Mount Fuji in trouble: How Japan’s highest peak fell victim to overtourism

It depends on what type of trip you’re looking to take. However, spring and autumn tend to be the most beautiful weather-wise. We’d recommend a trip between March and May or September and November. If you’re looking to steer clear of crowds, then a trip in May after Golden Week is for you.

Japan’s northernmost island, Hokkaidō, is best known globally as a ski and snowboard destination – thanks to its legendary powder snow.

Japan Airlines is preparing to upgrade its service between New York City and Tokyo. The Tokyo-based carrier is getting ready to unveil its first Airbus A350-1000 aircraft and, in the process, will debut an entirely new set of cabins.

When it comes to premium cabins, most of the innovation happens in the Asia-Pacific region (including the Middle East). This is where most premium airlines are, and they all want the big money customers.

For some people, Halloween means Pumpkin Spice Lattes, adorable trick-or-treaters and home-decorating tips from Martha Stewart. But for millions of horror fans, the season is all about jump scares, blood-thirsty ghouls and chainsaw-wielding clowns.

It's been just a year since Japan reopened its borders to international travel after the pandemic. But tourism has rebounded in ways almost no one could have predicted, setting up a potentially record-breaking 2024.

Demand for luxury train travel has surged in the wake of the pandemic. The leisurely pace and atmosphere of Old-World glamour that define these voyages appeal to travelers seeking time for reflection and deeper connections to the people and places encountered along the way. While Europe boasts the Orient Express, Japan’s Seven Stars in Kyushu represents the pinnacle of luxury rail travel in Asia. Newly renovated last year—and a reader favorite—the Seven Stars celebrates its 10th anniversary this year. With only 10 cabins and a maximum of 20 guests, the deluxe liner elevates the art of omotenashi (Japanese hospitality) to new heights.

I’m standing on a steel walkway 440 feet above Sydney Harbor when a voice crackles over my headset. My guide tells me to look right and take in one of the world’s most stunning skylines.

Once upon a time, Uzbekistan was a real hassle to visit. Travelers faced labyrinthine and opaque visa processes, expensive letters of invitation and complicated registration requirements. Luckily, those days are long gone. Uzbekistan now makes life as easy as it can for tourists, starting with a streamlined visa process. 

In the distance, the verdant North Downs stretch out for miles, the chalk hills gently undulating until their ridges merge with the horizon. Closer, still, are fields of white lacey Cowslip and wild yellow Woodsorrel which dot the landscape with pops of colour. It’s hard to believe that we’re a short drive away from central London.

In every corner of Japan, there are echoes of Ghibli film settings. The country’s most successful anime studio launched in 1985, and its films have become emblematic of Japan’s offbeat, inventive character. It’s no surprise the opening of the Ghibli Park in November 2022 proved so popular. Tickets are released three months in advance but, almost a year on, they’re still like gold dust due to high domestic demand. There are no rides at the park either. Instead, it’s been designed as a place to “take a stroll, feel the wind, and discover the wonders”, according to its founders.

There was a time when accommodation options in Japan tended to fall into three categories: glossy international chains, dull homegrown business hotels and basic ryokan (traditional inns), which despite their atmospheric tatami mats and wooden sliding doors were often light on comfort and mod cons. But new options abound, particularly for the cultural traveller.