Off the shores of Kyushu (the third largest island of Japan), there are a number of volcanic islands flowing south-west towards Taiwan. These are named the Ryukyu Islands, also known as the Nansei Islands, but many people simply call them Okinawa because two thirds of them form the Okinawa prefecture of Japan. In the center…

Without a doubt, Kyoto has become one of tourists’s favorite cities in Japan because of its intact and well preserved cultural heritage sites. The city contains numerous shrines and temples, and it’s surrounded by beautiful nature that turns into vibrant shades of red in autumn or delicate blooms of white and pink in spring. There…

Aizuwakamatsu is a city in the centre of Fukushima prefecture, in Tohoku Northern Japan. Once known only as Wakamatsu (meaning young pine), the name of the area changed to Aizuwakamatsu in 1955. Aizuwakamatsu has a rich and long history, being the site of the ancient Mutsu province. This region was said to have been settled…

Kimono, or literally “the thing to wear” refers to a Japanese traditional outfit. The standard plural of the word kimono in English is “kimonos”, but the unmarked Japanese plural kimono is also sometimes used. A kimono is a t-shaped wrapped garment with long and wide sleeves worn so that the hem falls near to the…

There is no shortage of museums in the Tokyo area. There is practically a museum for every interest. Being someone who studied journalism and strategic communications, I am really interested in advertising and its history. So, the Ad Museum Tokyo was exactly the museum I have been wanting to see. While it is not the…

When traveling through Japan, it’s a common method to take the Shinkansen train west of Tokyo and visit major cities like Kyoto and Hiroshima. One of the largest Japanese cities, Nagoya, lies between Kyoto and Tokyo. This historical city was once one of the most important cities in Japan, as it served as a waypoint…

In America, an earthquake is an incredibly rare occurrence, but when one does happen it’s national news. In Japan, however, earthquakes are an expected and accounted for part of life. In fact, Japan experiences several earthquakes a day! Japan sits along at the intersection of 4 tectonic plates, so it’s no wonder the country has…

Marunouchi is a modern-looking district found at the very heart of Tokyo, just a stone’s throw from Tokyo Station and the Imperial Palace. The name Marunouchi translates as “inside the circle” and originates from its location inside the palace walls of the Edo Castle hundreds of years ago. Originally inhabited by some of the country’s…

“夏草や　兵どもが　夢の跡”(`Natsukusa ya tsuhamonodomo ga yume no ato`) – “Grasses in summer, the warriors’ dreams… all that is left”. This poem, written by Master haikuist Matsuo Bashō after he visited the ancient temple complex of Hiraizumi, is one of the most famous writings in Japan. Located in Iwate on the banks of the Kitakami-gawa, these simple…

Before the establishment of the Tokugawa Shogunate(江戸幕府), a six-hour battle took place on October 21, 1600. This was called the ‘Battle of Sekigahara'(関ヶ原の戦い), a savage conflict which changed the course of Japanese history forever. A simulation of this war can be seen in the quiet farming village of Sekigahara. The momentous event is recreated in…