Message printed on pay envelope in Japan leads to hilarious misunderstanding
The Japanese term 謝礼 sharei can simply mean thanks or gratitude, but it also can refer to a sum of money paid as a gratuity…
Culture
Photographer captures stunning shots of sea of flowers at shrine’s purification fountain
Gyoda Hachiman shrine is located in Gyoda city, Saitama prefecture. The shrine has had a monthly event held since April, 2021 where they display a…
Japanese sand artist brings ancient pottery to life with adorable sand sculptures
When Japanese Twitter user Keiko Otohata (@otsuhata) shared a photo of a cute sand structure her husband made, she apparently didn’t expect it to garner…
World Heritage Temple in Nara Releases Limited Edition ‘Special Sake’
But why did Kōfukuji select Hakkaisan? “We were fascinated by the spiritual features and culture of the land there,” said Myoshun Tsuji, of Kōfukuji Temple….
Adventure through Hokkaido’s ‘Hell Valley’ after dark with this unique hotel package
Located about 100km southwest of Sapporo city is the onsen town of Noboribetsu, famous for it’s nine different types of hot springs. Like many other…
Doraemon meets Hokusai – a modern twist on ukiyo-e woodblock prints
When it comes to traditional Japanese culture and art, Katsushika Hokusai’s Ukiyo-e woodblock print series Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji are amongst the most celebrated….
Crowdfunding started to revive Minobu’s only onsen and restore local tourism
Deep within the mountainous region of Yamanashi, a major Buddhist temple clings to the slopes of Mount Minobu. This temple, known as Kuon-ji – though…
Personal hishaku ladles keep chōzu traditions alive as we enter a ‘new normal’
In normal times, when visiting a Japanese temple or shrine complex, the first thing you would be expected to do would be to wash your…
Japan’s Red Cross thanks NPO Virtual Rights for its donations via world’s largest VR photo event
Overview The Tokyo Chapter of the Japanese Red Cross Society has awarded a certificate of appreciation to the Virtual Rights Specified Nonprofit Corporation (hereinafter abbreviated…
Autumn Japanese bamboo flute performance to be held at luxury hotel Aman Kyoto
Aman Kyoto (アマン京都) is a private luxury resort, nestled in a secret forest garden at the foothills of Mount Hidari Daimonji. Besides the many facilities,…
The lucky animals that protected health, wealth and happiness in Edo-era Japan
Lucky animals have always been popular in Japan. People pray for safe childbirth, family health and longevity, as well as for business prosperity and success…
Thrills and spills at Takadanobaba’s Yabusame archery festival in mid-October
If the equestrian events at the Olympics whetted your appetite for all things horsey, you might like to know about yabusame. Yabusame (流鏑馬) is traditional…
Discovering Akita at the JAPAN RAIL CAFÉ TOKYO: Akita Sake, Travel, painted wooded fans
This summer, I had the opportunity to discover more of the Tohoku area as I got invited to a couple of events organized in collaboration…
Edo era Olympics: Traditional uchiwa fans feature modern sports depicted as ukiyo-e
Even though we may not have been able to enjoy Tokyo 2020 in the way we had originally intended, we’ve still enjoyed a taste of…
Kit lets you build Japan’s famous tea-serving automaton from the Edo Period
Japan is said to be a country with one foot in the future and the other in the past. These days it can be argued…