In Japan, the beauty of each season is celebrated through special words known as ‘kigo (季語)’ in haiku and poetry. These words capture the essence of nature and life during spring, summer, autumn, and winter. Understanding and using these terms adds a romantic touch to the […]
Read More
“Sake brings ten virtues.” In Japan, there has been a proverb like this since ancient times, suggesting that sake has ten benefits such as a cure-all, promoting longevity, fostering harmony, relieving stress, and increasing cold resistance. Enjoying sake while promoting health, it’s like hitting two birds […]
Read More
Do you like cakes? In Japan, January 6th became Cake Day, starting in 1879 when Ueno’s Fugetsudo was the first to advertise cakes in the Tokyo Nichi Nichi Shimbun (Japanese newspaper). Fugetsudo’s history began in 1747 when the first owner, Kiueimon Osumi, arrived in Edo. Later […]
Read More
What do you usually do on New Year’s in your country? In Japan, we often go to ‘Hatsumode’. Hatsumode is a tradition where people go to a shrine or temple at the beginning of the year to pray for happiness in the coming year. What is […]
Read More
Have you ever wondered when you can have the most authentic Japanese experience? The perfect time is none other than New Year! This season is a big deal in Japan, with beautiful decorations in the streets and shrines bustling with visitors for their first prayers of […]
Read More
Japan contains approximately 10% of the world’s active volcanoes, boasting over 27,000 natural hot springs. Hot springs, known as “onsen” are beautiful gifts from god where warm water comes naturally to the surface from underground. They have been loved by the Japanese since ancient times and […]
Read More
Are you ready to travel to Japan in 2024? After several event cancellations and strict COVID-19 measures, Japan is now fully prepared to welcome travelers once again. 2024 seems like the perfect time to visit! The most important thing to note is to book your Shinkansen, […]
Read More
In Japan, every autumn, “Shinmai” (newly harvested rice) is sold, making it the season when rice is the most delicious and popular. However, do you know when exactly rice can be called Shinmai? In this blog, I will introduce the definition of new rice, its harvest […]
Read More
The name of Suruga Ward in Shizuoka City, which I’m introducing today, comes from its location facing Suruga Bay. The origin becomes evident when Suruga (駿河) is written in Kanji. In this context, the rivers created by melting Mount Fuji snow flowed into the sea like […]
Read More
The concept of the Tokyo “Food” Summit, taking place over three days this year from November 20th, is to raise awareness of local ingredients from any of the 47 prefectures in Japan through 52 restaurants in Tokyo. The event aims to help people rediscover the appeal […]
Read More