Airbnb boasts one of the largest travel communities in the world, filled with users offering up lodging and those eager to visit somewhere new. The Japanese subsidiary of the company has revealed the top spots added to Japanese users ‘Favorites (Wish Lists)’ from May 1 to May 17, 2022. Where will travelers in the country be headed this summer?

Golden Week is long gone and users are starting to think about where to visit during the hottest part of the year. This national ‘Wish List’ might make it easier to pick a spot, with many locations highlighting lesser-known areas!

Gujo Hachiman Villa, Limited to 1 Couple Per Day (Gifu)

This completely private rental villa was made for sauna enthusiasts. One lucky pair per day can book this suite along the Yoshida River flowing through Gujo Hachiman, known as the “City of Water and Dance.” Currently booked through the end of August, reservations for September and beyond will be available in early June. Book a stay to enjoy the gorgeous autumn foliage!

A House Surrounded by Lush Greenery in the Countryside (Tottori)

Hosted by a family of musicians and architects, this guesthouse invites guests to enjoy gorgeous Nordic-inspired interiors and the serene quiet of the countryside. For those looking to escape the hustle and bustle of the city, this is the perfect spot.

Hoshina Satomachi, Limited to 1 Couple Per Day (Nagano)

There’s nothing like spending the summer in a traditional Japanese home. Enjoy a barbeque on the terrace and relax on the massive lawn. This is the perfect spot for families with children or pets!

Coastal Cabin (Chiba)

You can’t have summer without a pool. This luxurious coastal retreat boasts a 15-meter pool, outdoor Jacuzzi, bonfire space, and a barbeque. Relax by the pool while listening to your favorite songs or soak in the outdoor bath as you watch the waves crash along the shore.

An Elegant and Peaceful Log Cabin (Nagano)

Located at 1,300 meters above sea level on the Iizuna plateau, this log cabin is situated in the midst of a dense forest. A perfect space for couples, families, or small groups of friends, guests are welcome to enjoy hiking through this gorgeous landscape in the center of Japan!

The RIHGA Royal Hotel Osaka has announced a spectacularly limited Halloween accommodation plan, titled ‘A Terrifying Banquet in the Mysterious Lord’s Castle.’ Only one lucky person per day can book the decorated room, which features in-room meals and more treats to discover. Reservations are open through October 28, and the room will be available from September 10 until October 31.

‘A Terrifying Banquet’ Dining Table

Living Room

Skeletons in hotel uniform, ready to greet guests in the front room

This spooky setup will be held in the Fontainebleau suite, themed as a French palace. Guests will enjoy a western dinner course in the comfort (or discomfort) of the room. Decorated with black cats, ever-watchful owls and skeletons, guests can also look forward to taking plenty of photos at a designated photo spot on the sofa.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to keep people in their homes, the hotel created this room as a way to experience a new kind of cozy Halloween getaway. Visitors will enjoy plenty of other perks, including free parking, soft drink coupons, and breakfast the following morning.

Would you be able to sleep in this room filled with skeletons and specters?

Rokuyon, which manages unique accommodations mainly in Shibuya, has opened the fourth room of “MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS”, the home-sharing facility, named “HARAJUKU” produced by ASOBISYSTEM, which introduces HARAJUKU culture to the world.

“MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS offers accommodation services in concept rooms full of originality not found in existing hotels or home-sharing facilities. The concept of the fourth room is “HARAJUKU”. The room is filled with “KAWAII”, one of the representative cultures of Japan. Once you step into the room through the archway, you will feel as if you have wandered into the world of a picture book. The room is inspired by Harajuku, a place where you can enjoy the extraordinary feeling of being lost in a different dimension.

With the opening of the room HARAJUKU, an entire building has been transformed into MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS, with four rooms available for booking via Airbnb. The rooms can be used for a variety of purposes, such as accommodation for domestic and foreign tourists, staycations (casual holiday at home or nearby), girls’ parties, and birthday parties with your friends. In order to ensure the safety of the guests, they carry out temperature checks, use alcohol sanitisers and disinfect the rooms with alcohol when cleaning.

The archway at the entrance is a gateway to a world of wonder. From the moment you step into the house, the excitement is bound to build.

The living room is decorated with colourful objects and animals reminiscent of a museum. Why not find your favourite objects and animals, and enjoy taking photos with them?

The bedroom has a queen-size bed, together with a sofa bed and an air bed in the living room, which can accommodate up to four people.

The shower room is equipped with amenities such as shampoo, conditioner, and body soap. The separated washbasins and Toto Washlet toilets have been installed.

The kitchen is fully equipped with a microwave, fridge, and other daily necessities. Colourful KAWAII tablewares are lined up so that you can enjoy the world of the room more.

MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS

The first room  ‘SAKURA’

The room has received high praise from both domestic and international travelers.

A monument of cherry blossoms, the symbol of Japan, fills the ceiling of the bedroom, creating a gorgeous and unique space.

The second room ‘ORIGAMI’

This room is themed on origami, one of the symbols of Japanese culture.

The living room is furnished with benches and stools inspired by a teahouse. Looking up at the ceiling, a number of Japanese umbrellas decorate the space.

The third room ‘DOSUKOI’

The room combined the traditional Japanese culture of sento, a Japanese public bathhouse and sumo, Japanese wrestling.

The sumo wrestler’s hands and the large bath inspired by a sento attract the viewer’s attention. The painted pictures on the walls are the work of Kiyoto Maruyama, one of only three sento painters in Japan.

The rooftop

The rooftop offers an expansive space with a panoramic view of Harajuku. It can also be used for events such as tent saunas and BBQs. Only the rooftop can be rented out as a rental space.

Why don’t you create your own story at MOSHI MOSHI ROOMS, a place full of unique concepts that you can only experience here?

The Van Gogh Museum in the Netherlands livestreamed the Vincent Van Gogh & Tokyo Olympic online event in collaboration with the Embassy of the Kingdom of the Netherlands in Japan on July 9.

Curators and researchers at the Van Gogh Museum took part in the digital event which was hosted on TeamNL Tokyo Expo. In addition, researcher Joost van der Hoeven and Olympic athletes Candy Jacobs and Keet Oldenbeuving will make a sporty contribution to the livestream. Their sport skateboarding is an Olympic discipline for the first time.

The event served to strengthen Netherlands-Japan ties at the upcoming Olympic Games.

Sports and culture site WAGTI Inc. released the Lucky Cat Tokyo Edition on May 11. The item is part of the Olympic Heritage Collection, an item series officially licensed by the Olympics.

The Lucky Cat Tokyo Edition features designs that fuses the traditional Japanese waving cat with manga. Exclusive to Olympic Heritage, the designs were created by two legends of the manga industry: Leiji Matsumoto who is perhaps best known for Space Battleship Yamato and Galaxy Express 999, and Yoichi Takahashi who penned the classic Captain Tsubasa.

This high-end art collection is a celebration of iconic moments from the Tokyo 1964 Olympics. It serves as a remembrance of that time, memorialising the Games’ history.

Feel the love from Matsumoto and Takahashi

Tokyo 1964 was a celebration of post-war Japan, a country no longer a wartime enemy, and a perfect opportunity to show its appeal to the world. Not only did Japan as a country see reformations, but sports there did too. Leiji Matsumoto has said that his memory of the Olympics, when he was in his 20’s, is still fresh in mind. He found his joy in the swimming events which are captured in the artwork for his Lucky Cat. Yoichi Takahashi, who released one of the most famous football manga series to the world, created his design in support of the football events in The Olympics and Paralympics. Both cats serve as a symbol of good luck and embody not only Tokyo 1964 but Tokyo 2020 too.

Lacoste has announced the release of a new collection themed on the Tokyo 1964 Summer Olympics in collaboration with the International Olympic Committee. The collection arrives in time for the new run of the Tokyo 2020 Summer Olympics which was originally set to run last year but was delayed to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. It will be held from July 23 to August 8. Lacoste’s collection will go on pre-sale in Japan on April 29 before rolling out at Olympic Museum stores in the UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Canada, and Mexico on July 15.

1964 was a historical year for Japan as the country saw rapid innovation and evolution in art, lifestyle, fashion, and many other areas. The Lacoste capsule collection respects the traditions of the Olympic Games at the time while adding a contemporary touch. It features the Tokyo 1964 logo created by Japanese graphic designer Yusaku Kamekura and fuses it with Lacoste’s French style, turning the emblem an eye-catching gold and adding Lacoste’s iconic crocodile. The line-up includes polo shirts, tees, nylon hoodies, sweatshirts, caps, and more. The items are made from materials like pique fabric, fleece, cotton, and water resistant nylon.

For the Japan pre-sale of the capsule collection, Lacoste Japan is holding a campaign called “THE POWER OF TOKYO 1964” which hopes to charge the athletes of Tokyo 2020 with the energy of Tokyo in 1964, a year of innovation. A special video was released for the promotion featuring background music by Towa Tei who was born in the year 1964. The song, entitled MAGIC, is a bridge connecting the years 1964 and 2021.

Solare Hotels and Resorts has announced that a new branch of hotels androoms will open in Kyoto Shijo on March 6, 2021. In the run up to its grand opening, the company has opened a website where guests can book hotels with Solare Hotels and Resorts at the cheapest possible price. The website will begin rolling out more information about each hotel on the site through the year.

Access

hotel androoms Kyoto Shijo is located a convenient 5-minute walk from Kyoto Station’s Karasuma Line section and 7 minutes from the Central Exit in the JR section, placing it within close distance to many of Kyoto’s sightseeing spots.

The hotel offers seven different room types from standard to double to premium twin. One room can house a maximum of three people, accommodating groups and families. It also promises to be packed with a variety of exclusive services you won’t find at other hotels.

Specialty coffee by Unir Kyoto

hotel androoms Kyoto Shijo will welcome the opening of a new branch of Unir inside the hotel which serves coffee made from specially-selected coffee beans. The coffee is hand-roasted on site with baristas pouring their love and skill into every cup.

Breakfast delivered right to your room

The morning time is your time and should be used as you please without you having to rush around, so says the hotel, and so it offers a breakfast delivery service which must be booked in advance.

Relax and unwind in the modern-style baths

Those looking for a little relaxation can look forward to pushing all their stresses aside in a modern bathing area which is inspired by a cave. It’s open from 3pm-2am and again from 6am-10am.

If you’re planning a trip to Kyoto and want a hotel with easy access to all the hot spots then be sure to consider hotel androoms Kyoto Shijo.

Hotel Gajoen Tokyo, which is a museum and hotel fusion, is serving up a special Strawberry Afternoon Tea and Strawberry Cocktail at its restaurant New American Grill “KANADE TERRACE” from January 6 to February 11 and February 15 to March 19 next year.

Strawberry Afternoon Tea | ¥4,500, with champagne ¥6,200 (1 Person/Before Tax/Service Charge Not Included)

New American Grill “KANADE TERRACE” is known for its afternoon teas, which are made with seasonal ingredients, as well as its cocktails. Their new Strawberry Afternoon Tea will welcome in the New Year with a strawberry and rhubarb tart, strawberry fondue, strawberry and mascarpone soup, and other sweet and savoury selections.

Strawberry Cocktail | ¥1,600 (Before Tax/Service Charge Not Included)

The Strawberry Cocktail is of course made with fresh strawberries as well as mint and soda for a fusion of sweet and tangy. Those who don’t enjoy alcohol can rest assured they’ll enjoy this alcohol-free cocktail.

Hakata Hotels is welcoming the third branch of its The OneFive brand hotels with the opening of The OneFive Terrace Fukuoka in Chuo, Fukuoka, on December 15, 2020.

The OneFive is based around the old Japanese way of ichigo ichie, which roughly translates to “treasure every meeting, for it will never reoccur.” It has taken considerate measures to question what really constitutes as necessary service when it comes to hotels, and launched as a new brand of simple yet comfortable and high quality hotels serving Japanese omotenashi, or hospitality.

Simple yet fine quality comfort

The OneFive Terrace Fukuoka is located in busy central Hakata—within walking distance of the entertainment district of Nakasu and the lively riverside area of Tensu—while offering spacious and comfy rooms.

Rooms are 27㎡～48㎡ in size, with Double Rooms being equipped with king size beds and Twin Rooms with two double beds. Each has a bath, toilet, and wash area, as well as a writing desk, closet, and other pieces to make the hotel stay as comfortable and convenient as possible. There are of courses terraces too, living up to the hotel’s name, which act as ‘another living room’ for guests.

The 4 S’s of Japanese Tea at The OneFive Terrace Fukuoka

1. Select
A selection of specially-selected teas from around locations in Kyushu such as Yame (Fukuoka), Chiran (Kagoshima), Ureshino (Saga), and elsewhere.

2. Style
Enjoy tea in a variety of different styles from creamy and foamy draft tea to hand drip tea and more.

3. Sweets
The hotel’s pastry chefs will whip up a range of tea-flavoured desserts that fuse the traditional Japanese taste with modern western ideas.

4. Scene

All guests staying at The OneFive Terrace Fukuoka are offered a welcome cup of tea. The hotel is a chance for them to appreciate the local culture, region, and lifestyle arranged in a contemporary way.

Hoshino Resorts is offering many ways for guests to enjoy themselves this winter with a range of activities and vistas, whether it be gazing at the starry sky, enjoying a holiday season glamping session, and more—all of which can be done while avoiding the Three C’s during the pandemic, meaning you won’t have to come into contact with others.

A Wintertime Agriturismo Resort Experience in Tochigi

At Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Nasu, guests can enjoy an authentic, vegetable-packed Italian course dinner, indoor bathing in their own guest rooms in an accommodation surrounded by nature, open-air hot springs to warm up during the winter season, and more. There’s also a “Farmer’s Lesson” for that true agricultural tourism experience (‘agriturismo’) so guests can feel at one with nature in Nasu.

▼Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Nasu
Address: 2301 Takakuotsu, Nasu, Nasu District, Tochigi
Running: December 1, 2020 – March 15, 2021

Stargazing On the Ice in Nagano

Guests can lose themselves in the stars while they enjoy a glass of Nagano wine or fondue from Hoshinoya Karuizawa’s cafe and bar. One group of two guests can rent the area all to themselves for a romantic and memorable time.

▼HOSHINOYA Karuizawa
Address: 2157-428 Nagakura, Karuizawa, Kitasaku District, Nagano
Running: December 1, 2020 – February 28, 2021

Winter Season Glamping in Yamanashi

HOSHINOYA Fuji is offering a special glamping program this winter where guests get their very own private space to enjoy the outdoors. They can chop their own woods, build their own fires, and more. It’s the perfect program to get your body warmed up during the cold winter months.

▼HOSHINOYA Fuji
Address: 1408 Ōishi, Fujikawaguchiko, Minamitsuru District, Yamanashi
Running: December 1, 2020 – March 15, 2021

An Unbeatable Ocean View With Hanami Flower Viewing in Shizuoka

Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Atami is offering a special program where guests can enjoy the earliest bloom of Japan’s plum blossoms together with a panoramic ocean view. The hotel’s rooftop Sora no Beach Books&Cafe is a cafe designed to look like a beach and serves as the perfect vantage point for this exclusive experience.

▼Hoshino Resorts RISONARE Atami
Address: 2 Chome-13-1 Minaguchicho, Atami, Shizuoka
Running: January 8, 2021 – March 12, 2021

Acquire Knowledge of the Blue Zone in Okinawa

HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island sits on Taketomi Island which is located inside one of the world’s four Blue Zones, regions where it’s claimed that a higher than usual number of people live longer. There, guests can gain knowledge on how to live a healthy lifestyle. They will spend time moving their bodies as they work out on the farm, learn the secrets to sunbathing and eating nutritional food, and more, all to rebalance the rhythm of their lifestyles.

▼HOSHINOYA Taketomi Island
Address: Taketomi, Yaeyama District, Okinawa
Running: From December 1, 2020 (Not running on select days)

Fuji-Q Highland, an amusement park in Yamanashi, Japan, added new photo spots to its popular Naruto x Boruto Fuji Hidden Leaf Village area on Friday (December 4).

The new spots

New statues of Jiraiya, Tsunade, Gaara, and Itachi have been placed around the park, making the perfect for a photo opportunity and to make guests feel even more like they’re in the world of Naruto.

A new Gaara-inspired ramen dish

¥1,180 (Tax Included)

The area is home to Ramen Ichiraku which is inspired by the ramen bar seen in the Naruto series. There, they have cooked up a new ramen dish inspired by Gaara which comes with a boiled egg with the kanji for ‘love’ (愛) that’s written on the character’s forehead.

Naruto themed hotel rooms at Highland Resort Hotel & Spa

Fuji-Q Highland’s official hotel, Highland Resort Hotel & Spa, has its own special Naruto-themed rooms with references to shinobi and the Hidden Leaf Village dotted everywhere. A new batch of amenities are also set to roll out for guests from February 1, 2021 which will include yukata that dress you like Naruto and Sasuke, face towels with Naruto and Sasuke on them during their final battle, and more.

If you’ve always wanted to feel like you’re in the world of Naruto, look no further than Fuji-Q Highland.

ⓒ岸本斉史 スコット／集英社・テレビ東京・ぴえろ

BIO-RESORT HOTEL&SPA O Park OGOSE has announced that it’s set to light up the night sky of Saitama with a special evening lantern launching event which will be held on Fridays and weekends from December 6.

Guests can pick from five different sky lanterns which use LED lights and helium gas. The lanterns are safe for small children to use so families can enjoy the enchanting experience together.

O Park OGOSE is a biotope-themed resort facility where guests can stay while surrounded by lush green forests. The sky lantern event is being held in response to the pandemic outbreak so that people can feel refreshed and a coming-together.