Discover insider tips, travel guides, and inspiring stories for your next adventure in Japan
From July 31, nagano forest village in Nagano City's Iizuna Highland is holding the summer-only "Forest Lakeside Bar 2026" on select dates through mid-August, serving Shinshu wine cocktails, craft beer, and seasonal drinks on a lakeside terrace roughly 1,000 meters above sea level.
Nagaragawa Seiryu Hotel in Gifu City is offering a limited-time autumn afternoon tea featuring chestnut, pumpkin, and caramel, available from September 1 to November 30, 2026, at ¥3,000 per person.
From September 1 through November 30, 2026, Nanki Shirahama Marriott Hotel's restaurant "Grill & Dining G" is offering "Hokkaido Gastronomy Journey in Shirahama," a seasonal dinner course pairing Hokkaido ingredients with Wakayama's local flavors.
Newsweek Japan's August 11 and 18 double issue is on sale now with a special report on anime beloved around the world. Writers from the United States, France, Italy, China, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, Brazil, and the Philippines explore how titles such as Neon Genesis Evangelion, Saint Seiya, and Crayon Shin-chan won hearts across borders.
Tokyo's an-butter sweets specialty shop Okada Kinsei Anbataya returns to Sunste Okayama for a limited-time pop-up from August 5 (Wednesday) through August 18 (Tuesday), 2026, one year after its previous visit, bringing the Uji Matcha Galette and Anbuta Pan to Okayama for the first time alongside the shop's signature Anbuta Financier.
THE OSAKA STATION HOTEL, Autograph Collection is introducing a new autumn teppanyaki course, Menu Homard Bleu — The Ocean's Blue Diamond, at its restaurant Teppanyaki Mizuki, featuring a whole blue lobster prepared four ways alongside Matsusaka and Ozaki wagyu, available September 1 through November 30, 2026.
From September 9 to November 29, 2026, more than 100 Pokémon, including 19 statues, among them legendary Pokémon, will appear across Nihonbashi and Yaesu, free for anyone to see. A paid mystery-solving walk created by puzzle creator Ryogo Matsumaru's RIDDLER invites participants to search for the Pokémon while unraveling clues around the neighborhood, with kit vouchers on sale from August 4.
Pokémon Pokopia's first paid DLC, Bubbly Basin, releases on August 5, 2026, and the game's area gate has appeared at Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse for a real-world event running August 6 to 9. The Minatomirai Line's train cars are wrapped in a Bubbly Basin theme from August 2 through September 25, with Minatomirai Station itself decorated August 3 to 9.
Prime 1 Studio has added a 1/15-scale Brachiosaurus statue from the movie Jurassic Park to its Legacy Museum Collection, standing about 128cm tall and including a bonus John Hammond figure. Pre-orders open August 4, with release scheduled for December 2027 to March 2028.
From September 1 to October 31, 2026, The Prince Park Tower Tokyo's Lobby Lounge and Sky Bar & Dining Stellar Garden will serve "Autumn Afternoon Tea - A Gift from Hokkaido," featuring dishes made with Hokkaido pumpkin, apples, and mushrooms, including a Pumpkin Mont Blanc and a whelk and mushroom ajillo.
Japanese beauty and self-care brand Qina is releasing its second product, the Qina Mask facial sheet mask, in early sale on Qoo10 from August 4, 2026, alongside Qoo10's "Mega Debut" campaign featuring limited-time pricing and a livestream purchase bonus.
Yokohama Red Brick Warehouse's summer event Red Brick Sunset 2026, themed around Santa Monica on the American West Coast, continues with free admission through August 30, 2026, now featuring newly added carnival games, a misty cooling zone, and a lineup of American-style food and drinks.