Tucked away in the mountains of Gifu Prefecture, Shirakawa-go is one of Japan’s most iconic rural destinations. Famous for its gassho-zukuri farmhouses—steep thatched roofs designed to shed heavy snow—it’s a place where time slows down and tradition lives on.
The village is listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and draws visitors year-round for its fairytale-like scenery, cozy atmosphere, and magical winter light-up events. Whether you visit in summer greenery or under a blanket of snow, Shirakawa-go promises a timeless glimpse into traditional Japan.

Why is Shirakawa-go Famous?

Shirakawa-go is famous for its traditional gassho-zukuri farmhouses, a rare architectural style with steep thatched roofs built to withstand heavy snow. The village is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, known for its timeless scenery, preservation of rural culture, and magical winter landscapes. These houses—some over 250 years old—are called gassho-zukuri, meaning “constructed like hands in prayer.” The ste　cr5ep roofs are designed to shed snow easily, allowing families to live and farm even in the harshest winters. Many are still lived in today, while others have been converted into museums, guesthouses, and local restaurants.

I visited in mid-January, when the village was completely covered in deep snow. The thatched roofs looked like giant marshmallows, and soft lantern light shone from the windows as evening set in. Locals shoveled snow from their doorways, and children played near the footpaths. It wasn’t just beautiful—it felt like the village was quietly alive beneath the snow.

The first time I saw Shirakawa-go in the snow, I literally gasped. It’s one of those places where the photos just don’t do it justice—you have to feel the cold air, see the light, and hear the quiet for yourself.

Must-See Spots in Shirakawa-go

🔹 Shiroyama Viewpoint (城山展望台)

The best-known viewpoint overlooking the village. From here, you can see the full cluster of thatched roofs nestled in the snowy valley.
I hiked up in the late afternoon while soft snow was still falling. From the top, everything was covered in white—rooftops, fields, even the distant mountain slopes. Smoke rose from the chimneys, and the only sounds were footsteps crunching and the shutter clicks of other travelers.

🔹 Wada House (和田家)

The largest and best-preserved farmhouse open to the public. Inside, visitors can explore traditional tools, a central hearth, and wooden architecture.
Stepping inside from the snow felt like entering a different world. The warmth of the hearth, the smell of smoke, and the dark wooden beams overhead made it easy to imagine life here hundreds of years ago—even in deep winter.

🔹 Suspension Bridge (であい橋)

The main pedestrian entrance into Shirakawa-go, offering your first view of the village surrounded by mountains.
I arrived around 10 AM. As I crossed the bridge, I could already see the gassho-style houses lined up across the snow. The path was a bit slippery, but many other visitors were stopping to take photos just like me—it was the perfect first stop.

🔹 Shirakawa Hachiman Shrine (白川八幡神社)

A quiet shrine located at the edge of the village, surrounded by tall trees and usually less crowded.
I visited in the early afternoon and it was peaceful, with only a few people around. The snow had been cleared on the path, and walking through the torii felt like stepping into a calm, hidden corner of the village. I sat on a wooden bench for a short break before heading back into the main area.

I always tell people to take their time here—don’t just rush for the famous viewpoint. Wander the back paths, peek inside a farmhouse, and stop for a warm drink. That’s when Shirakawa-go really stays with you.

Best Time to Visit Shirakawa-go

If you’re looking for the most magical scenery, winter is by far the best time to visit Shirakawa-go. From January to February, the village transforms into a snowy wonderland, with thick layers of snow blanketing the rooftops and smoke curling from chimneys. The highlight is the winter light-up events, when the entire village glows in the evening—truly like a scene from a storybook. This period is extremely popular, so advance booking is essential.

Other Seasons at a Glance

• Spring (April–May): Cherry blossoms bloom in late April, with snow still on the mountains. Quiet and scenic.
• Summer (June–August): Green rice fields and clear blue skies. Great for peaceful walks and nature photography.
• Autumn (October–November): Vibrant fall colors and cool weather. Ideal for capturing traditional architecture against red and gold leaves.

Winter is my favorite—no contest! But honestly, there’s never a bad time to come. Each season has its charm, and I’ve visited in every one. Just remember to dress for the weather, especially if you’re heading up to the viewpoint!

Shirakawago Winter Illumination 2026: What You Need to Know

The winter illumination events transform Shirakawa-go into a magical snow globe scene.
The illumination events in 2026 will be held on January 12 (Mon), 18 (Sun), 25 (Sun), and February 1 (Sun).

Important Notes for 2026:

• Advance reservation required for all visitors during illumination dates
• Private vehicles prohibited – must use designated shuttle buses
• Accommodations book out 6-8 months in advance
• Temperature can drop to -10°C – dress accordingly

Caede’s promotion: 
We have secured a limited number of highly sought-after tickets that are normally very difficult to obtain, and we offer them as part of our tour. We hope you will consider joining us. Check here!

History of Nature Love

For the over 10,000 years spanning from the Jomon period through today, the Japanese have looked at forests and the mountains that nurture forests with reverence and awe. Near 70% of the Japanese landmass is forest and mountains. As can be seen in Japan’s main religion Shinto, Japanese people have appreciated life in all aspects of nature for a long time. Whether it is the landscapes, the clean water coming from the mountains, or the seasonal changes, in Japan people actually stand still to appreciate the bounty around them.

Art has been heavily inspired by nature throughout the ages. There are countless drawings and paintings of cherry blossoms and autumn leaves. And in Japanese poetry like waka and haiku, it is almost a rule that an element of nature should always make an appearance. Their respect for natural life enables them to coexist with nature. You could say that the origin of Japanese values and culture lies in Japanese people’s close relationship with nature.

It also helps that Japan’s natural bounty is incredibly diverse. There are many larger and smaller islands that each have their own biodiversity. Japan is also spreading quite large from north to south, and the climate is very different in Hokkaido and Okinawa.

Pilgrimages in Japan

One of the best ways to appreciate nature in Japan is to walk a (part of a) pilgrimage. There are 3 very famous pilgrimage routes in Japan; the Kumano Kodo in Wakayama, the trails around Koyasan, and the 88 temple route in Shikoku. Of course, the main point of walking a pilgrimage is to grow spiritually and to visit important temples and shrines. The routes have been walked for hundreds of years by many pilgrims before you. And most would agree that being surrounded by nature on their walk has been a spiritual experience in itself.

The Kumano Kodo and Koyasan are situated in natural areas without large cities nearby. So it will be easy to feel that you are worlds away from your regular life if you are a city dweller. The route in Shikoku does lead to temples in small cities as well, but most of the route is away from the crowds. Shikoku’s largest city is just over 500.000 people strong, so there are no metropoles in the pilgrimage. If you want to see a lot of nature on your trip to Japan, walking a part of a pilgrimage route is a great option.

Forest Bathing

Since the beginning of time, woods have been the inspiration for many stories and visual artworks. They are mysterious and enchanting, and trees have a great influence on all living things on earth. Our forests are a lifeline for us. Besides supplying us with wood and other resources, they also provide a space for relaxation and contemplation.

For humans, forests are a kind of lifeline. They supply wood and other resources indispensable to our everyday activities and provide spaces for rest and relaxation. Going to a forest just to immerse yourself in the lush green environment even has its own term in Japanese. ‘Shinrin yoku’ literally means ‘forest bathing’, and it is practiced by many who feel worn out by daily life in the city.

Forest bathing allows us to reconnect with our inner selves and truly be in the here and now. In that way, it is related to Zen Buddhism which had a great impact on Japanese culture. Just breathing the fresh air, seeing the many shades of green and the way the sunlight filters through the trees is a healing experience. Japan has many places that are great for a forest bath. Near Tokyo, most people go to Mt Takao, but if you want to go a bit deeper you could go to the Japan Alps or even as far as Yakushima.

Nature Love on Other Islands

Most tourists stay on Japan’s main island, Honshu, for their whole trip. Cities like Tokyo, Kyoto, and Hiroshima are all situated on Honshu. While Honshu has plenty to offer in terms of natural beauty, it also pays off to discover the other islands of Japan. Okinawa’s Main Island and smaller islands are a subtropical paradise where you can indulge in activities such as hiking, diving, and snorkeling. Shikoku is also great for going off-the-beaten-path and getting disconnected from the modern world.

I would like to give a special mention to Hokkaido and Kyushu. These islands are both paradises for those looking for natural beauty in Japan. Hokkaido, Japan’s northernmost island, has a moderate climate with cold winters. This is one of the reasons why Hokkaido is quite sparsely populated apart from Sapporo. There are amazing National Parks such as Daisetsuzan, Akan Mashu, and Shiretoko. Birders will literally have a field day in Hokkaido. And you can see interesting natural phenomena such as moringa and drift ice.

Kyushu is very volcanic, and therefore incredibly green and fertile. Mt Aso has some of the most amazing views in the world. And there are many natural hot springs on the island. Beppu is especially famed for its many healing onsen. The Takachiho Gorge is a typical bucket list destination with its otherworldly views. And Aoshima has a geological formation that is hard to find anywhere else in the world.

As you can see, there are so many wonderful natural beauty spots to find in Japan. It is no wonder that appreciation for all this charm is all around in Japan!

Your Japan Tour

As seasoned Japan experts, we create perfect Japan package tours including wonderful natural beauty spots. Check out our group tours and private tours, or contact us to start planning your unforgettable holiday to this fascinating country. Japan is full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, culture, history, nature, and delicious food!

A Ryokan Stay

Although it tends to be quite pricey, a little bit of splurging on a ryokan stay is so worth it. Most people don’t stay at a ryokan for prolonged periods of time, as it is a bit more comprehensive than staying at a regular hotel. Japanese people go to a ryokan to truly relax and not have to think of anything. Many guests don’t leave the ryokan much or at all during their stay, especially if they are only staying for one night. One- or two-night stays are the norm for most locals, but of course, if you can afford it you can opt for a longer stay as well.

It already starts at your arrival, where you change into your slippers at the entrance. It kind of feels like you are coming home! After checking in you will be brought to your room, which usually has tatami flooring. The futon beds will be made for you by the staff after dinner. After getting acquainted with your often minimalist room, we recommend you explore the bathing options of the ryokan. There are often multiple places to bathe, especially in the higher-end ryokan. If you really splurge you might even have an ensuite outdoor tub with a great view!

Having dinner in your room is highly recommended, in fact, it will be one of the highlights of your stay. High-end ryokan serve amazing kaiseki dinners using only the best fresh local ingredients. These meals have many courses, so it’s better not to eat too much beforehand. The food is almost always healthy and tends to be served so beautifully that it looks like a piece of art. If you are vegetarian, it is best to let the ryokan know ahead of time so they can prepare a meat-free meal for you.

Relaxing Activities when Visiting a Hot Spring Resort

While you can have a nice onsen experience in Tokyo, if you truly want to do a refreshing getaway you should head to one of Japan’s many hot spring resorts. Because of Japan’s location in the Ring of Fire, natural hot springs are abundant and contain minerals that can improve many health issues. Especially areas that are near an (active) volcano like Hakone, Kinosaki, Kusatsu, and Beppu have a town heart that is solely dedicated to their hot springs.

The townscapes of hot spring resort towns are very picturesque, as many towns preserve the traditional style with wooden buildings. It truly makes you feel like you are transported back to pre-modern times! Some resort towns have public outdoor baths that you can use for a small fee. It is fun to walk around in yukata and wooden slippers to go from bath to bath. Having a light meal like soba noodles for lunch is great if you don’t want to feel too full to take a bath again soon after.

To mix it up a bit, you can do some other activities in between like taking a sand bath in Beppu or watching a water stirring performance in Kusatsu. Hakone has many tourist attractions to visit like the pirate ship or the active volcano of Okuwadani. In Kinosaki you can visit Marine World, an aquarium where you can get quite close to local sea life.

Forest Bathing

There’s just something about being surrounded by natural shades of green that makes us feel relaxed. Breathing in the clean and fresh air while slowly taking in the details of the forest around you is a dedicated activity in Japan. It is called shinrin-yoku, or forest bathing in English. A few years ago this concept was trending, and now it became even more important than ever to understand the stress-relieving qualities of nature. Being indoors too much simply isn’t healthy, but a few hours of forest therapy every week can remedy much of that.

While in Japan’s countryside it is easy to find great spots for a forest bath, if you are in Tokyo, it might be more challenging. But no worries, there are still places to go, even within the city! Right in the center, you will find a little jewel of green, the Institute for Nature Study. It is not large, but if you go on a quiet day you can easily lose yourself in the small but lush forest on the grounds. If you don’t mind a bit of travel, Mt Takao will do the trick. Here, you can choose one of the lesser-waked hiking trails for a good getaway.

Relaxing Activities on a Remote Island Getaway

Japan has more than 6000 islands, of which 421 are inhabited. Some of these inhabited islands are quite remote and offer a great opportunity for a true getaway from the normal world. If you are looking for long days in nature and on the beach, this might be just what you’re looking for. Mind you, there are often not many opportunities for entertainment on these islands and no nightlife to speak of. So you are really there to be one with nature and not be distracted by other things.

Not many international tourists know that the municipality of Tokyo actually has a few subtropical remote islands. They are called the Izu islands, and there are 9 of them in total. Especially the smaller ones like Aogashima and Kozushima are real hidden gems without throngs of even local tourists. The best way to get there is by boat.

If you want to go a bit further away from Tokyo, you can also visit the remote islands between Kyushu and Okinawa. Tanegashima and Amami haven’t been discovered yet by mass tourism and are perfect subtropical jewels with lush nature and pristine beaches. In Okinawa, Japan’s best-known island paradise, you should try Iriomote island for a true escape into nature.

Quiet Temples and Shrines

While the most famous temples and shrines like the Sensoji and Meiji Shrine in Tokyo tend to be very crowded, there are so many off-the-beaten-path ones that are blissfully peaceful. It is definitely a different experience to visit a sanctuary when there’s no one else around. You can take in the beautiful architecture, serene atmosphere, and details you would likely not see in a busy tourist attraction at your own tempo.

In large cities like Tokyo and Kyoto, there are many shrines and temples that are not touristy if you know where to look. In Tokyo, a neighborhood like Yanesen has many smaller temples that are very beautiful but barely get visitors. Just get off the main street into one of the smaller side alleys, and you will easily find them. In Kyoto, you can go to an area like Murasakino to find quiet temples and shrines.

If you want to go all the way, you can go to one of the old Buddhist powerhouses in Japan’s more remote areas. Good places to go would be the Yamadera, Dewa Sanzan, or Hiraizumi. You can also choose to do one of Japan’s pilgrimage routes in Koyasan, Kumano Kodo, or Shikoku. If you truly want to dive in, you can even choose to participate in a Zen meditation session, write sutras, or do a temple stay.

Your Japan Tour

As seasoned Japan experts, we create perfect Japan package tours including locations away from the tourist track. Check out our group tours and private tours, or contact us to start planning your unforgettable holiday to this fascinating country full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, culture, history, nature, and delicious food!

This kind of shop started more than 50 years ago. And now some shop chains have even exported their business to foreign countries. They may call it a one-dollar shop or a one-euro shop depending on the country.

100 Yen Shop Chains in Japan

These are the big three chains of 100 yen shops in Japan:

Daiso

Daiso is the biggest 100 yen shop chain in Japan. They have about 3,300 shops in Japan and 2,000 shops in 26 foreign countries. It was established in 1971 in Hiroshima. They first sold products by mobile catering in the parking lot of the supermarket. Ever since the president heard one of his customers say “Cheap buyers will lose money”, they have dedicated themselves to a high quality.

Sometimes, they even purchase stock items that cost more than 100 yen. Their reputation has gone up a lot since then. The company grew during the economic downturn of the “lost decades” after the bubble economy terminated. Recently, they started selling some products for 200 to 500 yen to widen their product variety.

Daiso Harajuku is especially recommended for foreign tourists. The large branch has 4 floors full of products. Also, there is a wide variety of products including Japanese souvenirs. Its location near popular sightseeing spots Harajuku and the Meiji Jingu Shrine makes it easy to visit.

Seria

Seria started their business in 1985 in Gifu Prefecture. Now, they have about 1,600 shops and are the second biggest chain. They try to offer high-value products even though everything is 100 yen. So they select their items carefully. Their motto is “Color the Days”.

Can Do

Can Do started in 1993 in Saitama Prefecture. Once it was the second-biggest chain, but Seria surpassed it. They have about 1,000 shops.

Popular Items

You may be surprised when you find so many different products which are sold for only 100 yen. They display all products by their categories, so it is convenient shopping. These are some of the most popular items.

Stationery: Pen, notebook, envelope, glue, file, scotch tape, etc.

Clothing: Socks, underwear, shirts, necktie, etc.

Footwear: Sandals, slippers, etc.

Accessories: necklace, corsage, hair decoration, etc.

Cosmetics and Medical items: lipstick, foundation, adhesive plaster, face mask, etc.

Cleaning Utensils: Cleanser, cleaning sponge, cleaning brush, plastic bag, wet paper, etc.

Deodorant Goods: Deodorant goods for the room, refrigerator deodorizers, etc.

Laundry Goods: laundry baskets, hangers, clothespin, etc.

Cooking and Dining Utensils: ceramic/plastic/glass/fake lacquer plates, and so on. Also, glasses, cups, cutlery including chopsticks, vegetable peelers, etc.

Food and Drinks: Variety of food, snacks, water, soft drinks, coffee, tea, etc.

Gardening goods: Flowerpot, fertilizer, scoop, sprinkler, and even real plants including cactus!

Gift-related items: Message cards, wrapping paper, etc.

Toy: Card games, toys for small children, etc. (not computer games)

Electric appliances: Batteries, earphones, smartphone cases, etc.

Party Goods: They offer products for different seasons such as New year, Christmas, Halloween, and Children’s day. For Children’s day, you may find Koinobori (carp streamers).

Outdoor Goods: Plastic sheets, bento box, water bottles, bags, gloves, etc.

DIY: Many kinds of utensils

Souvenirs for Foreign Tourists: Are you going to one of the 100 yen shops near famous sightseeing spots? For example, Daiso in Harajuku? There you will find typical Japanese souvenirs only for 100 yen. For example, a folding fan is sold for over 1,000 yen at normal souvenir shops. You may also find beautifully designed origami sheets (folding paper), chopsticks with Japanese motifs, and so on.

Interesting Items

They sell many interesting items. Here are some examples.

Mask hangers: It is only used for face masks to dry in the air. A brush to clean masks is also unique!

Tube squeezer with a hook: It is used for squeezing the last bits from condiment tubes such as wasabi.

Your Japan Tour

As seasoned Japan experts, we can help you create your perfect Japan tour including guides who can take you to the best 100 yen shops. Contact us to start planning your unforgettable holiday to this fascinating country. Japan is full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, culture, history, nature, and delicious food!

New Year’s Day Family Gatherings

Just like in most of the world, the New Year’s holidays are a prime time for families to get together again. In the period around January 1st, cities like Tokyo tend to be a lot emptier than usual. Because most people who haul from a different town go back to their parental homes at that time. For many people, this is the only time in the year that the whole family gets together, in that way it is like Christmas for western people.

Most people will depart for their home towns on the morning after their last day at work, making for an extremely busy traffic situation on that day, both on Japan’s highways and on the trains. If you want to take a shinkansen on that day, you’d better book early. They often only have five to seven days off, and the children have about two weeks of holiday.

Travel During New Year’s Day

Then, one or two days before many offices open again, there will be another 2 days of crowds on the road, this is called the ‘U-turn rush’. The reason that so many people still choose to travel on these days is that salaried workers in Japan only have 2 opportunities per year to take off for a few days in a row, at New Year’s or during the Obon period in summer.

If you travel to Japan during your Christmas holidays, it is good to keep in mind that many museums, parks, and smaller shops and restaurants are closed from the end of the year until January 4th. There is, however, still plenty of ways to enjoy yourself in Japan during that time. You could go on a winter sports trip, visit temples and shrines, or enjoy one of the many onsen resorts which are at their best in the winter.

Osechi-ryori

Many Japanese housewives will prepare Osechi-ryori, or special New Year’s dishes, before the New Year. This is because they would also like to catch a break during the time everyone else is off and because many restaurants are also closed so it is more difficult to get your family dinner. They prepare a wide variety of food in layered boxes, and most of the small bites have a special meaning that should bring you luck in the new year.

For example, konbu seaweed is a symbol of happiness because of the phonetic similarity of the words ‘seaweed’ and ‘happiness’ in Japanese. Beans will help you work diligently, shrimp is a symbol of longevity because it bends its waist like an old person, and we want to live until we become like shrimps.

We also eat soup called o-zoni, which is filled with rice cake. The type of soup that is used varies depending on the region; some areas use clear dashi soup while other areas use miso soup. There is even a sweet version made of red beans in western Japan. Adults also drink ‘otoso‘, which is auspicious sake mixed with medicinal herbs. It is believed that if you drink it, you will stay healthy for the year and ward off evil spirits as a bonus. It is not that far-fetched, as many herbs that are used in this special sake are known for their immune-boosting qualities such as ginger and cinnamon.

Otoshidama

Otoshidama is the New Year’s gift money that is given by older relatives to the children in the family in Japan. Children are looking forward to receiving as much Otoshidama as possible from the parents and other relatives once January 1st rolls around. Normally, parents continue to give otoshidama to their children until they finish their educational career, which is usually after high school or college.

The amount of money varies depending on the giver’s relationship to the child and how old the child is. Parents may give 5,000 to 10,000 yen and other relatives may give 1,000 to 5,000 yen. Some children may get more than 100,000 yen in just a few days after they made their New Year’s visits to their many relatives! If the child is very small, the parents will keep the otoshidama money and deposit it safely in a bank account in their child’s name.

The custom of otoshidama is relatively new and only began in the 1950s. The gift actually used to be mochi or rice cake instead of money, as it is believed that the god of New Year lives in a special round-shaped rice cake called ‘kagamimochi‘. People used to give pieces of rice cake for good luck and to drive away evil spirits. This tradition has changed to giving money. Some people say that the round-shaped money has the same meaning as the round-shaped rice cake.

Anyway, the winter holiday is the favorite season for many children because they can receive both Christmas presents and otoshidama, but for the parents, it can be a bit financially straining to be this generous at the year’s end and new year’s start.

New Year’s Day First Shrine Visit: Hatsumode

After eating Osechi-ryori, people often go to a nearby Shinto shrine or Buddhist temple. The first visit to these religious facilities is called Hatsumode. We pray to the gods or to Buddha and ask for the coming year to bring happiness. Most Japanese may be Shintoists and Buddhists at the same time, but they actually tend to not visit shrines or temples that often in daily life.

Many people actually only visit on New Year Day, so you can imagine that on that day the shrines and temples are filled with visitors. Visitors like to buy lucky items on that day such as a good luck charm and an arrow that wards off evil spirits, and many also like to have their fortunes told by omikuji. The most crowded shrine in Japan is the Meiji Jingu in Tokyo. Can you believe that there are 3 million people who visit the shrine during just the first three days of the new year?

Top 10 Hatsumode Shrines

This is the top 10 of the most popular temples and shrines in Japan to visit during New Year:

No.1 Tokyo Meiji Jingu Shrine
No.2 Kawasaki Daishi Shrine
No.3 Chiba Naritasan Shinshoji Temple
No.4 Tokyo Sensoji Temple
No.5 Kyoto Fushimi Inari Taisha Shrine
No.6 Kamakura Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine
No.7 Osaka Sumiyoshi Taisha Shrine
No.8 Nagoya Atsuta Shrine
No.9 Saitama Hikawa Shrine
No.10 Fukuoka Dazaifu Tenmangu

If you are in Japan during one of the first days of a new year, you may want to avoid the large crowds from popular temples in favor of going to one of the many smaller neighborhood temples where you are welcome to partake in the ritual first visit of the year.

The First Dream of the Year

The first dream of the year is called ‘hatsuyume’ in Japanese, and it is believed to be significant in predicting how the coming year will treat you. If the following things appear in your dream, you will have good luck throughout the year; Mt. Fuji, a hawk that can fly in the sky freely, or an eggplant which is pronounced as ‘nasu’ which can also mean ‘to achieve’. So that means that dreaming about an aubergine means you will achieve your goal this year.

In order to have a good first dream, Japanese people employ several methods to influence their dreams. They think that by putting an image of a treasure boat or a tapir will make you have good dreams. A tapir is actually believed to eat bad dreams, so why not give it a try?

Fun and Games

For adults, going shopping on January 2nd is a very popular thing to do. The so-called ‘fukubukuro‘, or lucky bags, are the reason for this. A fukubukuro is a bag that can contain all kinds of goodies, and many larger and smaller stores give them out. The fun part is that you have no idea what you are buying, as the contents are often a surprise and all you can see is a price tag. What you do know, though, is that it will always be a (very) good deal.

A bag that costs 3000 yen can easily contain 10.000 yen worth of goodies. Some stores offer better bags than others, and those who are in-the-know will know where to line up. Lines can become very long at stores with popular fukubukuro bags, and the wait can be many hours. But it is part of the tradition, and often very much worth it. So if you happen to be in Japan on January 2nd, treat yourself to one of these lucky bags!

For the kids, there are special games during the first days of January. Karuta, a card game, is one of them. A reciter will read a proverb or poem out loud, and the other players then try to get the card related to the proverb or poem. The one who collects most cards is the winner. Children also play typical old-fashioned games such as ‘hanetsuki’ or Japanese style badminton, ‘takoage’ or flying a kite, ‘komamawashi’ or spinning tops, ‘sugoroku’ a Japanese board game, and so on.

Your Japan Tour

As seasoned Japan experts, we can help you create your perfect Japan tour. We can guides who can help you navigate Japan during special events and can tell you all about Japanese traditions surrounding special days like New Year’s Day. Contact us to start planning your unforgettable holiday to this fascinating country full of once-in-a-lifetime experiences, culture, history, nature, and delicious food!

Legal Gambling in Japan : Horse Races

Horse racing (keiba), bicycle racing (keirin), motorboat racing (kyotei or BOAT RACE), and motorcycle racing (auto race), are all legal to bet on with money. There are about 90 stadiums all over Japan for these gambling sports. Horse racing is the most popular gambling game among these four racing sports controlled by the government.

The history of horse race dates back to 1860. Japan had closed the country from the 17th century for about 200 years. When Japan opened its borders and made friendship treaties with the United States, Great Britain, the Netherlands, and Russia in 1854. From then on, foreigners started living in Japan. It was still the feudal time, so foreigners couldn’t choose freely where they would live.

Foreign settlements were established in some cities, and Yokohama was one of them. It was the foreign residents who held Japan’s first horse race in Yokohama in 1860. Then one year later, a western-style horse race field was constructed. The shogunate had already prohibited gambling during the Edo time, and after 1868 the new Meiji government also prohibited gambling. But an exception was made for horse racing, as it was held based on the idea of extraterritoriality.

Gradually, horse racing fields were constructed in several cities all over Japan. But they were initially not built for gambling. Instead, the fields were was just for the viewing enjoyment of the nobility and rich people and the boom was over by 1900.

Japanese Horses

Japan experienced two major wars in the early 20th century. The Japanese-Sino War in 1894, and the Japanese-Russo War in 1904. From experience, the Japanese military realized that Japanese horses were inferior to Western horses. There was, however, not enough budget to improve the Japanese horses. So the government decided to hold horse races to raise money in 1905. This was the beginning of horse racing for the Japanese people for gambling purposes. There are 25 horse racing courses in Japan now.

Legal Gambling in Japan : Lottery

One of the most accessible ways to gamble in Japan is the Takarakuji, or lottery. There are many lottery stands in the streets of Japan, there is pretty much one on every street corner. The lottery is hosted by the local governments to raise money for the local community. The maximum price you can win is 400 million yen (about 4 million USD). The lottery is a bit of a gray area, as it can be regarded as a kind of gamble.

Also, the Sports Promotion Lottery for soccer has started in 2000. Their aim was collecting funds to improve Japan’s environment for sports. It is not only a lottery, as you can buy a ticket on which you can predict the result of a soccer match. But be careful to only use the official lottery for this purpose. As when you bet money on sports privately, you can be arrested.

Legal Gambling in Japan : Pachinko

The first pachinko parlor was opened in 1930 in Nagoya. All pachinko parlors stopped operating during WW2, but they reopened swiftly in 1946. At pachinko’s peak time in the mid-90s, the number of parlors was over 17,600. But the game’s popularity has been decreasing ever since and now there are only about 8,700 parlors left. Younger people don’t like to play pachinko. This may have to do with the fact that it is very noisy and smokey inside all pachinko parlors.

Pachinko looks a bit like a pinball machine. You first buy a bucket full of balls, then pour them into the machine and let them work their way through the machine by controlling a dial. Until about 40 years ago, you needed to hit the ball using a lever by yourself instead of operating the dial. Operating the dial is easier, but it is much easier to lose your money fast because you cannot control the speed of the balls entering the machine.

The goal of the game is to let the balls go into a hole, especially if you do that at the right timing you may win many new balls. These balls can then be exchanged for prizes and tickets, and the tickets can then be exchanged for cash somewhere in a different building to go around the government’s rules against gambling. Because you only receive a prize or a ticket, not money, it is not regarded as gambling. Recently, game makers have introduced elements from anime, manga, and computer games to make the games more attractive for a certain audience.

Pachinko Addiction

Pachinko has generated social problems in Japan, as there are many people who are addicted to it and cannot stop playing, often meaning they go into debt. There are unemployed people who get support from the government but spend all money on pachinko because they don’t have anything to do other than playing pachinko during the daytime.

Casinos in Japan

The Integrated Resort Bill was enacted in 2016, which means that Japan can now have casinos. There are governors that don’t want casinos built in their prefectures because they don’t want to get problems commonly associated with casinos like more problem gamblers and the resulting financial issues.

Some governors, however, are willing to develop the integrated resorts including casinos in their prefectures. They see it as a plus, as it can be one of the promotion measures to increase the number of foreign visitors to their cities including MICE (meeting, incentive tour, conference, and exhibition) use. This means that some casinos may open in Japan in the near future.

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Types of Energy Used in Japan

If you check the graph above, you will see the total energy usage and the types of energy sources that were used in Japan throughout the years. The one thing that stands out the most is the fact that the need for energy in Japan has increased steadily over the last 50 years. In fact, it has increased tenfold since the 1960s. Early on, clean and renewable water power was Japan’s main way of generating energy.

Unfortunately, it didn’t stay this way as it was impossible to keep up with the population’s ever-growing need for power. In the 1970s/1980s, Japan was booming economically and the need for energy multiplied several times. During this period, oil and nuclear energy became Japan’s most important energy sources.

In the decades that followed, gas and nuclear energy became Japan’s most used sources. And in the 2000s the pattern didn’t change too significantly. Then in 2011, the triple disaster happened, and you can see an immediate drop in the usage of nuclear energy. As almost all nuclear plants were shut down when Fukushima’s plant had its meltdown. At this moment, energy usage has been quite steady for the last 10 years and has even declined a bit since the top year 2010. One explanation is that the population of Japan has been shrinking since then, hence the lower need for energy. The usage of energy-efficient appliances has also helped.

Now, the traditional resources of gas and coal are Japan’s major energy generators. The usage of new energy sources is increasing only marginally. Let’s look into the different sources of energy in Japan a little more closely.

Energy Generation by Water Power

Japan’s main resource was water power until the 1960s. The country is rich in mountains and water, making this one of the easiest renewable energy sources to use. Most areas in Japan have about 2 meters of water, and 70 percent of Japanese land is mountainous. It means there are a lot of steep rivers which give the opportunity to build waterpower-generating dams.

The tallest dam in Japan is Kurobe Dam. You can visit this famous sight on a well-known sightseeing route, the Tateyama-Kurobe Alpine Route. It is not the biggest dam lake, but the 186-meter height makes this the highest dam in Japan.

Oil

From 1970 to the early 1980s the oil thermal power plant was a common way to generate energy. We produce almost no crude oil in Japan except for a small amount in Akita, Niigata, and Hokkaido. More than 99% of the oil in Japan is imported. We import from Saudi Arabia, UAE, Qatar, Kuwait, Russia, and Iran in decreasing order. Japan has experienced two Oil Shocks, in 1973 and 1979. It was after that when we started to develop other kinds of electric plants in order to become less dependent on other countries for our energy needs.

LNG

LNG, or liquid natural gas, was one of the alternative energy sources for oil. The price is more stable than the oil price and it is also cleaner, which means it emits fewer air pollutants than oil. We started to import from Alaska in 1969. But their prices slowly crept up, so now we import from Australia, Qatar, and Malaysia in decreasing order. The percentage of LNG usage in resources for power plants is the highest now at about 40% in 2017.

Coal

Coal was the second most-used resource for power plants in the 1950s before using oil. This is one of the few natural resources that Japan has. There used to be more than 1,000 coal mines in Japan that produced 56 million tons of coal in the 1940s. Now, only one coal mine is still in operation in Hokkaido. The reason for the closure of most of the coal mines is that it is much cheaper to import coal nowadays.

We import coal from Australia, Indonesia, and Russia in decreasing order. It is cheaper than oil and LNG, so now, 32% of the resource for power plants is coal. The problem is that using coal emits more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere than other resources. Carbon dioxide is one of the major causes of the greenhouse effect which leads to global warming.

Nuclear Energy Generation in Japan

After WW2, the United Nations banned Japan from studying nuclear science but they resumed in 1953 after US president Eisenhower made a speech about Atoms for Peace. The first nuclear power plant was constructed in 1963 and continued experimentation before starting commercial use in 1966. Usage has increased year by year. The number of nuclear plants was 59, and more than 25% of the electricity in Japan was generated here in 2010. It was hailed as clean energy.

But the situation changed suddenly in 2011. One of the biggest earthquakes in history hit the ocean east of Japan, and a huge tsunami was triggered that hit the coastline of eastern Japan. A 14-meter high tsunami hit the nuclear plant in Fukushima. There were 6 plant buildings, of which 3 were in operation and the other 3 were stopped for an examination.

The tsunami swept over the plant’s seawall and then flooded the lower parts of the reactors. This stopped the emergency generators which were used for water circulation to cool down the reactors, and that subsequently led to three nuclear meltdowns and three hydrogen explosions. Residents within a 20km radius from the plant needed to evacuate.

The Aftermath of the Accident

After the accident, most nuclear plants in Japan stopped operating in order to be examined, leading to electricity generation coming from nuclear plants became zero in 2014. After careful examination, 9 nuclear plants are working again in 2020. But most of the plants in Japan are still suspended because of the opposition of residents around the plants.

Because of the sudden reduction of electricity by stopping nuclear plants, Japan needed to increase the energy generated by other resources. It was mainly LNG and coal usage that was increased, which are relatively cheap compared to oil. The government will try to reduce the number of nuclear plants in the future but still regards it as an energy source that can be considered.

Renewable Energy Sources in Japan

Because both LNG and coal emit carbon dioxide, it is not good for the environment. Interest in renewable energy sources has increased recently for this reason, but until now, it has not been working very well. The percentage of new energy (renewable energy) is still only 8% in 2017. If you include water power plants as renewable energy as well, the percentage becomes 16% which is still too low.

After water power, solar power is Japan’s most used renewable energy source. The government promoted building new solar power plants more than 10 years ago by setting a high buying rate, so a lot of companies have invested in building solar plants.

The third most used renewable energy source in Japan is biomass, followed by wind power. The problem with solar and wind power is that they can’t provide a stable supply because they depend on weather circumstances.

Because there are a lot of volcanoes in Japan and the earth’s crust is thinner than average in some places, we are working on harnessing geothermal energy as well. We may have big possibilities to use this form of renewable energy, but at the same time, there are some issues that need solving first, such as the high cost of setting it up, and the chance that it may damage nature.

As it is still a work in progress, the Japanese government tries to increase the percentage of renewable energy to 22-24% in 2030.

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Legal Age of Adulthood in Japan

The legal age of adulthood in Japan is 20 years old as of 2020. After long discussions in the Diet, however, it was decided that the age of majority will be lowered to 18 in 2022. The age of 20 was set by a law dating back to 1896. During the feudal time, coming of age was around 15 as many people didn’t live to old age during those days.

Is the same legal age of adulthood applied to everyone? No, there are some exceptions. Once you are married, you will be regarded as an adult. At this moment, the age you can get married is 18 for men and 16 for women. Because that is unequal, this age will be changed to 18 for both males and females in 2022. Another exception is made for certain members of the Imperial Family; the Emperor, the Crown Prince, and the eldest grandson of the Emperor. They are regarded as adults from the age of 18.

What Happens After Coming of Age?

These are some of the most important implications of coming of age in Japan;

• Marriage: once the law changes in 2022, you can legally get married once you reach adulthood. The age of legal adulthood will be lowered to 18, and at the same time, the legal age to be able to get married will become 18 for both men and women.
• Voting: you will be able to vote once you become an adult. At this moment you can only vote from the first election after you turn 20. Some young people though will be happy to be able to vote from age 18 from 2022. Putting yourself up for election, however, is a different story. To stand as a candidate of the House of Representatives, you need to be 25, and you need to be at least 30 for the House of Councilors or to become a governor of one of Japan’s 47 prefectures.
• Money loans: once you become an adult, you can sign a loan agreement when you buy expensive products such as a car, motorbike, or even a mortgage.
• Certain protections are removed: it is not all fun and games though, as certain legal protections are removed once you reach adulthood. Children are well protected by the law. Most of the laws are, however, applied by age and not by the fact whether you are an adult or not. Some laws are applied to people over 18, for example, when it comes to labor law and juvenile law. You are never given the death penalty, no matter what you have done before you become 18.

Drinking and Smoking

Even though the age of adulthood will be lowered, the age to be able to buy alcohol and cigarette will remain the same as now, which is 20 years old. You can buy alcoholic drinks at liquor stores or at convenience stores, but you may be asked to show your ID if you look younger than 20. For added legal protection of alcohol selling establishments you also need to touch the “Yes” button on the monitor of the cashier when prompted “Are you older than 20 years old?”, no matter how old you look.

When you buy cigarettes, it is the same at the cashier, but you can also purchase them by the vending machine. How do they check whether you are an adult? In Japan, you can get a kind of ID card called “taspo”, that you have to apply for with your photo and ID. You need to touch the taspo card to the sensor of the machine when you buy cigarettes, which makes it harder for minors to buy them.

By the way, the proportion of people who smoke in Japan has been decreasing year by year. It was 49% in 1965, but it has decreased to only about 17% in 2019. Lately, Japan has joined the rest of the Western world by decreasing the number of places where you can smoke. Most restaurants in Tokyo have become non-smoking in 2020 as a preparation for the Olympics. Also, in many places in Tokyo, you are not allowed to smoke other than in the designated smoking areas. If you are a smoker, you need to be careful about where you smoke during your trip in Japan.

Gambling

In Japan, there are 4 types of gambling that are controlled by the government and therefore legal; horse racing, bicycle racing, motorbike racing, and motorboat racing. Anyone can watch the races, but you need to be 20 to buy a betting slip.

Then there is Pachinko, which looks a bit like a pinball machine game. This is a type of gambling that is in the grey zone. In order to avoid gambling rules, you can win a prize that is not money which you can exchange for money around the corner. You can play Pachinko from age 18.

The Takarakuji, or regular lottery, is different as you can buy lottery tickets regardless of age. Participating in the lottery is very popular in Japan, especially around the New Year. In Japan, one lottery ticket tends to be very cheap, so many people buy dozens or sometimes even hundreds of tickets at the same time. This makes it quite a big job to check whether you have won something, but of course, this is part of the fun.

Driver’s License

Many kids can’t wait until they can finally drive a car themselves and look forward to the day they are old enough to enroll in a driving school. In Japan, you can actually get a driver’s license before becoming an adult. Once you become 16, you are allowed to get a license for a small motorcycle. And once you become 18, you can obtain a driver’s license for a car.

Getting a driver’s license is notoriously expensive and difficult in Japan. First, you need to go to a private driving school to learn about traffic laws and driving techniques. It normally takes two to three months and costs 250,000 to 300,000 yen (2,500 to 3,000 USD)! Then you have to take the exam, which means that you have to drive a pre-set course in exactly the way they want you to drive it. You have to learn the route by heart, and one mistake means that you have to re-take the test. Also, if you want to drive a larger motorcycle or larger car, you need to have a different license.

Coming of Age Day

The second Monday of January is Coming of Age Day which is a national holiday. New adults who turned 20 during the year before, are invited by the local government to attend an official ceremony to welcome them to the adult world. The ceremonies are usually held at the halls of the schools or local concert halls. If you live in Urayasu City in Chiba Prefecture, you are lucky enough to be invited to Tokyo Disneyland! These ceremonies are often reunions of former classmates two years after they graduate high school and after moving away for college. So for many, it is an event to catch up with old friends.

New adults participate in the ceremony with formal wear. Women often wear colorful kimono with long sleeves. Most don’t own a kimono like the one they wear during this ceremony, so they rent it. For many of them, it is the first time to wear a formal kimono (except for those who did the 7-5-3 ceremony for children), so they need someone to help them into the kimono.

It is quite difficult to put on and wear unless you practice. Some men may wear kimono, but most of them will wear a western-style formal suit. During the ceremony, the mayor will give a speech and the new adults make a toast with beer or sake. This part of the ceremony will change after 2022 because they will then have to wait two more years after becoming adults to drink alcohol.

If you travel to Japan in January, you may come across young ladies wearing beautiful kimono. If so, they are likely wearing it for the Coming of Age Day ceremony.

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Old and Modern Toilets in Japan

Although many think that old-fashioned toilets can’t be found anymore in Japan, this is not the case. While they are being phased out, there are still regular western-style toilets to be found in no-frills apartments and older hotels, and in parks as well. If you are really (un)lucky, you will even find an old-style squatting toilet. In old, traditional restaurants that are not high-end and in some parks you have the chance to see these historical toilets.

Are they all-bad? Many beg to differ, and some people even prefer this type of toilet because they don’t have to sit on a dirty seat. Japanese people tend to be a bit germophobic, so cleanliness is very important. It is also supposed to be good training for your legs if you squat every day. And this might be one of the reasons why Japanese Judoka tend to have particularly strong lower bodies.

Modern Public Toilets

Slowly but surely though, there are more and more multifunctional toilets that come with the infamous many buttons. Nowadays, newly built public toilets even have see-through windows when unlocked that turn opaque once you lock the door. This way, scary people can’t hide inside to ambush unsuspecting toilet goers.

The reason why squat toilets are being phased out is the change of lifestyles in Japan. People used to live in Japanese-style houses with tatami or straw mats and sleep on futon bedding on the floor. Nowadays, living arrangements have become more westernized in many households. They sit on chairs instead of on the tatami floor. And with this move to higher heights, people started preferring western-style multifunctional toilets in their houses. Because of this, many children have never learned how to use squatting toilets, changing the needs for public restrooms.

Another reason why western-style toilets are increasingly common in public places? The number of foreign tourists had been increasing. Many Western people have never used squat toilets, so it is difficult for them to use them. If they feel difficulties to use toilets while enjoying sightseeing, they may not recommend others to go there. So, having western toilets is one way to promote tourism.

Washlet Functionalities

The most famous maker of the multifunctional toilet is the Japanese company TOTO. Not to be confused with the American band, who when they came to Japan said that they were very surprised to find their band’s name all over Japan’s toilets.

TOTO started to produce the new type of western toilets equipped with a fountain to clean your bottom with warm water in 1980. By 2011, the total sales surpassed 30 million units. This type of toilet is called a ‘washlet’. It was actually not their own invention; it was a company in the United States who invented this kind of toilet that was to be used in hospitals and welfare facilities. TOTO at first imported these toilets from the US, but they soon decided to develop their own products to be sold to consumers in Japan.

The development of the washlet toilet hasn’t stopped, and TOTO has improved the toilet and its functionalities year on year. These days, you can adjust the temperature and pressure of the water, there is a built-in dryer, you can choose the angle of the water, and the nozzle, as well as the toilet bowl, have a self-cleaning function. Some toilets are even able to deodorize the bowl. And as a piece de resistance, the seat can be softly heated by electricity which is so comfortable on those cold winter days in chilly apartments.

Some high-tech toilets open up the cover of the toilet opens automatically when someone enters the room. If you think about it, this is a very sanitary function of the high-tech toilet. It means that you don’t need to touch the lid anymore, reducing the amount of germs you will get on your hands. Handy!

Flushing Small (小) and Big (大)

So with this many buttons, which ones should you look out for if you just want to flush the toilet? There is nothing quite as frustrating as not being able to find the flush button after you went to the toilet in a restaurant. There is not one spot where you can find the right buttons, so you might have to look for them a bit. Sometimes the flush button is on the toilet itself. It will have a flush lever which you can move to both sides. One says small (小) and the other says big (大), meaning the amount of water it will use to flush. The idea behind it is to save the water if possible.

If the lever is not on the toilet itself, it is likely on a button panel. You either have to look at the front of the panel, or at the top of the panel. Find the Chinese characters that are mentioned above, and you will push the right button.

I explained several different aspects of Japanese toilets, but anyway, Japanese people appreciate nice toilets. Provably the toilet room is the one space where they feel they can escape from their busy lives and truly relax.

Music in Toilets in Japan

This is the one I love the most personally. Quite often, public toilets have a button with a musical note on it. So what happens when you press it? You would expect music to come out, but it is actually the sound of a flushing toilet or streaming water. What is the purpose of this seemingly useless sound? You might be surprised to learn that many Japanese people, and ladies in particular, are very shy about producing any kind of sound when they are in the toilet, no matter how normal it is.

In the past, this meant that some people started flushing the toilet as soon as they sat down, and just kept flushing it until they were done. This obviously costs a lot of water and is wasteful of such a precious resource. A brilliant person then came with the idea to simulate the sound of a flushing toilet with a button, and the sound button sometimes called ‘angel sound’ was born. Quite resourceful, don’t you think?

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Earthquake Safety Responses

While typhoons are the most common natural disaster in Japan, damage from a typhoon if you are a tourist is quite easy to avoid. You have to make sure to follow the news to know when it hits, and just make sure to stay indoors on the day the typhoon hits the area you are staying at. As long as you are in a well-built hotel you will not have any issues besides having to re-route your trip a bit. If you travel through a travel agency like us, you will get all the help you need to change your plans.

Earthquakes are different, by far most earthquakes that hit Japan every day are very small or at most give you a bit of a scare but don’t do any damage. Once every few years, a larger one hits Japan, mostly in different areas. They are hard to predict, but there is an alarm system in place that will sometimes give you a warning a few seconds in advance. So what would be your first responses once a larger earthquake hits?

1. Seek cover under a table or other sturdy surface. Stay away from large objects like refrigerators and closets that could fall. If you are outside, stay away from buildings as much as you can, and squad down with a bag or anything you can find to cover your head.
2. Be aware of aftershocks, and follow the instructions of the hotel staff. They are trained to deal with this situation. If you are outside, try to walk back to your hotel or if you are far away from the nearest emergency evacuation area. These areas are usually in parks and near schools.
3. Hotels, travel agents, and/or government officials will deal with your evacuation back to your home country if the damage would be large.

Tsunami Danger

Also when the earthquake is small, it is a good idea to turn on the TV to see if the quake was more serious elsewhere and whether a tsunami might have been triggered. In case of an earthquake of any size that is noticeable, it will be announced on TV with only white letters on top of the screen if the earthquake is unlikely to have done any kind of damage, and with a map of the area where the earthquake was felt showing the intensity per region if it was a larger earthquake.

If there would be any tsunami danger, there will be a map of the area where the tsunami could hit with a prediction of wave heights. If you would be near the ocean, it is important to seek higher ground as soon as possible in the event of a tsunami warning.

The Japanese Earthquake Measurement System

While in Japan we also use the Richter scale to assess the magnitude of an earthquake, a second earthquake measurement system is also widely used in Japan. The magnitude of the Richter scale says how strong the earthquake was at the epicenter itself. The amount of damage that is done on the ground, however, depends on several factors like the depth of the earthquake, the direction of the earthquake (sideways shaking is less damaging than an up-and-down motion), and the location of the epicenter.

This is why the Shindo scale is used to assess the actual effect of the earthquake on the ground. The scale runs from 1 to 7, with 1 being the lightest earthquake and 7 being the most damaging category. This is what the different numbers of the Shindo scale mean:

1. 1: If you are in a very quiet room, you might feel a small shake. This intensity is not felt by most people.
2. 2: Many people who are indoor will feel this shake, and objects that are suspended will swing lightly. There is no damage with this intensity.
3. 3: Most people who are indoor will feel this shake, and objects swing a bit harder. Dishes in the cupboard may rattle a bit as well. This intensity also doesn’t do any damage.
4. 4: You will definitely feel this quake when you are indoor, and you have to be careful with things that have not been secured that could fall. Some people who are outside might feel this quake. Besides small things falling down, there will not be much damage done by this intensity.

Potentially Dangerous Earthquakes

1. 5: Intensity 5 is subdivided into 5 lower and 5 upper. 5 lower means that heavier furniture will move and things will start falling off the shelves. Windows that have not been reinforced can shatter, so you have to be careful and definitely hide under a table to protect yourself from falling things. 5 upper means that heavy furniture often topples over unless it is secured with special poles, and that car drivers will have trouble steering straight. From this intensity, earthquakes become damaging for homes and dangerous for people who are not hiding under a table.
2. 6: Intensity 6 is subdivided into 6 lower and 6 upper. 6 lower means it’s hard to keep standing, tiles, and windows will easily shatter, and doors can be damaged. This is why it is best to not close the doors when there is an earthquake so there will be a way out. Buildings that have not been built according to earthquake-proof standards can be extensively damaged and even collapse completely. 6 upper means that you won’t be able to stand up at all and can only crawl around. Heavy furniture goes all over the place. More buildings that weren’t built well collapse.
3. 7: 7 is the maximum intensity, and you won’t be able to control your own movements anymore at all. Cracks could appear in the ground and landslides can happen. Buildings that were built according to the standards of 1981 should be able to not collapse if an earthquake with an intensity of 7 happens once. Buildings that were built according to a later standard or were built specifically to be earthquake-proof should be able to withstand an earthquake with this intensity more than once. It is best to not risk being there when there are large aftershocks, and looking for the nearest emergency shelter is a good idea.

Thankfully, earthquakes with intensities of 6 or 7 are rare, and if they do happen, nowadays most buildings can withstand even the largest earthquakes without sustaining unrepairable damage. There are laws that are regulating the building of earthquake-proof houses and buildings.

Earthquake-safe Construction

In the late 1970s, there was an earthquake in Miyagi prefecture that was especially damaging to buildings. This event led to more stringent building codes for new buildings, which means that all buildings that were built after 1981 have to be able to withstand at least one earthquake with a Shindo intensity of 7. Before that time, buildings were only required to be able to withstand a quake with an intensity of up to 5 upper.

The need for this kind of building code became painfully obvious when a large earthquake hit Kobe in 1995. It was thought that Kobe wasn’t at a large risk for being hit by a quake of that magnitude, so many of the homes were built to withstand typhoons with heavier roofs and lighter walls, but this also meant that they were completely unable to withstand a large earthquake. In the aftermath of the quake, it was plain for everyone to see that whole neighborhoods with homes that were built before the 1980s had been completely wiped off the map while newer buildings still stood and were undamaged.

There are 3 ways of reinforcing buildings; vibration control, base isolation, or basic earthquake resistance. All 3 of these types are visualized in the picture above. For those who buy a house in Japan, looking into the earthquake-proofing of the building is always a good idea.

Earthquake Preparation

As a tourist, you won’t need to worry about getting together a complete emergency pack, but it is still a good idea to always have enough water and a bit of ’emergency food’ with you for unforeseen circumstances that can range from arriving late in a small village with a few restaurants that all close at 6.30 pm to getting caught up in a disaster. But what else can you do to be prepared?

Another way to be prepared for an earthquake for residents is to visit one of Japan’s earthquake simulators. There is one in Ikebukuro in Tokyo, it is called the Ikebukuro Life Safety Learning Center and it is also free for tourists to visit. The most interesting activity is the earthquake simulator where you will sit around a table on a platform that is made to look like a living room, and then they turn on the simulator to let you feel what a quake with a magnitude of 6 or 7 would feel like. You can also practice with a fire extinguisher, and there is a movie about the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923.

We recommend everyone to download an app for help in other languages than Japanese in case of emergencies before you travel to Japan. The name of the app is Safety tips and it is free. And of course, if you book a tour through us, in the unlikely and unlucky event that a natural disaster would happen during your stay here, we will help you in the best way possible.

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