Japanese Aizome indigo dyeing fair and workshop opens in Tokyo
New Stand Tokyo, a variety-goods store from New York located in Roppongi, has collaborated with two other apparel brands; “Allbirds” a brand which focuses on…
Culture
Adventure through Hokkaido’s ‘Hell Valley’ after dark with this unique hotel package
Located about 100km southwest of Sapporo city is the onsen town of Noboribetsu, famous for it’s nine different types of hot springs. Like many other…
Doraemon meets Hokusai – a modern twist on ukiyo-e woodblock prints
When it comes to traditional Japanese culture and art, Katsushika Hokusai’s Ukiyo-e woodblock print series Thirty-six views of Mount Fuji are amongst the most celebrated….
Crowdfunding started to revive Minobu’s only onsen and restore local tourism
Deep within the mountainous region of Yamanashi, a major Buddhist temple clings to the slopes of Mount Minobu. This temple, known as Kuon-ji – though…
Personal hishaku ladles keep chōzu traditions alive as we enter a ‘new normal’
In normal times, when visiting a Japanese temple or shrine complex, the first thing you would be expected to do would be to wash your…
Japan’s Red Cross thanks NPO Virtual Rights for its donations via world’s largest VR photo event
Overview The Tokyo Chapter of the Japanese Red Cross Society has awarded a certificate of appreciation to the Virtual Rights Specified Nonprofit Corporation (hereinafter abbreviated…
Autumn Japanese bamboo flute performance to be held at luxury hotel Aman Kyoto
Aman Kyoto (アマン京都) is a private luxury resort, nestled in a secret forest garden at the foothills of Mount Hidari Daimonji. Besides the many facilities,…
The lucky animals that protected health, wealth and happiness in Edo-era Japan
Lucky animals have always been popular in Japan. People pray for safe childbirth, family health and longevity, as well as for business prosperity and success…
Thrills and spills at Takadanobaba’s Yabusame archery festival in mid-October
If the equestrian events at the Olympics whetted your appetite for all things horsey, you might like to know about yabusame. Yabusame (流鏑馬) is traditional…
Discovering Akita at the JAPAN RAIL CAFÉ TOKYO: Akita Sake, Travel, painted wooded fans
This summer, I had the opportunity to discover more of the Tohoku area as I got invited to a couple of events organized in collaboration…
Edo era Olympics: Traditional uchiwa fans feature modern sports depicted as ukiyo-e
Even though we may not have been able to enjoy Tokyo 2020 in the way we had originally intended, we’ve still enjoyed a taste of…
Kit lets you build Japan’s famous tea-serving automaton from the Edo Period
Japan is said to be a country with one foot in the future and the other in the past. These days it can be argued…
Enjoy the “Japan Cultural Expo” virtual platform from the comfort of your home
The Japan Cultural Expo, led by the Japanese government’s Agency for Cultural Affairs and the Japan Arts Council, is a project aiming to introduce the…
Japanese artist’s simple obon holiday illustration has cat lovers around the world in tears
Observed as a summer holiday season from August 13th to 16th, Obon is the Japanese Buddhist custom of honoring ancestors who have passed away, rooted…
Shinto Master originally from the UK introduces new perspectives on Shintoism
Sometimes, when things seem way too familiar, it is necessary to take a step outside the norm in order to understand things on a deeper…