The Foreign Houses of Kobe: Ijinkan Kitano-cho
Apr 20, 2020 By Justin Hanus
One of the most interesting parts of Kobe is Kitano-cho. It was in this district that the foreign merchants settled after the Port of Kobe opened to trade from abroad under the 1858 Treaty of Amity and Commerce. Today, set on the lower slopes of the Rokko mountain range, you...[ Click to read more ]
Into the Great Outdoors in Hiroshima City
Mar 27, 2020 By Hugh Cann
It’s all very well to have everyone self-isolate, and aside form short trips to the supermarket you really ought to get out a bit or turn into one of those subterranean dwelling creatures form that wonderful HG Wells story, the time machine. But I digress. Probably one of the...[ Click to read more ]
Watching TV Shows From Back Home *Legally*
By Jason Gatewood
Oh, what an excellent time to be alive as an expat in Japan! In the not-to-distant past, we were stuck mailing letters to our friends and family back home or going through the harrowing process of figuring how to get international calling to work on our Japanese cellphones… Or worse,...[ Click to read more ]
Things Kansai Gave to the World
Mar 25, 2020 By Justin Hanus
A former economic and cultural capital of Japan, Kansai played an important part in global innovation that continues today. Here is a selection of what has originated in Kansai. Sake Japan's most famous alcoholic beverage, sake is a fermented rice drink that has many different varieties and can be found...[ Click to read more ]
Who Were the Samurai?
By Justin Hanus
Everyone has heard of samurai, but a minority would be able to tell you who they were and what they did. The samurai has a long and interesting history in Japan. They were active from the 10th century until the 19th century and participated in all significant events of the...[ Click to read more ]
Teppanyaki in Hiroshima– Not Just a Fantastic Meal, it’s a Show!
Mar 04, 2020 By Hugh Cann
Nothing like a bit of sizzling seafood or beef to set the mouth-watering! Teppanyaki is a style of Japanese cuisine that typically uses a propane-heated, flat-surfaced iron skillet to cook the food in front of guests at restaurants. The word teppanyaki is an aggregate of the Japanese words “teppan,” the very...[ Click to read more ]
White Day in Hiroshima and Other Events in March
By Hugh Cann
Valentine’s Day is not all chocolates and roses for men; you have to pay the piper. Exactly one month later, on March 14, men who received a "honmei-choco," ('chocolate of love') or "giri-choco" ('obligation chocolate') on Valentine's Day are expected to return the favor by like-wise giving gifts. Traditionally, popular...[ Click to read more ]
Therapeutic Spa at Gamagori’s Thalgo Laguna
Feb 26, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Whether natural spring onsen or communal bathing sentos, Japan's penchant for soaking in the tub with friends and family is legendary, however, for those of us who have not necessarily grown up within that environment, we may feel reluctant to partake in these particularly Japanese pleasures. One hindrance could be...[ Click to read more ]
New & Renovated Train Stations around Tokyo 2020
By Jason Gatewood
Greater Tokyo lives and breathes by its public transportation system. Over 160 different train and subway lines operated by 48 different companies run over 4,780km of track and pass through over 2,000 stations around the Metropolis. Over 40 million people use trains running on this network every day and it...[ Click to read more ]
Where to Enjoy Jazz in Kobe
By Justin Hanus
If you’re a jazz fan, Kobe is a place you must visit during your time in Japan. The city is arguably the origin of jazz in Japan as it was here in April 1923 that the first professional jazz band was formed. Plus, Louis Armstrong and his orchestra famously visited...[ Click to read more ]
