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Japan Today
a day ago
- Science
- Japan Today
How to see the 2025 Perseid meteor shower in Japan
By Aaron Baggett Want to see shooting stars this summer? The 2025 Perseid meteor shower, one of the brightest and most reliable celestial events of the year, will peak in the early morning hours of Tuesday, August 13, in Japan, with the best viewing time around 2:50 a.m. in Tokyo. Well, if you can see it. Tokyo might not be the neon-anime world some people stereotype it as, but it's still a very bright city. Make a trip outside the city and, if the skies are clear and you're willing to stay up (or get up) in the middle of the night, you'll be rewarded with dozens of meteors per hour. Here's how, when, and where to catch the Perseid meteor shower in or around Tokyo in 2025. When Is the Best Time to Watch? Viewing Timeline Honorable Mention: For the Truly Obsessed When Is the Best Time to Watch? Geminid meteor shower over Lake Shoji and Mount Fuji The peak of the Perseids is expected to hit around 2:50 a.m. in Tokyo on Tuesday night into Wednesday morning (Aug 12 and 13, 2025). That said, the nights before and after (Aug. 11 and 14) will also offer decent chances, with slightly lower meteor activity. A gibbous moon (the phase just before a full moon, when it appears more than half full) will be visible during the peak. This extra brightness may wash out fainter meteors, so try to keep the moon out of your direct line of sight and focus on the darker parts of the sky to spot the brighter shooting stars. Viewing Timeline Aug 11 (Monday night): expect about ~10-15 meteors per hour (Monday night): expect about ~10-15 meteors per hour Aug 12-13 (Tuesday early morning): Peak (~30-40 meteors per hour in dark areas) (Tuesday early morning): Peak (~30-40 meteors per hour in dark areas) Aug 13-14 (Wednesday early morning): ~20 meteors per hour Timing Varies Slightly Across Japan The best time to view the Perseids is just before dawn, when the radiant point (the part of the sky the meteors appear to come from) is highest. This varies slightly depending on your location: Tokyo (Eastern Japan): ~ 2:50 a.m. (Eastern Japan): ~ Osaka (Kansai): ~ 3:10 a.m. (Kansai): ~ Sapporo (Hokkaido): ~ 2:20 a.m. (Hokkaido): ~ Fukuoka (Western Japan): ~ 3:40 a.m. (Western Japan): ~ Okinawa (Naha): ~3:50 a.m. For most of Japan, your best viewing window is between 2 and 4 a.m., depending on location. Who needs sleep on a weekday, anyway? Where to See the Perseid Meteor Shower Near Tokyo (Without a Car) If you're sticking to public transport, you likely won't get pitch-black skies, but you can still have a great night under the stars. Think of these as low-effort options that give you a taste of the Perseids without needing a tent, a car or a backup battery for Google Maps. However, most of these places lose public transport after 11 p.m., so you'll need to stay out all night. Bring a friend and maybe have a backup plan for getting home. Just west of central Tokyo, the Tamagawa River runs broad and flat—with surprisingly good sky exposure if you go far enough upriver. Head to Futako-Tamagawa Station, then walk away from the city lights. It won't be truly dark, but it's open enough to catch the brighter meteors. Bring a mat, some snacks, and something warm to wear. It's the easiest option that doesn't involve staring at a skyscraper. This large park in western Tokyo is probably your best bet inside the city limits. It's big enough that you can get away from streetlights, and the central lawn offers clear views of the sky. It's not going to compete with the mountains, but on a clear night, you might still spot a dozen shooting stars if you're patient. Get there early if the weather's good—others will have the same idea. This one's a little more effort, but totally doable without a car. From Shinagawa, take the Keikyu Line to Misakiguchi Station, then hop on a short bus or taxi to Jogashima. The island is surrounded by the ocean, and the southern coastline, especially, is pretty dark. You'll get a near-panoramic view of the sky over the water, and the lighthouse adds some nice atmosphere. Just bring a flashlight and try not to tumble off a cliff. Famous for surfing, this beach near Ichinomiya is also great for sky-watching — especially near the torii gate on the sand. It's not as remote as other coastal spots, but the open Pacific horizon means fewer buildings and a better shot at clear skies. Take the JR Sotobo Line to Kazusa-Ichinomiya, then grab a taxi or walk. If the tide's low and the weather's right, it's a surprisingly peaceful place to stargaze. Clock here to read more. External Link © GaijinPot
Japan Today
28-07-2025
- Japan Today
Where to go in Japan — Please, anywhere but Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka
By Aaron Baggett We get it. You've got a week, a bucket list and a JR Pass screaming Golden Triangle. Tokyo dazzles. Osaka feeds you. Kyoto looks great on Instagram. But by now, your itinerary might as well come with a queue number and a map of the top 10 places to bump into other tourists. If you're wondering where to go in Japan that isn't Tokyo, Kyoto or Osaka —congrats, you're asking the right question. Even Japan's tourism officials are begging you to spread out. The crowds are unsustainable. Locals are losing it. Prices are through the roof. Meanwhile, the rest of Japan — literally 90% of it — is just sitting there, offering jaw-dropping scenery, wild festivals, empty castles, private hot springs and ridiculously affordable ryokan (traditional inns) — all without the wait or the crowds. Do yourself a favor (and Japan a solid): ditch the triangle. Go rogue. Head north, west or inland. Want authenticity? Try a rural izakaya where you're the only foreigner. Soak in an onsen without a selfie stick in sight. Meet someone who's genuinely surprised you made it that far. I once walked into a karaoke bar in Kinugawa Onsen and walked out with free drinks and a friend group I don't remember adding. Everyone's Going to The Same Three Cities Harajuku is a tourist trap, but at least it keeps Urara free. Japan welcomed nearly 25 million foreign visitors in 2023 and 37 million in 2024. By 2030, the country expects to reach 60 million. Kyoto, with a population of just 1.6 million, had over 10 million visitors. It's so bad that Japanese people are staying away. Osaka is considering taxing tourists to combat the overcrowding. Meanwhile, Tokyo's hotel rates are up by 20–30%. In Kyoto, average room prices now exceed ¥30,000 per night during peak seasons. Want a cozy little ryokan? Hope you booked six months ago—or brought half your travel budget. Even locals are getting priced out. Families are scaling back vacations, school trips are being shortened and many residents are simply opting to stay closer to home. In response, some regions are exploring dual pricing systems to give locals a break, while others are offering travel subsidies or increased allowances. Locals Are Over It Kyoto's geisha districts are starting to wonder if the tourism money is worth the chaos. In Gion, the city has attempted to ban tourists from entering private alleys after repeated complaints of visitors harassing maiko (apprentice entertainers) and geiko (fully trained geisha) for photos and disrupting the neighborhood's daily life. Signs now warn tourists not to follow or film geisha. You'd think it's common sense, but you still have tourist chasing them down and blocking them for photos without their consent. Meanwhile, trash is piling up in Arashiyama and other tourist hotspots as the city's waste systems struggle to keep up. Locals can't even board their own buses — they're packed full of day-trippers with backpacks and roller bags, all cramming into the same narrow streets for the same photo ops. The city has tried everything from luggage drop-off points to crowd-control staff, but it's still a zoo. It's Killing Towns And you're missing out. (Shima Onsen, Gunma) When 70–80% of international tourists crowd into the same three cities, entire regions are overlooked. Many of these regions already have aging populations and shuttered businesses. While the Big Three drown in foot traffic and hotel taxes, the rest of Japan is left begging for scraps, trying to lure tourists with influencers and wasted tourism projects that miss the mark. Those usually involve another early morning fish market and yet another tiny shrine in the hills. The poor aunties and uncles still living in these small towns can't really figure out what tourists actually want. But no one's flying to Fukui or Shimane for another 6 a.m. fish market and another mossy temple in the hills when they can just hit Toyosu or Asakusa in Tokyo. (That said, Fukui is awesome. And probably has the best fish market I've ever been to.) These towns want tourists. They've got the ryokan, the festivals, the hot springs and plenty of room to breathe. But without visitors, the money dries up. Local trains lose funding. Cultural sites fall into disrepair. That mom-and-pop soba shop you would've loved? Closed for good. When places do try to compete, they often feel pressured to 'Kyoto-fy' themselves with faux cobblestone streets and temple-themed gift shops. But imitation doesn't bring sustainability. It brings disappointment, overcrowding and communities bending over backwards to fit into a tourism model that was never built for them in the first place. Kanazawa, Takehara, Tsuwano; how many 'Little Kyotos' does Japan even have at this point? It's your trip, maybe even your only trip of the year. But if travelers just spread out a little — literally hop on any other Shinkansen line—they'd find incredible towns eager to share their stories. Your money would go further. Your experience would go deeper. And your trip wouldn't be part of the bigger problem. The Myth of Kyoto Click here to read more. External Link © GaijinPot
Japan Today
06-06-2025
- Climate
- Japan Today
How to survive Japan's rainy season: 10 practical ways to stay dry
By Aaron Baggett Your laundry is still damp, your futon smells weird, and your umbrella just flipped inside out. Welcome to the rainy season in Japan. Known as tsuyu, it typically begins in early June and lasts through mid-July. During this time, weeks of overcast skies, near-daily rain and suffocating humidity set in. Mold creeps into corners, clothes take forever to dry and the air starts to feel like miso soup. With no national holidays in June to break up the monotony, it's no surprise that it is considered the most depressing month of the year in Japan. Here's a guide on how to survive Japan's rainy season. 1. How to Deal with Humidity 2. Drying Laundry Inside Without That Musty Smell 3. Stop Mold Before It Spreads 4. What to Wear to Stay Cool and Dry 5. Rain Gear That Actually Works 6. Best Shoes for Rainy Season Commutes 7. Keep Your Tech Safe from Rain 8. How to Survive Commuting During Tsuyu 9. What to Stock Up on Before Heavy Rain 10. How to Enjoy Rainy Days at Home Bonus: Escape the Rainy Season in Hokkaido 1. How to Deal with Humidity Use your aircon's dehumidifying mode. Japanese apartments, especially older ones, are built for winter insulation, not summer ventilation. Without central air or good airflow, moisture collects in closets, under beds, and especially around shoes and bedding. Mold spores thrive in the warm, damp air and without some strategy, your apartment can start to smell like a neglected towel. Use a dehumidifier (除湿機, joshitsuki) or your aircon's dehumidify mode (除湿, joshitsu). Place moisture absorbers (湿気とり, shikke-tori) in closets, cabinets and drawers. Use futon dryers or dry your mattress near a window or fan. or dry your mattress near a window or fan. Don't forget shoes — stick silica packs in them when not in use. 2. Drying Laundry Inside Without That Musty Smell Use an indoor-drying detergent. Drying laundry indoors during tsuyu is almost unavoidable. But without airflow or the right detergent, clothes will smell like mildew before they dry. Many apartments have tiny balconies or none at all, and the humidity indoors can make drying jeans take two full days. Fortunately, Japan has specialized products and setups for this exact situation. Use indoor-drying detergent (部屋干し用洗濯剤, heya boshi you senzai) to reduce odor. Hang clothes near a window or fan for better airflow. Use a bathroom dryer (浴室乾燥機, yokushitsu kansouki) if your apartment has one. Invest in an indoor drying rack (室内物干しラック, shitsunai monohoshi rakku) or a ceiling pole for inside drying. 3. Stop Mold Before It Spreads Manage this sooner rather than later. Even clean apartments can develop black spots along window frames, in the kitchen, and under the futon. If you have tatami mats, you're even more vulnerable. Prevention is key, and Japanese drugstores are stocked with powerful anti-mold products made for exactly this time of year. Spray Kabi Killer (カビキラー, Kabi Kirā) in high-risk areas like bathrooms and windows. Keep bathroom doors open to let air circulate after showers. Dry mats, floors, and futons thoroughly — don't let moisture linger. Use moisture control sheets (除湿シート, joshitsu shīto) under futons, especially on tatami. 4. What to Wear to Stay Cool and Dry Click here to read more. External Link © GaijinPot
