NEOLD Private House is exactly what it says on the label: It’s new, it’s old, and it’s private. It’s also quite a bit more, as I discovered when I was lucky enough to stay there.

Takigyo, or waterfall meditation, is a rare practice that samurai and ascetic Japanese Buddhists and Shintoists engaged in for centuries. There are several places around Japan where visitors can join the breath-taking training.

The Kaminosato Museum in Hitachiomiya has a gallery of products made with Nishinouchi Washi and offers workshops for visitors who want to try their hand at papermaking or learn more.

Coffee culture, antiques . . . even a Pig Cafe: Tokyo's Meguro is definitely worth a train stop.

Nintendo's old headquarters, first built in 1930, has been renovated, revamped and turned into a hotel!

There’s plenty to keep you busy at the eclectic Nijigen no Mori Theme Park on Awaji Island.

Two unusual programs offer accommodations that are fit for nobility—or an Edo-period ruler of one of Japan’s feudal provinces.

In this second of a series on perfect weekends in Japan, an insider offers hints for enjoying this picturesque riverfront city.