Featured

Yamanashi

New program lets you telecommute from the foothills of Mt. Fuji and see the beauty of rural Japan

This program takes the whole remote working thing to a whole new level.

Read More

All of Tokyo’s neighbors are telling people to stay out of the city this weekend

Japan’s second largest city also tells people to stay in their homes during the period.

Read More

Niigata student tricks woman out of 100,000 yen and two pairs of dirty underwear

Ah, the old dirty-underwear-wrap con. She should have seen it coming.

Read More


Mt. Fuji jelly makes Japan’s most famous mountain a delight to look at and taste!

One of Japan’s most recognizable symbols is now a beautiful, elegant dessert.  

Read More

Yamanashi man arrested for making fake money and tricking people into picking it up

Chalk up another victory for the fun police.

Read More

We visit “Bonchi,” a super-size gourmet restaurant in Yamanashi Prefecture

This restaurant will challenge even the most massive of appetites.

Read More

Prior owners of Keiunkan ryokan, the world’s oldest hotel, liquidate company

Hot spring inn, founded in 704, has fallen on hard times.

Read More

New Japanese Kit Kat features flavour of traditional shingen mochi dessert

If you love the Japanese raindrop water cake that’s been taking the world by storm, you’ll love this new Kit Kat variety.

Read More

Bad weather ruined your chance to see Mt. Fuji? This Japanese hotel will give you a free room

Because when your name is the Hotel Mt. Fuji, you want your customers to be sure they’re going to see Japan’s most famous mountain.

Read More

Japan’s beautiful “suicide forest” sees increase in sightseers as it tries to shake its dark image

Visitors are discovering that the “sea of trees” near Mt. Fuji is a wonderful place full of natural life.

Read More

68-year-old karate master fights off bear…if you take his word for it

After using his martial art skills to survive a bear attack, Hiroto Miyagawa’s real nightmare has just begun.

Read More

14 tips for visiting the Mt Fuji Shibazakura Festival, where beautiful “lawn sakura” blossom

With its stunning scenery and fragrant beauty, this is one spring festival you don’t want to miss!

Read More

Accessories inspired by samurai armor blend traditional Yamanashi designs and crafts

Yamanashi Prefecture is perhaps most famous for its beautiful scenery – which of course includes Mt. Fuji – but the prefecture is also home to a number of traditional crafts. One technique in particular, called “koshu-inden,” has been widely praised. Pioneered by a company established in the 16th century, this leather-working art was once used to decorate samurai armor and is considered by some as emblematic of samurai bravery.

Now, you too can wear accessories bearing this symbolic design and crafted by that legendary company thanks to a collaboration that has produced a number of beautiful bracelets. Check out some of the items below.

Read More

Stunning montage takes viewers through Japan’s own hidden wine country: Koshu, Yamanashi

With the long Golden Week holiday only a couple of months away, many residents of Japan may well be wondering where best to use their precious vacation days. Tokyo? Kyoto? Perhaps a traditional Japanese hotel? How about Koshu City, Yamanashi Prefecture?

A new video introducing the relatively small city of Koshu might just make people reconsider their travel plans. With stunning views of Mount Fuji, world-famous vineyards, and a wealth of cultural events, Koshu is the perfect place for both escaping the bustle of big city life and getting a glimpse of traditional Japan.

Read More

Japanese village converted into gorgeous open-air museum makes an easy day-trip escape from Tokyo

There’s a lot to love about Tokyo. Aside from the sheer energy of being the most bustling metropolis in Japan, it’s home to some amazing modern attractions, like the Skytree, Ebisu Beer Museum, and RocketNews24 offices.

Still, even we can appreciate the occasional longing for a simpler, slower-paced time. Thankfully, even if you don’t have a time machine, as long as you have access to the capital’s outstanding public transportation network, you can catch a glimpse of Japan’s traditional rural lifestyle at this beautiful open-air museum of thatched-roof houses that’s an easy half-day trip from Tokyo.

Read More

We visit the Guinness World Record-holding oldest hotel in the world – established 705 A.D.!

Keiunkan Inn in Hayakawa, Yamanashi Prefecture is famous for holding the Guinness World Record for being “The oldest hotel in the world”. Established in 705 A.D., it boasts such notable former guests as daimyo Takeda Shingen, shogun Tokugawa Ieyasu, and numerous emperors of Japan.

The inn itself is located in the southern alps of Yamanashi Prefecture, nestled in lush valleys in the very heart of nature. It’s the perfect location for escaping from the hustle and bustle of city life. What’s more, the inn is built upon prime hot springs ground, which means guests are able to enjoy numerous open-air and communal hot spring baths. Each room’s shower, bath and sink facilities are fed by pure hot spring water, which is neither treated nor heated by any artificial means. In fact, except for the toilets, the entire inn uses the hot springs water in its daily running, which makes it a very special and luxurious place to visit.

Our reporter, Yoshio, decided to book a stay in “the oldest hotel in the world” in order to share his experiences with the good readers of RocketNews24. Read on for many, many gorgeous photos of his trip!

Read More

Man sues police after being locked in with a member of yakuza group he was trying to leave

Little kids sometimes get into trouble with bullies, and when they do, they feel reluctant to go to their parents, imagining that they’ll only offer some mature advice to deal with the situation like openly asking the bully to stop. While the direct approach works well in adult situations like break-ups and quitting your job at Fabricland, it doesn’t quite transfer over to the Lord of the Flies mentality that goes on in school playgrounds every day.

And apparently for some people these problems even stick around into adulthood. For example, a man recently went to Yamanashi police looking for protection when he decided to quit his organized crime group. However, according to reports it seemed as if the officers thought he just needed to talk it out and locked him in a room with a member of the gang he was trying to leave, resulting in the gang member demanding a finger as compensation.

Read More

00

We visit sake brewer Yamanashi Meijo and our mouths fall in love!

When people think of Japanese alcohol, they almost inevitably think of sake, and with good reason! More accurately known as nihonshu, or “Japanese alcohol,” the rice-wine drink has played an essential role in Japanese culture for centuries.

But as delicious as some may find it, it’s not for everyone, even if drinking it would make you healthy, wealthy, and wise… or at least healthier. The taste can take a little getting used to, so it’s hardly surprising to find someone who’d rather just have a nice cold beer. But maybe they’re just drinking the wrong sake!

Read More

The Japanese version of the popular travel information site Trip Adviser recently published a list of the best factory tours in Japan. Perhaps unsurprisingly, one of the nation’s most popular exports makes it to number one. Read More