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Kanto

Bando Taro proves family restaurants in Japan are on a whole other level

There are family restaurants, and then there are Bando Taro family restaurants.

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Stunning Japanese restaurant is like eating in a samurai residence

If you’re looking for a very Japanese experience, this is a place you’ll need to put on the itinerary.

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Need a place to stay in Japan? These share houses have discounts for newly arrived foreigners

Locations available in greater Tokyo area, Hokkaido, and historical Kanazawa.

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This type of conveyor belt sushi tastes different in Tokyo than it does in Osaka, but why?

Same fish, same restaurant chain, but something is very different between Kanto and Kansai.

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Giant “mini” shumai full of normal shumai dumplings sold at Kiyoken

We heard you like shumai….

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Japan’s favorite Pokémon types by prefecture–which types are the most popular?

You might guess the most popular Pokémon type in the country, but each prefecture might surprise you!

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High pollen levels in Eastern Japan create pretty rainbow suns

It probably doesn’t make the suffering any better, but it’s very pretty nonetheless.

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Yokohama ranks as most desirable city for living in Kanto for the second year in a row

What makes Japan’s second largest city beat out popular spots in Tokyo?

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New Welcome to Kanto Pasmo IC Card is the most kawaii way to ride trains on a trip to Japan

Only a limited quantity of these cute Mt Fuji sakura cards will be available.

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Survey picks the eight best Tokyo-area neighborhoods to live in, and number one isn’t in Tokyo

Tokyo’s much-ballyhooed Kichijoji only makes it to number-three, while an outsider with easy access to Tokyo takes the top spot.

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Pringles releases sukiyaki flavoured potato chips in Japan

Available to purchase only in the Kanto region, this new variety comes packed with traditional Japanese flavour.

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Scandal rocks McDonald’s Kanto-Kansai burger election, Tokyo Roast Beef Burger caught lying to voters

Revelation of “pork” in the Roast Beef Burger is sure to impact this crucial election.

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Makku or Makudo? Would a burger by any other name taste as sweet?

Kanto region vs. Kansai region in a regional McDonald’s burger battle.

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Japanese readers rave about new book illustrating differences between Kanto and Kansai regions

Kuraberu Tōzai presents an easy-to-understand compilation of regional differences between Tokyo and Osaka in terms of cuisines, art, and cultural traditions.

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Friezas continue their yearly tradition of cheering on runners in Japan’s New Year’s relay race

It seems we just can’t ring in the new year anymore without this cheering squad of Friezas! Is the Dragon Ball Z overlord actually…benevolent!?

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Kansai and Kanto prove again that they are each distinct regions when it comes to food

Tokyo and Osaka are only about 2.5 hours away by bullet train, so perhaps you wouldn’t think they’d be that different. But while Kanto (Tokyo, Yokohama, Chiba) holds the image of a glittering metropolis, Kansai (Osaka, Kyoto, Nara) is full of the old, historical aspects of Japan. The most commonly cited difference is the dialects of the two regions. For example, dame in Kanto-ben is akan in Kansai-ben, both meaning something like “wrong, no good.”

So when Japanese people were polled about their food habits, it wasn’t so surprising that the two regions answered very differently.

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Tohoku Rokkonsai to showcase northern Japan’s six biggest summer festivals all in one place

Kyoto, Osaka, Nara…southern Japan seems to get all the love from both international and Japanese tourists alike. But what about the rest of the country, like the six northern prefectures? Northern Japan, known as Tohoku in Japanese (東北, “the northeast”), is a hidden gem full of unique cultural traditions, unspoiled natural scenery, and some of the warmest people you’ll ever meet, despite the chilling winters.

This weekend is a better time than ever to hop on the bullet train up north to take part in the Tohoku Rokkonsai “mega-festival”. The festival began in 2011 to lift the spirits of the people of Tohoku after the deadly earthquake and tsunami just months earlier. The highlight of the festivities is a massive parade composed of segments from all six of Tohoku’s major summer festivals. Where else can you experience the excitement of SIX major festivals all at once FOR FREE??

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