Your Quintessential Travel Guide to Japan's Must-visit Locations
GUIDE/
TOKYO
Sky Lounge Stellar Garden
A sophisticated sky lounge on the 33rd floor of The Prince Park Tower Tokyo, offering panoramic city views, vistas of Tokyo Tower, and expertly crafted cocktails.
Jimbochō is Tokyo’s last refuge for deep attention — a neighborhood where aging paper, century-old bookstores, kissaten, and curry houses push back against an eight-second world. Wandering its alleys becomes an act of resistance: a deliberate reclaiming of the mind from algorithms. From Saboru’s Showa charm to Bondy’s legendary curry and the quiet glow of Kanda Myōjin, Jimbochō reminds travelers how to think — and feel — again.
6 min read
Guide / TOKYO
Blue Note Tokyo
Tokyo’s top jazz club combines world-class live shows with elegant French-inspired dining in an intimate, candlelit venue.
A landmark Ginza stationery store featuring multiple floors of writing tools, design goods, and art supplies curated for creators, professionals, and enthusiasts.
Blending subtle elegance with modern amenities, Kyoto Tokyu Hotel provides a peaceful stay close to central Kyoto’s temples, markets, and transportation options.
Higashiyama Ward is Kyoto distilled—a living watercolor of stone lanes, willow-shaded riversides, and lantern-lit teahouses. Spared wartime destruction and preserved as Japan’s cultural ambassador, it anchors the nation’s past while Tokyo races toward the future. From World Heritage temples to discreet kaiseki kitchens, Higashiyama offers subtlety, depth, and immersion. Let MK guide you beyond the crowds into Kyoto’s most elegant and enduring heart.
5 min read
Guide / KYOTO
Ryosoku-in Temple
Subtemple of Kenninji in Gion, known for its seasonal gardens, meditation programs, and modern cultural events.
Osaka’s Chūō Ward distills the city’s contradictions into nine square kilometers—history at Osaka Castle, neon in Dotonbori, commerce in Shinsaibashi. Here Michelin dining meets takoyaki stalls, and boutique hotels rise over smoky izakaya. MK Travel guides you through the heart of Osaka: where to eat, drink, stay, and wander in a district that is at once chaotic, charismatic, and endlessly alive.
5 min read
Guide / OSAKA
Osaka Takashimaya
Flagship department store in Namba offering luxury fashion, gourmet foods, cosmetics, and cultural experiences all in one place.
A moody Shinsaibashi bar centered on craft cocktails, consistent technique, and a cozy, dimly lit atmosphere designed for slow conversation and late-night vibes.
Kobe’s Chūō Ward is the city’s cosmopolitan core, where harborfront icons meet hillside shrines and world-class dining. Walk Meriken Park’s open waterfront, ride the Nunobiki Ropeway into green calm, and taste the legend of Kobe beef in steakhouses that perfected marbled flavor. From Nankinmachi’s lantern-lit lanes to intimate cocktail bars and museums designed by masters, Chūō Ward carries Kobe’s story in every view, flavor, and quiet corner.
4 min read
Guide / KOBE
Hitomaru Kadan
Historic ryokan in Akashi offering refined kaiseki cuisine, garden-view suites, and a peaceful seaside setting overlooking the Akashi Strait.
On the eastern shores of Lake Biwa lies Hikone—a castle town where time slows and beauty endures. Wander its Edo-period gardens, savor Omi beef in quiet restaurants, and rest beneath the gaze of a centuries-old fortress. Let MK guide you through Shiga’s still waters and hushed paths to discover Japan as it truly is—unhurried, reflective, alive.
4 min read
Guide / SHIGA
Fujii Honke
A long-established Shiga sake brewery producing refined, small-batch sake that emphasizes traditional techniques and regional character.
Between mountains and the Genkai Sea, Itoshima unfolds as a living hymn to creation. On MK’s driver-guided tour, explore Sakurai Futamigaura’s wedded rocks, pause in seaside cafés, taste Mataichi salt pudding born of patience and prayer, and voyage into the divine Keya no Ōto sea cave. This is Itoshima — where nature, craft, and spirit move in quiet harmony, and every road leads a little closer to creation itself.
5 min read
Guide / FUKUOKA
Tōka Ebisu Shrine
A lively Fukuoka shrine dedicated to Ebisu, the god of good fortune and commerce, renowned for its vibrant New Year festival that attracts crowds from all over Kyushu.
A Hakata specialty restaurant serving premium grilled chicken over rice, enjoyed in three traditional styles inspired by Nagoya’s hitsumabushi tradition.
A seaside kaiseki restaurant in Itoshima serving refined, seasonal Japanese cuisine made with local seafood and vegetables, with views of the Genkai Sea.
Sapporo’s Chūō Ward is the city’s core—Odori’s green corridor, red-brick Akarenga, observatories overlooking night lights, and markets filled with crab, uni, and steaming miso ramen. Explore shrines, ride ropeways, enjoy jingisukan fresh off the grill, and relax in an urban ryokan. MK’s guide takes you to the best spots—quietly, precisely, deliciously.
8 min read
Guide / SAPPORO
Historical Village of Hokkaido
An immersive outdoor museum featuring over 60 relocated and restored buildings from Hokkaido’s pioneering era, capturing the textures and rhythms of life in the 19th to early 20th century.
Often dismissed as “boring,” Nagoya hides its brilliance in plain sight. In Naka Ward—the city’s beating heart—history, craftsmanship, and nightlife converge. From the gold-crested towers of Nagoya Castle to the neon pulse of Sakae and the timeless calm of Osu Kannon, this is Japan unfiltered: industrious, genuine, and alive. MK reveals the real Nagoya—bold, grounded, and unforgettable.
5 min read
Guide / NAGOYA
Shiratama
An elegant Nagoya kaiseki restaurant serving refined seasonal cuisine with balance, artistry, and quiet hospitality.
A sophisticated urban hotel near JR Nagoya Station offering stylish comfort, contemporary design, and thoughtful amenities for both business and leisure travelers.
