The Japanese-style ryokan Shikanoyu Hana-Momiji, which has inherited the hot spring culture of northern Japan, is offering a limited-time offer to coincide with the Jozankei Nature Luminarie (Jozankei Nature Luminarie), a festival held in the hot spring resort area, featuring a beautiful walking path with a gorge and clear stream.

The mysterious scenery of Lake Shirakawa in the town of Iide in southern Yamagata Prefecture can be seen only during two months in spring. In spring, a large amount of melt water flows into Lake Shirakawa from the Iide mountain range, one of Japan’s 100 most famous mountains, where there is heavy snowfall. When the lake is full of water, it creates a fantastic sight of white willow trees as if they are growing out of the water.

Hotel Metropolitan will hold the “Nagasaki Fair” from January 15, 2024 (Monday) at three of its restaurants: the all-day dining restaurant Crossadyne, the Japanese restaurant Hanamusashi, and the Shikisai Saryo Shunka.

Ramen Izakaya Deniro is offering a collaboration with street-style ramen restaurant “No Good Neighbor” starting Thursday, December 7, 2023.

Hoshino Resort Aomoriya, in cooperation with local railroad company Aoimori Railway Co., will operate a sightseeing train service on Saturdays and Sundays only from January 20 to February 11, 2024, offering meals and local sake while enjoying Aomori’s snowy landscape.

Hoshinoya Tokyo, a Japanese-style inn located in Otemachi, Tokyo, will again this year host the “New Year Kabuki Stay” program, a two-day and one-night stay from January 5 to 26, 2024.
For people living in Edo, one of their New Year’s pleasures was to watch Kabuki, and it was a chic way to spend the New Year. Theatrical teahouses supported this way of enjoying Kabuki. In addition to arranging tickets to the theater, the teahouses delighted patrons by providing a complete range of services, including plot notes, tea, sweets, makunouchi box lunches, and snacks and drinks (*1). Hoshinoya Tokyo offers a stay to celebrate the New Year with hospitality similar to the theatrical teahouses of the time.

*1: Tomizawa, Yoshihide and Fujita, Yosuke (2012). The Latest Kabuki Dictionary. Kashiwa Shobo.