I finally tried the newly revived hovercraft (HOVERDRIVE) in Oita, Japan. It was absolutely worth a ride. I'm not saying it was comfortable, though! (Solo Travel Japan)

Yōkōkan Teien is a traditional Edo-period stroll garden (kaiyū-shiki teien) located in Fukui City, Fukui Prefecture. (Japanese Garden Collection)

The number of foreign visitors staying at accommodation facilities across Japan reached a record 177.87 million guest nights last year, marking the highest level ever recorded and highlighting a continued shift toward regional destinations. (News On Japan)

The Japan Tourism Agency announced in its accommodation travel statistics survey that both the number of guests and total overnight stays at lodging facilities across Japan increased in 2025, with some prefectures posting striking gains driven by unexpected promotional efforts. (News On Japan)

In February, a male university student who climbed onto drift ice along the coast of Koshimizu in Hokkaido’s Sea of Okhotsk region was swept out to sea and later rescued, prompting experts to issue fresh warnings that such actions carry life-threatening risks. (News On Japan)

Although February is typically the height of the hibernation season, bears have already been sighted across Japan, raising concerns of another wave of deadly encounters. (News On Japan)

Kyoto City on February 25th unveiled a draft plan for a “citizen-priority pricing” system for municipal buses, under which fares for residents would be lowered while non-residents, including tourists, would pay higher rates, as officials seek to balance overtourism with daily life for locals. (News On Japan)

A shift appears to be underway in inbound tourism, with Chinese visitor numbers declining while arrivals from Southeast Asia—particularly Thailand—are rising and repeat travelers increasingly seeking experiences rooted in everyday Japanese life. (News On Japan)

A large-scale display of traditional hina dolls, arranged to resemble a Buddhist mandala and numbering about 4,500 in total, has gone on public view at Tsubosaka Temple in Takatori Town, Nara Prefecture. (News On Japan)

A malfunction struck Nana-chan, the iconic mannequin standing in front of Nagoya Station and serving as a promotional “staff member” for the Meitetsu Department Store set to close on February 28th, when the figure’s arm suddenly drooped on February 22nd after days of waving to visitors. (News On Japan)

Today, I'll be showing you some of the BEST activities to do on your next Japan trip that MOST tourists miss! (Mrs Eats)

The arrival of early spring is being felt in Ome, western Tokyo, where a plum festival has opened against the backdrop of a community that overcame the loss of tens of thousands of trees to a devastating virus. (News On Japan)

The new "S Work" carriage on the N700S Shinkansen, which feels just like a Japanese Internet Cafe on wheels. (ITSUKA JAPAN)

We are heading to a traditional Japanese onsen ryokan, deep in the snowy mountains. (News On Japan)

Air will remain chilly across much of Japan on February 20, but temperatures are set to surge over the three-day weekend from February 21 to 23, bringing with them sharp temperature swings, strong winds, heavy pollen and yellow sand—dubbed the “Spring 4K”—that could affect travel and outdoor plans. (News On Japan)

A blizzard warning issued for Sapporo, Hokkaido, on February 19th brought typhoon-level gusts reaching 26 meters per second, triggering whiteout conditions, grounding flights at New Chitose Airport, suspending trains, closing 341 schools, and leaving roads, cars, and daily life buried under rapidly accumulating snow. While the main storm has weakened, hazardous conditions such as reduced visibility, icy roads, and drifting snow remained a concern into February 20th. (News On Japan)

Ski resorts in Japan are experimenting with sharply contrasting pricing strategies—from free weekday lift tickets to premium passes costing 33,000 yen—in an effort to revive a declining ski population and stimulate local economies, as operators seek new ways to attract visitors amid rising costs. (News On Japan)

JR East announced today that it will launch a new service around autumn this year allowing passengers to reserve Shinkansen seats in as little as one minute. (News On Japan)

The Lunar New Year holiday has begun as the Chinese government continues to call on its citizens to refrain from traveling to Japan, prompting questions about how popular destinations once favored by Chinese tourists are now faring. (News On Japan)

Japan’s transport ministry has decided on a policy to prohibit the use of mobile batteries on aircraft as early as April following a string of incidents in which the devices caught fire during flights. (News On Japan)