The Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme-park attraction is to open at Universal Studios Japan in late 2014, it was announced Thursday.
The plans were revealed by Universal Studios Japan, Warner Bros. and Universal Parks & Resorts. Actors James and Oliver Phelps, who played Fred and George Weasley in the Harry Potter film franchise, were also on hand for the announcement.
The Wizarding World of Harry Potter rides and shops opened at Floridas Universal Orlando Resort nearly two years ago and have been a huge hit.
Read the rest of the story: Harry …

MATSUE, Shimane Pref. — A set of steps haunted by the ghost of a geisha slaughtered by a samurai, a graveyard filled with the eerie cries of babies, and a huge stone turtle that roams around in the dead of night are just some of the attractions featured in the popular ghost tour of Matsue, Shimane Prefecture.
The tour, which starts in the evening in groups of about 10 participants, each carrying a flashlight, visits shrines and graveyards referred to in the horror stories of famous Meiji Era novelist Yakumo Koizumi.
Koizumi’s …

What’s your favorite place in Japan? Why? We would love to know all your favorite spots in Japan. Tell us about the places you’ve seen or just want to see. Leave your responses in the comments section below.

A Tokyo developer took visitors up the worlds tallest freestanding broadcast structure on Tuesday, a 634-meter 2,080-foot tower with special technology meant to withstand earthquakes that often strike Japan.The Tokyo Skytree is the worlds second-tallest structure behind the 828-meter 2,717-foot Burj Khalifa in Dubai, according to owner Tobu Tower Skytree Co.The needle-like radio and television tower opens to the public on May 22.
Read the rest of the story: Japans newest tower uses anti-quake technology.

The story of Kennewick Man inspires a Japanese kayaker to undertake an epic paddling trip to show that ancient peoples could have traveled by boat between Japan and the Columbia River area.
By week’s end, Ryota Yamada hopes to slip his sea kayak gently into the Columbia River at Clover Island, embarking on the first leg of adventure to Japan.
The retired scientist who did nanotechnological research intends to paddle downriver from Kennewick to the Pacific, then via the Inland Passage north to Alaska, and eventually across the Bering Strait to the …

“Jizo Bosatsu has confirmed you as a friend on Facebook,” said the email. I clicked on “view profile,” which took me to Jizo’s Facebook page. Not much information was revealed, except that his religious views are Buddhist, and he has 409 friends. His profile picture is a stone Jizo statue sitting peacefully with eyes closed, a hand-knitted cap atop his head, and a string of juzu beads around his neck. Jizo Bosatsu (or Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva in Sanskrit) is known as the earth bearer, and he holds a shakujo staff in …

Sakurajima continued its second day of violent eruptions on Tuesday, spewing hot rocks and ash, but there was no major damage in the vicinity, the Japanese Meteorological Agency said.
The agency said Monday’s powerful eruption was the most forceful since 2009.
The volcano is located in the southern prefecture of Kagoshima.
Read the rest of the story: Japanese Volcano Erupts For Second Day.

INCREDIBLE new ‘before and after’ images show the almighty clear-up operation that has got Japan back on its feet just under a year after the devastating tsunami.
On Friday 11 March last year, waves up to 130ft high hit small towns along the north-east coast of the country.
Powerful video footage shows ports being engulfed by a surge of dirty water and debris as locals ran or drove for their lives.
Read the rest of the story: Japan: One year on.

Almost a year after the March 11 disasters struck Japan and hit its tourism sector, authorities are still finding ways to draw tourists back.
Koreans and Singaporeans have consistently ranked among the top 10 inbound tourists to Japan before the March 11 disasters, when a 9.0-magnitude earthquake triggered a tsunami, which knocked out the cooling systems of the Fukushima plant’s reactors.
Almost a year after the disasters hit, fears of a nuclear meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant still linger in the minds of would-be tourists, making travel to Japan …

Southeast Asias largest budget carrier AirAsia Friday said its joint venture entity AirAsia Japan has won approval from Japanese authorities to begin commercial flights.
Malaysias AirAsia and Japans All Nippon Airways last year announced they had formed a joint venture to establish a low-cost airline that will be based in Tokyo.
AirAsia said it expects to launch commercial flights to international and domestic destinations in August.
Read the rest of the story: AirAsia-ANA win approval for budget carrier in Japan.