On winter evenings, the rivers around Nakanoshima turn into Osaka’s own “river of lights” – bridges glowing, historic buildings lit up, and reflections spreading across the dark water like a shimmering sea of clouds. The Nakanoshima Illumination Cruise lets you glide right through that scenery for a short, magical night cruise in the heart of…
On December nights in Sendai, the “City of Trees” turns into a city of light. Zelkova trees along Jozenji-dori Avenue are wrapped in hundreds of thousands of LEDs, forming a glowing golden tunnel known as the Sendai Pageant of Starlight—the largest winter illumination in the Tohoku region. Instead of weaving through the crowds on foot,…
In the depths of Hokkaido winter, Lake Shikotsu feels like a hidden Arctic lagoon, with snow-draped shores, sharp volcanic peaks, and crystal-clear “Shikotsu Blue” water on one of Japan’s deepest and clearest caldera lakes. Most of the year it remains ice-free, but when the shallow edges freeze, you can join a Lake Shikotsu Ice Walk—a…
Picture this: it’s still dark when you step into the snow, your breath curling in the air as the first hint of pink creeps over the horizon. As you climb, frost-covered trees sparkle around you and, if the conditions are right, a soft white “sea of clouds” pools below, hiding Lake Kussharo like a secret…
There’s something refreshingly different about exploring Japan’s northernmost island on two wheels. In Kitami, Hokkaido — famously known as Mint Town — travelers can embark on a unique cycling journey that awakens the senses with crisp air, scenic countryside views, and the unmistakable scent of Hakka mint floating through the breeze. Why Kitami Is Japan’s…
A crisp crunch underfoot, a cobalt sea riven with floating ice, and—tucked in a snowy cove—a frozen waterfall sculpted into pale-blue columns. This short, guided snowshoe in Abashiri is the easy, photogenic way to meet Hokkaido’s winter up close. Quick Facts Why this Experience Each winter, sea ice forms around the mouth of Russia’s Amur…
In deepest winter, eastern Hokkaido stages one of Japan’s great wildlife spectacles: red-crowned cranes (tancho) dancing and calling across snowy fields and mist-veiled rivers. Tsurui Village, on the edge of Kushiro Marsh, is the country’s most reliable place to see them, especially during the feeding season when birds gather in large numbers. At a Glance…
Every winter the Sea of Okhotsk pushes vast “ryūhyō” (drift ice) onto Abashiri’s coast; Japan’s most accessible place to witness a frozen sea. The Aurora sightseeing icebreaker plows through the floes on an approximately 60-minute cruise with heated cabins and open decks for photos. Pair the sailing with the Abashiri Prison Museum and Okhotsk Ryuhyo…
Glowing mini snow huts along a quiet riverside. Steam rising from the mountain hot springs. Juicy, just-picked strawberries under a cosy greenhouse roof. This winter day trip wraps three Japan icons—Yunishigawa Onsen’s Kamakura Snow House Festival, Heike no Sato folk village, and Tochigi’s famed strawberries—into one easy, photogenic adventure from Tokyo. Fast Facts What Makes…
See Mt. Fuji glow under winter skies. By day, wander between ice towers at Saiko; by night, watch fireworks bloom over Lake Kawaguchi. Quick Facts Why Does this Trip Rule Winter air is crisp and dry around Fuji, which means punchy fireworks colors and, when the lake is calm, mirror-like reflections you rarely get in…
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