The perfect five-day itinerary in northern Japan using the JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area)!

If you’re a foreign passport holder, you might know that you can take advantage of the JR EAST PASS (Tohoku area), which unlocks five consecutive days of unlimited travel across northern Japan for only 20,000 YEN (10,000 YEN for children).  Continue Reading

Exploring the Land of the Namahage: Sights, Tastes and Traditions of the Oga Peninsula (Akita Prefecture)

In mid-November, JI Core 50 member Sarah Achilles travelled to Akita Prefecture in the northeastern Tohoku region, which is sometimes referred to as the ‘Land of the Namahage’. In Japanese folklore, namahage are trolls or oni (demons) that scare little Continue Reading

JI Core 50 Member Louise George Kittaka Takes Us on a Journey to Old Japan in Tokyo Weekender Article About Kakunodate

In late December, JI Core 50 member Louise George Kittaka visited the former castle town of Kakunodate in Akita Prefecture, using the three-day JR EAST Welcome Rail Pass 2020, available to all non-Japanese passport holders. Founded in 1620, Kakunodate is Continue Reading