How to Enjoy Summertime Hanabi Festivals in Japan
After a long, tough period, it’s time to go somewhere this summer. You might want to go sightseeing, outdoor activities, music festivals, and so on, but why don’t you go …
What is Kokumin Nenkin? Do I have to pay for it?
Have you ever heard of “Kokumin Nenkin”? “Kokumin” means “nation”, “Nenkin” means ”pension” and “Kokumin Nenkin” is the Japanese National Pension System. 【What is Kokumin Nenkin?】 The National Pension system, …
A Summer Evening Stroll Along the River, Feeling the Spirit of Awa Odori
“Festivals” are an integral part of people’s lives, representing a place’s local customs and culture. Japan has a rich array of festivals, each with its own unique characteristics. “Bon Odori” …
Messages from Tokyo DisneySea
In March, 2022, I wrote about Tokyo DisneySea and introduced some places where we can feel as if we are taking a world trip. This article is a side story …
Let’s talk using “cushion words”!
Have you ever heard of the Japanese word “cushion words”? Today, I want to talk about some of the most polite Japanese words, “cushion words.” The Japanese language has honorific …
Japanese Traditions in June
Welcome to my blog about enjoying the Japanese lifestyle in June. Rainy season has come in June in almost all of Japan except for Hokkaido in the northern part of …
Michinoku Gold Rush
The famous explorer, Marco Polo, is well known in Japan for the legend of Zipangu. In the 13th century, he traveled across Asia and talked about the golden island Zipangu …
Kyushoku ー School Lunch in Japan
School lunches are common around the world, but Japan’s school lunches are without question one-of-a-kind. Not only is the food tasty, but all the systems involved are incredibly well-organized. Let’s …
Osaka Castle Part 4
This is the last installment of the Osaka Castle Tour. I guided you from the entrance of Osaka Castle to here. If you would like to look back on this …
Uniquely Osakan Products and Places
Why not stop and visit Osaka while you are in Japan? Osaka is one of the biggest urban cities and there are a lot of attractive tourist spots. You’ll have …