New Attractions on Kyushu Island
Apr 26, 2024 By Justin Hanus
Across Kyushu, several new attractions have opened in the past few years. Whether you’re visiting Kumamoto, Kitakyushu, or Fukuoka, there’s plenty to see and do. 1. Kumamoto Castle Reconstruction The...[ Click to read more ]
Where to Learn About the Hiroshima Bombing
Mar 26, 2024 By Justin Hanus
Hiroshima is probably the place more associated with bombing than anywhere else in the world due to the 1945 atomic attacks that destroyed large parts of the city center and...[ Click to read more ]
All About Daiso: Hiroshima’s Famous 100-Yen Store
Feb 28, 2024 By Justin Hanus
Just like the U.S. has dollar stores, Japan has 100-yen stores. One of the most famous is Daiso, based in Hiroshima. It’s popular for stocking a variety of original products,...[ Click to read more ]
From Fool to Demon to Death – A potted history of Oda Nobunaga, Nagoya’s Warrior Ruler
Feb 28, 2024 By Bert Wishart
While many of us have worked for managers or employers whom we felt were a couple of chopsticks short of a bento box, it is doubtful that your mortality was...[ Click to read more ]
Great Things to Do in Western Kumamoto
Nov 28, 2023 By Justin Hanus
Western Kumamoto is dominated by Mount Kinbo, a now-extinct volcano, but there is still plenty on offer. Whether you enjoy spending time in nature, are interested in ancient Japanese culture,...[ Click to read more ]
Step Back in Time at Gifu Seiryu-Satoyama Park
May 30, 2023 By Bert Wishart
While most people besotted with Japanese history tend to focus on the periods of samurai and geisha, there is more to Japan than dudes quoting haiku and swinging katana blades....[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya’s Dragon – Akira Toriyama, Creator of Dragon Ball
Jul 29, 2022 By Bert Wishart
What's the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Japan? Sushi? Oh, okay, how about the second thing? Samurai and geisha? Oh, okay, the third thing? The...[ Click to read more ]
Visit UNESCO Sites Galore and More in Historical Shingu
Nov 30, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Some people travel around the world to visit UNESCO World Heritage Sites. Some people will never visit one in their entire life. But with a single trip to Shingu in...[ Click to read more ]
Get to the Point – Traditional Japanese Swordsmithery Near Nagoya
Oct 28, 2021 By Bert Wishart
According to historian and author Stephen Turnbull on the Netflix documentary The Age of Samurai, "the samurai's most iconic weapon was the katana, the Japanese sword, widely regarded as the...[ Click to read more ]
In the Beginning, There Was a Spear… How Japan was Created
Aug 31, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Here's a question I bet you've never asked yourself: Where do countries come from? We tend to take the land upon which we live as a given; it's just there,...[ Click to read more ]
