Introduction Like Kyoto, Osaka is the name of a city, but also that of a whole prefecture, as well. And although Osaka Prefecture is Japan’s second smallest after Kagawa, the city of Osaka is the second largest metropolitan area after Tokyo – so you can well imagine it’s a huge […]
Introduction Are you familiar with the name of Yamanashi Prefecture? Maybe you have read some articles on this blog or were lucky enough to taste some delicious Japanese wine from this region? As a matter of fact, Yamanashi has enjoyed growing fame in the past few years and has become […]
Introduction Most people visit the Prefecture of Tochigi as a day trip from Tokyo and only visit the Nikko area, that is the most famous since it has been recognized as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Of course, it’s a beautiful place and important part of Japan’s history, so we […]
Do you know Japanese capsule toy? Japanese people often call it “Gacha-Gacha” or “GachaPon”. It’s usually installed at shopping malls and supermarkets, so you may have seen before if you’ve been to Japan! These are toys that my daughter (2-year-old) has gotten by gacha. She loves “Anpanman”, the most popular […]
Introduction After having explored Hakone, we would like to present its southern neighbor, the prefecture of Shizuoka. Like Hakone, it is located on the way from Tokyo to Kyoto and also shares a significant portion of Mt Fuji, including the town of Fuji city. However, it is also home to […]
Cherry blossoms is one of the symbolic flowers in Japan and this is the time to enjoy it! Today, I took a cruise to enjoy it from different point of view. The route is designed to enjoy cherry blossoms – Ooyoko River Sakura Cruise! It was really interesting from history […]
Today, I would like to introduce the cultural event of March, the Hinamatsuri, taking place on March 3rd. Hinamatsuri, a day of celebration for girls and a yearly occasion to pray for the healthy growth and happiness of girls. We display Hina dolls in the house and decorate with Hishimochi […]
What is February 14th? Yes, it’s Valentine’s Day ! On this “Day of Love”, in many countries, men give gifts, roses, etc. to the woman they love… but not in Japan. In Japan, Valentine’s Day is mainly a day for women to give chocolates to men and not just one […]
Speaking of Japanese culture, in February is “Setsubun”. On this blogpost, I’d like to introduce you about Setsubun. Setsubun The word Setsubun means “separate the seasons”. In the past, the day before the beginning of each season (Risshun [spring], Rikka [summer], Risshu [autumn], Ritto [winter]) was called “Setsubun”. However, since […]
For the Japanese people, the Year-end and New Year times are some of the most important in the year (together with Obon in August). There are plenty of traditional activities and customs to appreciate the ending of the year and welcoming the new year. Recently these traditions are not always […]