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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... -
The Art and Culture of Cosplay in Japan
What is Cosplay? Cosplay (コスプレ, kosupure) is a contraction (or portmanteau) of the English words "costume" and "play". More specifically, it is a subculture that focuses on dressing up as characters from anime, manga, video games, te... -
Hello Kitty Fair!
Hello Kitty is a popular character that has been loved by fans since 1974. The Hello Kitty Fair is an event for fans to celebrate. It is a fun event for fans of all ages. For all Kitty's fans, a fair will be held in Tokyo's Ginza Mitsuko... -
Bunkasai: Japanese School Cultural Festival
Bunkasai (文化祭) Bunkasai, the "Japanese Cultural Festival," is an important event at almost every school in Japan, from junior high to university. The dates vary from school to school, allowing observers to attend multiple events. It's... -
Top 10 Foods for a Healthy Diet in Japan
The Japanese are known to have some of the longest life expectancies in the world, which many attribute to the traditional Japanese diet. Less well known is that the Japanese also have some of the lowest rates of obesity in the modern wo...
