January

Snow Festivals in 2024

Jan 30, 2024 By Michael Stigall

It been a warm winter so far, but it is finally beginning the drop into the single digits. With that said, the possibility of snow begins to come to mind....[ Click to read more ]

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Plum Viewing in Tokyo – The Top Umemi Spots in 2024

Jan 29, 2024 By Michael Stigall

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 ]

Prevention and Thawing of Frozen Pipes in Japan

Nov 30, 2023 By Ray Proper

Many people arrive in Japan from places where it simply does not get cold and are unaware that they need to worry about things like frozen pipes. In most places...[ Click to read more ]

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Tokyo’s Japanese Gardens

Jan 30, 2023 By Michael Stigall

Let's be honest for a moment: Tokyo is an amazing place, but sometimes all that concrete and urban bustle can get to even the best of us. What does a...[ Click to read more ]

Nagoya Ramen Festival 2023

Jan 22, 2023 By Ray Proper

Ramen is a classic Japanese food. If you ask a random person, foreign or Japanese, male or female, what their favorite food is, you are highly likely to get "ramen"...[ Click to read more ]

Kobe’s Winter Wonderland: Mount Rokko

Jan 21, 2023 By Justin Hanus

Japan hosted the first-ever Winter Olympics in Asia at Sapporo in 1972, but the country already had a rich history of playing on snowy mountain slopes. Although you won't find...[ Click to read more ]

Umeda Skating Rink

Strap on Your Skates in Kansai This Winter

Jan 21, 2023 By Justin Hanus

Ice skating has a long history as skates made of animal bones dating back 5,000 years were found at the bottom of a lake in Switzerland. It's unknown when the...[ Click to read more ]

Magome and Tsumago

Winter Food in Nagoya

Dec 27, 2022 By Bert Wishart

Unless you are a ski bunny or a masochist, there should be no doubt that winter is the worst of all months. Cold and wet, skies as ashen as the...[ Click to read more ]

Hatsumode in Tokyo – Making Your First Shrine Visit of 2023

Dec 26, 2022 By Michael Stigall

New Years in Japan is laser-focused on firsts. You have your first sunrise of the year, which is very important, and other firsts like the Shinenkai parties to bring in...[ Click to read more ]

Winter Illumination in Tokyo

Dec 26, 2022 By Michael Stigall

Christmas time in Tokyo can be a bit surreal. On the one hand, there are Christmas markets, gigantic sales, innumerable shopping centers, and more decorations than you would expect, but...[ Click to read more ]