Travel
World's largest cruise ship to set sail as industry rebounds
With cruise bookings seeing a resurgence after the COVID pandemic caused luxury liners to mothball, a Finnish shipyard is putting the final touches on what will be the world's largest cruise ship. Royal Caribbean's luxurious new vessel Icon of the Seas is nearing completion in the Turku shipyard on Finland's… Read
Keya Kurotatsu Shrine in Fukui Prefecture was built to protect Japan in ancient times
You won’t need to venture far from Fukui station to visit one of the most significant shrines in Japan. Keya Kurotatsu Shrine has a rich history and is a popular power spot in Fukui Prefecture today. Many visit to pray for success in business, ward off evil spirits and enjoy special events. Going through… Read
Dusit to open 2nd hotel in Japan in September
The Thai hotel and property development company will open a luxury Dusit Thani hotel in Kyoto’s vibrant Hanganji Monzen-machi district, only 850 meters from Kyoto Station, a popular tourist attraction and a major transport hub that handles over 200 million travellers a year, connecting the city to many parts of… Read
5 lakes to visit in Japan in summer (or at any time)
A beautiful lake can be enjoyed all year round, of course. But having grown up on the Great Lakes, I know how fun going to the lake is in summer. The near unbearable (for someone from a colder climate, at least) heat and humidity of Japanese summers will only get worse, so spending… Read
Japan’s new random-destination die-roll train tickets
We recently got some bad news with the announcement from JR East (East Japan Railway Company) that they’re indefinitely suspending sales of their rechargeable e-money Suica cards, which are amazingly convenient to use when buying train tickets. Fortunately there’s something for train travelers to smile about over in JR West’s part of Japan,… Read
Thai Airways resumes flights between Bangkok and Sapporo
Thai Airways has resumed flights between Bangkok and Sapporo. The airline will operate the route with five flights per week during the summer schedule using Boeing 787-9 aircraft. Flight TG670 is scheduled to depart from Bangkok (BKK) every Monday, Wednesday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday at 23:45, arriving in Sapporo (CTS)… Read
Isaki-Ji Temple: Where ascetic monks take a plunge for their devotion
On Lake Biwa, in Shiga Prefecture, ascetic Buddhist monks at the remote Isaki-ji Temple walk a narrow wooden beam and leap seven meters into the water in a rite of passage that displays tradition and devotion. The temple is a branch of Kyoto’s Enryaku-ji Temple, the headquarters of Tendai Buddhism. The… Read
Mystery travel lets you focus on the fun, not the details
Travel planning can be a real chore. Booking flights, deciding on the right hotel and building an itinerary might be fun for some, but others dread it. That’s why some travelers are opting for an unorthodox travel strategy that eliminates the planning stage altogether. It’s called “mystery” or “surprise” travel,… Read
Sekigahara Battlefield Museum: Relive one of the most important moments in Japan’s history
In 1600, the Sekigahara valley played host to the largest and most important battle in feudal Japanese history, with Tokugawa Ieyasu facing Ishida Mitsunari for control of the country at the end of the Sengoku (warring states) Period. Ieyasu’s victory heralded the end of almost 150 years of civil war and led to establishing the Tokugawa… Read
Asia Pacific airlines carried 23.2 mil international passengers in June
The latest traffic figures from the Association of Asia Pacific Airlines (AAPA) show that the recovery in international passenger markets remains robust, as travel demand continued to grow despite inflationary pressures and the weakness in regional currencies. Asia Pacific airlines carried 23.2 million international passengers in the month of June,… Read
