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 ]
Soothe Yourself With a Soak in a Super Sento in Nagoya This Winter
Dec 26, 2019 By Bert Wishart
One thing that many people love to do when they come to Japan is to enjoy onsen, the volcanic hot springs that pop up all over the country. It is...[ Click to read more ]
What is the ShichiGoSan Ceremony?
Nov 24, 2019 By Jason Gatewood
Traditionally held on November 15, the Shichigosan (七五三, literally 7-5-3) ceremony is a rite that originated around 750 AD in the Heian period to celebrate the passage into middle childhood...[ Click to read more ]
Understanding Japan: The Tanabata “Star Festival”
Jul 08, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Tanabata, also known as the 'Star Festival', is a popular summer event celebrated all over Japan. As the festival's name suggests (literally 'Evening of the Seventh'), it is held on...[ Click to read more ]
Five Japanese Authors You Should Read
Jun 13, 2019 By Bert Wishart
From the stories of twelfth century court life in the world's oldest novel, Murasaki Shikibu's Tale of Genji, to the epic tales of Nobel-Laureate-in-waiting Hideo Furukawa, Japan has a rich...[ Click to read more ]
The Kawaii Rejection of Society
May 23, 2019 By Bert Wishart
Japan is in the grips of a cult. But this is no religious extremism or political fanaticism. This cult is pink, it's fluffy, and its ringleader is a cat with...[ Click to read more ]
Get Inked: Nagoya’s Tattoo Parlours
Sep 28, 2018 By Bert Wishart
The subject of tattoos in Japan is a bit taboo. The history of body modification in Japan is long, going back as far as the Jomon Period (roughly 10,500 B.C. to...[ Click to read more ]
Discovering Japan at the Japanese Folk Festival and Cultural Fair
Sep 27, 2018 By Bert Wishart
One of the great pleasures of living in Japan is discovering the wide array of cultural differences that we encounter. From arts to food to ways of life, it is...[ Click to read more ]
Japanese Horror Movies to Terrify You this Halloween
Sep 27, 2018 By Bert Wishart
Halloween is becoming an increasingly popular event in Japan with parties popping up all over the country and thousands of kids filling the streets in their spookiest getup. For me,...[ Click to read more ]
