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Educational Tools & Resources |
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Hiroshima Convention & Visitors Bureau – Asageshiki Hiking & Japanese Tea |
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Offer an unforgettable experience with Asageshiki, an exclusive morning tour blending light hiking and Japanese tea.
Minutes from Hiroshima Station, guests ascend sacred Mount Futaba to enjoy panoramic views of the cityscape and Seto Inland Sea.
The highlight is Nodate— serving traditional matcha outdoors. The guide carries tea utensils up the mountain, then creates a serene tea setting at the quiet Okumiya sanctuary. Sipping authentic matcha in this private, peaceful space overlooking breathtaking vistas makes the experience truly special. Experience a glimpse of Japan’s enduring appreciation for the harmony between nature and refined beauty. Vegetarian- and vegan-friendly breakfasts are available.
Learn More or Contact |
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Hyogo Tourism Bureau – Tamba-Sasayama Tea Farm & Tea Ceremony |
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Just 1-1.5 hours from Osaka and Kyoto, Tamba-Sasayama offers a rare escape into a quieter, more intimate Japan.
In this cool, mist-shrouded mountain region, time moves at a different pace. For more than 1,200 years, its fertile landscape has nurtured a distinctive tea culture, where visitors can experience the art of tea picking or the contemplative ritual of sencha-do at Honke Kumano-en.
It is an invitation to slow down, to reconnect with nature, and to encounter Japan through its most enduring traditions. Learn More or Contact
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Kochi Prefecture – Tosa Tea |
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Kochi may be famous for its mountains, rivers and cuisine, but it is also a tea-producing region. Its mountainous terrain, temperature changes, river mist and well-drained soils create ideal conditions for Tosa Tea—fragrant, full-bodied and rich in umami.
At Kiriyama Tea Farm in Hidaka Village, visitors can enjoy views of tea fields while experiencing Tosa Tea firsthand. Activities include roasting hojicha, creating a custom tea canister, and blending tea.
Just 40 minutes from Kochi City, Kiriyama offers an easy day trip and an authentic taste of rural Japan.
Learn More or Contact |
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Kyoto City – Kushi Matsuri |
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Kushi Matsuri, or the Comb Festival, is an annual celebration held each September at Yasui Konpiragū Shrine in Kyoto’s Gion area, honoring the combs and hair ornaments once used by women rather than simply discarding them. Rooted in a tradition of gratitude and respect for these cherished objects, the festival brings together ceremonial rituals, traditional dance, and an elaborate procession showcasing the history of Japanese hairstyles. The celebration begins at the shrine’s comb grave, where donated combs are honored through a special ceremony and a performance of “Kurokami,” followed by a procession through the Gion area featuring women dressed in historically accurate hairstyles and ornamentation spanning centuries of Japanese fashion. Learn More
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Nagano Prefecture – Finding a Teahouse in Nagano |
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Set among the dramatic peaks of the Japanese Alps, Nagano offers a refreshing perspective on Japan’s tea culture, where quiet moments and meaningful connections are part of the journey. Visitors can enjoy tea in welcoming local cafés and traditional tea rooms while discovering regional flavors and seasonal ingredients. Cultural highlights include historic temples and shrines, traditional craft experiences and mountain villages that reveal the prefecture’s rich heritage. Travelers can meet local producers, learn about Japanese tea traditions and savor carefully prepared cups inspired by the surrounding landscape.Learn More |
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Explore Shizuoka – Tea Fields of Suruga |
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Suruga invites travelers to discover Japan through the gentle journey from tea fields to teahouses, where centuries-old traditions meet beautiful landscapes and warm hospitality. In the heart of Shizuoka Prefecture, visitors can wander lush green tea fields with views of Mount Fuji, meet local tea growers and experience the craft behind some of Japan’s finest teas before enjoying intimate tastings. Beyond the cup, Suruga offers connections to regional culture through traditional tea ceremonies, historic temples and shrines, local cuisine and hands-on experiences.
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Visit Sapporo – Historical Village of Hokkaido & Hokkaido Museum |
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The Historical Village of Hokkaido is an open-air museum featuring relocated and restored buildings from the era when settlers from Honshu moved to Hokkaido and helped shape the island’s development. Visitors can step back in time as they explore recreated town, fishing, farming, and mountain villages, complete with period furnishings, architecture, and a horse-drawn streetcar connecting the different areas. Just next door, the Hokkaido Museum offers a deeper look at the region’s history, from the mammoths and Naumann elephants that lived here more than a million years ago to the traditional lifestyles of the Ainu people, the arrival of settlers from Honshu, and Hokkaido today.
Learn more |
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Mindful MITATE Tea Ceremony Comes to Hotel Chinzanso Tokyo’s Japanese Garden |
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Newly Opened in September 2026: Expand Your Family Journey from Tokyo to Osaka |
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Be Among the First to Experience
the New Naeba |
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Nara Hotel Unveils Renewed West Wing |
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Family-Friendly Stay Campaign |
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Four JR Companies and JAL Launch a New Cross-Regional Tourism Initiative
Connecting Pilgrimage and Spiritual Heritage |
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ANA Expands International Service in FY2026 |
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New Premium “Supreme Class”
Begins October 1, 2026 |
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Enjoy up to $2,000 per person in air credits when you book select 2027 voyages |
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Cherry Blossom Season
Just Got a FREE UPGRADE |
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Use Promotion Code: LIMO2026JNTO for a 10% Discount
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Friendly Planet Travel
Best of Japan
Commissionable, inquire for full details
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THE FINE PRINT/LEGAL STUFF
Information is provided in this Japan Travel Update as a courtesy to readers of this newsletter. Though JNTO endeavors to ensure the information is accurate, users of the information are to act on such using their own judgment and at their own risk. Neither JNTO nor any holder of a copyright to the information shall be held responsible in any way whatsoever for any loss or misunderstanding, either direct or indirect, that is incurred as a result of utilizing the information. |
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Los Angeles Office
6100 Center Drive, Suite 925, Los Angeles, CA 90045
email: infolax@jnto.go.jp
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