Japlanning's Holiday Guide - 2015

December 18, 2014

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

When Japlanning your trip to the land of the rising sun, one thing many people do not look into is when Japan observes public holidays and the other big one: school holidays. Read our guide for the full list of 2015 public and school holidays in Japan!

As for many of us in the world, while we are in festive season, it inevitably means shops closed, as well as many people on holidays, and tourist attractions see increased visits, and sky-high flight prices.

Japlanning Sights - Imperial Palace and Gardens

December 7, 2014

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

Today Japlanning are taking a look at one of the biggest sights in Japan, The Imperial Palace. Home to the emperor of Japan and his family, these massive grounds are open to the public just twice a year, unless you get on a tour. Luckily Japlanning have the hook up to tell you how easily you can get on a free tour and witness the beauty of these grounds, and learn its rich history for yourself.

Now you may be thinking: the palace must be thousands of years old? Well, not quite. Actually the imperial palace is quite new, with it becoming the official residence of the emperor of Japan in 1888 when the emperor moved into the newly completed palace from the Imperial Palace in Kyoto, which was the imperial capital of Japan for thousands of years prior.

Japlanning Day Trips - Kawagoe

November 23, 2014

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

Less than an hour from Tokyo is a whole other world in the township of Kawagoe in the Saitama prefecture. Known as Little Edo, it echoes back to a time in the past, with streets lined with historic buildings, and amazing events year round. Join us as we take a stroll around and step back into history.

Famous for its Edo period feel, that has lasted where many have disappeared, the town of Kawaoge was once home to Kawagoe Castle, which was the headquarters for the Kawagoe Domain and home for many close aids to the Tokugawa shogunate. Although the castle is now gone, like many buildings from that time, many were kept in tact, or moved around the city.

Why I love Japan - Bryce's Top 10

November 9, 2014

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

Today on Japlanning we are getting personal, we have had Devon, one of our main reporters and editors, and also had our Techhead Sam give his favourites. Now it’s time for me, Bryce - the founder of Japlanning, to get down to it and reveal what, make my top-10 about Japan -- and what better time to post this than when I’ve just gotten home from Tokyo for a quick Japlanning research trip.

We love Japan. I’m sure that is obvious, however I have avoided writing this article since the start, not because I don’t love Japan, no, this article has just seemed so daunting! Where do I start, and how do I keep it down to just ten? (I’m sure there will be bonuses.) However, no more stalling; I give you my personal ten things I LOVE about Japan.

Japlanning 101 - I forgot to pack...

October 26, 2014

by Bryce Marley-Jarrett

When packing for an overseas vacation, most people will always forget something! The biggest issue is finding a replacement for the forgotten items in your destination. In Japan, this can seem quite daunting with a foreign language barrier. Don’t stress about leaving something behind before heading to Japan, Japlanning has your back! Today we have a great guide to the most commonly forgotten items, and how you can replace them while traveling in Japan.

We have all been there, the last minute packing, and no matter how many lists we have for what to pack, we get on the plane, or get into our hotel rooms and realise we forgot; our toiletries, the camera, batteries, painkillers and more. Never fear, most things are replaceable, won’t take long to organise, and will not derail your trip! Today we're going through some of the most common items people forget, and how you can replace them while in Japan.

Japlanning 101 - Omiyage

October 19, 2014

by Devon Sponheimer

Omiyage (お土産, oh-me-ya-gay), or the art of Japanese gift giving, is an important aspect of Japanese culture. Roughly translated as a “souvenir”, omiyage has a distinct difference. If you’ve been to Japan, you’ll have seen the local sweet shops with pre-wrapped, lovely boxes of local treats and regional specialties piled high, these are omiyage!

When travelling around Japan, as a foreigner, you will find yourself noticing many stores selling beautifully packaged boxes of treats piled up ready to go. Most do not think much of this coming from outside Japan. However these are all for the tradition of Omiyage in Japan.