As days get colder and colder, what’s the best thing to eat that can provide that much-needed warmth? Look no further than the versatile nabe i.e. hot pot, which can take on a dizzying array of variations in Japan! From the common sukiyaki to the motsunabe (which probably requires a bit of courage to stomach…
If you have been to Japan during the oshogatsu (お正月) i.e. Japanese New Year before, you probably have seen many people queuing outside department stores and shops to buy fukubukuros (福袋) i.e. fortune bags. If you have not witnessed this phenomenon personally, you might have seen footage of the frenzy caused by eager shoppers who…
When the current year draws to a close, the Japanese are busy with preparing for the upcoming oshogatsu (お正月) by cleaning up their houses, purchasing or preparing food to be cooked and eaten during the New Year holidays, travelling to their hometowns to reunite with their families or taking a much-deserved break overseas with their…
When people go to pray at a shrine or temple, it is usually a given that they would ask for positive things such as blessings or good fortune in their lives. However, did you know that there is a shrine in Kyoto that is widely reputed for being extremely effective in enkiri (縁切り) i.e. cutting…
Whenever people talk about visiting Mount Fuji, there are a few standard approaches to go about it. If you are physically fit or the adventurous type, you would probably relish the experience of making the tough ascent during the summer months and experience its spiritual strength and visual beauty from the summit. For those who…
It’s that time of the year again when Nikkei Trendy releases a top 30 ranking of the hit products in Japan for the year, i.e. between October of the previous year and September of the current year, based on three aspects: sales, novelty, and influence. This ranking is a good indicator of what’s hot in…
Mie Prefecture was propelled to prominence on the global stage when it hosted the G7 Summit in Ise-Shima in May of 2016. And why would the G7 leaders not want to gather in Mie? Aside from being home to Ise Jingu, Japan’s most sacred Shinto shrine, Mie Prefecture is also a delightful place where you…
Have you ever been or heard of Huis Ten Bosch (ハウステンボス)? This Dutch-style theme park got its name, which literally means “house in the woods,” from one of the three official residences of the Dutch royal family. It is the largest theme park in Japan featuring a wide variety of old Dutch-style buildings that house…
A Japanese artist who goes by the name “Polka” shocked many with her paintings. With the actual item on one side, usually a packet of food, she would paint an exact replica on the other side against a black background. At one glance, they look like your usual packets of food. But upon closer look,…
While traveling in the vast and fast-moving metropolitan city of Tokyo, there are pockets of greenery in the form of sprawling parks which allow city dwellers time and space to bask in the beauty and tranquility of nature. If you are planning to be in Tokyo this October 2017, how about checking out this autumn…
