Wagashi is traditional Japanese sweets that are usually served with green tea. They have a wide variety of shapes, ingredients, consistencies, and preparation methods. Some are so popular that they’re served all year ’round across Japan while others are only served regionally or seasonally. Where can I buy them? These delicious Japanese sweets are usually…

I believe that everyone must be familiar with Doraemon(ドラえもん) series, be it manga , anime or both. The manga, published way back in 1969 is one of the best-selling manga series worldwide and has won many awards including the Osamu Tezuka Culture Award and has been adapted to anime series and multimedia franchise. So popular…

You’ve done it before. You’ve packed for your trip home, checked your flight times, double checked you’ve got your passport, safely reached the airport, and then suddenly remembered that one person who you haven’t got a souvenir for yet. However, it’s not too late! If you are traveling to or from Japan through Haneda Airport,…

Many people who visit Japan tend to head to the capital city of Tokyo as their first destination. While Tokyo is undoubtedly a fantastic place to visit with its impressive Tokyo Skytree, many shrines and temples, exciting events, shopping areas, and low crime rate, there are also many other great cities to visit in Japan.…

Without a doubt, Kyoto has become one of tourist’s favorites in Japan because of its intact and well preserved cultural heritage sites. It is nestled with numerous shrines and temples as well as beautiful nature that turns into inflamed shades of red in autumn or colorful blooms in spring. There’s a lot of places to…

I’m sure you’ve all heard about Dotonbori (道頓堀) – the must-visit food and shopping district in Osaka (大阪). If not, don’t let the bright lights, masses of people and endless stores and eateries overwhelm you! This is a great place to explore, where you can spend the day shopping and eating, then go back the…

When one hears of Kyoto, the rich history and culture of Imperial Japan come to mind. Another thing that Kyoto is well known for is its Japanese sweets shops and cafes, with matcha or green tea as the most popular choice. This article lists some of the best sweets shops and cafes that Kyoto has…

Japan is known for its unique culture, continuing traditions such as festivals, spiritual beliefs and cuisine as well as advancing to be one of the world’s leading economies. Japan attracted almost 20 million tourists in 2016, who visited to sample the Japanese way of life, which remains culturally unique and fascinating for foreigners. Japanese food…

Have you ever wondered what a Western mix on the traditional Japanese sweet, dorayaki (どら焼き), would be like? Well, wonder no more as a new dorayaki specialty store called DOU (ドウ) is opening at Ikebukuro Station (池袋駅) at the end of May 2017! Dorayaki jp.fotolia.com/ But first, what is dorayaki? Dorayaki is a type of…

Nothing can prepare you for the crazy heat and the even more insane humidity that Japanese summers have to offer. Cooling down in the air-conditioned local malls and shops is a great way to escape the heat. It was during one of those times that I discovered one of my favorite places in Japan during…