Kumamoto Castle

Kumamoto Castle is famous as one of Japan's three premier castles, celebrated for its massive scale, ingenious defensive architecture, and striking black-and-white exterior. The castle is made up of curving stone walls, a castle keep consisting of 3 towers, 49 turrets, 18 turret gates, and 29 castle gates. The castle grounds are home to 800 cherry blossom trees of 3 different species.

RR: 10 Countries RR
Date: August 29

Sapporo Maruyama Zoo

An adorable polar bear cub from Sapporo Maruyama Zoo. The zoo is located within Maruyama Park in western Sapporo, and is the oldest zoo in Hokkaido. It features the country's largest polar bear exhibit, complete with a popular 18-meter underwater viewing tunnel. The facility currently houses 3 polar bears Lara and her daughter Lila and the male polar bear Light who arrived in 20205.

RR: Weekly RR
Date: August 12

Shin Shin & Xiang Xiang

Giant Pandas Shin Shin & Xiang Xiang, mother and daughter at Ueno Zoo, Tokyo. Xiang Xiang was born in June 2017 and returned to China in February 2023.

The last remaining giant pandas, beloved twin cubs Xiao Xiao and Lei Lei, were officially returned to China in late January 2026 after their loan agreement expired. This departure marked a historic transition, leaving Japan without giant pandas for the first time since 1972.

RR: June alternative RR
Date: June 19

Oga Aquarium GAO

Oga Aquarium GAO is a popular public marine complex located on the scenic rocky coastline of the Oga Peninsula in Akita Prefecture, Japan. It houses approximately 10,000 marine creatures across 400 different species, offering an immersive look into local and global aquatic life.

RR: Monthly favourite surprise RR - June 2026
Date: June 25

Kurima Bridge

Kurima Bridge, a scenic 1,690-meter-long agricultural road bridge that connects the main island of Miyako to Kurima Island in Okinawa. Opened in March 1995, it is one of the longest bridges of its kind in Japan. The bridge is known for its distinctive arched shape, designed to allow ships to pass underneath, and its breathtaking views of the surrounding turquoise Miyako sea.

RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: April 19

Shiretoko Peninsula

The Shiretoko Peninsula is located on the easternmost portion of the Japanese island of Hokkaido, protruding into the Sea of Okhotsk. It is separated from Kunashiri Island by the Nemuro Strait. It was registered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2005, in recognition of the peninsula being the southernmost point where sea ice usually forms in the Northern Hemisphere. Shiretoko is one of the richest integrated ecosystems in the world. Encompassing both terrestrial and marine areas the property is located in the northeast of Hokkaido and is comprised of a part of the Shiretoko Peninsula, which protrudes into the Sea of Okhotsk and the surrounding marine areas.

Unesco: Shiretoko
RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: March 18

Rokuon-ji

Kinkaku-ji, officially named Rokuon-ji, is one of Kyoto's most iconic Zen Buddhist temples and a UNESCO World Heritage site. It is famous for its stunning main hall, which has its top two floors entirely covered in gold leaf, reflecting beautifully in the Mirror Pond. The temple's centerpiece is a three-story reliquary hall containing Buddha's ashes. Each of the three floors represents a different architectural style: Shinden, Bukke, and Zen.It is one of the most visited Buddhist temples in Kyoto and the most iconic in Japan.

Unesco: Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)
Tag: Favourites tag
Date: March 26

Kurobe Gorge

Kurobe Gorge is Japan's deepest V-shaped gorge, located in Toyama Prefecture's Northern Alps. Famous for the Kurobe Gorge Railway trolley train, it features stunning scenery, over 40 tunnels, 20 bridges, and secluded hot springs like Kuronagi. Operations generally run from April to November, with peak autumn colors in late October to early November. It flows down 86km in length and 3,000m in elevation. The bright red Shin Yamabiko Bridge marks the entrance to the Kurobe Gorge. With a length of 166 meters, it is the longest bridge to span the Kurobe River. The area was designated the Chūbu-Sangaku National Park.

Tag: Favourites tag
Date: March 16

Mount Fuji

The view of Mt Fuji from Moto-Hakone and Lake Ashi.

Lake Ashi is a scenic lake in the Hakone area of Kanagawa Prefecture on Honshū, Japan. It is a crater lake situated along the southwestern wall of the caldera of Mount Hakone, a complex volcano that last erupted in 1170 CE at Ōwakudani. The lake is known for its views of Mount Fuji, its numerous hot springs, historic sites, and traditional ryokan. It lies along the historic Tōkaidō road, the main route linking Kyoto and Tokyo. Pleasure boats and ferries operate on the lake, several of which are styled after sailing warships.

Unesco: Fujisan, sacred place and source of artistic inspiration
RR: 10 Countries RR (20)
Date: Jan 12

Shinkansen

The Shinkansen or bullet train is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan. It was initially built to connect distant Japanese regions with Tokyo, the capital, to aid economic growth and development. Beyond long-distance travel, some sections around the largest metropolitan areas are used as a commuter rail network.The original Tokaido Shinkansen, connecting Tokyo, Nagoya, and Osaka, three of Japan's largest cities, is one of the world's busiest high-speed rail lines.

Tag: Favourites tag
Date Dec 18

Nijō Castle

Nijō Castle is a flatland castle in Kyoto. The castle consists of two concentric rings (Kuruwa) of fortifications, the Ninomaru Palace, the ruins of the Honmaru Palace, various support buildings and several gardens. The surface area of the castle is 275,000 square metres of which 8,000 square metres is occupied by buildings. It is one of the seventeen Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto which have been designated by UNESCO as a World Heritage Site. Cherry trees of numerous varieties are planted throughout the castle grounds, including nearly 400 cherry trees of late blooming varieties in a cherry orchard. The entire castle grounds and the Honmaru are surrounded by stone walls and moats.

Unesco: Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)
RR: Monthly favourite surprise RR - December 2025
Date: Dec 24

From Japan

RR: Australia & New Zealand x World RR
Date: Dec 12