Japan

Tokyo – October 31, 2026 -- Travelers heading to Japan can download Naviu, an AI-powered augmented-reality travel companion, on iOS and Android starting November 1. The app answers questions about whatever is around you in any of 29 languages, based on your exact location.

A semi-transparent AR path guides you street by street

Naviu, a business under TANGLE Inc., uses patent-pending geospatial technology to place AR content and navigation accurately across entire cities. It does not require a visual positioning system. A semi-transparent AR path gives turn-by-turn guidance, and an AI companion walks along with the traveler.

The app also surfaces side-street cafes, local landmarks, and other places that conventional maps and guidebooks may overlook.

Point your camera at a temple, sign, or storefront and ask

Naviu combines several tools in one app:

Tokyo – October 30, 2026 -- A pilot tour in Tokyo's Asakusa district will take visitors through a traditional craft workshop, a neighborhood walk and an introduction to ozashiki, the intimate setting where geisha and hōkan entertain guests. Organizer ROJICOYA has not yet opened bookings, and details on availability, duration and participation requirements will appear on its official website.

The tour is built around three experiences

ROJICOYA organizes cultural experiences, walking tours and events centered on Edo culture and traditional performing arts, primarily in Tokyo. For this pilot, the guides are the people who sustain Asakusa's traditions: a rakugo storyteller or a hōkan leads the walk, and geisha and hōkan perform at close range.

NIIGATA, Japan – October 29, 2026 -- Skiers and snowboarders can ride three linked resorts in Yuzawa, Niigata Prefecture, from Saturday, December 26, 2026, when YUZAWA SNOW LINK opens for the 2026-2027 winter season.

Tokyo is 71 minutes away by bullet train

GALA Yuzawa Station can be reached in as little as 71 minutes from Tokyo on the Joetsu Shinkansen. That makes the area workable for both day trips and overnight stays, and visitors can pair time on the snow with sightseeing in the surrounding area.

Three resorts share one connected ski area

YUZAWA SNOW LINK joins Yuzawa Kogen, GALA Yuzawa, and Ishiuchi Maruyama. The ski area offers 45 courses, from beginner to advanced. Each resort has its own mountain scenery and its own mix of difficulty levels, so skiers and snowboarders of different abilities and interests have options.

Beyond the slopes, the snow-covered mountain landscapes are part of the draw.

Seattle – October 28, 2026 -- Alaska Airlines will start its first nonstop service between Anchorage and Tokyo Narita on May 13, 2027, with introductory round-trip fares from $999. The seasonal route links Ted Stevens Anchorage International Airport and Narita International Airport. It remains subject to government approval.

Introductory fares start at $999 round-trip

The $999 fares apply to travel from Anchorage to Tokyo Narita between May 13 and June 7, 2027, subject to availability. They are on sale through October 31 and require a round-trip purchase. Tickets are sold on the Alaska Airlines and Hawaiian Airlines websites.

The route runs daily in summer, then three times a week

Flights operate daily in the summer through Sept. 7, 2027. Service drops to three times weekly in the winter, beginning January 2028.

Jersey City – October 14, 2026 -- Casio America has launched Pink Moflin (PE-M11PK), the first new color for its furry smart companion, priced at $429 and sold at casio.com/us/moflin. It joins the original gold and silver models.

Fans asked for pink more than any other color

Since Moflin debuted in Japan in November 2024, pink has been the owners' most frequent request. Casio Japan responded with Sakura Pink on September 4, 2026. Casio says the soft shade was chosen to evoke comfort, warmth and calm.

"Cozy culture is about soothing colors and soft materials," said Brian Piccolo, General Manager of Sound & Innovation at Casio America.

Seattle – October 06, 2026 -- REI Co-op and Japanese retailer BEAMS today launched the BEAMS x REI Co-op Expedition Parka, a limited-edition jacket based on an original 1986 design found in REI's archive. Only 500 units were made, and the parka goes on sale October 6 for $599 online and at select stores.

The jacket pairs 1986 styling with 2026 materials

The parka uses WINDSTOPPER by GORE-TEX LABS fabric, 650-fill-power down insulation and recycled materials. Its durable water repellent coating is made without PFAS, and the jacket is produced in a Fair Trade Certified factory. A coordinating stuff sack and co-branded details are included.

Osaka – October 02, 2026 -- MIMARU Osaka Namba Station Annex opened its doors on October 1, bringing 68 apartment-style guestrooms designed for families and groups to Japan's Namba district. Half the units sleep up to six guests, while the other half accommodate up to four, and every room comes with a kitchen, dining area and in-room washer-dryer.

The property is operated by Cosmos Hotel Management Co., Ltd. under its MIMARU brand, which positions itself as Japan's apartment hotel chain for families and larger travel groups.

A 100-square-meter suite tops the building with a private terrace

The standout accommodation is the Sky Garden Three-Bedroom Suite, a 100-square-meter apartment on the top floor built for six guests. It includes six single beds, three washbasins, two toilets, a bathroom and a separate shower room, plus a private outdoor terrace overlooking Osaka. Room sizes across the property range from 39 to 100 square meters.

Kanazawa – – September 30, 2026 -- Roughly 40 vendors will gather at Shiinoki Ryokuchi park in Kanazawa, Japan, for the two-day KANAZAWA Oishii Festa 2026, running Saturday, October 17 through Sunday, October 18 from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.

This year's theme centers on fermented food, with 23 food vendors serving dishes made exclusively for the event under the banner "Local Ingredients and Fermentation." Dishes will feature Kaga vegetables, heirloom varieties grown in the region since before 1945, alongside local seafood, all flavored with Ōno soy sauce brewed in Kanazawa's Ōno district since the early 1600s and Kaga miso made with rice koji.

Visitors Can Sample Local Sake, Craft Beer and Original Cocktails

The drink lineup includes sake from Kanazawa, craft beer and original cocktails, giving attendees the option to eat their way through the festival or simply relax on the lawn.

Tokyo – September 21, 2026 -- Netmarble let fans go hands-on with three unreleased games at Tokyo Game Show 2026, marking the South Korean publisher's second consecutive year at the event.

The company expanded its booth from 56 units in 2025 to 63 units this year, swapping last year's lineup of MONGIL: STAR DIVE and The Seven Deadly Sins: Origin for three new titles: Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Colossi, Solo Leveling: KARMA and Pearl in Blue.

Shangri-La Frontier makes its playable debut

Shangri-La Frontier: The Seven Colossi, the first game based on the popular Shangri-La Frontier anime and manga, appeared in playable form for the first time at the show. Attendees tested its tag-based collectible RPG combat, while stage sessions with the development team and anime voice actors walked through its strategic elements.

Tokyo – September 19, 2026 -- Tanseisha Co., Ltd. has relaunched the official website for THE TOKYO PASS, a digital pass granting access to over 50 of Tokyo's cultural attractions, gardens, and landmarks through a smartphone QR code. To mark the renewal, the company is running a limited-time 50% discount campaign this autumn exclusively for international visitors to Tokyo.

The pass eliminates ticket lines with a single QR scan

Travelers using THE TOKYO PASS can skip advance bookings and ticket-counter queues by scanning a QR code directly at each venue entrance. Tanseisha positions the pass as a way to move seamlessly between contemporary art museums and historic gardens across the city.