Copyright cinnamonellie In Japan, the beginning of February symbolizes the welcoming of the spring through the many practices of the Setsubun celebrations. Many temples and…

Gogatsu Ningyo(五月人形), literally translated as “May Dolls”, are displayed in Japanese houses in the honor of the household’s newborn sons. Spring comes with many festivals…

Copyright cinnamonellie Kimekomi dolls have a long history behind and the custom of making them is still practiced nowadays by women and craftsmen in Japan….

Setsubun (節分) or “seasonal division,” represents the day of the beginning of the spring and is celebrated as part of the Haru Matsuri(Spring Festival) on…

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…

Arielle Busetto, JAPAN Forward Are you curious about the Japanese traditional dress known as kimono? After the recent media storm surrounding Kim Kardashian’s short-lived underwear…

Updated: Dec. 6, 2018 The Sanriku Kaigan is a beautiful coastline extending along the Pacific Ocean from southern Aomori prefecture, through Iwate prefecture and northern…

Located at about two hours from Kyoto, the city of Obama and its Sanchomachi district in particular is one of several places in Japan that…

Nestled near the base of Tokyo tower is Ukai, a traditional Japanese restaurant specializing in tofu and surrounded by beautiful gardens. You can experience the…

With countless spinoffs, parodies, and now commercials in Japan, the popular viral song “PPAP (pen-pineapple-apple-pen)” by Pico Taro took the world by storm in 2016….

You may have seen 88-year-old amateur photographer Kimiko Nishimoto’s comical self-portraits before. With a sharp eye for humor and the ability to laugh at herself,…

Named a Living National Treasure in Japan in 1956, artist Hasui Kawase changed the world of ukiyo-e woodblock paintings and hanga prints as one of…

The art of Japanese flower arrangement, or ikebana (生花), is said to have taken form during the Muromachi Period (1336-1573), although its precise origin is…

Sake means a lot of different things to different people. Hangovers, the perfect complement to fine Japanese dining, celebration are among the many things that…

March 3rd is Hinamatsuri, or Girls’ Day, in Japan. It is the annual tradition to display ornamental dolls called Hina-Ningyo during this day to celebrate…