Japan
When Is Crab Season in Japan? 2026-27 Dates by Coast
Crab season in Japan opens November 6, 2026 and runs to March 20, 2027 on the San'in and Hokuriku coasts. Dates by coast, plus where Hokkaido differs.
Area Guide
Start here: complete where-to-stay guides for every area we cover.
Hokkaido
Hokkaido Ski Trip on Hotel Points: Sapporo or Niseko
Sapporo base or Niseko stay on hotel points? Which brands force which choice, real transfer times, and how a 14:15 UA arrival decides night one.
Nagano
Best Wineries to Visit in Japan: Which Ones Let You In
Japan's most wanted wines come from wineries you cannot enter: 14 of Yoichi's 16 say no. Where to walk in, what the wine is really like, what you can buy.
Sapporo
What to Wear in Hokkaido in January: Layers for -10C Days
Layering for Hokkaido's dry January cold: JMA temperature data, why footwear fails first, and Sapporo hotels with laundry, drying, or a hot-spring bath.
Lake Shikotsu
Lake Shikotsu Ice Festival: Day Trip or Overnight?
The ice is lit 16:30-20:00, but the last regular bus back beats the lights. How the Blue Liner shuttle and lakeside onsen change the day-trip math (Aug 2026).
Takayama
Shirakawa-go Winter Light-Up: Lottery, Buses, Where to Sleep
Shirakawa-go winter light-up 2027: confirmed evenings, how the lottery and bus tickets work, and where to sleep in Takayama or the village.
Otaru
Yoichi in Winter Without Skis: What Stays Open in Otaru
What actually stays open around Yoichi in winter and Otaru for the non-skiing half of a ski trip: distillery hours, winery closures, and the Kiroro bus.
Otaru
Otaru Snow Light Path and Sapporo Snow Festival in One Trip
Otaru Snow Light Path and Sapporo Snow Festival overlap for six days in 2027 — what to see, the last-train limit, and where to sleep for both.
Sapporo
Sapporo Winter Events 2027: Dates, Overlaps, How Many Nights
Sapporo's winter festivals cluster in one early-February window. See the 2026 overlap, how many nights to plan, and where to base in Sapporo or Otaru.
Maihama
Maihama Station to the Parks: Monorail, Walking, Strollers
Maihama Station to the parks: the 5-min walk to Disneyland, why DisneySea needs the monorail, and Disney Resort Line fares and stations.
Kiroro
Where to Eat at Kiroro Ski Resort: On-Mountain Food
Where to eat at Kiroro Ski Resort: Brasserie Akaigawa, the Mountain Center cafes, and Crest on Nagamine — plus why 13:00 beats a noon lunch.
Kiroro
Kiroro Night Skiing: What Runs After Dark (2026-27)
Kiroro night skiing runs on Center Express only, until 19:00 in 2025-26, from a ¥3,000 pass. What's lit, what's closed, and 2026-27 status (checked Aug 2026).