Visit2Japan

20/01/2024

Can you believe this tranquil place is part of Tokyo? 😮 Full of small fishing 🎣 ports, sandy beaches 🏖️and friendly communities, the capital’s island chain, which stretches hundreds of kilometres south, is definitely worth a visit! 🤩🤗

05/01/2024

Happy New Year from Namba Yasaka Shrine in Osaka!

Did you know that this 12-metre tall lion head is believed to swallow evil spirits and bring good luck, which makes it a popular shrine to visit at the start of the new year.

All the best for 2024!

31/10/2023

Japanese omotenashi (hospitality) at its finest, as three staff await guests at this traditional ryokan inn.

18/10/2023

Hot air balloons brighten the sky, day and night, at the International Balloon Fiesta in Saga Prefecture! The 2023 event will be held over November 1–5. To find out more about this dynamic festival, check out our latest story!

Hot air balloons brighten the sky, day and night, at the International Balloon Fiesta in Saga Prefecture.

16/10/2023

Visiting Kyoto, Japan while on your trip? Then find out more about this fascinating attraction in the heart of the historic city.

Dating from 1164, Sanjusangen-do Temple is renowned for its 1,001 statues of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of compassion, and its history of archery competitions. Read more:

A site renowned for 1,001 Buddhist statues and a history of archery

10/10/2023

Beautiful Kokura Castle sits atop this rocky fortification in Kitakyushu. Did you know it has the sixth-highest castle tower in Japan!

📍Kitakyushu, Fukuoka Prefecture

21/06/2023

The maneki-neko (lucky cat) figurines pictured here are said to have been created because of the legend of a lucky cat seen in the 17th century at Gotoku-ji, a Zen Buddhist temple in the Setagaya Ward of Tokyo.

Having one of these cat figurines, paired with an attitude of gratitude, is said to bring happiness and luck to your life.

The temple is home to thousands of these cute figurines!

📍Setagaya, Tokyo

20/06/2023

Japan is known for its kaiju (or giant monsters). This giant gorilla statue is located on a commercial building on Chazawa-dori, a street in Sangenjaya known for shopping and dining.

📍 Sangenjaya, Tokyo

19/06/2023

Evening is a magical time of day. Normal life at Tokyo's Yanaka Ginza looks special with this orange sunset. While Japan is losing its old-style shopping street, “shotengai”, this place takes you back to Japan around the 1950s. Time here feels different. Yuyake Dandan, meaning Sunset Stairs, is a wonderful place to drop by and take pictures.

📍Yanaka Ginza, Taito-ku, Tokyo

20/03/2023

Yes, it’s a mud onsen hot spring 😮
This naturally occurring mud at Sakura Onsen is sourced from nearby volcanic ground and has been used for decades to make skin beautifully smooth and soft.

📍Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture

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20/03/2023

Minami-Satsuma is a great place for a bike ride thanks to extensive cycling 🚴‍♀️ routes and beautiful 😍 scenery.

📍Minami-Satsuma, Kagoshima Prefecture

20/03/2023

Spot the person! The man standing at the foot of this impressive waterfall shows just how truly massive it is!

📍Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture

20/03/2023

The beautiful sands of Amami Oshima! This beautiful subtropical island 🏝️ in southern Japan is ideal for swimming, snorkelling 🤿 or simply relaxing on the beach!

📍Amami Oshima

20/03/2023

Did you know that honkaku shochu, the single distilled shochu made in Kagoshima using only Kagoshima-sourced ingredients, has a similar effect on the body as red wine? It is rich in urokinase, a thrombolytic enzyme much like polyphenol, which aids blood circulation. Unlike wine, though, shochu is often served mixed—with hot or cold water, green tea or soda—or simply poured over ice.

This is Meijigura, one distillery that makes honkaku shochu.

📍Makurazaki, Kagoshima Prefecture

18/03/2023

Samurai performers prepare for a demonstration of their amazing swordsmanship.

Their intricate armor is made in Marutake Sangyo, Kagoshima Prefecture, which makes an estimated 90% of all samurai armor made in Japan for TV programs, movies, museum exhibits and so on.

15/03/2023

Mother and baby 🙉take a rest on the side of the road on Yakushima. This island 🏝️ is home to an estimated 12,000 wild macaques - outnumbering the human population!

📍Yakushima, Kagoshima Prefecture

13/03/2023

Arahira Shrine sits on the edge of a beach 🏝️ on the shore of Kinko Bay. Visit at low tide to follow the sandy path to the small, leafy shrine building or visit at sunset for beautiful ocean views featuring this red torii gate.

📍Kanoya, Kagoshima Prefecture

11/03/2023

Can you believe it’s possible to stay here? Thus is the requisite ryokan Japanese inn Wasure-no-sato Gajoen, which boasts leafy surrounds, private accommodation in individual traditional houses, organic food and even free-range chickens 🐓 roaming the grounds! You’re guaranteed the freshest eggs in the morning!

📍Kirishima, Kagoshima Prefecture

20/02/2023

A stunning kimono made from Amami Oshima Tsumugi. This silk dates from 1,300 years ago and is considered one of the world’s “three great fabrics.”

You can see beautiful examples of this fabric in all kinds of Amami Oshima products, from kimono to handkerchiefs.

📍Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture

17/02/2023

In Ibusuki, the hot spring of choice is the sand bath! This unique onsen heats the body deep inside thanks to naturally occurring geothermal heat under the beach.

Simply change into a cotton yukata robe, wrap your hair in a towel and stroll to the shore where staff will gently bury you in sand for ten minutes and place an umbrella over you to keep off any sun.

Afterwards, you’re sure to feel relaxed and invigorated!

📍Ibusuki, Kagoshima Prefecture

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16/02/2023

This massive white torii gate marks the entrance to Terukuni Shrine, which was founded in 1864.

It’s a popular spot due it it’s central downtown location and adjacent leafy park and square - both great for relaxing, having something to eat or people-watching.

📍Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture

15/02/2023

Almost everywhere you turn in Japan, there are amazing artisans!

This man is blowing and cutting Satsuma Kiriko, a glass that originates from Kagoshima Prefecture and has some 150 years of history.

Visitors can catch all the action in real time at Sengan-en in Kagoshima City.

📍Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture

14/02/2023

One of Japan’s newest UNESCO World Heritage Sites: the stunning Amami Oshima.

Visitors can kayak through these mangroves or walk on boardwalks around them to spot the wildlife.

📍Amami Oshima, Kagoshima Prefecture

14/02/2023

Although a city, Nagasaki Prefecture's Minami-shimabara is more like a grouping of sleepy coastal towns and villages, having been formed in 2006 by the merging of eight settlements.

Each retains its own distinctive character, making the area a truly diverse and unique destination.

Visitors can stroll the network of walking paths, visit fascinating museums, explore the bustling ports or relax on the white-sand beaches.

Find out more:

Although a city, Minami-shimabara is more like a grouping of sleepy coastal towns and villages, having been formed in 2006 by the merging of eight settlements. Each retains its own distinctive character, making the area a truly diverse and unique destination. Visitors can stroll the network of walki...

24/01/2023

Sakurajima is beautiful on a winter’s day! The puff of smoke you can see is from the volcano, which is one of Japan’s most active.

📍Kagoshima City, Kagoshima Prefecture