Tag: japanese 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...
Japanese Hot Pot Guide – Sukiyaki and Shabu Shabu
Many types of nabemono 鍋物 or hot pot dishes exist as part of Japanese cuisine and nabe is one of the most pleasant ways to eat with a group of friends or family. The ingredients can be as unrestrictive as yosenabe, a...
Japanese Table Manners: A Full Guide
Table manners vary between all countries across the world. Even nations that are culturally similar, like the UK and US, have different attitudes when it comes to what flies during meal times. This means that, as travellers, we’re always learning and maybe...
The Curious Dosojin Statues of Nozawa Onsen
Walking around Nozawa Onsen village, you might start to wonder what’s up with all the statues. It seems like everywhere you turn, you’re met by two crudely drawn faces upon wooden poles. Though they look a little...
Ikana-akan! Osaka’s Unmissable Tenjin Matsuri.
Since time immemorial, Japanese sensibility has lionised the transient events in life. Soon after the cherry blossoms bloom, they softly fall. The umber leaves of Autumn so quickly turn to dust. And Osaka's explosive, beer-fuelled Tenjin Matsuri only comes once a year....
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 are Jinja? Places of Worship Infused with Nature’s Energy
Japanese regard the sea, the mountains, the forest, and natural landmarks as places where the kami reside. In ancient times, these were regarded as sacred places, without the need for special buildings, as the kami were believed to exist everywhere. Later, dwellings...
