architecture

Starbucks in traditional Japanese building at Ise Jingu has hidden secrets in its roof tiles

Details not many people know about reveal connections between the chain and traditional architecture.

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Forbidden area at Japanese mountaintop shrine opens to the public for first time in 400 years

Be one of the first outsiders in centuries to enter this secret sacred area.

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World’s only double-helix wooden structure, Aizu Sazaedo, is mysterious both outside and inside

Helix maze built at a now-lost Japanese temple is a stunning architectural marvel.

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Japanese public toilet in Tokyo has windows that change colour when you use it

Join us as we use one of Japan’s most unusual restrooms.

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Summer nights at this amazing Tokyo open-air museum are like stepping back in time

Downtown Summer Evening returns to Edo-Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum.

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Japanese public toilet in Tokyo is more like a fancy restaurant than a restroom

High-class Shibuya neighbourhood is home to well-known celebrities…and a famous toilet.

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Harajuku’s new Harakado complex: A cool place to drink matcha in a secret oasis above the city

Former Condomania site springs to life with a hidden gem inside an amazing Tokyo building.

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Open-air public toilet at Sensoji temple in Tokyo is waiting to be discovered by foreign tourists

Famous Asakusa tourist site has a very public place to pee…for those who know where to find it.

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Japanese public toilet tours become popular with foreign tourists in Tokyo

Perfect Days and The Tokyo Toilet project see Shibuya’s public restrooms awash with visitors.

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Japanese public toilet becomes a tourist attraction in Tokyo

Welcome to We Topia, or should we say “Wee Topia”.

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Harajuku Station’s beautiful old wooden building is set to return, with a new complex around it

Newly released design shows how the former station building will blend into a more modern landscape.

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Plan to use historic stones to build restrooms for the 2025 Expo draws criticism

These ain’t no fortunate stones.

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The most beautiful train station in Japan? Award-winning design by Kengo Kuma wows travellers

Sometimes the best designs are the ones that surprise you from the inside out.

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Enjoy a Japanese tea ceremony in a traditional storehouse

A unique setting for a unique tea ceremony.

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Stay in an eerie Japanese ryokan inn near Tokyo Tower for US$40 a night

Traditional accommodation in Tokyo’s ritzy Minato Ward doesn’t get much cheaper than this…but there’s a catch.

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Unusual curved escalators are the crowning jewel of this shopping mall in Osaka

Join us for a ride on two of the world’s most unique escalators.

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How should you use the small hiroen in a Japanese ryokan hotel room?

Answering a question that’s puzzled travellers for decades.

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Spend some time off the grid at the self-sufficient hotel Corrugated House

A one-of-a-kind stay at a one-of-a-kind house.

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Fossil of an extinct crab discovered in a pillar at Tokyo Station

A fascinating link to the city’s ancient past…if you know where to find it.

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Tokyo’s coolest open-air museum gets even cooler with hot summer nights event

Edo Tokyo Open Air Architectural Museum wants to take you back in time to an old-school summer festival.

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