Discover insider tips, travel guides, and inspiring stories for your next adventure in Japan
On July 7, 2026, the anime park Nijigennomori on Awaji Island will host a special one-night event at NARUTO & BORUTO Shinobi-Zato as part of the Tanabata Festival. After sunset, Naruto Uzumaki appears for a group greeting and a commemorative photo session with visitors under the starry sky.
Original merchandise based on TV anime Nippon Sangoku: The Three Nations of the Crimson Sun — including trading can badges, acrylic keychains, acrylic stands, and more — is now available for pre-order, with shipping expected in September 2026.
Niseko Grand Hirafu, the all-season nature resort in Hokkaido, kicks off its 2026 summer season on July 4, offering gondola rides with panoramic mountain views, scenic dining at NEST813, new pickleball courts, and expanded water activities including rafting and river SUP in partnership with NAC.
Palm-sized cases shaped like real macarons featuring Hello Kitty, Pompompurin, Kuromi, My Melody, and Tuxedosam are rolling out from late June 2026 at capsule toy vending machines across Japan.
Seibu Ikebukuro Main Store's basement food hall is spotlighting minazuki (水無月), a traditional Japanese wagashi tied to the Nagoshi no Harae midsummer purification ritual held on June 30, with offerings from nine specialty confectionery shops available for a limited time.
Brasserie RÉGINE at the St. Regis Hotel Osaka is offering a summer menu for its "Appetizer Marché" from July 1 to September 30, 2026, inspired by the Mediterranean and the flavors of southern France.
Sunshine City Prince Hotel in Ikebukuro, Tokyo is offering a limited-period collaboration stay plan with the popular smartphone game "#Compass: Combat Providence Analysis System," available from July 25 to October 24, 2026.
Starting June 27, 2026, lacquerware artist Tasuku Murose presents 15 works — including 13 new pieces featuring maki-e and raden techniques — in his debut solo exhibition at Lei Gallery Tokyo in Shibuya, Tokyo.
A collaboration campaign between TV anime The Elusive Samurai and Gokurakuyu & RAKU SPA hot spring facilities will run from July 9 to August 4, 2026, at two locations in Wako and Yokohama, featuring themed baths, merchandise, collab menus, and a digital stamp rally.
Tokyo Dome Hotel is transforming its PROJECT R.E.D. Room with a dynamic new design inspired by KAKUSEIHUNTER OMEGAHORN, the second entry in the PROJECT R.E.D. tokusatsu series. Reservations open June 23, 2026, with stays starting August 26.
New York-based ceramic artist Lev Rosenbush presents "TRACES," a solo exhibition blending sports culture and wabi-sabi aesthetics, at TOKYO CRAFT ROOM inside HAMACHO HOTEL from July 3 to 12, 2026.
Hotel New Otani Osaka is bringing back the legendary Trader Vic's restaurant experience for a limited time this summer, with tropical cocktails, BBQ spare ribs, and sweeping views of Osaka Castle from the 18th-floor Sky Lounge "Four Seasons."