Travel basics
Everyday Japan
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Japan's four seasons: what happens when, from cherry blossoms to snow
Japan's weather agency counts spring from March, summer from June, autumn from September and winter from December. The 30-year average dates for cherry blossoms, the rainy season, typhoons, autumn leaves and snow. -
How to bathe in an onsen: Japan's hot-spring rules, from washing first to tattoos
At a Japanese onsen you undress completely, wash before getting in and keep your towel out of the water. What makes water an onsen, the board in the changing room, mixed bathing and tattoos. -
Shrine vs. temple in Japan: what is the difference?
A shrine is a Shinto place for the kami; a temple is Buddhist, with images of buddhas. How to tell them apart in Japan, how to pray at each, and why they mixed. -
Takkyūbin: how to send your luggage ahead in Japan
Takuhaibin is Japan's door-to-door parcel service, and Takkyūbin is one carrier's name for it. How it began in 1976, how a suitcase is sent to an airport or a hotel, and what the Shinkansen asks of large bags. -
What is a ryokan? Japan's traditional inns and how they differ from hotels
A ryokan is a Japanese-style inn: tatami rooms, futon, a cotton yukata, and dinner and breakfast with the stay. How ryokan differ from hotels, where they came from and how many there are.