On March 3rd in Japan, people celebrate the Girls’ Festival, called “HINAMATSURI”(雛祭り). On the day, people traditionally celebrate girls’ growth mainly by displaying beautiful dolls in ancient costumes of the Heian era with peach flowers in each house, and eating cubic rice crackers (Hina-arare). However, there are some popular sweets for this festival which are…

Of course, people in Japan speak Japanese, so knowing some words will help anyone coming to Japan. Or at the very least, people will appreciate you are trying to learn their language. So where does one start? Common words and expressions you may encounter include “kawaii” (cute), “samui” (cold), “atsui” (hot) “ne!” (a tag question…

Shrines and temples are beautiful touristy locations, but being sacred places of worship they are much more than a simple photo spot. Tourists are often scared not to offend the locals, so it’s best to learn the basic rules. Let’s take a look at some of the common items you will see upon your visit…

Have you ever wondered how Japanese people celebrate Christmas? After all, Christmas is not a national holiday, and less than once percent of the population are Christians. Nevertheless, Christmas has had a huge impact in Japan with a big exception when compared to other countries that celebrate this holiday: there is absolutely no religion attached…

Many people have tattoos that symbolize things that are important to them, such as people, places, or nostalgic memories. Tattoos have different meanings around the world; for example, they have held different significant meanings in various tribes and religions for years. Nowadays, in most western countries, they are considered to be simply personal body art.…

Ice cream is, to many, one of the greatest pleasures in Life! So many tempting varieties exist all over the world, and wherever the country your are in, Ice cream is widely adopted by the majority. In Japan, ice cream is extremely popular. Despite not being a traditional dessert or snack, you can now find…

Whether in real life or in anime, randsels have become a noticeable item that caught the attention of many people within or outside of Japan. If you don’t have any idea what a randsel is, it’s the Japanese backpack that elementary school children in Japan wear when they go to school. Randoseru Popularity View this…

So, you moved to Japan and found yourself a nice abode to lay your head. Great view, great price, and a great cultural experience. jp.fotolia.com/ Here are a few balcony rules that you may not be aware of! Balcony rules and culture vary greatly from country to country, but Japan, as always, is a little……

Have you ever wondered how it would feel like to go to a Japanese Elementary School? While a full-grown foreign adult may not know the experience, wearing a yellow cap on your head and a randoseru (backpack) on your back were the main points that we’ve always seen. View this post on Instagram 先日は友達の誕生日祝いしてきました⊂( *･ω･…

jp.fotolia.com/ When you visit Japan, you will see many high school students wearing their uniforms absolutely everywhere! Especially girls who wear EXTREMELY short skirts just like the girl in the photo. They are called “JK”, which is an abbreviation of “Joshi-Kosei”. “Joshi” means girl, and ” Kosei” means high school student. So, that literally means…