The Dragon-Shaped Japanese Region Where Tokyo Locals Go to Unwind

This is how powerful Taylor Swift is. She has bumped the blown door on the Alaska Airlines flight right off the front pages of the newspapers and the lead story on the news TV stations as well.

After a long gray winter, there are few things that can lift my mood like seeing the first pink cherry blossoms of spring filling the sky with their delicate blooms.

With towering peaks and pristine waters, the diverse landscapes in Japan are nature’s playground for adventure travelers. Throughout the year, outdoor enthusiasts flock to Kyushu and Central Japan, drawn by the opportunity to trek through the breathtaking, ever-changing terrain, paddle the crystal-clear oceans and rivers, and delve into the lesser-known pages of Japanese history. Whether you’re an experienced thrill seeker or a newbie enthusiast, these four destinations offer a wide variety of activities—from kayaking to cycling—that will get your heart pumping.

On Wednesday, Forbes Travel Guide revealed its 2024 Star Award winners, a list of the world’s finest hotels, restaurants, spas and cruises. To compile the 66th annual awards, FTG’s incognito inspectors check into hotels and cruise ships, dine in the restaurants and experience spa services while posing as ordinary guests. This year’s list features properties from Mauritius to Macau—with the most new Five-Star hotels in the Middle East.

Visitors to Japan have likely heard about the cherry blossoms, hot springs, and Mount Fuji—maybe even the snowy slopes of Niseko and sun-kissed islands of Okinawa—yet much of Japan's great outdoors remains unknown. Take the relatively under-visited regions of Shikoku and Tohoku, one a short flight west of Tokyo, the other an easy train trip north, which reward travelers who veer off the beaten path with scenic coastal trails, hikes to sacred peaks, and a host of other experiences in nature.

As any Taylor Swift fan will tell you, Super Bowl LVIII will take place Feb. 11 at Allegiant Stadium in Las Vegas, pitting the San Francisco 49ers against the Kansas City Chiefs.

Hawaiian Airlines is seeing a stalled comeback in one of its largest international markets: Japan.

Will Taylor Swift make it to the Super Bowl on time to see boyfriend Travis Kelce play? Swifties are counting on it and the Japan Embassy in the U.S. says yes. 

Pig cafes are the latest craze pulling in tourists in Japan.

A major U.S. airline is poised to launch a new nonstop route from New York to Tokyo. American Airlines plans to soon fly from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport (JFK) to Tokyo's Haneda Airport (HND).

Editor's note: Japan Airlines provided TPG with a complimentary round-trip ticket between New York and Tokyo so we could be aboard the airline's inaugural A350-1000 flight, but all opinions expressed are entirely those of the author and were not subject to review by the airline or any other external entity.

As many airlines are reducing indulgent first-class offerings to incorporate more business-class seats on their planes, it can be hard to tell exactly what the differences are between the two front-of-plane cabins.