
Onigawara, the Guardian Deity of the Japanese House
In Japanese we have the word “Satsuki Bare” that means a bright clear day in May, and we have more opportunities to look up at the sky than on dark …
Learn about Japan from the locals
In Japanese we have the word “Satsuki Bare” that means a bright clear day in May, and we have more opportunities to look up at the sky than on dark …
You may know that viewing cherry blossoms is one of the most pleasurable springtime activities in Japan. Since cherry blossoms start blooming in the early spring when it’s getting warmer, …
Have you ever been to Ise, or have you ever heard of it? Ise is a coastal city in the middle of Mie Prefecture. I’ve never lived there, but I’ve …
When I think of Japanese virtues, I always remember a book, Nanso Satomi Hakkenden(南総里見八犬伝), by Takizawa Bakin. I read it in elementary school, and through the story, I learned about …
I’m writing this article between the Thanksgiving and Christmas holidays, and I have a question for you. Did you have a good time on Thanksgiving with your family and get …
As you may know, there are so many places where you can enjoy the fall in Japan. But today, I’d like to introduce one of my favorite routes for a …
Introduction Hi everyone! What do you think this is? It’s a Japanese comfort food, called onigiri. Today, I’d like to introduce onigiri, or rice balls, to the world. I don’t …
For most moms/dads-to-be, guessing the gender of the coming baby is very exciting. Of course, you will know it by a particular medical check up like a blood test or …
What is “hannari”? Have you heard the word, hannari (はんなり)? Hannari describes people’s impression of the Kyoto dialect. It is used to describe a person who is graceful, natural, and …
If you take a walk, you might see a sign that says “koban”. What is a koban? A koban is a police box. It’s the smallest unit of each prefectural …