Japanese New Year holidays usually start from December 29 and go until January 3, but depending on the year and one’s job it can start as early ad December 27th and go until January 8th. During this time, people are busy cleaning their houses in the osoji ritual before New Year, making or buying osechi…

Being famous for delicious food, exotic culture and a different lifestyle, Japan also has a very intense youth culture with a wide range of fashion styles. One smaller sub-culture would be Lolita fashion. First of all, there is no connection with the novel written by Vladimir Nabokov or the related Lolita complex which describes the…

With a low birthrate and an aging population, the aftermath of the effects of Japan’s shrinking population is worse outside the big cities. The charm of big cities is obvious: shopping centers are everywhere, convenience stores are nearby, and most importantly, there are plenty of schools and work opportunities. That’s why the number of young…

Japan is a country with many rules. There is no need to worry too much if you do not know all of them, as most of them are manners and not criminal offenses! But you will likely notice some differences between Japan and the rest of the world when it comes to etiquette on public…

Japan, as a country, is not only made of big crowded cities but is also a home to abundant nature covered with mountains and trees. As these places are not a favorable environment for living, most people live on coastal plains. Most of these places are left untouched by humans making it a suitable place…

Japan – with all its facets – is a mysterious and very exotic country. Foreigners get either to love it or stay forever puzzled. And those who stay longer here surpass a queer metamorphosis. They become extremely strange and will never be able to recover, me included. jp.fotolia.com/ Japanese who stay abroad and come back…

Like many other things in Japan, ‘furoshiki’(風呂敷) has survived many centuries. Literally translated meaning ‘bath cloth’, it almost went forgotten after WW2. jp.fotolia.com/ Since the convenient bag/wrapping/decoration cloth got mostly replaced by plastic bags, it only experienced a revival in the new millennium with Japanese artists modernising it and trying to get back to old…

Kyoto is a historical city with a rich history, surrounded by vast gardens and nature. It is one of the most well-preserved cities in Japan, and it is also known for its abundance of delicious Japanese cuisine. As a city away from the sea, Kyoto contains a variety of culinary delights peculiar to the place.…

The 2020 Summer Olympics event is fast approaching in Japan, and a huge influx of foreigners is expected as the event draws near. Some major problems that visitors may face in visiting the country include the language barrier and cultural differences. Another factor is the use of toilets. Toilets in Japan are generally more elaborate…

Aomori is popular for ferry boats as it is considered a port town at the northernmost part of Honshu. It is also known for Nebuta Matsuri, one of the largest Japanese festivals held in summer. The place is perfect if you’d like to indulge in abundant nature and ancient atmosphere. Besides scenic landscapes, it also…