While the cherry blossom is the flower that tends to dominate the imagination of Japanese botanic appreciation, it is perhaps the plum (ume) blossom that should be the more celebrated....[ Click to read more ]
Even with coronavirus still weaving its microbial hooks into every facet of society, The heartbeat of the typical Japanese winter around Greater Tokyo barely skips a beat. As long as...[ Click to read more ]
Wintertime around these parts usually means either taking in some winter sports like skiing and snowboarding or soaking in one of the numerous hot spring onsens around the countryside surrounding the...[ Click to read more ]
Since December tends to be most plentiful for crabs, it’s no wonder that it boasts a delicious spike in the crustaceans' availability across Japan. During the winter, crab imports from...[ Click to read more ]
What better way to shake off any winter lethargy or periods of over-eating than heading out for a refreshing walk for a few hours? With an abundance of glorious natural...[ Click to read more ]
Christmas Day in Japan is just another working day for the most part. The most interesting facet of the Christmas and holiday season in Japan is that all traces of...[ Click to read more ]
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...[ Click to read more ]
Continuing a tradition that goes back to the time that St Valentine wondered what to get Cupid as a thank you for all his hard work spreading the love*, for...[ Click to read more ]
You've probably seen that classic episode of The Simpsons where Homer goes to a Japanese restaurant and eats fugu, a pufferfish equally famed for its sublime, delicate flavor, and that...[ Click to read more ]
Each year, on the third of February, harried fathers across Japan put on paper demon masks and are pelted with roasted soybeans by their children, who cry “Oni wa soto,...[ Click to read more ]