5 Unique Reasons Japan should be your next travel destination

Tokyo Buildings

By: Haripriya Vemulapati

1. It’s the home of anime, manga, and video games.

Japan has endless options to explore for anime and manga lovers. Walk through the Tokyo anime center, and if you’re lucky you might just happen to be in time for a live radio show hosting one of your favorite anime voice artists/creators.

Robot restaurant in Tokyo involves dinosaur robot battles and girls operating real 10ft+ robots and is, in a word, AMAZING.

The list is just getting started.

Japan also has “Akiba”, the ultimate otaku destination, Asagaya anime street, Pokemon mega center and International Anime Museum…. each of which is a world in itself.

Yamayaki Festival 

2. It has a rich history of unique traditions to indulge in

Yamayaki: Japanese word for “burning down an entire mountain”, the festival is an ancient Japanese practice to deal with land disputes and wild boars. The experience is a sight for your eyes, as it’s usually accompanied by fireworks show.

Love Locks: Secure a love lock in place at any famous romantic destination and Japan, and as per tradition throw the key typically in a water body so it could never be retrieved. The tradition is believed to bring luck and togetherness to the couple.

Some traditions in Japan are a little more bizarre than the rest.

Shukatsu Festival in Japan was started with the intention to prepare people for the unpredictable nature of death and has a lot of different aspects to it from people trying to pick out coffins to sampling hair and make-up options.

Another unique festival in Japan is the tea table flipping contest. Ideally for those of looking to let out the pent-up anger, the contest requires participants to scream curse and flip the tea table to land it as far away as possible.

From throwing pillows to express anger at the outcome of sumo wrestling matches to dipping in hot springs, the traditions are many and spread across the year!

Harajaku

Photo by Quốc Bảo

3. Harajaku girls:

Fashion is personal. It’s an expression of who you are and the most extravagant way to do it can be summed as the Harajaku girls. These women/men who tend to be found in the Harajaku district and don’t shy away from posing for pictures with tourists and locals alike.

Japanese Street Food

Photo by Gabriel Forsberg

4. FOOD:

There’s plenty of food for everyone. But beware, the plastic food on display at worth windows looks hardly distinguishable from real food. In a land where eating uncut sushi is said to bring good luck, sushi is definitely everywhere. But the food in Japan isn’t limited to it.

Tamagoyaki is a delicacy to try, not just because eggs are universally loved but the process of making this folded egg omelets is anything but simple. Of course, it helps that it can be eaten for breakfast, lunch, or dinner. No judgements!

If you are hoping to experience the Japanese equivalent of haute cuisine, then you need to try kaiseki ryori. Also known simply as ‘kaiseki’, kaiseki ryori are traditional, multi-course Japanese dinners. A full kaiseki can involve a dozen or more different dishes made with fresh, seasonal, and/or local produce, each prepared in very small servings and in such a way as to enhance the produce’s natural flavor.

And if you’re craving for proper American fast-food in the midst of your trip, Japan has got you covered. With offering such as XXL fries at McDonald’s and the famous Christmas Eve gatherings at KFC, Japan is truly global in its offerings.

Japan Nature

Photo by Sora Sagano

5. Nature like you’ve never seen before

Let’s start with the obvious, Mt. Fuji. A visit to this dormant volcano takes you away from the hustle of everyday life and gives you an insight into ‘ikigai’.

A trip through Japan is a treat for every season. With cherry blossoms in spring, Kabira Bay for summer strolling on a tropical beach and the Sapporo snow festival in winters, the country has something to marvel at all year round.

A trip to Japan is incomplete without the peace memorial in Hiroshima, Shiroto falls(you’ll never need a new desktop wallpaper again), Yakushima which is home to trees almost 7,000 years old and Toyoma Bay which is home to the glowing squid that light up the night.

Let our travel experts help you plan the perfect Japan vacation today!