Japan
Hokkaido February Snow Festival Ski Trip: Skiing Around Sapporo and Otaru's Winter Lights
Planning a Hokkaido February snow festival ski trip: Sapporo's Snow Festival and Otaru's candlelit Yuki Akari no Michi overlap for 6 days in 2027.
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Kyoto
Buying a Folding Fan in Kyoto: Start With the Ceiling Nobody Charges For
A sensu is six objects sharing one English word — including formal fans that never open. Two Kyoto shops, founded 1689 and 1823, and what to ask in them.
Kumamoto
Tsujun Bridge Water Discharge: Schedule, and What Changed in 2026
The discharge stops mid-May to mid-July and December to March, runs about 15 minutes at 1pm — and the paid bridge-top walk is closed for all of 2026.
New Chitose
Portom International Hokkaido: The Hotel Inside New Chitose Airport
A 3-min indoor walk from international arrivals: 171 rooms of 43-250 m2, its own onsen and a Michelin-starred chef's French restaurant, from ¥40,000.
Japan
Japan Domestic Flights With Airline Miles: What 6,000–7,000 Actually Buys
Star Alliance miles book ANA, oneworld books JAL. Five award seats we priced in August 2026 cost 6,000-7,500 miles plus $2.90-$20 in tax.
Japan
United Miles for ANA Domestic Flights: 6,000–7,000 Miles and the Two-Seat Ceiling
Three ANA sectors priced in August 2026: 6,000-7,000 United miles plus $2.90-$5.20. Plus the two-seat limit and the codeshare flights you cannot book.
Japan
Using oneworld Miles for JAL Domestic Flights: Atmos, AAdvantage, Avios and Asia Miles
Atmos Rewards priced Haneda-New Chitose at 7,500 points plus $20 in August 2026. Which oneworld programmes publish a price, and which make you search.
Japan
When Your Japan Domestic Flight Is Cancelled: Why We Keep an Award Ticket in Reserve
Award tickets on United and Atmos cancel for free, so a backup seat costs nothing if unused. How we used it twice, and where the ethical line sits.
Japan
ANA and JAL Shareholder Discount Tickets: How to Buy One Without Being a Shareholder
Ticket shops sell airline shareholder vouchers for cash, no ID needed. Plus the May 2026 ANA change that makes two-year-olds pay while JAL flies them free.
Japan
Osutaka Ridge, JAL 123, and the One Thing It Asks of Passengers
What Japan's worst air accident changed, from the 2005 Safety Advisory Group to 379 people evacuating a burning A350 in 18 minutes. And what it asks of you.
Japan
Koiwai Farm: The Name Is Three Men, and One of Them Built Japan's Railways
Koiwai Farm is named after Ono, Iwasaki and Inoue Masaru, father of Japan's railways. The 1891 founding story, plus hours, admission and access.
Japan
Inoue Masaru, the Man Whose Statue Stands at Tokyo Station
Who is the statue on Tokyo Station's Marunouchi plaza? Inoue Masaru, father of Japanese railways: melted down in 1944, back on the plaza since December 2017.