About an hour away via train to the north of Tokyo is Saitama Prefecture. In this prefecture lies Chichibu, a city amidst the beauty of nature. The lush mountains that surround the town contribute to its peaceful and relaxing atmosphere. It was only recently that Chichibu started to actively promote itself as a tourist destination.…

Everyone knows that spring is a great time to visit Japan for the cherry blossoms but few people realise that there are lots of other great flower festivals in and around Tokyo that are just as pretty as the sakura. Kameido Tenjin Wisteria Festival (Fuji Matsuri) Author’s photo Kameido Tenjin is one of the best…

As the weather gets warmer and it starts to feel more like spring, we know it is the season of sakura (cherry blossoms). During sakura season, many tourists from all around the world visit Japan to enjoy the beauty of this iconic flower which has become the symbol of spring in Japan. However, not every…

Spring is one of the best seasons to go trekking in the Japanese mountains as you have the chance to admire the beautiful spring flowers. Choosing which mountain to go trekking on can be very confusing as Japan is a mountainous country. If you’re living near Tokyo, you can go to Mt. Buko which is…

Sakura blossoms are a symbol of Japan and are one of the flowers that have been loved for centuries. This beauty has therefore been preserved through many works of art with sakura themes such as paintings, haiku and tanka poetry. When you imagine sakura, what kind of scene comes to mind? Brilliantly colored petals, several…

The time to enjoy the beautiful view of cherry blossoms in Japan is fast approaching and along with that is the preparation of many foreign visitors who will come to Japan to see and experience those sights. While there are a number of sights to look out for, which one would really be worth the…