Diverse Japan

PechaKucha: Japan 23 May, Doors open at 6.00pm, lecture starts at 7pm Logan Hall, Institute of Education

Just over a year after the tsunami sent shockwaves through a country and around the world, DA&D are putting together a collection of the design and communication world’s greatest stars to share stories about Read more…

Based on the Shizuoka Tea Research Center analyses!

Diverse Japan has just been informed by Otsuka Tea Co., Ltd about the radiation test results on tea grown in the Shizuoka area (home of Mt. Fuji) undertaken by the Shizuoka Tea Research Center in cooperation with the Shizuoka Prefectural Government. And it’s good news for tea lovers!

Radioactive cesium above the regulatory limit was detected in green tea produced in Shizuoka this year due to the Read more…

Flavour and fragrance with a touch of loving care!

Otsuka Green Tea Co., Ltd in Kakegawa City, Shizuoka has just announced the beginning of a new harvest with fresh tea plucked by hand ready soon.

The company has been cultivating tea since the Edo period and produces some of the finest in Japan, rich in taste and flavour, and has acquired a mass of awards for their Read more…

The first of three new low-cost carriers will be launching in Japan this March!

The launch of three low-cost carriers in Japan in 2012 is set to reduce the cost of domestic air travel, making it cheaper for people to combine a city break in Tokyo with time relaxing on the beaches of Okinawa in Japan’s far south or skiing and snowboarding in Hokkaido in Japan’s far north.

Peach Aviation, Japan’s first dedicated low-cost carrier, will commence its first routes from its home base, Read more…

Last autumn there were many reports about the Japan Tourism Agency proposing to give away 10,000 free flights to Japan in 2012. After the proposal was reported, people from around the world sent messages to Japan National Tourism Organization saying they would like to participate in the programme to visit Japan and to help revitalize Japan’s tourism industry following the March 2011 earthquake. So it is with regret Read more…

A unique form of Japanese entertainment!

An all-female cast, extravagant costumes and splendid song and dance numbers are the essence of the Takarazuka Revue (“Mound of Treasure”). Ever since their first performance in 1914 in the city of Takarazuka, this troupe has drawn legions of fans from across the world, had a profound influence on the history of anime and manga and become a staple part of Japanese society.

The founder of this all-female revue was Read more…

Jonathan Ross spoke at the event of his great love of Japan!

Jonathan Ross and BBC Masterchef winner Tim Anderson were amongst over 250 guests who attended a Japan tourism reception at the Embassy of Japan on 11 October. The evening aimed to stimulate British demand for visiting the country after a fall in the number of visitors as a result of the earthquake and tsunami disaster over 7 Read more…

Free Flights to Japan proposal!

The Japan Tourism Agency has proposed giving away 10,000 free flights to Japan next year as part of efforts to revive the tourism industry, in the wake of the earthquake and tsunami in March. The unprecedented give away has been proposed so that through visiting Japan people can experience for themselves that the destination is safe and still a fantastic destination for a holiday and then spread this message to others via Read more…

Visit Award Winning Japan, with Award Winning HF Holidays!

Japan has been voted favourite long-haul country and Tokyo favourite overseas city in The Guardian & Observer Travel Awards 2011. Readers gave Japan a whopping 98.9% satisfaction score and Tokyo a brilliant 98.2%. This is the second year in a row readers have voted Tokyo their favourite overseas Read more…

Experience the Japanese tea ceremony’s true spirit of hospitality!

(Credit for images copyrighted by JNTO)

TOKYO Grand tea ceremonies will be held in two locations in Tokyo, Hamarikyu Garden and Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, to have people share the traditional Japanese tea culture and the Edo and Tokyo cultures that have nurtured the tea culture. The ceremonies are designed with various ideas to provide basic tea ceremony etiquettes to citizens who are not regularly acquainted with the tea ceremony as well as tourists visiting the Tokyo area (English classes available), so that everyone may casually enjoy the Japanese traditional culture of “chanoyu.” Read more…

“Visitor’s Rules” for Tuna Auction Observation Area.

(Photo ©Tokyo Metropolitan Government All rights reserved.)

One month ago today (26 July 2011), one of Tokyo’s busiest attractions, Tsujiki Market, reopened the Tuna Auction Observation Area, which had been closed due to the massive Earthquake that  struck East Japan in March. If you are planning on taking a trip to the market during your visit to the capital, then please be aware of the changes to “Visitor’s Rules” which are included in the Metropolitan Central Wholesale Market Guide as follows:

In conjunction with the recent boom in the popularity of Tsukiji the number of tourists Read more…

Japan is home to every cuisine in the world. French, Italian, American – you name it and it will be there. The main reason behind the vast variety of food is tourism in Japan. People from all over the world visit Japan every year and the best thing they like about Japan is the comfort of cuisine. Every city in Japan has thousands of restaurants and cafes waiting to welcome their guests.

Apart from the sight seeing tourist attractions of several cities, they are also known for the type of cuisine Read more…

Japan offers something for everyone!

(Credit for images copyrighted by JNTO)

Japan has once again shown the world how hard-working and determined it is with a super speedy recovery following the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March. Popular holiday destinations such as Tokyo, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Mt. Fuji, Nagasaki, Hokkaido and Okinawa are safe and well and waiting to welcome you.

In Japan you can eat sushi while cheering on sumo wrestlers and meet robots in Tokyo’s electronics district. Travel just an hour from Tokyo on the bullet train to stay in a traditional ryokan inn and soak in onsen hot spring spas with views of Mt. Fuji. In Kyoto you can enjoy sake while watching geisha perform ancient dances and the next day Read more…

Japan is a fantastic destination for a truly memorable holiday!

(Credit for images copyrighted by JNTO)

Most of Japan is back to normal following the Great East Japan Earthquake and Tsunami on 11 March. Many parts of Japan, including popular holiday destinations such as Hokkaido, Osaka, Kyoto, Nara, Hiroshima, Mt. Fuji, Nagasaki and Okinawa, incurred no disruption to infrastructure and everything in these areas has continuously operated as normal.

Tokyo is back to normal with trains once again running like clockwork, water safe to drink and the beer and yogurt shortages now over (yes, there were temporary shortages due to packaging factories having been in the earthquake-hit region!). Read more…

A promise of low cost travel 365 days of the year.

In May, Japan’s first dedicated low cost carrier (LCC) has announced the airline will operate under the brand name “Peach.”  The name “Peach” was chosen for its symbolism as a well-known and much loved fruit that symbolizes longevity, energy and happiness across Asian countries. “Peach” strives to be the airline that represents these traits. Read more…

This week Tokyo was listed in the world’s top 10 most expensive cities in the 2011 Mercer cost of living survey.

(Credit for images copyrighted by JNTO)

The survey measures the comparative cost of over 200 items in cities around the world, including housing, clothing and household goods – many things not applicable to tourists. For visitors to Japan, Tokyo offers lots of affordable options.

In Tokyo you can get conveyor belt sushi from just 60 pence per plate, a huge, delicious bowl of noodles for £5 and quality hotel rooms can be found from around £75 per night or a night in a hostel, such as the hip Toco Tokyo Heritage Hostel, from around £22 per night. Here is a list of FREE things to do in Japan’s capital. Read more…

Okinawa Day 2011 – A day celebrating Okinawan culture

A day to celebrate Okinawan culture took place on Saturday 25 June in Spitalfields, where Londoners were treated to an array of demonstrations and music as well as a variety of stalls selling authentic Okinawan food and handicrafts. The annual event, which started in 2009, is organised by Okinawa Association UK and London Okinawa Sanshinkai to demonstrate the spirit of Uta-no-hi (A day of song) and to celebrate and share the colourful rich culture of Okinawa. Read more…

“Fall down seven times, get up eight” (Japanese proverb)

There is a famous Japanese saying: “Fall down seven times, get up eight.”  These words perfectly reflect the courage and spirit the people of Japan have shown these last few months.  Their ability to rise above such devastation as the recent earthquake and tsunami is an inspiration to us all.

Writer Maria Rainier presents an overview of the devastation that struck Japan and shook the world almost four months ago. Read more…

Resident’s of Japan’s earthquake-hit Tohoku region were given reason to celebrate on the weekend when UNESCO granted Hiraizumi’s Buddhist temples and related properties Cultural World Heritage Site status on Saturday 25 June. On Friday 24 June, UNESCO had granted the Ogasawara Islands off Tokyo Natural World Heritage site status, meaning Japan now has sixteen locations registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Read more…