Chitose-Ame: The Candy of Choice During Shichi-Go-San Each year, on November 15, you’ll see little boys and girls traipsing to shrines in their best hakama and kimonos in Japan. One...

Summer in Japan Japan is a place like no other for cultural flair, unforgettable food, rich history, and astounding architecture. If you’ve been to Japan before, you might still dream...

The Seasons of Japan There are four distinct seasons in Japan, and they are each a celebrated occasion. Spring, summer, fall, winter in Japanese is haru, natsu, aki, fuyu (or shun-ka-shū-tō). Each season...

Regardless of where you travel, you'll find that each culture and destination has its own set of holidays and traditions. Japan, in particular, has many interesting and unique holidays that...

Claw machines are some of the most challenging arcade games and the most addicting! While some may say these machines are rigged, we say it's all fun and games. In...

Cats: you either love them or you hate them. But not in Japan; in Japan, cats are a universally beloved part of culture and are believed to bring good fortune...

Remember that excited feeling when you were given a few quarters as a child and could pick a toy, sticker, or temporary tattoo from the vending machine outside the grocery...

Every year, sakura season, aka Japanese cherry blossom season, is a highly anticipated event and a large part of Japanese culture. During this time, each sakura tree produces a stunning...

Sakura no hanami (桜の花見), or “cherry-blossom viewing,” is not to be trivialized in Japan. Like die-hard skiers keeping close tabs on snowfall predictions, some Japanese people keep a close eye...

Global travel restrictions, unpredictable closures, and safety and financial considerations have shelved many an onsen Japan trip. Perhaps we needn’t say it, but a Japanese bath is meant not for...

Hokkaido is Japan’s northernmost island and the second largest of the Japanese archipelago. Hokkaido (北海道) means Northern Sea Province in Japanese. Indigenous Ainu people were the original inhabitants of Hokkaido,...

Revamping your home design and adding some new pieces can be a great way to freshen up your living space, and there are a lot of great ways to incorporate...