is it exactly, and why do people do it?

Breathtaking scenery, delicious delicacies, and colorful culture – Tohoku has it all. However, as with the rest of Japan, finding Muslim-friendly food here can prove difficult.

The rickshaw driver: a common sight around Asakusa and yet what do we know about them, other than they seem really fit?

Kimono has long been pigeon-holed as the “national costume” of Japan, but there is so much more to this "traditional" garment than first meets the eye.