Ume-no-Yu: A Wood-Fired Sentō in Chōfu, Tokyo
Ume-no-Yu, a wood-fired sento near Tokyo's Jindai Botanical Gardens in Chofu: 550 yen baths, a cypress sauna, open-air and herbal baths, hours and how to get there.
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420+ field-tested travel guides across every Japanese prefecture, by Nobu — written from places he has actually stood in.
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Every place I’ve walked. In one feed.
420+ articles, written from the places I actually stood in. Filed by region, by season, by what the trip is really about.
Japanese Sentō Guide 2026: Etiquette, Tattoos & Best Baths
How to use a Japanese sento (public bath): etiquette, the 550 yen Tokyo price, tattoo rules, the baths inside, and tattoo-friendly sento in Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka.
Diamond Fuji from Tokyo 2026-27: Mt. Takao and the City Spots
Tokyo · Diamond Fuji 2026-27 By Nobu · Updated September 2026 · Checked 14 September 2026 against the Takao cable-car operator’s Diamond Fuji page, Sunshine City’s season announcement and MLIT’s viewing-date lists. Status labels below distinguish what is announced for…
Cheaper Than Kyoto: 4 Base Cities Where Your 2026 Yen Goes Furthest
Kyoto's lodging keeps climbing and dual pricing is creeping in. 4 cheaper base cities where your 2026 yen goes furthest — Fukuoka, Hiroshima, Okayama, Takamatsu.
Takeda Castle Sea of Clouds: When to See It (2026)
Takeda Castle, Japan's 'castle in the sky' in Hyogo: when the sea of clouds appears, the Ritsuunkyo viewpoint, the conditions you need, hours and access.
Tatsumi Shokudo: A Showa Diner Near Mt Fuji
Tatsumi Shokudo in Susono, at the foot of Mt Fuji: a Showa-era diner serving hearty teishoku, stewed offal and beef-with-egg, with free rice. Hours, what to order, access.
Oi Racecourse Flea Market 2026: Dates, Hours & Access
Tokyo's biggest weekend flea market at Oi Racecourse: verified October to December 2026 dates (October: Sat 3, Sat 24, Sun 25 and Sat 31), winter hours from 31 October (8:45–14:15 on most dates, four days close earlier), free entry and about 700 stalls.
Coolcation Japan 2026: Where I Escape the Heat (Not Crowded Hokkaido)
Japan's hottest summer on record was 2025, and 2026 looks just as hot. Here's where I go to escape the heat — cool highland escapes, not crowded Hokkaido.
Kinomiya Shrine Atami: The 2,000-Year-Old Great Camphor
Kinomiya Shrine, Atami: the 2,000-year-old great camphor, the walk-around-the-trunk ritual, free entry, nightly light-up, tea by the tree, and access.
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park 2026: When the Macaques Bathe
Jigokudani Snow Monkey Park, Nagano: wild macaques bathing in a hot spring. What it costs, when they actually soak, the icy 1.6km trail, and how to get there.
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