Bento: Japanese lunch box makes lunch time fun!
Bento boxes with chopsticks Photo by kofookoo.de on Unsplash Bento is a tasty lunch box that every Japanese is familiar…
Cool Japanese Last Names and its Meanings
This Kamon represents the Japanese family name "Kato" Japan has a vast number of last names. It originated around the…
Kamon Story: Based on True Unsolved Murder
Maru-ni Agehacho The murder occurred in 1906. It is treated as one of the unsolved cases because the statute of…
Samurai Kamon: Seven Notable Samurai Family Crests
Japanese warlords are known to have many family crests. They carry them for different occasions. It often times represents their…
Shintoism Essential Value: Impurity and Purification Rituals
Shinto shrine gate in Nikko, Japan Shinto does not accept that human beings are born bad or impure; in fact,…
Shinto Rituals: Practices and Celebrations
Shinto rituals have survived in close connection with the lives of the Japanese people. It is strongly reflected in modern…
Shinto Shrine History with Inseparable Partner, Buddhism
Japan has more than 8,000 Shinto shrines throughout Japan, the original shrine buildings did not exist as we know them…
The Difference between Shinto Shrine and Buddhist Temple
Photo by Egor Myznik on Unsplash Both Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples have long been familiar to Japanese people as…
Japanese Honorific Suffix: “San”, “Sama”, “Kun”, and “Chan”
The Japanese honorific suffix is something you learn first and use every day when you learn Japanese. They can be…
Japanese Surnames: Top 10 Ranking, Origin, and its Meanings
Japanese surnames are known for their wide varieties and origins. Many of them are derived from the name of places,…
Japanese Green Tea: 13 Types, Benefits, and When to Drink
Image by rawpixel from Pixabay Japanese green tea has a wide variety and each has a unique, different flavor and…
Sencha Green Tea Benefits/Side Effects and Where You Can Buy
Photo by Christine Wehrmeier on Unsplash The Sencha green tea is a type of green teas as the name suggests,…
Organic Matcha 7 Tea Benefits and Where You Can Buy
Photo by The Creative Exchange on Unsplash Since you seek the best organic, we assume you know the difference between…
Kamon the Avant-garde: Interview with Japanese Family Crest Artisans
Kamon: There's a thousand-year tradition that the Japanese pass their family crests from generation to generation. The family crest is…
Best Tokyo Food Tour 2017: Where Real Japanese Go
We returned to Japan after two years of absence which is long enough for us to long for our families…
Shugendo: Japanese Mountain Worship and Spiritual Powers
Man in traditional Japanese shugendo outfit doing waterfall meditation in winter with ice and snow Shugendo, can be translated into…
Tokonoma: Japanese Alcove Design, Styles, and Scrolls
Tokonoma is the Japanese alcove that we can see in the reception rooms of the traditional Japanese houes. It's taken…
Japanese Garden: History, Design Principles, and Elements
Hamarikyu Garden in Tokyo, Japan Do you want to create a Japanese style garden? Japanese garden has a unique set…
Yukata: Japanese Traditional Casual Dress for Summer
A woman in blue yukata with green sash sits on veranda Overview of Yukata Yukata is a traditional dress designed…
Japanese Tea House: Architecture of Ultimate Spiritual World
Japanese tea house, Chashitsu in Japanese, is where Chado, the tea ceremony takes place, which expresses Japanese sentimentality and aesthetics…
Onryo: Japanese Grudge Spirit and Ghost Stories
creepy doll look scary in high contrast Onryo - Japanese spirits of grudge or ghost, now popular thanks to the…
Yakuza: History of Japanese Organized Crime Syndicates
TOKYO, JAPAN - APR 12, 2019: Kabuki-cho Colorful Neon lights, Shinjuku Famous street Crowd people Nightclub Bar Restaurant Tokyo Japan…
Kukai: Biography of Japanese Buddhism Superstar
Kyoto, JAPAN - Apr 2 2021 : The statue of Japanese Buddhist monk Kobo Daishi Kukai in To-ji (Toji Temple)…
Types of Buddhism Developed in Japan: End of the World Belief, Pure Land, and Zen
Scenery portrait of the posture of zen Buddhism monk in Japan, Kamakura Types of Buddhism developed in Japan: We have…
Japanese Buddhism in Early Stage: Only for the Elites and the State
Japanese Buddhism, a Buddhist monk at Mt. Koyasan steps up to the temple Japanese Buddhism #1 - In modern times,…
Japanese Onomatopoeia: The Made-up Words Convey Perfect Subtlety
Japanese Onomatopoeia - What's onomatopoeia? It's the words which express the sound of things in general. The term came from…
Japan Religion: Japanese Religious Views and Belief System
Japan Religion: Japanese native might have been asked this one question frequently when they go to other countries, "What do…
Best Way to Learn Japanese on Your Own: Effective Mindset and Tools
Portrait of smiling confident woman Best Way to Learn Japanese - This article is for whom wants to learn Japanese,…
What did Geishas do and now? The roles of Geishas today
Kyoto, Japan - May 19, 2019: Young geisha in training, called a maiko, tunes her instrument prior to the performance…
Real Ninja: History of Master of Stealth, Intelligence, and Communication
futuristic samurai standing on a building in cyberpunk city at rainy night, digital art style, illustration painting Real Ninja -…
Prince Shotoku: Constitution, Rank System, and Japanese Buddha
Prince Shotoku-taishi (Umayato), Portrait from Japan 5000 Yen 1957-1986 Banknotes. Prince Shotoku, autonym Umayado-no-Miko, was a regent under his aunt,…
Japanese Mythology: Creation of the Universe and Kami
Waterfall in the forest in Takachiho, Miyazaki, Japan Japanese Mythology - "kami" is a deity or deities in Japanese, and…
Shogi Strategy: Winning Patterns of the Defense
Japanese chess, Shogi board Shogi Strategy - Shogi is Japanese chess, which is a two-player strategy board game belong to…
Ikebana: History and Styles of Japanese Flower Arrangement
Ikebana - also known as "Kado", the way of the flowers, is the art of traditional Japanese flower arrangement. It…
Noh Theatre: Meanings of Dreadful and Eerie Masks
Japanese mask “Noh-men” Noh theatre - Japanese traditional musical drama, Noh, has been played for more than 600 years, which…
Taiko: History and the Effect of the Sound Awakens Your Soul
Traditional Japanese drummer Taiko is a Japanese drum which has played important roles on many occasions. Their size and shape…
Sake: Drink Guide to the Whole Wellness
Pour sake into a transparent sake set Sake - Japanese alcoholic beverage (rice wine) made from fermented rice which has…
Japanese Castle: Layout and Architecture for the Defense
Matsumoto castle against blue sky in Nagano city, Japan. Japanese Castle - Fortresses constructed mainly of wood and stone built…
Soroban: Japanese Abacus Origin, History, and Tutorial
Soroban - a traditional abacus used in Japan, nowadays replaced by electric calculators Soroban is Japanese abacus which has been…
Origami Art: Origin, History, and Fantastic Folding Works
Origami Art with Dynamic Sophistication Origami Art- Japanese paper folding works are widely popular around the world and its elaborate…
Sakura: History of the Most Iconic Flower of Japanese Spirit
Sakura - Cherry Blossom - is by far the iconic flower of Japanese spirit in comparison with other flowers or…
Satoyama: Japanese Mindscape of Nature as Ideal Ecosystem
Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, where the original scenery of Japan remains. It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site.…
Omikuji: Fortune Slip at Shinto Shrines and Temples in Japan
Tokyo, Japan - 15 March 2017: Omikuji (Paper Fortune) in a drawer at Senso ji. “Omikuji” is a strip of…
Oshogatsu: Joyful Japanese New Year Celebration
Sunrise and Mt. Fuji from Lake Motosu Oshogatsu: How Do Japanese Celebrate The New Year? Oshogatsu - the Japanese New…
Bon Odori Festival: Japanese Buddhist Custom in Summer
TOKYO, JAPAN - AUGUST 10 2012: Paper lanterns and the stage of the Tsukiji Honganji Bon Odori Matsuri - the…
Chado: History of Japanese Tea Rituals with Zen Spirit
Japanese tea ceremony, a woman in kimono holding a tea cup Chado - "The Way of Tea" or "Chano-yu" aka…
Kyudo: History and Differences Compared to Western Archery
Kyudo Japanese Archery Kyudo is Japanese Archery which is called "The Way of the Bow". Among other martial arts, it possesses…
Changing Role of Miko in Japanese Culture Over Time
Young Miko at a Shinto shrine in Tokyo on a clear morning in Spring. A Miko is a shrine maiden…
Kendo: Samurai Spirits and the Life-Giving Sword
Close-up portrait of kendo fighter Kendo is a modern Japanese martial art, which uses bamboo swords (shinai) and protective armor…
Mikoshi: Origin and History of Divine Portable Shrine
The Mikoshi (portable shrine) of the festival in Kyoto Mikoshi - A divine portable shrine of Shinto, which is considered…
The Book of 5 Rings: Winning Strategy of Life by Musashi
Tsuji Miyamoto Musashi gold version The Book of 5 Rings: The author, Miyamoto Musashi was an unparalleled man in swordsmanship…
Bushido: Origin and History of Samurai Code of Conduct
Bushido - What Bushido, "the way of Samurai", meant when samurai class was born, was a simple enough ethic to…
Tengu: The Legendary Japanese Creature of the Mountain
A Tengu in a forest. Tengu - is the legendary creature attached to the mountain or forest in Japan. They…
Shichi-Go-San: Japanese Celebration of Children Age of 7, 5, 3
Celebration of Shichigosan. A 3-year-old girl. A traditional Japanese event. Shichi-Go-San - November 15th is a special day for children…
Japanese Shrine Gate, Torii: Boundary between the Secular and the Sacred
Viewed from a hiking trail, a black and white photo of an old, weathered, sacred Shinto torii gate in a…
Fuchico on the Cup: Humorous Tiny Toy from Japan
Sailor Fighter Fuchico on the edge of the cold brew coffee Fuchico, the Tiny Toy Can Make Your Desk the…
Swan Incoming: Flying Schedule and Where to Spot Them in Japan
The beautiful, white Bewick's Swan flying in the winter sky of Japan Swan Incoming: When autumn deepens and hears the…
Japanese clan symbols: Kamon of notable clans
Do you believe ancient clans still exist in Japan today? Yes, they do as their descendants are still alive to…
Kamon: the Symbol of Japanese Family Identity
Uesugizasa Kamon, the Japanese family crest is an indication of a family's origins. Unlike the coat of arms, it doesn't…