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The Shin-Yokohama Ramen Museum: A Noodle Lover’s Paradise
Ramen, Cup Noodles – these instant noodle delights have captured the hearts (and stomachs) of people worldwide. Whether you love them for their convenience or savor their diverse flavors, their popularity in Japan is undeniable. Now, ima... -
Onsen: Japan’s Relaxing Hot Springs
What Is an Onsen? An Onsen is a Japanese term that translates to “hot spa” in English. It refers to a specific type of hot spring that occurs naturally due to thousands of years of underground volcanic activity. These hot springs are hea... -
Hanami: Appreciating Cherry Blossoms
What is Hanami? Hanami (花見), meaning flower viewing, is a traditional Japanese custom of appreciating flowers. Hanami usually refers to viewing cherry blossoms, commonly known by the Japanese name Sakura (桜). However, the term applies... -
Oden: Japan’s Iconic Hotchpotch
What is Oden? Oden is a traditional Japanese dish served in winter. It is similar to a Western-style stew or hot pot with all ingredients simmered in one pot. Oden is very popular in Japan and is often sold in convenience stores, from si... -
Hatsumode : First visit to a shrine of the year
What is Hatsumode ? Hatsumode (初詣) is the first shrine visit of the New Year.The first character 初 means “first,” and the second character 詣 means “attend” or “visit a shrine.” Most of Japanese are off work from December 29 untill Ja... -
Oomisoka: Japanese New Year’s Eve Celebration
Oomisoka: Japanese New Year's Eve Celebration New Year's Eve is "Oomisoka" in Japanese which means "the last day of the year." Christmas is big in Japan, but New Year's Day is the real holiday. They celebrate from New Year's Eve to New Y... -
Japanese UNESCO World Heritage
Japan has many UNESCO World Heritage Sites, which are very popular in Japan. There is even a weekly travel show dedicated to showcasing these sites from around the world. The United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organisati... -
Oosouji: Japan’s Version of Spring Cleaning
The Tradition of Oosouji Oosouji, which literally means "big cleaning" in Japanese, is a New Year's tradition similar to a Western-style spring cleaning. People typically perform Oosouji around December 28th in preparation for the New Ye... -
Nengajo – The culture of sending New Years’ postcards in Japan
What is Nengajo? Nengajo are cards that people send as greetings for the New Year. They are similar to Christmas cards in the West. They are used to express gratitude for the past year or to maintain friendships. People send Nengajyou ca... -
Mount Fuji: Japan’s Sacred Natural Wonder
About Mount Fuji Mount Fuji (富士山) is the highest point in Japan and a volcanic mountain. It is located about 100km southwest of Tokyo, on the border of Yamanashi and Shizuoka prefectures in the Fuji Hakone Izu National Park. Past volc...
