Tag: culture
Sakura Jingu Shrine: Pretty in Pink Cherry Blossoms and Ribbons
There are plenty of places to see cherry blossoms in Tokyo, but Setagaya’s Sakura Jingu Shrine has a unique edge: ribbons. Visitors to this small shrine can purchase pink ribbons from the shrine office before filling them...
Tenku no Torii: Kawaguchiko’s Torii in the Sky
If you’re looking for breathtaking Mount Fuji views while in Kawaguchiko, perhaps you’ve come across Tenku no torii (torii in the sky) in your research. And, if you’re one to delve into Google reviews, you’ll also know it’s quite a polarising attraction....
Follow Arashiyama’s Kimono Forest to a Relaxing Foot bath
Arashiyama is perhaps best known for its Bamboo Grove, but there's another forest by the station that’s eye-catching in an altogether different way. During renovations of the Arashiyama Randen Station in 2013, artist Yasumichi Morita was tasked with creating an art installation...
Feel the Summer Breeze with Hyogo’s Decorative Ornamental Ferns
Come the first spurt of hot sunshine and 30-degree-Celsius weather, you will unmistakably start seeing tsurishinobu, a type of ornamental hanging fern bought in the summer period (June into July).
A craft believed to...
How To Visit a Shinto Shrine (Jinja)
Many of Japan’s traditions and ideas are unfamiliar to those outside of Japan, particularly when it comes to religion and the etiquette around visiting temples and shrines. As there are jinja (Shinto shrines) and kami (gods) throughout Japan, read on to learn how to...
What is Shinto? Your Questions About Japan Answered
Shinto is the indigenous faith of the Japanese. It is a way of life and a way of thinking that has been an integral part of Japanese culture since ancient times. It is the foundation for the yearly life cycles, beginning with...
Where to Buy English Books in Tokyo
You’re in Tokyo and fancy a read but you don’t know where to buy English books. While there’s no shortage of bookshops in the city, it's disappointing to wander and not find something you can enjoy. Luckily, book lovers have plenty of...
