Harajuku: Street Fashion Capital
Tokyo is Japan’s most populous city, so it’s no surprise that there are almost as many different sides to the city as there are people. For instance, there are 23 special wards in the city of Tokyo–just in the most…
The Japanese Tutor
When You Gotta Go: Japanese Bathrooms
Japanese bathrooms may seem like a strange topic for this blog, but it’s essential that Westerners who hope to visit or live in Japan familiarize themselves with what to expect in Japanese bathrooms. The news about overly-mechanized Japanese toilets usually…
Playing Pachinko: How Illegal Gambling Is Legal in Japan
In Japan, gambling for money is illegal nationwide. Nevertheless, somewhere between 40 to 50 million people gamble on occasion–and 30 million of those people are regular gamblers. They gamble in large groups in licensed parlors that together employ roughly 300,000…
Tokyo Tower
With Mount Fuji on one side, the Pacific Ocean on the other, and an endless medley of skyscrapers, modern buildings, parks, and historical buildings like the Imperial Palace everywhere you look, you feel like you’re on top of the world.…
Japanese Language
Getting Started If you never have been exposed to the Japanese language before. This is a very good place to start. We will set you off on the right foot. Whether or not, you’re just looking for a simple phrasebook…
Geisha
“Geisha” means “artist” in Japanese. The geisha of Japan are cultural icons who preserve the Japanese custom of putting the guest on a pedestal through their hostessing, conversational dexterity, poetry recitation skills, dance and/or music talent, and attire. Dressed in…
Japanese Weddings
Dressed entirely in white, the bride gazes at her groom and tells him how she vows to build a life together with him based on mutual respect and understanding. The groom, dressed in black, repeats her vow, promising like she…
Japanese Holidays
One of the most effective ways to learn more about a culture is to study its celebrations. By studying a country’s national holidays and country-wide celebrations, you learn more about what the culture values. Below is just a sample of…
Kinkaku-Ji
In the heart of one of the cultural centers of Japan, you gaze across a large pond at an endless array of verdant green Japanese maple trees. Jutting out into the water are graceful peninsulas and islets with shapely bonsai…
6 Unique Japanese Activities
Japanese activities run the gamut from the traditional theater with a 600-year history to sporting events from 500 years ago that are followed with equal national enthusiasm in the modern day to meeting at the Hachiko statue at Tokyo’s Shibuya…
Ikebana
In the West, florists create flower arrangements that bring out patterns of color and showcase the blooms at their peak. The art has a long history and a certain amount of respect from those who enjoy flowers, but general appreciation…
Manga
In the West, comic books are typically thought of as “kids’ stuff” and the adults who enjoy them are usually thought of as adults who refuse to grow up—and not in a good way. Although some graphic novels have tackled…