Hokkaido and Chubu regions
In places like Hokkaido and Chubu regions, the slow-paced life in these regions do not offer the same western life comfort that urban Tokyo have. But, it offers different ecstatic level of enjoyment. In Hokkaido for example, it is paradise to visitors because of the nature’s bounty offerings. It is famous for hot spring resorts which is the bests in Japan and outdoor sports like skiing, cycling, rafting, and hiking. It is also known for delicious seafood and cheap renting spaces. Likewise, the Chubu region which consists of Gifu, Aichi, Toyama, Ishikawa, Nagano and Fukui prefectures are wonderful places to live if you like a simple, nature-rich environment. This is the best region to visit if you wish to know more of Japanese culture and tradition. The city of Kanazawa has many interesting shrines, temples, museums, and well-preserved old buildings.
Tohoku region
Likewise, the Tohoku region is made up of the prefectures of Aomori, Akita, Niigata, Yamagata, Miyagi, Fukushima, and Iwate, which is rural in setting. Sometimes, people regarded the place as backward and the economy is very slow. There are only few foreigners in the region. The main urban center however is Sendai, the capital of Iwate prefecture. If you wish to study about Japan’s culture, visit Tohoku. In this region, Japanese people showcase their unique festivities and their Japanese arts and culture. Moreover, the Akita region is famous for its “Akita bijin”, said to be the home of Japan’s most beautiful women because of their pale skin.

Can a foreigner own a house in Japan?
Anybody has a chance to buy his own house or rent an apartment in Tokyo or in any parts of Japan. For foreign nationals, on top of all other requirements, he is required to present a long-term visa or a permanent visa in applying for bank housing loans. The reason for this is that in Japan obtaining a housing loan is difficult. Having a permanent visa and a stable job are the main requirements to get a housing loan. In some instances, banks also require a Japanese guarantor financially capable to pay the obligation in case you defaulted in your payments. In some cases, choosing gaijin house is the best option because it is less expensive compared to other housing units.
Choosing the right place to stay
Avoid staying in Tokyo. If your job does not require you to go to Tokyo, the prefectures of Tochigi or Nagano, Ibaraki, Shizuoka, or Gunma would be the best places to stay. Living outside of Tokyo would be refreshing and comfortable than the overly crowded, polluted and busy Tokyo. Nagano for instance is a beautiful place with its natural green surroundings. Everything is cheap in Nagano and it is only an hour ride by train from the lure of Tokyo’s modern living. Other perfect choices are the prefectures of Saitama, Chiba and Kanagawa which are known as bedroom communities of Tokyo.  Also, the places like Kamakura in Kanagawa prefecture, the Izu peninsula in Shizuoka, and the area around the Chichibu-Tama in Chiba are good choices to stay outside of Tokyo.

Yokohama is a city that has been devastated by several wars, but even so, its beauty still holds strong until today. Yokohama port was the first Japanese port that was opened to foreign trade after Japan isolated itself from the world. The port was a great part of Japan’s economy throughout history, and Yokohama remains to be a maritime city up to this day.

In only half an hour, you can escape the busy streets of Tokyo and relax in this city by the bay. With fresher air and more spacious streets and parks, Yokohama proves to be a great diversion from Japan’s fast-paced lifestyle.

Among the attractions in Yokohama, the most interesting are found mostly in the Minato Mirai 21 area. The name “Minato Mirai” literally means “Harbor Future” and was selected from a public competition. The whole area used to be part of the bay until it was reclaimed and transformed into the majesty that it is today. Some of the most popular tourist attractions in the area are the Cosmo Clock 21 ferris wheel, Landmark Tower (Japan’s tallest skyscraper), Yokohama museum of art and Queen’s Square shopping mall. The area is also a popular subject of photographers especially during nighttime. Another popular tourist attraction is the Nippon Maru, which sits still in the waters of Yokohama in the Minato Mirai 21 area. The sailing ship was dubbed “Swan on the Pacific Ocean” and served as a training ship for the cadets of the Japanese merchant marine.

An interesting fact about Yokohama is that its population is a mixture of several nationalities, including Chinese and Germans. In fact, Yokohama houses Japan’s largest Chinatown, which is famous for their delicious delicacies. Yamate and Motomachi areas were once the residential areas of foreign merchants living in Yokohama, and even though it the areas were affected by the Great Kanto Earthquake, some of the historic sites survived and has become popular tourist attractions with time.

With all these attractions and rich history, Yokohama is truly a sight to see. So what are you waiting for? Reserve a Yokohama guesthouse today and enjoy the wonders of this city in comfort.

Image source

The Japan Rail Pass is an absolute must for visitors to Japan who are planning to travel around the country a lot during their visit. It is not so useful if you simply planning on staying in Tokyo for a few weeks. But if you are waiting to venture all over Japan then you would be well advised to get one.
To be eligible to buy a JR Pass you need to be a foreign tourist coming to Japan for sight seeing, which means arriving on a “temporary visitor” visa. This visa can last from 15 to 90 days depending on your home countries visitor agreements with Japan. The must be careful that the visa you will be arriving in Japan with is in fact a ““temporary visitor” visa, because any other visa is not valid and you will have wasted money purchasing the JR Pass.

The JR Pass must be bought outside of Japan from an authorized agent, you can ask the travel agent you purchased your plane tickets from and they should be able to help you.
Will will not actually receive your JR Pass at this point, you will be given an exchange order that you must hand in at a Japan Rail travel centre to receive your pass. You must hand in your exchange order within 3 months of it being issued to you. At the time you receive your pass, you will need to state from what date you wish it to be active. This can be any time within a month from the date you collect the pass. Passes are valid for either 7, 14 or 21 consecutive days depending on with pass you buy.

When using the JR Pass on the Shinkansen (bullet train) be careful not to travel on “NOZOMI” trains as the pass is not valid on these and you will need to pay.

You can use the JR Pass to get a reserved seat on Shinkansen, some limited express and express trains. To do so you need to go to the travel centre at a JR Station and show them you Japan Rail Pass and ask for a reserved seat. If you don’t get a reserved seat you can simply get on the train, but at peak train times you may need to stand for the duration of your journey.

Picture Sources: Bristosavage http://www.japantravellight.com/images/jr-pass.jpg

They offer attractive packages that I would say are aimed at first time travelers to Japan. They plan things out in such a way that you will spend a vast amount of your time occupied with fun activities. There are opportunities for you to spend time wandering on your own, however if you a happy being guided through your stay, that option is available.

Lets take a look at their Kyoto package which is the longest currently available. It also allows you to spend time in both Kyoto and Tokyo, which is a great combo for a first visit to Japan.

Your adventure in Japan begins as most international trips do. You arrive in Narita International airport, which in my opinion is one of the easiest airports to navigate, despite its size. Your options for getting into Tokyo are basically the train or a bus. The train is cheaper, but the bus I find to be more convenient, especially if you have bags. Of course you could get a helicopter to take you into the city if you are feeling extravagant.

Once you arrive at your hotel of choice you will be given “Tokyo+Kyoto Package Kit”, which includes:

Tokyo hotel voucher

Kyoto hotel voucher

Tokyo Gay Bar Hop Tour voucher

Japanese Pop Culture Tour Akihabara voucher

Kyoto 1 day Rental bicycle voucher

MK Shuttle taxi from hotel in Kyoto to airport in Osaka

Kyoto Afternoon Tour voucher

Luggage transfer voucher

A 3,000-yen Starbucks gift card (approximately US$36) for breakfasts/cafes during your stay

A map of Tokyo & Kyoto

I won’t run you through the rest of the trip here, you can see it for yourself on the webite: Gay travel Japan.