Japan Tourism Topics

1.Experience the tranquil beauty of Japanese bonsai trees
Bonsai is the art of growing and cultivating miniature trees in pots. The city of Takamatsu in Kagawa prefecture is the largest producer of pine bonsai in Japan, with a history of cultivation stretching back 200 years and a soil type and climate particularly suited to the growing of pine trees. During a visit to its bonsai fields you can meet with garden owners and learn about the skill and care that goes into growing the trees. Visitors can also create their own kokedama plant arrangement in balls of moss to take home as a souvenir. (Please check your country's regulations regarding the import of plants beforehand.)
Home of Takamatsu Bonsai

2. Enjoy a stroll around Yamaguchi's hot spring resorts
Nagato Yumoto is the oldest onsen (hot spring resort) in Yamaguchi prefecture. Public baths dating back more than 600 years have been painstakingly renovated, and those looking for a place to rest and recharge will find gallery cafes in newly renovated vacant houses. The town is home to many other places of interest and natural beauty that are accessible on foot, including a majestic stairway lined with bamboo trees leading into the resort and wooden riverside terraces where visitors can rest to the sound of the flowing water.
Nagato Yumoto Onsen

3. Wonderful scenic railway restored and running again!
The Tadami railway line runs across Fukushima and Niigata prefectures and is renowned for the breathtaking natural views it offers passengers along its route. The line recently resumed full operation 11 years after torrential rains damaged a long section of it, and offers travelers a chance to see rural Japan at its best. Visitors can hop on and off trains and there are a number of vantage points offering photo opportunities of the line itself and the beautiful surrounding landscapes, including the famous Tadami River Bridge No.1. At this time of year, the spectacle of trains running through the snowy winter landscape is something not to be missed!
Tadami Line

4. World Heritage Center opens on Amami Oshima Island
The island of Amami Oshima in Kagoshima prefecture has opened a World Heritage Conservation Center, marking the one-year anniversary of its registration as a UNESCO Natural World Heritage Site. Located near a mangrove forest, the Center lets visitors experience the natural splendor of the island through an interactive model forest. Visitors can then go and experience the natural wonders of the island for themselves by touring the nearby mangrove forest via canoe or engaging a guide who will help them look for nocturnal wildlife.
Amami Oshima World Heritage Conservation Center

5. A new hotel opens close to TOKYO SKYTREE
In Tokyo's Sumida ward, near the iconic TOKYO SKYTREE, the ONE@Tokyo hotel has opened in an area where modern high-rise buildings jostle for space alongside older traditional houses in back streets. Renowned Japanese architect Kuma Kengo supervised the hotel's exterior and interior design, which blends modern industrial materials with natural wood in a reflection of the contrasts in the surrounding area. From its rooftop, guests can get a close-up view of the 634-meter-high TOKYO SKYTREE in its full glory.
ONE@Tokyo

Notes:
• Items 1-4 are based on information from JNTO Partners.
• The above details are correct as of the time of publication, and are subject to change.

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