Tag: japanese culture
Matsuri, the Sacred Rituals of Prayers and Festivities
Since ancient times, Japanese have gathered at sacred places — a great boulder or ancient tree — to commune with the kami. There, they made offerings and prayed for the safety and prosperity of their communities. This is the origin of the...
Kami, the Divine Powers of Nature
Since ancient times, Japanese have expressed the divine energy or life-force of the natural world as kami. Those derived from nature — such as the kami of rain, of wind, of the mountains, of the sea, and the kami of thunder —...
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...
Hanami in Inokashira Park: A How To Guide
It would be a shame to be in Japan during cherry blossom season and not partake in a hanami! While the word “hanami” simply means “flower viewing”, to most people this brings to mind a picnic on a blue plastic sheet under...
Moss: An Essential Element of Japanese Culture
Ask someone what they would associate with Japanese culture, and many things might crop up in their answers: tempura, geisha, Mt. Fuji, sushi. These are all true, of course. But there’s something that is so ubiquitous in everyday Japan, and plays such...
Ditch the Debauchery and do New Years Eve Like a Local in Japan
Japanese New Year, or shogatsu, is the most important date on the calendar. Though it’s celebrated on December 31st, it is markedly different to the traditions seen throughout much of the world. Swap champagne for soba, midnight kisses for Buddhist bell tolls...
Exploring Local Nightlife at a Japanese Yokocho
For an authentic, down-to-earth Japanese dining experience, head straight for the nearest yokocho, or ‘alleyway’. These narrow streets, crammed with ramshackle izakaya, can be found all over the place and are as atmospheric as they are dingy. They offer a glimpse into...
10 Things you Wish you Knew Before Coming to Japan
Whenever we travel anywhere, there will always be things that take us by surprise. This happens even if we do our research, take a phrasebook, and prepare ourselves for a little culture shock. No matter how prepared you think you are, there...
Okuno-in: Kōyasan’s Pathway Through Time
A line of Buddhist monks walk the stone path of Okuno-in.
In the footsteps of Kobo Daishi.
Deep in the mountains of Wakayama prefecture, shrouded by a rolling sea of dark-hued cedar, lies a...
Crafting Culture at Hida Folk Village
Looking to travel back in time during your stay in Takayama? Hida Folk Village is a quaint, serene and authentic look into Japan's craft history.
Hida Folk Village is a little known gem hidden in the hills of...
