Travel
Climbing Mount Fuji in 2026: Rules, Fees, and Permits
Mount Fuji's free-for-all climbing era is over. What the mandatory ¥4,000 fee, the Yoshida Trail cap, and the new curfew actually mean for your climb.
2 min read
Japan, unfiltered
Real Japan,
beyond the guidebook.
Unfiltered guides to Japanese culture, food, travel, and the wonderfully weird traditions you won't find in a typical guidebook.
特集
This week's read
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文化CultureThe customs, manners, and unspoken rules that shape daily life in Japan.食Food & DrinkWhat to eat, where to eat it, and how to order without the guesswork.旅TravelRoutes, neighbourhoods, and day trips worth rearranging your itinerary for.奇習Weird & WonderfulThe delightfully strange side of Japan that no guidebook bothers to explain.実用Practical GuidesTrains, money, etiquette, connectivity — the logistics of getting around Japan.
最新記事
Latest stories
01Practical Guides
Japan's New Tourist Taxes and Fees in 2026
The departure tax triples, Kyoto's accommodation tax now scales with room price, and tax-free shopping changes how refunds work. What actually changed in 2026.
2 min
02Practical Guides
The Shinkansen Oversized Luggage Rule, Explained
Bring a big suitcase on the Tokaido, Sanyo, or Kyushu Shinkansen without the free reservation, and staff can charge you ¥1,000 on the spot. Here's the actual rule.
2 min
03Travel
Japan's Original Castles vs Its Concrete Reconstructions
Almost every famous 'castle' on a Japan itinerary is a 20th-century rebuild. Only twelve still have a keep that actually predates 1868 — here's which ones.
2 min
04Travel
Osaka in 24 Hours
Osaka gets treated as a Kyoto side trip, which undersells it badly. A tight one-day route covering the castle, Shinsekai, and Dotonbori properly.
2 min
05Culture
Yokai: The Real Places Behind Japan's Monster Folklore
Yokai are having a very online second life through anime, but the folklore is centuries old and tied to real, visitable places — starting with a Tottori port town.
2 min
06Food & Drink
Gyoza Capital of Japan: Utsunomiya vs Hamamatsu
Two mid-sized cities have spent years fighting over which one eats the most gyoza, decided annually by a government statistics agency. Here's who's actually winning.
2 min
07Culture
Japan's Onsens Are Quietly Dropping the Tattoo Ban
The 'no tattoos at onsen' rule is one of the most repeated pieces of Japan travel advice, and it's slowly becoming less true. Here's where things actually stand.
2 min
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08Weird & Wonderful
Kissaten: Japan's Disappearing Retro Coffee Shops
Japan is opening specialty cafes at a steady clip while losing its old-school kissaten at a rate that makes the sento decline look gentle. Here's the actual scale of it.
2 min
09Food & Drink
Kakigori Boom: Japan's Shaved Ice Obsession
Japan is getting measurably hotter, and its response has turned shaved ice into a category with queues, reservations, and price tags to match.
2 min
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10Travel
Why Everyone Is Suddenly Visiting Sapporo
Travel searches for Sapporo are up 31% while Tokyo and Osaka barely moved. Here's what's actually driving the shift north, and how to plan around it.
3 min
11Food & Drink
The Ticket Machine at the Ramen Shop: How to Actually Use It
The vending machine by the door isn't decoration — it's how you order. The history behind Japan's ticket-machine restaurants, and exactly how to use one.
3 min
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12Culture
Sento: Japan's Neighborhood Bathhouses, and Why They're Disappearing
Not an onsen, not a spa — the sento is a regulated, cheap, deeply local institution that's vanishing fast. What makes it different, and why it's worth seeking out now.
3 min
動画
Every article starts as a video.
Japan Off Script films the streets, the meals, and the customs these guides are written about. Watch first, read after.