Yosakoi dancing started in Kochi in Shikoku around 1954 as a way to celebrate postwar reconstruction, building spirit, and teamwork. Blending traditional Japanese dance and costume motif with modern music,...[ Click to read more ]
Despite being one of the most densely populated parts of the world, containing the capital city and Japan's most significant urban area, Greater Tokyo is historically newer than many places...[ Click to read more ]
If you have ever been to a summer fireworks festival around Tokyo you may have noticed many people wearing traditional Japanese dress and wondered what was going on. Well, summer festivals are a...[ 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 ]
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 ]
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 ]
As one of the most fashionable and exclusive neighborhoods in central Tokyo, Azabu Juban is a fantastic place to live or enjoy. You can find favorite shopping boutiques, cool little...[ Click to read more ]
Located in Gifu Prefecture, and surrounded by some of Japan’s richest natural areas just below the famous Northern Alps, Takayama is somewhat isolated and distant. This isolation allowed the city...[ Click to read more ]
We got you covered when it comes to checking out all the pink-tree goodness when it comes to cherry blossom viewing parties in Tokyo. But if you want to level-up...[ Click to read more ]
So you survived oshogatsu (Japanese New Year's) and are looking forward to the end of March and the blooming of the cherry trees, but the reality is there are at...[ Click to read more ]