January 19, 2012
Craft Beer is Booming in Japan
Between Portlanders and the Japanese, ‘craft beer’ is common language. Our neighbor across the Pacific, Tokyo has even been called the “Portland of the Far East” for its impressive craft brewing repertoire. Read more »
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January 11, 2012
Photo of the Week: Japan’s Floating Shrine
Our photo of the week hails from the Miyajima island of Japan. The famous Itsukushima Shrine is also called a ‘torii’ shrine, meaning ‘floating’ shrine. Read more »
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December 21, 2011
Cherry Blossoms: Japan’s Springtime Specialty
The winter season is upon us! For those of you who forgot that winter was coming, neglected to plan your vacation, and will be ready to take a break in the spring after a busy holiday season, Japan has got just the thing to refresh and rejuvenate your spirits. Leave the holiday poinsettias behind and look forward to a Japanese flower that will ring in the spring. Read more »
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December 9, 2011
Fun Friday Facts: Christmas in Japan
Although Japan is primarily a Buddhist nation, the Japanese still participate in a few fun Christmastime traditions. For most Japanese, Christmas holds no religious meaning, but you’ll still find Christmas trees glittering and sparkling in nearly every household. Give us your best shot and answer these trivia questions about Japanese Christmas traditions. Read more »
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November 29, 2011
Shogatsu: Japanese New Year
For many of us, New Year’s Eve conjures up images of fireworks, late-night celebrations, champagne flutes and glittering confetti. Across the pond in Tokyo, the Japanese celebrate the new year in a much different way. New Years has been called the most important Japanese holiday of all, and festivities are always over the top on this night. Here are three things that will make New Year’s Eve in Japan one to remember. Read more »
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September 14, 2011
Destination Detective: Journey to the East
Destination Detective is back! Today’s destination can be easily reached with a short plane ride from Tokyo. Read the clues below and see if you can guess which destination is highlighted below. We dare you! Take a guess. Read more »
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August 23, 2011
Destination Detective: Heading to the Tropics
It’s that time again to put your sleuthing skills to the test! We are featuring a new gateway destination out of Tokyo with some fresh clues. If you find this destination’s hints enticing, getting there is a piece of cake: hop on a direct flight from PDX to Tokyo, and Narita will have one non-stop flight to this destination waiting for you. Read more »
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August 11, 2011
Destination Detective: Asia Spotlight
We’re putting our readers to the test. We are spotlighting one incredible gateway destination city per week and challenging YOU to do some sleuthing to figure out which city we are highlighting. Nonstop flights from PDX to Tokyo land you in prime position to jet off to this destination. If you are a super detective, give us your best shot and answer the bonus questions at the bottom. Read the clues below, and tell us, where is it? Read more »
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August 2, 2011
Japan e Yokoso… Onegai shimasu! (Welcome to Japan…Please!)
In March of this year, Japan was struck with one of the most devastating natural disasters of its history. Only three short months later, the first group of US citizens set off to lend a helping hand. 68 Oregonians and Washingtonians, all apart of the Flight of Friendship, set out from the Portland International Airport on a nonstop flight to Tokyo on May 29th of this year. They returned in June with a humbling story to tell. Sean Egusa, a leader of the Flight of Friendship, has returned from the journey and has offered to share his experience:
Earthquake, tsunami
Sight and smell I can’t forget
I am not the same Read more » -
July 20, 2011
Don’t Walk the Streets, Run the Streets! Explore by Marathon.
Many avid travelers know that one of the best ways to explore a new place is on their own two feet. Kick that idea up a notch and consider exploring a new country by running on your own two feet. For travelers who are exercise enthusiasts, one of the most rewarding and gratifying ways to see a new destination is to run a marathon in a foreign place. Portland, Amsterdam and Tokyo are all home to some of the most popular and well-known marathons worldwide. Even if you’re not a marathon runner, watching comfortably from the sidelines and cheering on the athletes can be exciting also.