15 travel tips (and what not to do) when you're in Japan

Japan was struck by a series of powerful earthquakes on Monday that have left at least 48 people dead. Thousands of buildings have been damaged by fires and landslides.

This is a developing story and will be updated with more information.

In a tragic accident on Tuesday, a Japan Airlines plane and Japanese coast guard aircraft collided on the runway at Tokyo’s Haneda Airport. The crash killed five coast guard crew members who were on their way to deliver aid to victims of a deadly earthquake that hit Western Japan on Monday.

“We regret to inform you that on the evening of January 2, JL516 was involved in a collision with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft during its landing at Haneda Airport, resulting in a fire on the runway. Our thoughts and prayers are with the deceased members of the Japan Coast Guard,” Japan Airlines wrote in a memo about a Tuesday evening runway collision that resulted in the Japan Airlines flight 516 erupting into flames.

A Japan Airlines Airbus plane burst into flames after colliding with a Japan Coast Guard aircraft on the ground at Tokyo’s Haneda airport on Tuesday. All 378 passengers and crew members on board the Airbus A350 widebody plane survived, but five people aboard the coast guard plane have died. 

Flights are again departing from Tokyo's Haneda Airport (HND) following a runway disaster that left at least five Japanese service members dead and two aircraft destroyed.

As a travel and food writer, I am beyond lucky that my work takes me to dozens of dreamy destinations both near and far each year. But the very best trips make me reluctant to walk out the door for the last time, wishing I could hit a rewind button and begin the trip all over again even while I’m still there.

As the sun sets on 2023, Trip.com Group, a global leader in online travel services, reflects on the dynamic landscape of travel over the past year, offering insights into the trends set to shape the journey in 2024. China’s border reopening sparks global travel surge

With 2024 just around the corner, many of are thinking of ways we can make the upcoming year happier, more healthful, and well, just better than the last. An easy way to accomplish just that is by incorporating new products into your skincare and self-care regimen. With that in mind, ahead are 15 recently-launched, TSA-friendly launches that will elevate your daily routine well into the new year and while you’re away from home.

With its pulsing, modern cities, beautiful rural landscapes and world-renowned cuisine, Japan is one of the top stops for travelers seeking a fully immersive Asian experience. And there's good news: travelers dreaming of a long-awaited trip to Japan need wait no longer – after establishing some of the world’s strictest border control policies during COVID-19, Japan has opened visa-free travel for visitors from most countries.

The sign on the outside of the Berlin restaurant NOname is very discreet—just NO in script. At first glance after entering, the interior looks pretty subtle as well: tables and curved black chairs, filmy white curtains lining the walls. But then on the back wall is an illustration of the restaurant’s motto No Limits, No Boundaries, No Name: a large mural of a model named Fräulein Fuchs in a black swimsuit tied with bondage ropes. Apparently, on certain nights, risqué programs in sync with the city’s racy reputation take place here. But so on every night does the creative, assured cooking in a six or eight course tasting menu that this year earned the four year old restaurant its first Michelin star. Edgy with excellent food, just like Berlin itself.

Although it has been years since I’ve traveled in mesmerizing Tokyo, my memories are as vivid as though they had been sparked yesterday—pleasures aswirl in unique flavors and noises, creativity and ingenuity. So when luxury publisher Assouline released the new book Tokyo Chic, I dove into its 312 lush-paper-stock pages, with more than 200 photographs and illustrations, which are bound in an outsize (10-by-13-inches, 6.4-pound) format—a hefty hardcover wrapped in silk. The brainchild of Andrea Fazzari, whose deft imagery and words are love letters to the inimitable capital, Tokyo Chic showcases a massively enthralling—yet strikingly intimate—city. Currently based in Tokyo, Fazzari is a James Beard Award-winning photographer, author and restaurant maven with notable backgrounds in fashion and film. Born in New York City, she has lived in France, Hong Kong, Italy, Spain and Thailand—and speaks four languages. What a sophisticated guide to have at your armchair traveler’s fingertips! Indeed, this coffee table tome would make a treasured holiday gift for those who have already vacationed in Japan or simply dream of doing so.