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A Grand Tour of the Mitsuboshi Kaidou, Japan’s ‘Three-Star Road’
A top travel destination in Japan, the Mitsuboshi Kaidou, or “Three-Star Road,” can take you on a grand tour of sweeping regional landscapes, unique cultural experiences and locally-sourced speciality foods. The Mitsuboshi Kaidou includes the city of Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture, Nanto City in Toyama Prefecture, Shirakawa Village and Takayama City in Gifu Prefecture and Matsumoto City in Nagano Prefecture. In fact, this Three-Star Road is not actually a road, per se, and there is no strict direction to follow. Each traveler’s journey along the Mitsuboshi Kaidou is their own. It can be organ...
GaijinPot
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Immerse Your Family in a Short-Term Rural Japanese Language Experience
It’s not always easy finding time to spend with the whole family. In Japan, parents can find it especially difficult, thanks to the nation’s demanding work culture keeping mom and dad from home. Even the kids get too busy once caught up in school tests, clubs and sports. If you’re an international family living in Japan, you also can’t ignore finding the time to learn or at least study Japanese. One of the biggest struggles for foreign parents who have kids enrolled in school in Japan is balancing their native-tongue and Japanese language abilities while assimilating into the culture here. Wit...
GaijinPot
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Event: ‘The Days Before The Silent Spring’ – multi-channel video installation explores sustainable development in Hong Kong
[Sponsored] WMA is hosting “The Days Before The Silent Spring”, its newly commissioned lens-based project by artist Lo Lai Lai Natalie from December 15. The exhibition pays homage to the decade long journey by the members of Sangwoodgoon, a farming collective that Lo is a part of, founded by a diverse group of supporters of the Protect Choi Yuen Village movement who experimented with living as Half Farmer Half X. “Expanding beyond the writing and observation of crops, flora and fauna, which is a hallmark of her past work, Lo now turns her gaze to her fellow farmers, whose divergent demands, ho...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Stroll Through Time to the Historic Edo Period in Takehara City
Travel back to the Edo era (1603-1868) and experience its temples and traditional wooden houses with lattice-work facades and clay-fired roof tiles in Takehara, a city in Hiroshima Prefecture. This picturesque, old merchant town achieved success in the salt-making and nihonshu (Japanese rice wine) brewing industries. Located in the south-central part of Hiroshima Prefecture facing the Setonaikai (Seto Inland Sea), Takehara should be at the top of everyone’s list of places to visit here. A great first stop is Honmachi dori, the main street of the Takehara Townscape Conservation Area, which is l...
GaijinPot
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The Hive Hong Kong opens its 10th co-working location in Lai Chi Kok
[Sponsored] The Hive, Asia’s leading flexible workspace operator, announces the launch of the Hive Lai Chi Kok, its first location in Kowloon, 10th in Hong Kong, and 20th in Asia Pacific. This affirms the Hive as the only provider to operate in all three of Hong Kong’s major regions. Boasting an impressive 8,000 sq ft of open-plan workspace complete with pantry, meeting rooms, and keyless entry, the Hive Lai Chi Kok provides the perfect home for businesses at every stage. The 4,000 sq ft rooftop terrace is fully-fitted with a high-end bbq setup, cosy lounge areas, and a fully-stocked bar, and ...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Immerse Yourself in the Cultural Heritage of Japan from the Comfort of Home
There’s no denying that Japan is one of the most culturally rich destinations you can visit. From its sacred mountains and secluded islands (home to monks and martyrs) to its iconic castles still standing long after the famous clashes of samurai, the country has no shortage of breathtaking scenery and captivating history. No wonder, then, that Japan makes the list of number one travel destinations for adventurers once it’s finally safe to travel again after COVID-19, according to surveys. But what better way to wait it out than by meticulously mapping your itinerary? A holy grail of bucket lis...
GaijinPot
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After Thousands of Years in Family Homes, Traditional Japanese Flooring Goes Modern
Tatami is the flooring used in traditional Japanese architecture as far back as the Heian period (794–1185). It’s made from rice straw, compressed wood or, more recently, even synthetic materials. It’s durable, practically fireproof and grants excellent insulation. It also feels pretty great on your feet.Once considered an item of luxury for Japanese aristocrats, it’s since become a symbol of Japanese aesthetics. Most homes in Japan have at least one tatami room. It’s so ubiquitous in Japanese houses that it’s the country’s de facto method of measuring a room’s size. For example, information o...
GaijinPot
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Event: Hong Kong Int’l Documentary Festival 2020 broadens its horizons with new competition
[Sponsored] The coronavirus pandemic has drastically impacted the lives of people around the world this year, upending everything from education to commerce, the arts and – in particular – cinema.In what has been a challenging time for film, the second Hong Kong International Documentary Festival (HKIDF) offers a glimmer of hope when it opens on 20th November and runs through to 9th December. It offers a full expanded programme as well as socially distanced in-person screenings, presenting the films in the way their creators would want to the largest possible audiences, something that has been...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Event: Europe x Hong Kong: United in Diversity – German Consulate General and EU Office host City Hall concert in Nov
[Sponsored] In the hope of remedying dashed travel and cultural plans due to the pandemic, the German Consulate General Hong Kong together with the European Union Office in Hong Kong and Macao is set to host a one-of-a-kind concert with music from all over Europe from past to present.Presented by Ponte Orchestra and Sound of the Earth Music and Arts Foundation, the concert “Europe x Hong Kong: United in Diversity” will take place on Sunday, 29 November at 7.30 pm in the Hong Kong City Hall, Concert Hall.By integrating the official motto of the EU “United in Diversity,” the event seeks to promo...
Hong Kong Free Press
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Share Your Favorite Memories of Japan on Social Media and Win ¥100,000 in JNTO Travel Vouchers
Foreign nationals living in Japan could be forgiven for feeling a little stir crazy right now. With travel restrictions in place for many countries—and with Japan’s own controls limiting tourist entry—it can be an especially frustrating time for those wanting to travel and share their experiences with loved ones.To feed that wanderlust—and recapture those feelings of excitement and wonder on your visits to Japan—the Japan National Tourist Organization (JNTO) has a new promotional travel campaign on social media. They’d like current and former foreign residents of Japan to participate—and even ...
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