Treasure Hunting at Flea Markets in Kyoto!
Antiques, ceramics, second-hand kimonos, handicrafts, bonsai (盆栽), and other Japanese things. Are you interested in these kinds of items? Or, are you looking for a kind of unique souvenir from …
Local
Local information in Japan
Handa Somen〜 Thick, chewy, delicious somen noodles.
Somen is the most representative noodle of summer in Japan. Somen, with its pure white, delicate noodles and refreshing taste, is a typical summer dish in Japan. Japan is home …
Fujiidera City 藤井寺市: My city became a world heritage site finally?
Introduction Today, I’ll be introducing Fujiidera City, where I currently live. The total area of the city is calculated to be about 8.89 ㎢, which is the smallest city in …
Japanese gods lived in Miyazaki.
Do you know the Japanese myths written in Japanese oldest history books Kojiki (古事記) and Nihonshoki (日本書紀)? There are a lot of unique and cute gods in the myths. One …
Bon Festival in Kyoto ～How to Welcome and Send Back One’s Ancestors’ Spirits～
Now I’m writing this in the scorching hot mid-July. With August approaching, most Japanese people look forward to the Bon holiday which is the second biggest holiday after the New …
Expo ’70 Commemorative Park
In 1970, the Japan World Exposition was held in Suita City, Osaka. It was the first Expo in Asia. This world fair lasted for 183 days and turned out to …
Maneki Neko, the Beckoning Cat
Manekineko, a beckoning cat, is well known as a figure which you can find at the entrance of the shops or restaurants in Japan. It can be found with either …
Welcome to “Shigaraki,” the City of Ceramic Art
Have you been to Shiga prefecture? Most of the foreigners don’t know about Shiga, although a few people might know about the biggest lake, Lake Biwa. Shiga is located on …
Taka-jizou(高地蔵）Story
Have you seen the cute-looking “Ojizo-san” statues before? They can be found in many places, for example, at Buddhist temples, graveyards, and on the side of the road in Japan. …
Manazuru is a small town for living a quiet life with sea, forest, and stones.
Manazuru is a small port town on the Manazuru Peninsula, located in the southwestern part of Kanagawa Prefecture. It’s a 1.5 hour local train ride from Tokyo. The town has …