Discover insider tips, travel guides, and inspiring stories for your next adventure in Japan
Hankyu Umeda Honten's 11th-floor kimono section will feature KIMONO Terrasse's Okayama silk denim pieces — including a custom-order kimono and a pre-tied obi — from July 1 to 7, 2026.
The debut art collection from illustrator Kiriko Arai — featuring her beloved original characters Wolf-kun and NISE OBAKE — is set for release on August 20, 2026. Published by PARCO Publishing, the 144-page volume compiles illustrations from 2017 onward alongside an all-new origin story for Wolf-kun.
Kotori no Yu, a day-use hot spring in Matsushiro, Nagano City, is running a limited-time "Chilled Onsen" event from July 3 to July 26, 2026, offering three bath zones at different temperatures — including a naturally cool open-air bath using raw spring water — so guests can enjoy the mineral-rich waters comfortably even in the peak of summer.
Shoryu, a Japanese kaiseki restaurant by Michelin two-star chef Shinji Tsubahara, and KAZANE, an innovative French restaurant by chef Minami Nakai of Tokyo's Michelin one-star LATURE, will open simultaneously at Au Kurokawa in Kurokawa Onsen on August 1, 2026.
Starting July 1, 2026, the Higaki restaurant inside Kyoto Gyoen opens two hours earlier, at 8:00 AM, to serve a new breakfast menu, alongside a summer-only selection of three shaved ice desserts.
Marugo, a tabi footwear maker founded over 100 years ago, has launched the ITARO 1201 TABI SETTA, a leather sandal that blends the split-toe tabi sole with the aesthetic of traditional Japanese setta sandals.
A special one-night bon odori event returns to Meieki Parklet in Nagoya on July 10, featuring authentic dancing around a yagura tower, food trucks, and free admission for all.
Miyako Hotel Yokkaichi's Restaurant & Guest Lounge Palmiere has launched a renewed lunch menu centered on a "luxurious vegetable time" concept, featuring a deli and salad marché with more than 20 types of healthy, colorful vegetable dishes.
New additions to Moomin Arabia's Mystical Forest glassware collection — including a candle holder, bowl, kitchen towel, pot holder, and mitt — go on sale starting July 29, 2026, bringing the enchanted world of Finn Family Moomintroll to summer tables.
Starting July 6, the Morinaga antenna shop inside Tokyo Station's Tokyo Okashi Land is debuting a sparkling summer drink made with Ice Box and four tropical fruits, alongside popular exclusive Tokyo souvenirs including Matsuri Hi-Chew.
MY STYLE BAGS, an Italian brand born in Milan in 2008 with no permanent stores in Japan, is opening a limited-time pop-up shop at Hankyu Umeda Main Store from July 1 to 14, 2026, along with a complimentary initial embroidery personalization service.
Kumano Nachi Taisha, a UNESCO World Heritage site in Wakayama Prefecture, will hold its annual grand festival "Nachi no Ogi Matsuri" on July 14, 2026, featuring a dramatic fire ceremony where 12 massive torches purify the stone-step path to Nachi Falls.