In the homes of most Japanese families, there is usually a special altar and often even a special room specifically for housing that very special altar. It is a place where families communicate with and pray for their past relatives. It is also a place where they honor their ancestral lineage in general. These altars [...]
In the world of Japanese cinema, there is a certain internationally famous Japanese director who is considered to be something of a modern legend of cinematic animation around the world today. He is the creative and prolific film maker known as Hayao Miyazaki. Known for his amazing portfolio of spectacular animated films, Miyazaki continues to [...]
One of Japan’s most celebrated modern museum offerings is likely in the form of the popular “Ghibli Museum” in Tokyo. This wonderful museum is often a primary destination of choice for international tourists familiar with the well known “Studio Ghibli” and its many wonderful animated movies. These include such delights as “My Neighbor Totoro”, “Kiki’s [...]
Japan, like many countries, has some unique customs attributable to its specific history of superstitions and belief systems. Japanese customs, however, often tend to be of a rather extreme variety of unique, relative to many other countries. One category of such customs is in the form of its talismans of good fortune. Talismans of this [...]
If there is one classical Japanese story famous around the world today, it is almost certainly the highly celebrated masterpiece known in English as “The Tale of Genji”. It is such an important piece of literature in Japanese culture, that in the year 2000 the national Bank of Japan issued official currency bearing an excerpt [...]
In the technological wonderland of Japan, a person’s mobile phone is often seemingly their favorite thing. A mobile phone is known in Japanese as a “Keitai”, and Japan has had a rather ubiquitous Keitai culture for quite a while now. Although much of the world has seemingly caught up with Japan’s mobile phone technology, largely [...]
Modern music around the world would not be what it is today without the Japanese technology that helped to shape its unique sound. There is one manufacturer, in particular, that is highly regarded globally for having provided many of the primary tools used to create much of the sound of modern pop genres such as [...]
Baseball is likely a more popular pastime in Japan than it is in America. Perhaps it is because it is a sport which is somewhat meditative, involves little advantage based on a player’s height, and also usually involves little or no strenuous body contact. The Japanese have been playing baseball since 1872 when it is [...]
Japan is rich in culture and part of its cultural landscape includes a truly wonderful realm of music. This spectacular realm of traditional instruments is surprisingly vast for a relatively small country, as numerous styles of Japanese music came into being for various purposes over the centuries. Music was not only for musical performance [...]
Are you currently or soon planning a stay in the cultural wonderland of Japan? Maybe you are a fan of Japanese pop culture and want to know more about modern Japanese music. J-Pop is a modern type of Japanese music and is something of a global phenomenon, despite most of the lyrics being primarily in [...]
Are you curious about Japan and its culture? Are you possibly planning a stay in Japan in the near future, studying Japanese culture for a class in school, or are you simply just intrigued by the unique society in general? One thing that is rather unique and possibly somewhat macabre about Japanese society, both historically [...]
The Seven Lucky Gods of Japan are an underlying theme prominent in Japanese culture, which appears in popular Japanese media such as advertising, movies, animation, and television. They are also often a primary feature of traditional shrines around Japan. Known in Japanese as the “Shichifukujin” (pronounced Shee-chee-foo-koo-jeen); the rather intriguing mix of divine characters shares [...]
Are you curious about traditional Japanese culture and how it influences modern Japanese society? One thing to be aware of prior to any stay in modern Japan is that people are specifically not allowed to wear a Japanese sword around in public, as the Japanese Samurai once commonly would have. This was part of the [...]
Are you currently or soon planning a stay in the “Land of the Rising Sun”? Maybe you are studying about Japanese culture for a class or perhaps even out of your own curiosity about Japan. Regardless of the reasons for your interest, there is a certain aspect of Japanese culture you most certainly will find [...]
Over the centuries, classical Japanese theater has evolved as a truly spectacular and unique art form as have many of the arts of Japanese culture. One form of Japanese theater which has stayed popular with attendants over the years is the form of theater known as Kabuki. It is actually the more modern of the [...]
The world of Sumo wrestling is probably just about as uniquely Japanese a tradition as one can possibly find in such an active and preserved form as it still is today. While thankfully Sumo has been opened to international contestants for many years, although currently in a rather limited and racist Japanese way, its traditional [...]
Are you soon embarking on a journey through Japan? Perhaps you are studying about Japanese culture for a class in school or just have a high level of personal interest in Japan’s wonderful aesthetic. The reasons for your curiosity may be as unique as Japanese culture itself, but there are certain aspects of traditional Japanese [...]
One all important type of etiquette to observe and practice during your stay in Japan is related to the removal of outdoor footwear, such as shoes or boots, upon entering certain buildings. These buildings include such places as tea houses, certain restaurants, people’s homes, temples, and more. The etiquette involved is likely primarily related to [...]
If you are planning a stay in Japan or are even just studying about Japanese culture, here are some really fascinating aspects of Japanese culinary customs that will be wise to know.
Chopsticks (Hashi)
Chopsticks as they are commonly called in many parts of the world, or “Hashi” as they are called in Japanese, are rather ubiquitous [...]
Are you soon planning a stay in the wonderful country of Japan or possibly just studying about Japanese customs and culture for a class or simply to satisfy your personal curiosity? There is a custom of introductions in Japan that is rather important to understand and practice with the utmost sincerity for making a good [...]
Looking for a nice place to enjoy some nature and fresh air during your stay in Tokyo? Yoyogi Koen (“Koen” pronounced is pronounced “Koh-ehn” and means “Park” in Japanese) can be likened in many ways to New York City’s “Central Park”. It is a large and beautiful area in Tokyo where you can enjoy a [...]
Are you currently planning a stay in Japan, or are you perhaps already in Japan, and just wanting to find out more about the temples and shrines that you will likely encounter during your exploration of this wonderful country? Are you possibly studying about traditional Japanese religion in school or even just wanting to understand [...]
The history of Japan is one that is, in many ways, as unique as the country of Japan and its culture. One of the very interesting factors that many people may not realize is that the country of Japan was actually in a state of self-imposed isolation for over two hundred years and was only [...]
Are you into modern Japanese culture and possibly planning a stay in Japan sometime in the near future? Are you possibly studying Japanese culture for a class in school or are you maybe even just so infatuated with the wonderful culture of Japan that you are studying it on your own to truly understand even [...]
Are you currently planning a stay in the classical capitol of Kyoto, Japan or possibly already staying in Kyoto now? Are you perhaps just looking for a little more information about Kyoto while studying about traditional Japanese culture in school or on your own? Regardless of your reasons, you likely are already wanting to know [...]
Are you currently planning a stay in Japan or possibly already there? Are you maybe even studying about Japan in school right now or just so intrigued by the wonderful culture that you want to know as much about it as possible? There is one thing that is so important to Japanese culture that it [...]
There is a classically legendary Japanese icon that is rather prominent in much pop culture both in Western movies and also in Japanese movies. The “Ninja” or “Shinobi” is a truly popular, yet also truly notorious aspect of Japanese history that is evidently rather famous still today. This particular icon, however, is likely more famously [...]
Are you soon planning a wonderful stay in the spectacular country known in the west as Japan? Are you possibly studying Japanese culture in school or maybe just wanting to learn more about the amazing culture that has made such a graceful impression on the rest of the world? If you want to truly understand [...]
Looking for a nice way to have a harmoniously enjoyable cultural experience while replenishing your body and enjoying a naturally healing Japanese tradition that is popular for all the right reasons? For many people a relaxing day at a gorgeous and naturally rejuvenating hot spring spa is just about the most wonderful sounding idea you [...]
