Twenty-seven stops from Shinjuku might make Machida sound like a distant journey, but what it lacks in proximity, it more than makes up for in amenities and atmosphere that central Tokyo can’t offer. It’s a perfect day trip spot — so why not head there over the weekend and discover the charm of outer Tokyo?

The History Of Machida

Fans of Japanese history will know that present-day Machida was part of the ancient province of Musashi, which included most of Saitama, Kawasaki and Yokohama as well, and its capital later became Edo, which even later became the Tokyo we all know and love today. Fans of the original Pokémon series, however, might recognize it as being the basis for Pallet Town in the original Pokémon Red and Blue.

Historically, the area was largely a farming and fishing region until the Meiji period. It has since become a bedroom town for the greater Tokyo and Yokohama areas. Around the station, it’s a lively, bustling hotspot, but even walking a kilometer away will put you back into suburban or even rural spaces. This duality makes this neighborhood a great place to spend the day. You can surround yourself with nature in the morning, shop ‘til you drop in the afternoon, then enjoy some of the latest gourmet spots at night.

What To Do in Machida

With hundreds of interesting places to see and go to, the more accurate question should be what can’t you do?

Machida Squirrel Garden

While squirrels are a common sight overseas, they’re an adorable zoo attraction in Japan, and one that families with kids will love. Opened in 1988, the squirrel garden remains a little-known spot for both non-Japanese travelers and residents.

You’ll find yourself surrounded by the 200 Pallas squirrels that call the garden home. These squirrels are friendly and adorable to watch as they jump, romp, and show off their skills all around among the trees. It isn’t just home to squirrels, though — there are also chipmunks, rabbits, prairie dogs, guinea pigs and even two tortoises that freely stroll the grounds.

• Address: 1-733-1 Yakushidai, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Ticket Price: Adults (Junior High and older) ¥500, Children (ages 3 and up) ¥300
• Opening Hours: 10 a.m. – 4 p.m., closed Tuesdays
• Website: Official link

Machida Yakushi Ike Park

The Machida Squirrel Garden is technically a part of the Yakushi Ike Park complex, which is an ideal place to picnic, take a stroll or just relax. This park is centered around a 7700-square-meter pond, home to koi fish and turtles, as well as plenty of wild birds. There are historic Edo-period homes, a stunning Japanese bridge and teahouses that sell traditional Japanese sweets and drinks within the grounds.

From spring to summer, this historic park is full of flowers — cherry blossoms in spring, a peony garden from April to May, irises from May to June, lotus from July to August, and dahlia from July to November. It’s also quite charming in winter, especially if there’s been some snow.

• Address: 3270 Nozutamachi, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Ticket Price: Free (to the park itself; may be fees for entry to gardens)
• Opening Hours: Welcome gate: 5 a.m. – 10 p.m., gardens & shops are open seasonally
• Website: Official link

Buaiso Historical Home

If you are interested in Japanese history, antiques, and home-cooking, then a visit to Buaiso is in order. Buaiso is the name of the former home of Jiro Shirasu, a Cambridge-educated scholar and aide to Japan’s post-war Prime Minister, Shigeru Yoshida. Jiro Shirasu’s wife Masako was a famed art historian and essayist, and with their combined talents, they made their home into a treasure-trove of traditional Japanese arts and crafts as well as modern Western conveniences.

Buaiso is also one of the few thatched-roofed wooden houses in Tokyo, and has lovely gardens, plus a cafe where you can enjoy Masako’s own recipes that have been handed down through her personal notes and collections.

Please note that children under elementary school age are not permitted in the museum, nor are infants in strollers. Infants in carriers (on the body) are permitted to enter.

• Address: 7-3-2 Nogaya, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Closest Station: Tsurukawa
• Ticket Price: Adults ¥1,500, Under 18 ¥800, Junior High and younger free
• Opening Hours: 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.), closed Mondays
• Website: Official link

The Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts

The Machida City Museum of Graphic Arts is one of the few museums solely dedicated to prints in the world. Here, visitors can learn about the process, tools and steps to its production from a Japanese perspective. They also offer workshops and classes, sometimes in English.

• Address: 4-28-1 Haramachida, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Ticket Price: Free (permanent exhibit and for Junior High School students and under), prices for special exhibits vary.
• Opening Hours: Tues-Fri 10 a.m. – 5 p.m. (last admission 4:30 p.m.), Sat-Sun and holidays 10 a.m. – 5:30 p.m. (last admission 5 p.m. )
• Website: Official link

Where To Shop in Machida

Shopaholics and curious window shoppers alike will love this neighborhood. There’s a little bit of everything there to enjoy. There are plenty of shopping malls with popular Japanese and international brands, plus the latest cafes, too, and all within a three-minute walk of the station.

Machida Lumine

Well-known for its cosmetics shops, Machida Lumine is easily accessible from the JR Lines.

• Address: 6-1-11 Haramachida, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Opening Hours: Shops 10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., Restaurants 11 a.m. – 9:30 p.m. (shop hours may vary)
• Website: Official link

Machida Tokyu Twins

The Tokyu Twins are two shopping centers labeled East and West, and are located across from Machida Station. They are both accessible via the second-floor plaza from the station.

• Address: 6-4-1 Haramachida, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Opening Hours: Shops 10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m., Restaurants 11 a.m. – 10 p.m. (shop hours may vary)
• Website: Official link

Marui Machida

Located across from Lumine, Marui Machida is also directly accessible from Machida Station.

• Address: 6-1-6, Haramachida, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Opening Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. (shop hours may vary)
• Website: Official link

Machida Modi

Catering to a younger crowd, Machida Modi is closer to the Odakyu Machida Station, but still directly accessible via the second-floor walkways.

• Address: 6-2-6, Haramachida, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Opening Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 8 p.m. (shop hours may vary)
• Website: Official link

Jorna Machida

A must-visit place for younger shoppers, those interested in the latest in fashion and pop culture, Jorna Machida is located a short distance from the station, but again is accessible from the same second floor walkways as the other malls listed above.

• Address: 6-6-14 Haramachida, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Opening Hours: 10:30 a.m. – 8:30 p.m. (shop hours may vary)
• Website: Official link

Where To Eat in Machida

Machida is a food lover’s paradise. There’s not much you can’t find here, and it’s often said that even if you ate out three meals a day for a year, you still might not try everything they have to offer.

Machida Nakamise Shopping Street

If you prefer a more classic Japanese approach to shopping and dining, the Nakamise Shopping Street is home to some truly unique little shops, bars, and eateries. Actually, this shopping arcade is a definite must for foodies — the culinary delights you’ll find here sometimes have people lined up down the block. These shops are quite small, so get there early if you want a seat.

• Address: 4-5-13 Haramachida, Machida, Tokyo (Map)
• Opening Hours: Vary by shop
• Website: Official link

Getting There

Machida is easily accessible from Shinjuku via the Odakyu Odawara Line, as well as the Odakyu/Chiyoda Tama, Tokyu Den-en-toshi, JR Yokohama and Keio Sagamihara Line.

It can also be reached via the Tokyu Denentoshi Line from Shibuya and via the Keio Sagamihara Line from Tama Sakai.

Kawasaki, in Kanagawa Prefecture, is less than 30 minutes by train from Shibuya. Kawasaki has had a bad reputation in the past as a rough, blue-collar area, but it is an incredible sightseeing area filled with history, culture and some of the most unique art spots in the Kanto region.

The History Of Kawasaki

Historically speaking, Kawasaki has long been a suburb and a lodging town for Tokyo, as it’s located on the Tokaido, the historical highway connecting Tokyo and Kyoto. During the 17th century, it was one of the main rest areas for weary travelers and, according to some historians, a “must-see travel spot” of the time.  If you want to learn more about the area’s history and dress up like an Edo-era citizen, head to Tokaido Kawasaki Shuku Koryukan, a multi-story museum and learning center that tells the story of the area, what life was like then and so much more.

Incorporated as its own city in 1924, and with a present-day population of just over 1.5 million people, Kawasaki is a popular suburb for those commuting to the Tokyo area. During World War II it was heavily bombed because of its port and industrial sites, but in the post-war period a lot of the port land was reclaimed and industry soon returned and exceeded pre-war levels there.

Major international corporations such as Fuji Electric, Hitachi, Nippon Steel and Ajinomoto still have their main factories and offices here to this day. From the post-war period through the bubble era, these factories and Kawasaki’s blue-collar image led many to think the era was too rough-and-tumble for Tokyoites, but nowadays, these same features have made Kawasaki an exciting, alternative tourist destination.

Tokaido Kawasaki Shuku Koryukan

• Address: 1-8-4 Honcho, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Closest Station: JR Kawasaki or Keikyu Kawasaki
• Ticket Price: Free
• Opening Hours: 9 a.m.-5 p.m., closed Mondays
• Website: Official link

What To Do in Kawasaki

There are three main must-see areas in Kawasaki, but which one you visit depends on your interests. If you want to see Japanese Buddhism, or an annual festival dedicated to safe childbirth and sexual safety, then you’ll be heading to Kawasaki Daishi station. For the modern lights and sights, Kawasaki station itself, and for art and history, Mukougaoka-yuen station.

Kawasaki Daishi Temple

Kawasaki Daishi station is where you’ll find Kawasaki Daishi Temple. Built in 1128, this temple was dedicated to the monk Kukai, Kobo Daishi, who first introduced Buddhism to Japan in the 800s. Kawasaki Daishi is famed for its ability to prevent disaster and ward off evil. In the summer, they host a wind chime festival, where visitors can buy handcrafted wind chimes by artists from across Japan, while at New Year’s, over three million people come to pray for safety and good fortune in the year to come. The road to this temple has several small shops selling everything from Japanese sweets to daruma statues, and traditional goods of all kinds.

• Address: 4-48 Kawasaki Daishimachi, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Closest Station: Kawasaki Daishi
• Opening Hours: 5:30 a.m.- 6 p.m. (April to September), 6 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. (October to March) 
• Website: Official link

Kanayama Shrine

During the rest of the year, Kanayama Shrine is fairly quiet and unsuspecting, but on the first Sunday in April, it becomes packed with people seeking blessings for fertility, safe childbirth, good marital relationships, and business prosperity. It’s also known overseas as “the Penis Festival.” In recent years, the Kanamara Matsuri has also become one of the biggest LGBT+ events on the social calendar.

• Address: 2-13-16 Daishi Ekimae, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Closest Station: Kawasaki Daishi
• Opening Hours: Open 24h; shrine shop hours vary.
• Website: Official link

Kawasaki Station

Kawasaki station itself is full of shops, restaurants, and so much more, but there are a few places and events that no one should miss.

If you’d like to see something truly different, then taking in the industrial history of Kawasaki via a Factory Night View tour might be for you. These are bus and boat tours that offer these colorful alternative views, including some that are not normally open to the public. One must-see spot is the Nemoto Shipyard, which also provides amazing views of the surrounding factory areas.

Those visiting Kawasaki in August should not miss the Awa-Odori. Taking place from August 12th-15th every year, the streets of Kawasaki are taken over by hundreds of dancers in colorful costumes, and the sounds of drums and flutes playing traditional Japanese music. It is a must-see for those wanting to experience a high-energy, one-of-a-kind event.

Mukougaoka-yuen Station

Part of Kawasaki ward, but about 35 minutes from Kawasaki station by train, Mukougaoka-yuen station might seem like a sleepy bedroom town, but it’s home to must-see art, culture, and history spots that will appeal to people with varied interests.

Ikuta Ryokuchi Park

First is Ikuta Ryokuchi Park, a nature spot filled with stunning seasonal flowers (cherry blossoms, roses, and irises being the main ones), a historical burial ground, and an observatory on the top of Mt. Masugata.  Within this park are several facilities that will keep you busy all day long, but the following three are the most exciting if you’re on a day out.

• Address: 7-1-4 Masugata, Tama Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Ticket Price: Free (to the park itself)
• Opening Hours: Open 24h; East Gate visitors center 8:30 a.m.- 5 p.m.
• Website: Official link

The Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum

Nihon Minka-en (The Japan Open-Air Folk House Museum) is an open-air museum built in 1967 to showcase various examples of traditional private homes from across Japan—some dating back 200-300 years. Each structure is a designated cultural property, and most are open to the public.

• Address: 7-1-1 Masugata, Tama, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Ticket Price: Adults ¥550, Students (High School/ College) ¥330, Students (Junior High School) and under / Senior (over 65 years) Free (ID card is required)
• Opening Hours: 9:30-5 p.m. March to October (last admission 4:30 p.m.); 9:30-4:30 p.m. (last admission 4 p.m.); closed Mondays (schedule may vary; see website for details.)
• Website: Official link

Kawasaki Municipal Science Museum

Kawasaki Sora To Midori No Kagaku Kan (Kawasaki Municipal Science Museum) is a science museum famous for its planetarium, but it also offers natural science studies and special experiments. Here you’ll find fossils of ancient creatures found in Kawasaki, too.

• Address: 7-1-2 Masugata, Tama, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Ticket Price: Free (to the museum), Planetarium Admission: Adults ¥400, Students (High School/ College) ¥200, Students (Junior High School and under) and Adults (over 65 years) free
• Opening Hours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.; closed Mondays
• Website: Official link

Taro Okamoto Museum of Art

The final facility within Ikuta Ryokuchi Park that is highly recommended is the Taro Okamoto Museum of Art. Born in Kawasaki, Kanagawa, Taro Okamoto was an internationally known avant-garde artist who is best known for the statue the Tower of the Sun, located in Osaka’s Expo Commemoration Park, and the Myth of Tomorrow, a towering mural found in Shibuya’s Mark City, near the Inokashira Line.

• Address: 7-1-5 Masugata, Tama, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Ticket Price: Varies by exhibition
• Opening Hours: 9:30 a.m.-5 p.m.(last admission 4:30 p.m.)
• Website: Official link

Fujiko F. Fujio Museum

Fans of Japanese anime and manga are sure to have heard of Doraemon before. Fujiko F. Fujio Museum pays homage to Fujiko F. Fujio’s vast body of work and includes indoor and outdoor exhibits, a cafe and limited-edition goods available only here. Tickets to this museum must be purchased in advance at convenience stores from their ticket machines and only six tickets may be purchased per group.

• Address: 2-8-1 Nagao, Tama, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Ticket Price: Adult(ages 18 & over) ¥1,000, Junior (ages 13-17) ¥700, Child (ages 4-12) ¥500, under 3 free
• Opening Hours: 10 a.m.-6 p.m., closed Tuesdays
• Website: Official link

Where To Shop in Kawasaki

Kawasaki Station is surrounded by shopping centers, so you can find practically anything you’re looking for here.

Lazona Kawasaki

The largest mall in the area is Lazona Kawasaki, which is connected to the station. There are over 300 shops here, including MUJI and Uniqlo, as well as international brands like Tommy Hilfiger and Zara.

• Address: 7-2-1 Horikawacho, Saiwai, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Opening Hours: Shops: 10 a.m.-9 p.m.; Restaurants: 11 a.m.-11 p.m. Hours may vary by shop.
• Website: Official link

Atre Kawasaki

Also connected to JR Kawasaki Station is Atre Kawasaki, a shopping center focused more on women’s fashion, general stores, international boutiques and cosmetics shops like LUSH and Plaza, and many cozy little restaurants.

• Address: 26-1 Ekimae Honcho, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Opening Hours: Shops: 10 a.m.- 9 p.m., Restaurants: 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.
• Website: Official link

Azalea

Azalea is the underground mall immediately connected to JR Kawasaki station’s east exit, and has a little bit of everything. Divided into three areas, this mall can be a whole-day experience and is a great date spot on rainy days.

• Address: 26-2 Ekimae Honcho, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Opening Hours: Delichika & LifeGrand 10 a.m.-9 p.m., Gourmesse 11 a.m.- 11 p.m.
• Website: Official link

La Cittadella

La Cittadella is a large shopping, cinema and event complex where you can take in concerts, cultural events, and shop ‘til you drop. There are also scores of restaurants and cafes to choose from. It’s also home to a popular wedding venue and some couples visit it every year on their wedding anniversary as well.

• Address: 4-1 Ogawacho, Kawasaki Ward, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Opening Hours: Shops & Cafes: 11 a.m.-9 p.m.; Restaurants: 11 a.m.-10:30 p.m.; other services vary.
• Website: Official link

Where To Eat in Kawasaki

There are literally hundreds of restaurants, izakayas, and cafes to choose from in and around the Kawasaki station area. There are, of course, scores of franchise locations for places like Sweets Paradise, Genki Sushi, and so on, and each of the shopping malls has plenty of dining spots too.

For a more local experience, checking out a shopping street is your best bet. Kawasaki Ginryugai Shopping Street is home to standing noodle shops, izakayas, yakinikku, and fast food spots.

Ginryugai Shopping Street

• Address: 3-7 Ekimae Honcho, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Website: Official link

Kawasaki Ginza Shopping Street

• Address: 1-1-12-401 Ekimae Honcho, Kawasaki, Kanagawa (Map)
• Website: Official link

If you want to get out of the city and enjoy a wide variety of experiences and plenty of Japanese culture, both past and present—with fewer crowds—then Kawasaki is the place for you.

Getting There

Kawasaki station is twenty minutes from Tokyo station on the Tokaido Line, and less than thirty minutes from Shibuya station (take the Yamanote to Shinagawa and then the Tokaido Line).

International Women’s Day (IWD) is a holiday celebrated annually on March 8 with a focal point in the women’s rights movement. Here at Savvy Tokyo, we wanted to share with our readers some ways this day can be celebrated in and around Tokyo! First, get to know the history of IWD in Japan, from its early beginnings here in 1923. Then, read on for Tokyo’s many IWD events where you can celebrate the history and victories of women’s rights in Japan and learn what work still needs to be done to advance gender equality. While you’re at it, why not consider volunteering for a Japan-based organization focusing on women’s empowerment?

The History of International Women’s Day in Japan

© Photo by iStock: Vittorio Gravino

While the first International Women’s Day was held on March 11, 1911 in several European countries, its roots lay in the United States a few years earlier. In 1909, the Socialist Party of America organized the first National Women’s Day in New York City to protest the poor labor conditions facing female garment workers. During World War I, these marches also became key sites for anti-war protests across the globe. March 8th became the official day when Russian women protested against food shortages, the war and the czarist government.

In 1923, the feminist socialist group, Akarankai organized Japan’s first International Women’s Day march to call for women’s liberation. As with other marches around the world, socialism’s critiques against capitalism’s enslavement of women drove the protest’s messages. The protest was violently suppressed by the police and the next International Women’s Day wouldn’t be held in Japan again until 1947. Since then, annual marches have taken place to call for gender equality and world peace. In recent years, marches have focused on ending war, particularly Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and closing the gender pay gap.

International Women’s Day Events in Tokyo for 2026

To celebrate International Women’s Day in Tokyo this year, join like-minded people at the exciting events below. Whatever angle of IWD interests you, you are sure to find an event of interest in Tokyo this March!

Happy Woman Festa Tokyo 2026

© Photo by Happy Woman Festa Tokyo 2025

The Happy Woman Festa 2026 is a series of events organized to celebrate IWD across Japan. The theme this year is Towards a future where happiness circulates. Make sure to reserve your seat in advance!

• Date: March 8, 2026
• Times: 11 a.m. – 6 p.m.(Happy Woman Festa 2026)
• Address: United Nations University, 5-53-70 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo
• Cost: Free!
• Note: The dress code for the Happy Woman Festa 2026 is yellow, the official color for IWD.

College Women’s Association of Japan’s Celebrates International Women’s Day

© Photo by College Women’s Association of Japan

CWAJ marks International Women’s Day with a special staged reading of Mimoza Ways. The performance explores 100 years of Japanese women’s history, from the Seito Movement led by feminist pioneer Hiratsuka Raicho to the present day, blending reflection with moments of humor. A Japanese-French co-production that has received acclaim since its 2022 premiere, Mimoza Ways is the first Japanese production to trace a century of women’s experiences in this way. The reading is directed by Yu Yamagami and features Tsurumatsu Matsukuma, Yuko Ueno, Rena Koto and Yu Yamagami. Following the performance, a talk session with producer and translator Namino Rivoal Hori, along with the director and cast, will offer further insight and discussion. The event will be in Japanese.

• Date: March 6, 2026
• Time: 7-9 p.m.
• Address: Theater X, Ryogoku City Core 1F, 2-10-14 Ryogoku, Sumida, Tokyo
• Cost: ¥4,000

The Yellow Walk & Mimosa Day Award Party

Dress in yellow and join a vibrant celebration that will turn Tokyo into a moving field of mimosa! On March 7, the Italian Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ICCJ)’s Yellow Walk kicks off at the Italian Embassy, winding through the city in a powerful tribute to International Women’s Day before arriving at the iconic Tokyo Tower. The celebration doesn’t stop there either. Afterward, you can join the exclusive Mimosa Day Award Party, where you’ll enjoy live DJ music, signature cocktails and finger food while soaking in the classic high-rise view of Tokyo.

• Date: March 6, 2026
• Meeting time: 5:45 p.m.
• Walk time: 6-9 p.m.
• Address: Tokyo Tower Main Deck 1F, 4-2-8 Shibakoen, Minato City, Tokyo
• Cost: Free to walk; Yellow Walk + Mimosa Day Award Party (includes a ticket to Tokyo Tower Main Deck, all-you-can-eat buffet and drink); ICCJ Members: ¥6,600; Non-Members: 8,800; Mimosa Day Award Party only: ICCJ Members: ¥8,800; Non-Members: 11,000
• Note: Dress as yellow as possible!

International Women’s Day Breakfast & Panel Discussion Australian Embassy Tokyo

The Australian and New Zealand Chamber of Commerce in Japan (ANZCCJ) invites you to Pullman Tokyo Tamachi for IWD 2026. This year’s theme is “Give to Gain” and will feature a panel discussion with several senior business leaders. Over breakfast, these panelists will highlight single mothers and single-parent households living in Japan.

• Date: March 6, 2026
• Time: 8 a.m.-9 a.m. (doors open at 7:30 a.m.)
• Address: Pullman Tokyo Tamachi ​Banquet Room 9F, 3-1-21 Shibaura Minato, Tokyo
• Cost: ¥10,000 (ANZCCJ members), ¥12,000 (non-ANZCCJ members)
• Note: Attendees must register by Feb. 27, 2026

Women’s March Tokyo 2026

As with other IWD events globally, the Women’s Day March in Tokyo will be one of this year’s main events. This event has been held in the city since 2017. The one-kilometer march will begin and end at Jingu-dori Park in Shibuya Ward and all participants are invited to the after-party. Attendees who don’t want to be photographed can gather together behind a “no photos” sign during the event. Come join others to call for gender equality and an end to violence.

• Date: March 8, 2026
• Meeting time: 5:30 p.m.
• Start time: 6 p.m.
• Address: 6-22-8 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo
• Cost: Free!

Grand Hyatt Tokyo’s International Women’s Day Specials

Grand Hyatt Tokyo Hotel will be offering a variety of IWD specials. At the Mimosa Dinner – The French Kitchen, between March 1 and 8, offer the women in your life the stunning Mimosa Mousse Cake, designed by women patissiers. Whether you are sampling their seafood saffron nage or digging into a mimosa rare cheesecake, mark this year’s IWD with upscale dining!

• Date: March 1 – 8, 2026
• Address: Grand Hyatt Tokyo, 6-10-3 Roppongi, Minato-ku, Tokyo
• Cost: Prices vary depending on the dish or course.

Mimosa Week

For up-to-date information about the state of women in Japan alongside beautiful illuminations, head to the Former Kunitachi Station. Inside this historic building, you can learn about recent developments in women’s issues on poster boards. Join a workshop on the eighth on how to make mimosa badges to show your support for women’s equality. Also, read up on several gender-related case studies exploring the experiences of women. As a special treat, there will be an illumination event featuring using yellow lights, the official color of IWD.

• Date: March 5- 10, 2026
• Address: Former Kunitachi Station Building, 1-1-69 Higashi, Kunitachi, Tokyo
• Cost: Free!

BCCJ’s International Women’s Day 2026

The British Chamber of Commerce in Japan (BCCJ) will be hosting talks over dinner for International Women’s Day. Her Excellency Julia Longbottom CMG, British Ambassador to Japan, will speak on explring leadership and her experiences leading the UK-Japan relationship alongside voices from business and civil society. Offering an opprotunity for open dialog and collaboration, this event is open to all genders.

• Date: March 18, 2026
• Time: 6 p.m.-8:30 p.m.
• Address: PwC Tokyo, 1-2-1, Otemachi, Chiyoda, Tokyo
• Cost: ¥5,000 (BCCJ members); ¥8,000 (non-members)

We hope you enjoy your International Women’s Day in Japan! How are you planning on celebrating?

In a city as busy, complex and constantly evolving as Tokyo, time spent here is often focused on exploring its inspiring contemporary culture and amazing cuisine. However, if you’re looking to shed some light on Japan’s past, Tokyo’s historical museums may be the place for you.

This season, discover one of the many immersive replicas of traditional Tokyoite homes and workplaces, learn about fascinating Samurai culture or gaze at traditional woodcuts in some of the city’s most interesting historic venues. Here’s a roundup of our favorites!

1. Ota Memorial Museum of Art

A visit to the compact tatami rooms of the Ota Memorial Museum of Art is a must for those interested in ukiyo-e, the traditional Japanese woodblock printmaking that flourished during the Edo period. The Edo era lasted from 1603 to 1868, a period of significant economic prosperity and cultural growth across Japan, particularly in the arts. The museum is dedicated to the artist Ota Seizo, who collected a staggering 12,000 block prints during his lifetime. The prints on display are rotated every two to three months and show around 200 works at a time, so there’s always something interesting on view. The works are well curated, with English labels, and the museum’s central location—a stone’s throw from the colorful streets of Harajuku—adds an interesting contrast to the traditional art on display.

• Price: Varies (See current exhibition for details)
• Open: 10:30 a.m.-5:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
• Where: 1-10-10 Jingumae, Shibuya, Tokyo
• Closest Station: Meiji-Jingumae
• Website: http://www.ukiyoe-ota-muse.jp/eng

2. Shitamachi Museum

For those seeking a little nostalgia, the Shitamachi Museum offers a glimpse of everyday life in Tokyo between the Meiji Restoration in 1868 and the Great Earthquake of 1923. The Meiji Period saw Japanese society transition from a feudal to the more modern identity it enjoys today. Comprising a number of rooms, including a sweet shop, a coppersmith’s workshop, and rows of tenement house apartments, this charming museum explores working and living conditions during this period. Visitors are encouraged to get interactive—children can play with traditional toys, while adults can view old photographs and rummage through the display’s cupboards and drawers. Small but perfectly formed, the Shitamachi Museum is a great place to incorporate into a day trip to Ueno. Ask for an English-speaking guide if needed.

• Price: ¥300 (Adults), ¥100 (Child/Student)
• Open: 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Closed on Mondays.
• Where: 2-1 Ueno-koen, Taito, Tokyo
• Closest Station: Ueno
• Website: https://www.taitogeibun.net/shitamachi/

3. Samurai Museum

Most people have heard of the Samurai culture through Hollywood blockbusters and pop culture, but many may not be fully familiar with its symbolic resonance in Japanese culture and the powerful history it evokes. For over 700 years, from the Kamakura (1185) to the much later Edo period, the Samurai dominated Japanese society both militarily and symbolically. The recently opened Samurai Museum in Shinjuku—a painstakingly curated, carefully designed collection featuring an impressive ensemble of costumes, swords and historical relics—helps visitors discover this fascinating history. With plenty of fun activities, including having your photograph taken in full samurai attire or witnessing a traditional sword battle, this is a great place to visit with the whole family.

• Price: ¥1,900 (Adults), ¥800 (Under 12), Free (Under 3).
• Open: 10:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
• Where: 5−17−13 Shinjuku, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo
• Closest Station: Shinjuku
• Website: https://www.samuraimuseum.jp/en/

4. Edo-Tokyo Museum

If you have friends visiting or are new to Japan, a visit to the Edo-Tokyo Museum is a great way to understand more about this important period. The museum tracks Tokyo’s development from a medieval town to an urban metropolis via its many artifacts and large-scale models of streets and bridges. The museum gives visitors a comprehensive overview of this 400-year pre-earthquake period through both its permanent collection and special exhibitions throughout the year, alongside a vibrant lecture and workshop program. Its impressive ornate kimono collection is also pretty special, and the free English audio guides will help non-Japanese speakers navigate the displays.

• Price: TBA
• Open: TBA
• Where: 1-4-1 Yokoami, Sumida-ku, Tokyo.
• Closest Station: Ryogoku
• Website: https://www.edo-tokyo-museum.or.jp/en/

5. Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum

Based in Koganei city in Western Tokyo is the Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum, a vast open-air historical “theme park” dedicated to exhibiting old historical buildings of cultural value that cannot be preserved in their original locations. Many of those buildings were lost to fires and air raids since the Edo period but were reconstructed at this location in their original shapes. Here, you can see old private residences, public baths, various shops and recreation facilities, including a bar and a tea room, which show how people have lived in Japan since the Edo period. Visitors can freely explore the facilities’ interiors, where time appears to have stopped centuries ago.

• Price: ¥400 (Adults), ¥320 (College), ¥200 (Students). Free for primary school and younger children
• Open: 9:30 a.m.- 5:30 p.m. (April-Sept), 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. (October-March). Closed on Mondays.
• Where: 3-7-1 Sakuracho, Koganei-shi, Tokyo (inside Koganei Park)
• Closest Station: Hana-Koganei
• Website: http://www.tatemonoen.jp/english/

6. Fukagawa Edo Museum

Travel east towards Koto Ward and you’ll come across this hidden gem of a museum. The Fukagawa Edo Museum houses a replica of the neighborhood from 1840 (around the end of the Tokugawa Period). Complete with seasonal sound effects and decorations, walk through the town and feel like you have traveled back in time. There are volunteer guides on the premises who are more than happy to guide you through the different displays. Afterwards, check out the hall that goes into more detail about the Fukugawa neighborhood, complete with statistics and graphs.

• Price: ¥400 (Adults), ¥50 (primary school children and below)
• Open: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays
• Where: 1-3-28 Shirakawa, Koto, Tokyo
• Closest Station: Kiyosumi-shirakawa
• Website: https://www.kcf.or.jp/fukagawa/

7. Tokiwaso Manga Museum

Tokiwaso was once an iconic two-storey apartment building that housed many talented manga (comic) artists, including Tezuka Osamu (creator of Astro Boy) and Terada Hiroo (creator of Sebango 0). It became the spot for up-and-coming artists to live out their mangaka (comic artist) dreams and a place for friendly rivalry. Though the original building was demolished, fans came together and reconstructed it as a manga museum. Today, it’s a place to learn more about manga and anime culture through the lens of these famous artists.

• Open: 10 a.m. – 6 p.m. Closed on Mondays
• Where: 3-9-22 Minaminagasaki, Toshima, Tokyo
• Closest Station: Ochiai-minami-nagasaki
• Website: https://www.tokiwasomm.jp/

8. Tokyo Waterworks Historical Museum

Learn about Tokyo’s rich history through its waterways at this free museum. Tracing back to the city’s founding (then called Edo) under Tokugawa Ieyasu, learn about the ancient techniques used to purify water and redirect it to the city’s citizens. Follow along and learn about how the city’s waterworks have changed and improved through the 17th century to the present day. It’s a unique take on the city’s history, and one that continues to improve the lives of Tokyo’s population even today.

• Price: Free
• Open: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m.
• Where: 2-7-1 Hongo, Bunkyo City, Tokyo
• Closest Station: Suidobashi
• Website: https://www.suidorekishi.jp/

9. Shinjuku Historical Museum

At the Shinjuku Historical Museum, get a deeper understanding of how the area was before all the flashing lights and skyscrapers. The permanent exhibit features artifacts and trivia about key literary figures associated with the city ward, such as Natsume Soseki (author of Kokoro and I Am a Cat). Browse through each era from the Jomon Period to the Edo Period and Meiji Period sections. Check out the life-sized replica buildings of a former pasty shop and even a streetcar.

• Price: ¥300 (Adults), ¥100 (primary school children and below).
• Open: 9:30 a.m. – 5:30 p.m.
• Where: 12-16 Yotsuya Saneicho, Shinjuku City, Tokyo
• Closest Station: Yotsuya
• Website: https://www.regasu-shinjuku.or.jp/rekihaku/

10. Japanese Sword Museum

This small but well-curated museum highlights the art of Japanese swordmaking. Beyond weapons, Japanese swords have been used as symbols of faith, authority and art. Each sword represents the samurai spirit. The shape and curvature of each sword sheds light on the needs, trends and the context of that era. Made to be unbreakable, unbendable and extremely sharp, walk away from your museum visit with a newfound appreciation for the craftsmanship and generations of history that go behind making one of these most unmistakable symbols of Japanese culture.

• Price: ¥1,000 (Adults), ¥500 (High school and college students), Free (primary school children and below).
• Open: 9:30 a.m. – 5 p.m. Closed on Mondays
• Where: 1-12-9 Yokoami, Sumida City, Tokyo
• Closest Station: Ryogoku
• Website: https://www.touken.or.jp/museum/

For a guide to Tokyo’s most unusual museums, see this article.

What’s your favorite museum in Tokyo? Share with us in the comments! 

Born in 1959 into a Chinese–Filipino family in the Philippines, Cynthia Usui, Chief Empowerment Officer of Sekaia Inc., came to Japan in 1980 as a government-sponsored international student and graduated from Tokyo University of Foreign Studies. She once imagined a traditional professional path, but life took her across countries and roles, including a long period as a full-time homemaker. Married to a Japanese diplomat, she spent nearly two decades raising her daughter while living in multiple countries before eventually becoming a Japanese national and calling Tokyo home.

At age 47—when most people believe “it’s too late to start over”—Cynthia re-entered the workforce with a part-time cafeteria job. She began what would become one of Japan’s most remarkable second-career stories. From hospitality roles at major hotels, including ANA InterContinental Tokyo and Shangri-La, she went on to lead Tokyo 2020 hospitality at Coca-Cola. She later became a country manager in the hotel industry and then a manager at a major global IT company. Today, she serves as an advisor to an NPO that supports single mothers, while being recognized as a LinkedIn influencer and published author who advocates for career breaks.

Career Breaks by Cynthia Usui

Cynthia’s beliefs are rooted in lived experience. After a 17-year career break, she learned firsthand that stepping away from work is not the end of a career. It can become the beginning of a more authentic one. She calls herself the “Cinderella of stay-at-home moms,” not because she waited for the clock to strike midnight. But because she transformed “ordinary” and “unemployed” into extraordinary and unstoppable through curiosity, humility and persistence.

Her message is simple but radical:

“A career break is not a career end.”

Career pauses also create space for growth, resilience and new perspectives—qualities that enrich professional life later. Through storytelling, writing and mentoring, she now champions women who are restarting professional journeys after motherhood, caregiving, relocation or personal transitions.

What makes Cynthia inspiring is not only that she achieved senior roles. It is the fact that she began again when most people believe the window has closed. She has proven, through her own example, that it is never too late to reinvent oneself. Opportunity doesn’t fade with age, gender or circumstance. She stands for possibility, for second chances and for the power of saying “yes” even when your confidence says “not yet.”

Today, through Career Hub, her books and her platform on LinkedIn, Cynthia empowers a new generation of women to believe that every chapter counts—and that the time spent away from work doesn’t erase your potential. It expands it.

Cynthia’s Japan Recommendations

• Take the train and get out of central Tokyo to see how regular people live.

Visit Cynthia’s website for more information about her and her work.

Her books are all available on Amazon (Japanese language):

• 人生は、もっと、自分で決めていい (Jinsei wa, motto, jibun de kimete ii; “You’re allowed to decide more of your own life.”)
• ハーバード、イェール、プリンストン大学に合格した娘は、どう育てられたか ママ・シンシアの自力のつく子育て術33 (Hābādo, Yēru, Purinsuton Daigaku ni gōkaku shita musume wa, dō sodaterareta ka: Mama Shinshia no jiriki no tsuku kosodatejutsu 33; “How was the daughter who got into Harvard, Yale and Princeton raised? Cynthia’s 33 child-raising methods for building independence.”)
• 専業主婦が就職するまでにやっておくべき8つのこと (Sengyō shufu ga shūshoku suru made ni yatte oku beki yattsu no koto; “Eight things a full-time homemaker should do before getting a job.”)

If you would like to follow Cynthia Usui personally, you can find her over on LinkedIn, X and Facebook.

If you have someone in mind you would like us to interview for Savvy Spotlight, please leave a comment below with your recommendations.

Meet the kinkan (kumquat). Tiny, tart and tantalizing, these little citrus fruits are ideal for a simple kumquat recipe and are easy to find at local supermarkets throughout winter in Japan. Not much larger than an olive, a kinkan ranges in diameter from two to four centimeters. But despite their miniature size, kumquats are packed with flavor and nutrition, and unlike other citrus fruits, they’re often enjoyed whole—skin and all.

Eaten raw, the thin, crunchy peel yields easily to the teeth, the orange orbs bursting with tangy juice. Fragrant oils spray the air, releasing a delicate floral aroma from the pores of the fruit’s sweet, lustrous skin.

When boiled with sugar, kumquats become tender and glossy, tempering the sourness of the fruit’s flesh and preserving its fragrance in a thick nectar. A versatile topping for everything from yogurt to pancakes, we share a simple recipe for kumquats in syrup below.

But first, a little background on the tiniest citrus fruit.

An Auspicious Japanese New Year Food

© Photo by Rika Hoffman

Known as kinkan no kanroni in Japanese, candied kumquat is a sweet treat, home remedy and palate cleanser rolled into one—which helps explain its popularity among osechi ryori (Japanese New Year cuisine) dishes. It’s the equivalent of eating cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving, with a bright, acidic flavor that cuts through the otherwise heavy (and rather brown—at least in the case of American Thanksgiving) meal.

Like other Japanese New Year foods, kinkan has a symbolic meaning that involves wordplay. 金柑 (kinkan; “kumquat”) is a homonym of 金冠 (kinkan; “golden crown”). If you want to attract wealth in the New Year, a kumquat might just be your golden ticket!

Kinkan is also an auspicious food to eat during the winter solstice in Japan. During this time of year, it’s said that eating foods with two letter n’s (ん and ン in hiragana and katakana) in their names attracts luck. Besides kinkan, this includes foods like ぎんなん (ginnan; “gingko nuts”), にんじん (ninjin; “carrots”) and レンコン (renkon; “lotus root”).

Kumquat Health Benefits

© Photo by Rika Hoffman

Need another reason to include kinkan in your diet? Kumquats are full of health benefits, including: 

• High amounts of dietary fiber (especially the peel) for satiety and improved digestion
• Antioxidants like vitamin C, which boosts the immune system, promotes iron absorption and stimulates collagen production
• Moderate amounts of vitamin A, which is beneficial for the immune system, reproductive system and vision

Popular in Chinese medicine, eating candied kumquats is also a traditional Japanese remedy for sore throat and cough. Steep one or two kumquats in a mug of hot water with a teaspoon of syrup and sip your way to a soothed throat.

Kinkan no Kanroni (Candied Kumquat) Recipe

© Photo by Rika Hoffman

Ingredients

• 500 grams (approximately 3 cups) kumquats
• 250 grams (1 ¼ cup) sugar
• 400 milliliters (approx. 1 ⅔ cup) water

Instructions

1. Wash kumquats and make 7-8 vertical cuts into the skin with a knife. This will make it easier to take out the seeds later.
2. Submerge the kumquats in a pot of water (they should be just covered) and boil for 3-4 minutes. 
3. Drain the kumquats and allow them to cool. 
4. Taking each kumquat one by one, gently remove the seeds by inserting a wooden skewer or chopsticks into the vertical cuts you made earlier. 
5. Combine 400 milliliters of water and 250 grams of sugar in a pot and bring to a boil.
6. Add the kumquats. They should all fit in an even layer at the bottom of the pot.
7. Bring the pot of kumquats and syrup back up to a boil over medium heat. 
8. Lower the heat and cover with an otoshibuta (drop lid) to simmer for 30 minutes. If you don’t have an otoshibuta, a piece of parchment paper cut into a circle to fit the pot works just as well.
9. Once the kumquats have softened and the syrup has thickened, turn off the heat and allow them to cool.
10. Transfer your kumquats with syrup into a jar. Due to the high sugar content in this recipe (50% of the weight of the kumquats), it keeps pretty well. Store in the fridge for up to one month, or in the freezer for up to three months.

How To Use Candied Kumquat

© Photo by Rika Hoffman

There are numerous ways to use these plump, candied kumquats and their syrup:

• Top yogurt or ice cream with chopped kumquats and a drizzle of syrup
• Infuse your tea with candied kumquat and a spoonful of syrup
• Replace the simple syrup in a cocktail recipe with sweet kinkan nectar
• Soak cake layers with kinkan syrup for added flavor and moisture
• Mix chopped kumquats into cake or pancake batter

With a jar of candied kinkan on hand, the possibilities are endless!

Using this kumquat recipe? Share your photos with us via Facebook or Instagram with a hashtag #savvytokyorecipe

The new year is here, and for romantics at heart, it’s the perfect time to start thinking about dating in 2026. There are plenty of options to choose from when it comes to date ideas in Japan, but sometimes things can get repetitive. If you want to fill your year with excitement, then how about planning monthly themed dates?

January: Visit A Shrine

© Photo by iStock: ablokhin

It’s the first month of the year, so it’s probably a wise idea to visit a traditional shrine to pray for luck in love. You can, of course, take yourself on a solo date to pray for love, but if you have a partner, you can also go to a shrine to pray that your relationship goes the distance.

While there are scores of shrines to visit all over Japan, there are 15 matchmaking shrines in Tokyo alone that come highly recommended. You could even consider getting professionally dressed in a kimono before your visit.

Don’t forget to read up on how to properly pray at a shrine too!

February: Romance Galore

© Photo by iStock: tdub_video

February is already chockablock with Valentine’s things to see and do, but the weather can be really iffy. There could be heavy snow or just damp, icky weather that keeps you inside instead.

If it’s fair weather, then going out to see the last of the seasonal illuminations or visiting one of the many plum blossom festivals can be a great way to pass the time with your partner.

If it’s snowy or too chilly to head outdoors, then why not try staying in and baking together? You can shop for ingredients with ease and make something special for your partner or to share together, too.

March: Mountain Climbing

© Photo by iStock: taka4332

March is an excellent month to start spending time outdoors. Forest bathing, whether done alone or with a partner, is a great way to reset and refresh yourself. March is also when White Day takes place, but that can be contentious.

You might not be up for climbing a major mountain (and most are still closed at this time of year), but there are lots of relatively easy places to hike in the greater Tokyo area. Mount Takao, for example, also has its Hiwatari-sai (Fire-Walking Festival) on the second Sunday in March, and its beer garden opens at the end of March as well.

April: All The Flowers

© Photo by iStock: Mystockimages

April is the start of the new year in many ways in Japan. It’s time for new beginnings and starting afresh. Cherry blossoms may be the darling of late March to mid-April, but there’s also Golden Week at the end of the month to consider.

Flower-based dates are ideal in the fourth month of the year. There are cherry blossoms, azaleas (such as the Bunkyo Azalea Festival), moss flox (the Chichibu Shibazakura Festival in Saitama) and wisteria too.

May: Weather-Depending Dates

© Photo by iStock: recep-bg

May, with the tail end of Golden Week at the start, is also when the rainy season starts, so having open-ended plans is best for this month. It’s also a month where people suffer from Gogatsu-byo, and things seem to go topsy-turvy for many people and relationships.

If you have to stay in, then perhaps something relaxing and straightforward is the best approach. Face masks, catching up on movies and so on are good ways to reaffirm your connection as a couple.

If you can go out, visiting a flower garden (such as an iris or hydrangea garden) is another option. Additionally, there are international cultural festivals and street dance festivals to consider.

June: Seaside Events

© Photo by iStock: Satoshi-K

Once June arrives, Japanese summer starts in earnest. It’s hot, humid and there are more festivals and events than anyone can visit in a single month. It’s the ideal month for couples who love to get out and see things and don’t mind the weather.

Places like Odaiba Marine Park are great if you want to stay in Tokyo, but if you don’t mind traveling a little, then there are plenty of popular and less-crowded beaches only a short train ride away, too. You could even turn a date into a mini vacation with your partner.

July: Festivals Galore

© Photo by iStock: recep-bg

July is even hotter, it’s sticky, and yet, there’s plenty to enjoy on a date in Tokyo still.

There are beer gardens, summer festivals with fireworks, and of course, the best holiday for couples: Tanabata. Why not celebrate those star-crossed lovers by attending a Tanabata festival and spending the evening with your loved one?

August: Spooky Spots

© Photo by iStock: petesphotography

August is when Obon takes place, and while not everyone is a horror fan, August is definitely the time when spooky date spots are a big hit.

There are Bon Odori dance festivals, plus haunted houses, and tests of courage you and your partner can embark upon together.

If horror isn’t your thing, there are still dozens of firework festivals, as well as the Fuurin Matsuri (Windchime festival) at Kawagoe’s Hikawa Shrine in Saitama.

September: Big Events & Markets

© Photo by iStock: Yagi-Studio

September tends to be a shift in the seasonal calendar. While it’s still hot and humid out, there are more fall-friendly events, as well as major events like the Tokyo Game Show and the September Grand Sumo tournament, too.

Art galleries and museums often change their special exhibits at this time; there are also more antique and vintage markets, as well as farmers’ markets (both famous and lesser-known). Overall, the mood tends to be one of preparing for the fall colors.

October: Roses & Retro Spots

© Photo by iStock: TkKurikawa

Ideally, the weather starts to cool down in October, but that isn’t often the case. Mid-October to November marks the fall season for roses, and Tokyo boasts some of the most beautiful rose gardens around.

October’s also a great time to visit cultural destinations like the Shunkaen Bonsai Museum, or retro cool places like Asakusa’s Hanayashiki Amusement Park. If you want to do a full day’s worth of retro sightseeing on a date, then this showa dreamscape article might give you some inspiration.

November: Fall Leaves

© Photo by iStock: bambino

November is, of course, when the fall colors reach their peak (especially in Tokyo), so visiting parks and gardens or going for hikes followed by a stop at a cafe tends to be the standard November date experience.

For Americans (or turkey fans) in Tokyo, going on a Thanksgiving date might be a unique experience for you and your partner too. There are plenty of places to enjoy a Thanksgiving feast in Tokyo.

November also tends to be when Christmas markets, illuminations, and events start to crop up, if you don’t mind starting the celebration early.

December: Christmas & Strawberries

© Photo by iStock: monzenmachi

Christmas is arguably the biggest date night of the year in Japan. Celebrating with your partner comes with its own list of traditions, but Christmas illuminations, Christmas markets, and, of course, Japanese Christmas cakes are all musts.

Although it’s more common in the spring, the strawberry-picking season technically starts in December in Japan. If you’d like a slightly off-beat December date, picking and eating your own strawberries is a great way to end a romance-filled year.

There you have it—a year’s worth of seasonally appropriate date ideas in Japan. You can even customize to meet you and your partner’s interests by looking at the latest Savvy articles on seasonal events.

As a kid, I never really liked cats. Then, one day in Japan, a black cat walked into my life and I had to reevaluate my decision. It was just a stray, but a persistent one at that. My husband and I called her Mikka-chan. She became a constant companion during our year-long sojourn in Tottori Prefecture. It was Mikka-chan who sparked my curiosity about what Japanese books have to say about cats.

Indeed, today, if you go to any bookstore, you’re bound to find more than a few titles featuring a cute kitty on the cover. These titles perform well not only in Japan but overseas. Book lovers, especially feline enthusiasts, gravitate to these quirky, sweet and sometimes heartbreaking stories.

Japan’s Love Affair With Cats

© Photo by iStock: ES3N

Japan, of course, has a special affinity for cats. Have you ever noticed that there are often stray cats but rarely stray dogs out and about? Locals allow these feral creatures to roam the streets freely. In addition, many Japanese households typically have a fluffy feline or two lounging in the window or sleeping under the kotatsu (heated table) during winter.

Japanese culture loves cats. Why? Because they’re cuddly, independent and mysterious, of course! There are cat islands, cat cafes, cat station masters, Kitty Chan/Hello Kitty, even a delivery company named after a black cat.

In Japan, authors also have a fondness for cats. From the classics to modern tales, these 10 Japanese books about cats are the perfect accompaniment to any dreary day. So pull up a chair! Let’s get the cat out of the bag and learn more about these delightful Japanese cat books!

1. A Cat, A Man And Two Women

In the title novella of this collection, Lily the cat gets embroiled in a “custody battle” between a man and his two wives (one divorced and his new bride). Through this story, Tanizaki shows the pettiness and manipulative nature of humans in spurned relationships.

• Author: Junichiro Tanizaki
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥2,405)

2. We’ll Prescribe You A Cat

What if you could go to a clinic in Japan where the only prescription is cat therapy? In a perfect world, this could happen, right? This collection of five short stories about the healing nature of cat/human relationships is bound to soften anyone’s heart towards felines.

• Author: Syou Ishida
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥4,264)

3. She And Her Cat

If you’re a fan of Your Name and Weathering with You, then you may enjoy She and Her Cat. Originally an anime short by Makoto Shinkai, this collection is written by screenwriter Naruki Nagakawa. The four interconnected short stories about women and their cats are a purrfect choice for the female cat lover.

• Authors: Makoto Shinkai and Naruki Nagakawa
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥3,207)

4. The Traveling Cat Chronicles

Similar to the Japanese classic I Am A Cat, the cat narrator here is Nana, a feisty stray cat who ends up in the life of Satoru. This tear-jerker follows Satoru as he travels around Japan to convince his friends and family to adopt his favorite cat.

• Author: Hiro Arikawa
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥2,426)

5. The Cat Who Saved Books

Hikikomori (social recluse) Rintaro takes over his grandfather’s rare bookstore when a magical talking cat, Tiger, enters his life. Tiger encourages Rintaro to go on labyrinthine “quests” to rescue books that are not being appreciated by their owners. These quests also help him cope with his grandfather’s death.

• Author: Sosuke Natsukawa
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥2,390)

6. If Cats Disappeared From The World

In this story, the protagonist discovers he has a terminal illness. Soon afterward, he meets the devil, who offers a bargain: give up something from his life to extend it. What challenges him the most is whether to give up his beloved pet cat, Cabbage.

• Author: Genki Kawamura
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥2,556)

7. The Blanket Cats

One pet shop. Seven cats. Seven stories. In each story, the pet shop allows one customer to rent one of its seven special cats for a period of three days. Similar to the premise in We’ll Prescribe You a Cat, this collection celebrates the healing properties of owning a cat (for a while).

• Author: Kiyoshi Shigematsu
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥2,784)

8. Mornings With My Cat Mii

One evening, author and poet Mayumi Inaba rescues a pitiful kitten along the Tamagawa riverbank in Tokyo. Mii becomes her constant companion over the next two decades. This memoir documents the author’s fond relationship with Mii.

• Author: Mayumi Inaba
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥2,751)

9. The Guest Cat

A couple in their 30s living in Tokyo gradually drifts apart until a cat literally walks into their lives. Chibi gives the husband and wife a new lease on their crumbling relationship, drawing them out of their humdrum lives.

• Author: Takahashi Hiraide
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥2,428)

10. I Am A Cat

An alley cat is rescued from starvation by a middle-class family. Soon, he finds himself critiquing the host of strange humans he meets and the foolish social expectations of the Meiji era in which he now lives. The cat’s sassy narrative voice makes this a timeless Japanese classic.

• Author: Natsume Soseki
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥2,371)

Bonus: Japanese Books For Kids That Love Cats

11ぴきのねこ (Juichipiki No Neko)

My kindergarten-aged sons absolutely love this classic series. The stories revolve around a band of cats who are always hungry. You’ll often find them scheming to eat any new creature they meet. Sometimes, they succeed. Sometimes, they don’t. The illustrations are simple yet hilarious.

• Author: Noboru Baba
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥1,320)

こねこねねこの ねこピッツァ (Kone Kone Neko No Neko Pizza)

Talk about a title tongue twister! This children’s book is apparently very popular with the younger generation because of its seven quirky cat characters, wordplay and songs available by QR code embedded in the text.

• Author: Minako Kusaka
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥1,650)

100万回生きたねこ (Hyaku Mankai Ikita Neko)

This 1977 classic is not your ordinary children’s book. Here, we meet a seemingly immortal cat. He lives and dies several times, meeting several people along the way. What follows is a deeply profound story about loss and love. If you like the movie A Dog’s Purpose, then this kitty tale is probably right up your alley, too.

• Author: Yoko Sano
• Where To Buy: Amazon.jp (¥1,650)

Bookmark this article for your TBR (To Be Read) list. Do you have any Japanese books about cats that you recommend?

Shopping for drugstore skincare in Japan is such a treat. You can find some of the most innovative, interesting and reasonably priced products in the world, that we think even rival some of the ultra-luxury brands that cost 10 times as much.

However, we also know that deciding exactly what to buy can be confusing, especially in Japanese. That’s why we’re breaking down Japan’s cult drugstore skincare favorites, so that you can confidently shop the products already loved and repurchased by the masses.

Know Before You Go: Japanese Drugstore Skincare

© Photo by iStock: winhorse

There isn’t too much you need to know before setting foot in a Japanese drugstore. Unlike some other places, 薬局 (yakkyoku; “pharmacies”) and ドラッグストア (doraggu sutoa; “drugstores”) are not the same thing in Japan. The yakkyoku is only for prescription medications, so you won’t be able to shop for skincare here.

There are plenty of different drugstores all over the country, but the most popular chains are Matsumoto Kiyoshi, Welcia and Tsuruha. You can also find all the Japanese drugstore skincare on this list and more in any Donki (along with every other Japanese souvenir imaginable).

Japanese Skincare Words & Phrases

Hada Labo

Hada Labo is easily one of the most popular skincare brands in Japan, best known for their range of colorful toner and lotion duos. Japanese toner (sometimes referred to as emulsion) differs slightly from its Western counterpart. It’s more of an ultra-lightweight moisturizing step that is applied in very thin layers before being locked in with the slightly thicker lotion (sometimes called moisture milk).

Gokujun 極潤 (White) & Gokujun Premium 極潤プレミアム (Gold)

Hada Labo’s Gokujun toners and lotions are their holy grail products. The white bottles contain the original formulation, which is made with hyaluronic acid to deeply moisturize the skin without leaving a sticky residue. If you prefer a lighter formulation that sinks into the skin faster, then you should opt for the ライトタイプ (raitotaipu; “Light Type”) lotion, or for a little more luxury, choose the gold Premium range, which uses an even more intensified, rich and moisturizing formulation.

Gokujun Aging Care 極潤薬用ハリ化粧水 (Red)

The red Gokujun toner and lotion are specifically formulated to firm and plump the skin, reducing the visible signs of aging. The ingredients include three types of hyaluronic acid for deep moisturization, as well as niacinamide to minimize the appearance of fine lines.

Shirojun 白潤 (Light Blue) & Shirojun Premium 白潤プレミアム (Dark Blue)

While Gokujun focuses on moisturizing, Shirojun is all about “whitening”, meaning it brightens the skin and helps to reduce hyperpigmentation. It contains tranexamic acid, which both reduces dark spots and prevents cells from producing excess pigment in the future. The Shirojun Premium line has similar benefits, but in a richer formula that fights dullness for soft, supple and even skin.

Melano CC

Melano CC is Japan’s premier vitamin C drugstore skincare line, ideal for anyone suffering from dull and tired skin. The products contain high levels of ascorbic acid, a pure form of vitamin C that offers numerous benefits. It reduces dark spots and acne scars, boosts collagen and fights free radicals.

Vitamin C Serum & Premium Vitamin C Serum

Starting with the most well-known products, Melano CC offers these highly concentrated and unique vitamin C serums that contain an impressive amount of stabilized ascorbic acid. They’re designed to brighten dark spots, with only a few drops being needed to cover the whole face. The premium serum is similar to the original, but with additional vitamin C derivatives and moisturizing ingredients.

Vitamin C Facewash

Melano CC’s face wash soared in popularity a few years ago, with people loving the way it leaves skin feeling squeaky clean, but not tight or stripped. It features a fantastic combination of unique enzymes to cleanse gently, along with intensely nourishing ingredients that both clean and care for your skin.

Nameraka Honpo

Nameraka Honpo by Sana has created a really interesting (and very popular) range of skincare products that highlight the beautifying properties of soy milk. The brand is a favorite among various age groups for its ability to promote collagen production and hydrate the skin, resulting in an impressive anti-aging effect.

Soy Milk Wrinkle Eye Cream

The Soy Milk Wrinkle Eye Cream is easily one of the brand’s best-selling products, having also won multiple awards for its ability to reduce fine lines and firm the under-eye skin. It packs a hydration punch with multiple moisturizing ingredients, as well as the rejuvenating properties of soymilk isoflavones and the anti-aging benefits of both retinol and a retinoid.

Soy Milk Wrinkle Night Cream

This thick and luxurious night cream has all the benefits of the wrinkle eye cream, plus additional ceramides to stimulate cell turnover and strengthen the skin barrier. It’s a fantastic product, particularly for drier skin types, that leaves skin feeling soft and not sticky.

Soy Milk Medicated Wrinkle Serum

There’s no cutting corners when it comes to this serum. The ingredient list includes lactic acid to exfoliate gently, retinol to boost blood flow and collagen production, and niacinamide to help restore the skin’s barrier. It works to achieve long-term, firmer and plumper skin, in gentle enough dosages to avoid irritation or inflammation.

Bioré

Bioré is a brand that is widely recognized throughout Japan (and now the world), thanks to its innovative products, particularly its sunscreens. The brand has placed a strong emphasis on making all its products as enjoyable and straightforward to use as possible, while also being some of the most budget-friendly Japanese skincare items available.

The Cleanse Oil Make Up Remover

If you’re looking for a simple, affordable and easy-to-use cleansing oil to break down makeup, debris and SPF, then this is the product for you. It’s also award-winning, having placed first in the 2023 LDK’s beauty awards in the cleansing oil category.

The Face Foaming Facial Cleansers

Bioré is all about the double cleanse, recommending you follow oil cleansing by using one of The Face Foaming Facial Cleansers. This range of foamy face washes features five different, colorful types, making it easy to select the right product for your skin. There’s moist (blue), deep moist (pink), acne care (green), oil control (purple) and smooth clear (yellow).

UV Aqua Rich

You can’t talk about Bioré without mentioning their UV Aqua Rich line of sunscreens. These are the absolute bestsellers in Japan that are as light as water on the skin, quickly absorbed and leave minimal whitecast. The Bioré UV Aqua Rich Water Essence is the most popular formulation, but there are also mist, sweat-resistant and child-friendly formulas.

Curél

Curél offers some of the gentlest Japanese skincare products on the market, which are highly effective yet very affordable. People with sensitive skin especially love the range, as potentially inflammatory ingredients are avoided and replaced with simple, calming alternatives.

Moisturizing Foam Facial Cleanser

This is an excellent product for anyone seeking a gentle face wash that won’t irritate or strip the skin. It’s alcohol, silicon, oil, sulfate and fragrance free, and lathers into a luxuriously creamy foam that delicately washes your skin, leaving it feeling soft to the touch.

Intensive Moisturizing Face Cream

The Intensive Moisturizing Face Cream does exactly as the name suggests. The ingredients include allantoin, which is highly effective in reducing redness and irritation, while tocopherol helps maintain your natural skin lipids, promoting a healthy and strong skin barrier.

Moisture Lip Care Cream

It’s a bold statement, but this might just be one of the best lip balms in Japan. This super-affordable lip cream utilizes squalane to help your lips retain moisture more effectively, making it a must-try, especially during Japan’s severe winter dryness.

Why Is Japanese Drugstore Skincare So Good?

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It’s hard to believe that Japanese drugstore skincare can be affordable, readily available and genuinely effective…but trust us, it’s true! The reason behind this is that J-beauty has an entirely different approach to skincare formulation than in the West. It’s all about balance and gentle, long-term results, rather than fast-working actives that can be expensive and irritating to the skin.

Which of these drugstore skincare products will you try first?

As the year winds down, many people in Japan are busy with bonenkai (end-of-the-year parties); sending out nengajo (Japanese New Year postcards); preparing for the big clean (osouji) and snatching up leftover fukubukuro (lucky bags). While the New Year holidays may seem like an adult affair, there are plenty of traditional New Year games in Japan that families can enjoy together.

Karuta

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As one of the most iconic traditional New Year games, karuta traces its long history to kai-awase, a poetry-matching game played by Heian-period nobility using shells, as well as to European-style playing cards introduced to Japan in the 16th century. The primary goal of karuta is to correctly recognize and grab the appropriate matching card before your opponent does.

The most popular game is Hyakunin Isshu Karuta, which showcases 100 classic Japanese poems. For more details on how to play karuta, check out this beginner’s primer. A game for all ages, karuta is an excellent game to hone reflexes, reading and listening skills all in one!

Kendama

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One game that has experienced a resurgence in popularity in Japan and worldwide is kendama. Typically made of wood, this ball-and-cup type toy consists of a ken (meaning sword or the handle), dama (ball) and a length of string. Kendama’s appeal lies in its simple construction and immense versatility. Thousands of tricks can be performed with experts mastering around 30,000 different combinations!

You simply swing the ball and catch it between the three different “cups” along the handle. You can also spike it on the end. It’s a great game for improving hand-eye coordination and getting some exercise for energetic little ones.

Fukuwarai

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Similar to the American game, Pin the Tail on the Donkey, fukuwarai dates back to the Edo period. It is equally fun and simple. First, players put on blindfolds. Then they try to place facial feature cutouts—eyes, nose, mouth, eyebrows and more—onto a blank face laid out on a table. Traditional face templates include okame, a woman with enormous cheeks believed to bring good luck, and hyottoko, a man with a comically spout-shaped mouth.

This traditional New Year game is typically played in teams. Teammates help by shouting out directions, but they can also mislead their teammates to create hilarious faces. Fukuwarai translates to “lucky laugh” since laughter is supposed to bring you good fortune. Secure some good luck during the holidays as you laugh yourselves into next year!

Hanetsuki

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Resembling badminton without a net, hanetsuki is played with one or two players. You’ll need a wooden paddle called a hagoita and a shuttlecock-like object known as a hane. Hanetsuki has its origins in a Shinto ritual that dates back to the Nara period. It was once believed to be an activity that blessed girls with good health.

In one version of the game, a player tries to keep the hane in the air as long as possible. Another feature is a match between two players, with rules similar to those of badminton. Although the game has declined in popularity, hagoita are still sold around the New Year as collectibles. Grab a pair and go head-to-head this holiday season.

Ohajiki

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Similar to marbles, ohajiki are typically colorful pieces of china, glass or plastic that have been flattened into round discs. Games using ohajiki were traditionally popular among girls during the Edo period as a means of passing the time.

Two players place their ohajiki on the floor in front of them and take turns flipping their pieces. If a player lands their piece on their opponent’s, they get to keep it and win a point. The game continues until all the pieces are collected and the player with the most pieces wins.

Takoage

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As with many traditional New Year games covered in this article, takoage (kite flying) was initially done by elite classes. As well as for religious purposes. However, its popularity grew among ordinary people around the 1600s. As a result, the shogunate issued a ban on kite flying. He feared they would hit the upper class, making trips to the capital. The activity was permitted only on New Year’s Day. As there would be little travel to and from Edo (Tokyo) during the holidays.

Takoage was believed to promote good health through physical activity. It also had the perceived benefit of catching sunlight on your face while looking up at the sky. Parents with newborn boys often flew kites during the holiday as a ritual for ensuring their good health too. These days, kites are readily available in all shapes, sizes and designs. Find your own and take to the skies this New Year!

Origami

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The Japanese art of paper folding is not typically associated with the Japanese New Year. However, its thematic versatility means that there are plenty of holiday-related projects for the family to embark on. Try making these New Year items with origami:

• Kadomatsu: One of the most visible examples of New Year decor.
• The fifth creature of the Chinese zodiac: For the upcoming year of the Dragon
• Ema (thick pine cards for writing wishes at shrines): decorate the home with hopes for the coming year.

Are there any traditional New Year games or activities that you enjoy doing with your little ones? Please leave us some suggestions in the comments below!

Like many countries around the world, Japan concludes the year with Christmas and New Year’s celebrations. But, while you’re doing your Christmas shopping and looking for the perfect nengajo (new year’s greeting card), be on the lookout for something uniquely Japanese: fukubukuro.

Coming from the Japanese words for luck (fuku) and bag (bukuro), fukubukuro quite literally means “lucky bag”. Lucky bags are sold by a wide variety of retailers in Japan, come at various price points and always contain goods at a discounted rate.

While some stores now display the contents of a fukubukuro prior to purchase, others maintain tradition and obscure the merchandise. In these cases, customers will have to rely on luck and hope that they get the jacket or limited-edition figurine they were hoping for.

Keep reading for an overview of lucky bags and get ready to hunt for fukubukuro!

The History Of Fukubukuro

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While the origins of fukubukuro are as mysterious as their contents, kimono retailers seem to be at the heart of the leading theories. During the Edo period, kimono shops in the capital began to offer unsold fabrics at reduced prices during the winter, when sales traditionally declined. Like modern fukubukuro, customers didn’t know the exact pieces of cloth they were purchasing.

The predecessor of the Mitsukoshi department store, Nihonbashi’s Ichigoya, was one of the first shops to offer fukubukuro to eager customers looking for bargains. The practice quickly gained popularity and other kimono retailers followed suit.

As mass consumer culture developed at the turn of the 20th century, department stores such as Ginza Matsuya, Mitsukoshi and Matsuzakaya adapted the old practice. In both practice and name, the modern fukubukuro was born around 1900. They contained a wide variety of leftover goods at the end of the year. In Japan’s period of economic prosperity during the 1980s, lucky bags became especially popular as people had more disposable income.

When & Where To Buy The Lucky Bags

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Typically, you can purchase a lucky bag starting from January 2, when stores reopen after New Year’s Day. However, in recent years, some stores have begun offering them in December, allowing customers to make reservations or purchase them online.

Fukubukuro are available in almost every kind of shop, from your local convenience store to luxury department stores. Most retailers will advertise in advance the types they will offer.

How Much Are Fukubukuro?

Lucky bags typically cost a few thousand yen (around ¥3,000 to ¥10,000), but depending on the brand and contents, they can range up to and over ¥50,000 as well. Whatever the price, the main point of the fukubukuro is that you’re sure to get a bag full of contents worth more than the retail price.

Price Range Examples:

• ¥3,000 to ¥4,000: The standard price for supermarket food and convenience store lucky bags.
• ¥6,000 to ¥9,000: The standard price range for popular brands, anywhere from fashion to miscellaneous goods.
• ¥10,000 and above: Common for brand-name items, high-end cosmetics and expensive food sets.

Types Of Fukubukuro

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There are as many types of lucky bags as there are store types in Japan, which is to say a lot! Many of the most popular ones, however, are related to food and apparel.

Food

The category of food lucky bags is the most expansive and arguably the most popular. If you want a selection of overseas items, you can purchase fukubukuro from import stores, like Kaldi and Kinokuniya. They are also available from many bakeries and sweets retailers at varying price points.

Restaurant chains, ranging from famiresu (family restaurants) and kaiten sushi (conveyor belt sushi) to yakiniku and ramen, offer bags that include a combination of original goods and discount tickets. Most cafe chains, such as Tully’s and Starbucks Japan, arrange their lucky bags similarly, featuring drink tickets and branded items.

Finally, if you want food or drink items directly from producers, such as tea store Lupicia or coffee maker UCC, lucky bags are a great way to buy at a discount.

Home Goods

Another popular fukubukuro type is interior. In this category, you can expect to find a mix of discounted tickets for the store and popular miscellaneous items. Home goods brands, like Bruno, are an excellent choice if you’re moving out or moving to a new home.

Clothes (Kids & Adults)

Clothes lucky bags are quite sought-after, but they do come with a caveat that you can rarely choose the color, size or fit of items. But, if you can be flexible, fukubukuro offer very good prices on slightly upscale brands that rarely post sale prices.

Accessories

Accessories bags are fun if you are not particular about color, type and fit. They can be a useful bag for anyone looking to purchase a fukubukuro as a gift.

Pregnancy & Baby Goods

Stores specializing in baby goods, such as Akachan Honpo, offer lucky bags containing a variety of valuable items for parents with a new baby or toddler, including socks and bodysuits.

Conbini

Convenience stores, such as Family Mart and 7-Eleven, offer lucky bags that combine original goods and coupons for use in their stores nationwide.

Department Stores

At department stores like Mitsukoshi, you can order a fukubukuro for a variety of high-end brands they carry, ranging from food to clothing to accessories. Remember to preorder early for the popular ones and prepare to line up to receive your goods.

Popular Fukubukuro in Japan

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Below is a sample of popular lucky bags across the categories discussed above. 

Food 

• Kaldi Coffee Farm
• Kinokuniya
• Tully’s Coffee
• Starbucks Japan
• Lupicia
• UCC

Home Goods

• Hario
• Bruno
• Salut

Clothes (kids and adults)

• Gelato Pique (Kids & Adults)
• Comme Ca Ism (Men)
• Mila Owen (Women)
• Bebe Mall  (Kids)

Accessories

• Anemone 
• Luna Earth

Pregnancy & Baby Goods

• Akachan Honpo
• Babies R Us

Combini

• Family Mart
• 7/11

Department Stores

• Mitsukoshi
• Takashimaya
• Seibu
• Hankyu 
• Daimaru

Have you ever bought a fukubukuro? How lucky were you? Let us know in the comments!