Valentine’s Day in Hiroshima
Jan 30, 2023 By Justin Hanus
Valentine's Day is a big deal worldwide, including in Japan. To understand why you need to understand how the holiday came to be. The Origins of Valentine's Day Although the origin of St. Valentine's Day is a bit murky, the holiday as we know it is undoubtedly a mix of...[ Click to read more ]
Valentine’s Day in Kobe
Jan 22, 2023 By Justin Hanus
Valentine’s Day is an essential holiday throughout Japan, but it’s extra significant in Kobe. Here, a chocolate shop advertised Valentine’s Day chocolates for the first time in Japan back in 1932. The advertisement ran in an English-language newspaper and targeted foreign residents. It took another four or so decades for...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya Ramen Festival 2023
By Ray Proper
Ramen is a classic Japanese food. If you ask a random person, foreign or Japanese, male or female, what their favorite food is, you are highly likely to get "ramen" as your answer. Ramen is a noodle soup of wheat noodles served in a meat-based broth. Standard flavors include: Shio...[ Click to read more ]
Where to Spend Valentine’s Day in Nagoya
Jan 21, 2023 By Bert Wishart
In his 1977 classic one-hit wonder, John Paul Young sang the immortal lines "Love is in the air, everywhere I look around." There is a good chance that he wasn't looking around Nagoya, as while it is a fantastic city with so much to offer thanks to its industrial past,...[ Click to read more ]
Hatsumode in Hiroshima – Shrines to Visit for New Years and the Tondo Festival
Dec 26, 2022 By Hugh Cann
There are two main traditions marking the beginning of the new year in Hiroshima. Hatsumōde is the first visit of the year to a shrine and takes place throughout Japan. Later in the month is the Tondo Festival, which is just in Hiroshima. Hatsumōde The first visit of the year...[ Click to read more ]
Drinking Sake Warms Winters in Hiroshima
Dec 18, 2022 By Jade Brischke
How do you get warm and stay warm when the temperature in Hiroshima drops during the winter? Ah, that’s easy, hot sake! With the weather getting cooler, now is the perfect time to take advantage of some of the best sake around and also the time to work out what...[ Click to read more ]
New Year Countdown Parties Near Nagoya 2022
Dec 13, 2022 By Bert Wishart
New Year is an important time in Japan, but things are celebrated differently here than back home. You are undoubtedly already clued up on Japan's New Year traditions, its New Year's foods, and the shrines to visit for Hatsumoude in Nagoya. But did you know that there are also New...[ Click to read more ]
Christmas in Hiroshima
Nov 29, 2022 By Justin Hanus
With Christmas approaching, it’s time for expats in Hiroshima to get into the festive spirit. Although it’s not an official public holiday in Japan, locals do acknowledge Christmas, holding festive events and organizing activities for all to join. Christmas in Japan Japan has a unique way of acknowledging Christmas. This...[ Click to read more ]
Christmas in Kansai
By Justin Hanus
Not being a predominantly Christian country, Japan doesn’t celebrate Christmas with quite the same fervour as people in the US, Canada or Europe. For example, Christmas is not a public holiday in Japan. If you want time off work to spend with family or friends, you’ll have to book it...[ Click to read more ]
Christmas in Kumamoto
By Justin Hanus
There are many ways expats feeling homesick for Christmas can get into the festive spirit in Kumamoto. Although Christmas is not an official holiday in Japan, Kumamoto is one of many cities in the country that acknowledges the festival with events and light displays. Christmas in Japan Japan is not...[ Click to read more ]
