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Places We Love: Kanazawa
In the heart of the beautiful Hokuriku region, on the coast of the Japan Sea, Kanazawa is one of Japan’s loveliest and best-preserved historical cities. Often compared to Kyoto (though significantly...
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The 6 Things We Love Most About Japan
It was an early spring day in Tokyo. The winter chill had just begun to give way to the first tinges of spring warmth, and I got off the train at Shibuya Station. Before walking to meet my friends, I...
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Recommended Reading for Japan: Books to Read Before Your Trip
Reading about Japan is one of the best ways to get excited for your trip, and we’ve put together a comprehensive Japan reading list for serious book lovers and light readers alike. Japan guidebooks can...
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Naoshima: Japan’s Art Island
Naoshima is a tiny island in Japan’s Inland Sea, and one of our absolute favorite places in Japan. Until the early 1990s, Naoshima was a remote and sleepy island, but — thanks in large part to an...
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We’re Hiring a Sales Ninja!
Boutique Japan is hiring a brilliant, ambitious, and experienced Sales Ninja. If you have experience designing bespoke trips for savvy world travelers in a comparable sales position, you may be the...
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You Have To Eat These Dishes in Fukuoka
Though I’ve lived in Japan for several years now, Fukuoka was never very high on my travel radar, nor was it particularly high on my list of culinary destinations. Other places and their more famous...
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Two Weeks in Japan: A Perfect Itinerary
So, you’re thinking about – or going on! – a trip to Japan. You have some ideas, but you’re not totally decided on destinations yet. And you’re looking for a little more inspiration. However you ended...
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Planning Your Visit to Tokyo’s Ghibli Museum
In Tokyo’s western suburbs you’ll find the one-of-a-kind Ghibli Museum — a fantastic and whimsical museum dedicated to the legendary Studio Ghibli film studio (often called “Japan’s Disney”)....
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You Have To Eat These Dishes in Osaka
Long-standing stereotypes about Kansai folks run as follows: Kyoto-ites spend their money on clothes; Kobe people on shoes; and Osakans blow all their cash on food. The latter phrase, kuidaore,...
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Top 6 Tips on Packing for Your Trip to Japan
One of the most common questions we get from travelers is how to pack for a trip to Japan. So we’ve put together a simple list of our Top 6 Tips on Packing for a Trip to Japan! Our tips range from the...
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You Have to Eat These Dishes in Kyoto
Kyoto is on everyone’s to-visit list, and for good reason. It’s home to hundreds of stunning temples, gorgeous gardens, and numerous alleyways concealing all manner of charms and surprises. The former...
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Cherry Blossom Season: Our Guide to Spring Travel in Japan
If you’ve ever thought about visiting Japan, you’re probably familiar with the advice that you should “go for cherry blossom season.” The annual blooming of sakura (cherry tree flowers) and...
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Cycling the Shimanami Kaido: 2 Days on the Seto Inland Sea
If you are afraid of heights, do not attempt the Shimanami Kaido. A little harsh, perhaps, but it’s what I was thinking as my legs pumped through high winds over the Seto Inland Sea. On the Innoshima —...
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Top 5 Things to Do in Japan
One of the most common questions we hear from travelers planning a Japan trip is, “Is there anything I should definitely try to see or do during my trip to Japan?” Japan has almost too many amazing...
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What To Do When It Rains In Japan
Most people seem to dread rainy days while traveling. So, for obvious reasons, tsuyu (the rainy season) — which falls around June to early July — tends to be a relatively unpopular time to visit Japan....
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Sake 101: A Beginner’s Guide to Sake
A trip to Japan would not be complete without a little sake tasting! But unless you are an avid sake drinker, it can be hard to know where to begin. To help you navigate the world of sake, we’ve done...
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A Guide to Japan’s Best Whisky Distilleries
As the popularity of Japanese whisky grows, Japan attracts travelers from around the world to explore its historic distilleries. Japanese whisky has been finding its way into homes, bars, and...
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Tokyo’s Best Off-The-Beaten-Path Neighborhoods
We often hear from travelers who want to get off the beaten path in Tokyo, and explore less touristy areas – so we’ve put together this short list of our five favorite unique Tokyo neighborhoods. As...
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Conbini 101: An Introduction to Japanese Convenience Stores
Travel logistics can be one of the least enjoyable aspects of traveling, but thanks to its legendary convenience stores — known as conbini in Japanese — traveling around Japan is surprisingly simple!...
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Guide to Visiting Tokyo’s Tsukiji Market
Tsukiji Market (Tsukiji Shijo, in Japanese) is one of Tokyo’s top attractions – and with good reason. Comprised of a bustling outer market (jogai) and inner wholesale market (jonai), Tsukiji is an...
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