Early in November in London, the Toyama Week event was held. Showcasing the beautiful craft and food of the prefecture, we got a taste of Japan, and a preview of all things Toyama. One popular aspect of the week was having the wagashi chef Yasuhiro Hikiami visit to conduct workshops on wagashi at Japan House, and his own wagashi pop-up at Pantechnicon, where he took live orders from customers. Chef Hikiami was kind enough to sit down with us and answer a couple of questions about both wagashi and his experience in London!

For the first time in the UK, discover the Ainu culture of today through personal stories from this indigenous community from the southern Hokkaido region of Biratori at Japan House London.

Easily accessible from Tokyo, the Tohoku region is a true gem that visitors to Japan should not miss out on. Stretching from the prefecture of Fukushima, just north of Tokyo, to Aomori Prefecture, south of Hokkaido, the Tohoku region offers heaps of sublime natural landscapes every season and off-the-beaten-path travel opportunities. A must-see destination all year long, with enjoyable local festivals and delicious culinary specialties, read through our Tohoku travel guide to plan your next Japan vacation!

Tokyo is often thought of as an expensive city to visit, but it deserves to be known as a wonderful destination for budget travellers. While many have heard of 100-yen shops and megastores such as  Don Quijote, another way to save money is to explore the capital and Kanto region on foot, on a bicycle or up in the mountains. Rather than spending money on lots of train tickets or passes, you can take your time and enjoy a more in-depth travel experience. Let’s take a look at some of the spots from the new Tokyo Outdoors guidebook that you could visit!

A region famed for its abundance of rice and sake, Echigo Yuzawa is approximately 80 minutes from Tokyo on the Joetsu Shinkansen. Take a moment to hop off for a little overnight detour after gliding down the winter slopes and soft powder, or travel up for a weekend escape from the hustle and bustle of Tokyo during the other seasons to delve deeper into the delights Echigo Yuzawa has to offer.