After living abroad for a few years in a foreign country, you get used to most things. You can go to a language school or…

The ancient sport of Kemari On Saturday, January 4th, 2020, spectators assembled at the UNESCO World Heritage-designated Shimogamo Jinja 下鴨神社 shrine in Kyoto to witness…

Whether you’re celebrating the beginning of a new year and a new decade, and wish to participate in the tradition upheld in Japan (and many…

Who doesn’t want to win the lottery, right? In Japan, you can find Takarakuji (treasure) lottery tickets sold almost everywhere. Especially before New Year’s, they…

When getting married, visiting your in-laws becomes something normal and in Japan, that is no exception. Returning home/帰省(kisei) during holidays, especially, should be something relaxing…

Osechi Ryori are traditional dishes enjoyed by Japanese people during New Year’s and consists of various foods packed in jubako, boxes similar to the bento…

Japanese Voices 日本語のままクールジャパン is a regular series designed for learners of Japanese to enjoy real Japanese language programming from Nippon Broadcasting System, one of the…

In recent years, several companion services and products have popped up in Japan. There is a wide variety. Companion robots and AI devices are entering…

Do you live in Japan? Can you get by in Japan without speaking English? Have you passed the JLPT N2? If you answered yes to…

Standing proudly in the centre of perhaps one of the most internationally famed cities of Japan is Hiroshima Castle. Destroyed by the atomic bomb of…

Tucked away in the folds of the peaceful mountain town of Sasaguri, just north of the bustling city of Fukuoka, rests the Buddhist retreat of…

I visited Yokohama last month in November for an interview and caught up with some friends while I was in the area. Two are Japanese…

Invite the new year into your home with the Ōsōji cleaning ritual As many countries around the world are busy unwrapping Christmas gifts and keeping…

Despite their enormous potential to help mankind grow and develop, robots sometimes get a bad rep. Recently, they have been increasingly branded by some media…

Japan is getting more and more attention due to the Olympics that will be held in 2020 and people from overseas are also getting more…