Going Potty over the Setomono Matsuri
Aug 20, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Although Japan has one of the oldest ceramic traditions in the world, with earthenwares being created as early as the Jōmon period (10,000–300 BCE), as a heavily wooded country most domestic utensils in Japan were usually made of either natural or lacquered wood. This all changed when Katō Shirōzaemon, the...[ Click to read more ]
Get Hooked on Family Fishing in Aichi
By Bert Wishart
It should come as no surprise that, being an island nation crisscrossed with rivers and spotted with freshwater lakes, Japan is a fantastic country in which to go fishing. From large ocean fish to catching ayu with your bare hands, there is something that will interest fisherfolk of all sorts....[ Click to read more ]
Sekigahara: The Battle That Created Japan
Jul 17, 2019 By Bert Wishart
In 1600, Japan faced a turning point in its history. After more than a decade of comparative peace, the feudal era had been reinvigorated, and two sides of the country - the West and the East - were ready to do battle. The location of this critical coming together was...[ Click to read more ]
Gero’s Ryujin Fire Festival in Gifu
Jul 15, 2019 By Bert Wishart
While sitting in your air-conditioned room, sheltering from the humidity outside, perhaps the last thing that you would be thinking of doing is sinking into a nice hot bath. It seems somewhat counterproductive, doesn't it? However, here in Japan, there is a train of thought that says that it the...[ Click to read more ]
Climbing Mount Fuji
Jul 14, 2019 By Ray Proper
Fuji season is upon us again! The official climbing season for Fujisan, as it is known locally, is in July and August. While it is possible to climb during other months, it is a much riskier proposition that should be attempted only by experienced, physically fit, and well prepared climbers. ...[ Click to read more ]
Blood on the Tracks: See Keirin Cycle Racing in Nagoya
Jul 08, 2019 By Bert Wishart
If you have ever seen track bicycle racing in a velodrome or on TV during the Olympics, you would consider events such as pursuit, omnium and time trials as exhilarating, high-speed, but ultimately combat-free sports. In Japan's favorite cycle event, 'keirin' racing, though high-tempo and exciting, stands out for its...[ Click to read more ]
Sumatakyo Gorge, Crossing Bridges in Beauty
By Bert Wishart
Japan is full of beautiful, breathtaking destinations, but the age of social media is driving travel within the country even further. Who doesn't want a photo of themselves beneath the shrine gate of Miyajima as the sun rises? Or how about the snow with the onsen monkeys? Or within the...[ Click to read more ]
Great Japan Beer Festival Nagoya
Jul 03, 2019 By Admin
When I first arrived in Japan, I was somewhat disappointed by the perceived paucity of decent beer selections. It seemed that no matter where I went I could find nothing more on draft than the near-identical brews of the ‘big 3’: Sapporo, Kirin, and Asahi. While these can be refreshing...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya Summer Fireworks Festivals – Hanabi 2019
Jun 17, 2019 By Bert Wishart
For Brits like myself, fireworks displays conjure up memories of cold winter nights, huddling round bonfires and oohing and ahhing as both your breath and extremities freeze. While this is possible in Japan, here fireworks festivals, or hanabi matsuri, are very much a summertime thing. Fireworks Festivals in Nagoya Hanabi...[ Click to read more ]
July Festivals Around Nagoya and Beyond
Jun 13, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Though the air is getting hot and sticky and permanently filled with the perma-drone of cicadas, July is perhaps one of the best months in Japan (and not just because it's my birthday). That's July marks the beginning of the matsuri [festival] season. It is a time when local communities...[ Click to read more ]
