The difference in perception as expressed in Japanese
When you ask Japanese people, “How many fingers do you have?” most people will answer 10 or, after some thought, proudly 20. This is surprising for English-speaking people, isn’t it? …
How to enjoy Haneda Airport
If you need to kill time at airports, how do you usually spend time? Now I’m at Terminal 2 at Haneda Airport. Will you come with me if you are …
Step Back in Time to the Showa Era in Nakazaki-Cho (中崎町)
I’ll be introducing a unique area called Nakazaki-Cho which retains its downtown atmosphere. It’s located only one stop away from the bustling city of Umeda, or fifteen minutes on foot. …
Spaghetti Napolitan, a Japanese Pasta Dish
Spaghetti Napolitan is a type of pasta dish which has been a signature item on the menu of “Kissaten,” old Japanese style cafes for a long time. Many people in …
A Guide to Alcohol for Foreigners in Japan
You might know it already, but you can buy alcohol anywhere in Japan. Most Japanese people don’t know that this is unusual all over the world. When we travel abroad, we …
Fujiidera City (藤井寺市) Part 2: Ways to enjoy the modern-day Fujiidera
This will be a continuation from Part 1. I wrote about the history and sightseeing spots of Fujiidera City. On top of that, I focused on the World Heritage Site …
The birth of “Anpan,” a sweet bun with red bean paste
Generally speaking, “anpan” is a small bun filled with red bean paste which has been quite popular as a sweets amongst Japanese people. “An” means the filling inside the bread, …
Circles in Japan
“I’ve got a lot of circles!!” If you hear a Japanese kid saying something like this with a big smile, can you guess what the circles are? Circles play an …
Kansai People Call Candy “Ame-chan”, like a person
“Chan” “San” I’ve called hard candies “Ame-chan”, and I have lived my life without questioning it. As I have more opportunities to talk about cultural differences with people who live …
Uji City ~ the town of history and tea ~
Byodo-in Temple, one of the World Heritage Sites in Uji, was originally a villa of Fujiwara no Michinaga (藤原道長), an aristocrat in the Heian period. The aristocrats preferred Uji, as …