Getting Out and About – Great Trips from Nagoya
Dec 26, 2024 By William Farrow
Due to the planned rebuild in the aftermath of World War 2, Nagoya enjoys a relatively easy to navigate infrastructure for cars. On top of this, the Nagoya area houses one of the main arteries for the national highway system with access points in areas like Takaoka and Hongo. This...[ Click to read more ]
Cool Japan – How to Stay Warm in the Japanese Winter
By Bert Wishart
While winters in Japan’s more mountainous and northern regions get pretty chilly, here in Nagoya, temperatures rarely drop below zero. However, for some reason, I constantly feel frozen to my marrow, and I bet I'm not the only one. This is partly because few homes and office buildings are sufficiently...[ Click to read more ]
Hatsumode in Nagoya – Shrines to Visit for New Years
By First Admin
Oshogatsu, or New Year, is the most important holiday in Japan. Businesses shut down from January 1 to January 3, and families gather to spend time together. During the New Year, most places around Japan look like ghost towns, as children fly kites, play card games or count their otoshidama...[ Click to read more ]
Buying Holiday Decorations, Wrapping Paper, and Lights in Nagoya
Nov 29, 2024 By Ray Proper
Holidays in Japan are bright and colorful affairs, and Nagoya is no exception to this rule. If you are looking for decorations, lights, or other holiday materials there are a few good sources you should know about. Costco (Wholesale Warehouse) If you have a lot of gifts to wrap, you will...[ Click to read more ]
Winter Illumination in Nagoya
Nov 28, 2024 By Ray Proper
Christmas Day in Japan is just another working day, for the most part. The most exciting facet of the Christmas and holiday season in Japan is that all traces of it are gone by morning on December 26. Without fail, every bell, light, garland, and decoration will come down, and...[ Click to read more ]
Snow is Here, Get Your Gear: Ski and Snowboard Shops in Nagoya
Nov 27, 2024 By Bert Wishart
As an avid cyclist who rides daily for their commute, I tend to fear the winter months. Nothing does for the motivation like the icy wind biting at your fingers, nose, and toes. But there is one bright side because, as I ride deeper and deeper into Gifu each morning...[ Click to read more ]
Halloween in Nagoya
Sep 27, 2024 By William Farrow
As the years go by, old heads in the various foreign communities have noticed something: Halloween only seems to get more popular. The Japanese public has a more general awareness of the event and it has begun nicely occupying the general public's mind in that open spot after Silver Week...[ Click to read more ]
Taiwan Ramen – Famous Nagoya Meibutsu
By Bert Wishart
Nagoya's cuisine is pretty different from traditional Japanese fare. While most of the best-known Japanese dishes are famed for their subtlety, delicate, and refined tastes, with its spicy red miso and peppery tebasaki, Nagoya cuisine is known for having a kick to it; none more so than Taiwan ramen! What...[ Click to read more ]
Koyo, or Fall Colors in Nagoya
By Ray Proper
The Japanese are very conscious of the seasons changing around them, often celebrating little, or not so little, milestones between each to mark the transitions between their much-touted "4 distinct seasons." Long sleeve or short sleeve shirts, for example, are there one day but gone the next as the season...[ Click to read more ]
Getting Your Daily Bread – Bakeries in Nagoya
Aug 30, 2024 By William Farrow
Nagoya often stands out for it distinctive cuisine. The traditional favorites like miso katsu and hitsumabushi usually come to mind when thinking of foods here. However, Nagoya is more than things slathered in red miso and fried to varying degrees. Offering a delightful blend of local flavors and European-inspired confections,...[ Click to read more ]