With coastlines on both the Sea of Japan and the Seto Island Sea, many of Hyogos most distinguished locations are on the coast, including the home of Kobe Beef and Japan’s most spectacular castle.

Culture Day isn’t dedicated to Japanese culture alone, but whilst we are in Japan, how can we further appreciate the arts here?

Around a quarter of Yamanashi Prefecture is designated as National Parks, and two of Japan’s tallest mountains reside within one of them.

Whether its drift ice, onsen, skiing or snow festivals, Hokkaido knows how to do winters.

Many symbols of Gifu’s cultural heritage are still present today, including 250-year-old farmhouses and catching fish with aquatic birds!

Osaka prefecture is renowned for its spirit and fine food. It’s one of Japan’s two urban (府) prefectures with 33 cities.

Kanagawa seems to have it all, a little Kyoto, views of Fuji-san, a blue-flag beach, a national park and a thriving capital city!

Tokyo Prefecture is the third smallest prefecture in Japan, consisting of 23 special wards, all of which are governed like cities.

Sports and Health Day in Japan is more closely associated with exercise, the community and healthy-eating, but is there anything else we should pay attention to?

Far from being a new practice, the foundations of Autumnal Equinox Day were actually laid out centuries ago. But, many moons later, are the origins of this holiday still relevant today?