New year traditions here are ancient and meant to bring health, wealth, and a renewed spirit. Preparations for the new year start off with a practice called Omisoka, where everyone lends a hand in cleaning the house and cooking traditional foods for the osechi ryori in the last few days of the old year.
Read MoreLiving in Japan. Coming to Tokyo was definitely the right decision for me. Since I only just graduated, I was still in the cramming groove and picked up basic Japanese relatively fast in language school and after 1 year of 4-hour studying every day, I was pretty confidently conversational…
Read MoreHave you heard of dashi? Or Bonito flakes? Both of these are born from Katsuobushi an essential ingredient used to create the infamous umami flavor in much of Japanese cuisine. Katsuobushi is dried and fermented skipjack tuna usually shaved into flakes. Like so many things in Japan, katsuobushi is deeply rooted in history, culture, and tradition.
Read MoreFind the best advice from local experts! This month we asked our beloved, adventurous guides Jennifer, Haruka and Ryuichi what are their favorite Autumn foods and why?
Read MoreFrom our Expat Series— “The first time I travelled to Japan was in 2007. Although I was familiar with the culture and the scenery thanks to Japanese animation, manga and generally speaking, thanks to Japanese pop culture, I must tell I was in shock during my first days in Tokyo! I come from a relatively small French town, so the vastness of Tokyo, the tall buildings, the super urban sceneries surprised me.”
Read MoreThe historic wholesale market has moved to new swanky (but sadly, institutional looking diggs) but there is still so much to see and do at the old outer market and surrounding neighborhood. You really need to keep this on your must-see list.
Read MoreOne of the biggest and most popular activities in Autumn is to go “Koyo” (Viewing Fall-foliage). Koyo refers to the phenomenon of changing autumn colors, mainly when it occurs to the leaves of deciduous broadleaf trees before the leaves fall to the ground. Much like Cherry Blossom trees, the momiji trees are the most famous for Koyo viewing for their vibrant red color.
Read MoreWant to take a day trip out side of Tokyo? Discover great advice from our passionate guides and local experts in this new series “Ask Our Guides”!
Read MoreBeing an Expat Japan foreigner I have found that this is an amazing country also for its peculiar and sometimes crazy culture and rules. Visiting Japan is a trip among contrasts, opposite cultures and a lot of ancient habits. Don’t judge Japan or ask “why”, just take it as it comes!
Read MoreCheck out this awesome vlog of one of our most popular Tokyo food tours! So much good food and fun. Follow the adventures of TelevisionOfNomads and see for yourself.
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