Every year in June, along with the rainy season, pretty clusters of colorful hydrangea flowers bloom across Japan. The beautiful flowers are called ajisai (あじさい、紫陽花) in Japanese. Some places are even famous for the incredible number and variety of hydrangea flowers. Here are 10 popular hydrangea-viewing spots in Japan!
Japan’s Top 10 Wisteria-Viewing Spots
The end of cherry blossom season is certainly not the end of flower festivals in Japan! Every year, following the cherry blossoms, lush purple wisteria flowers arrive in Japan, blooming from April to May. The beautiful purple flowers are called fuji (ふじ, 藤) in Japanese. Here are the Top 10 wisteria-viewing spots in Japan!
Japan’s Golden Week Holiday: 2023
Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク) is a highly celebrated holiday season in Japan known for its bustling atmosphere and lively festivities. This year, by taking just two weekdays off as paid leave, you can extend your Golden Week experience to a full nine days! To help you make the most of this exciting time, we’ve compiled all the essential information you need … Read More
Shinshū Zenkōji Temple: A Must-Visit Destination in Nagano
Nagano, Japan is home to a rich cultural heritage, including the beautiful and historic Zenkōji Temple 善光寺. This ancient temple, which dates back to the 7th century, is one of the oldest and most important Buddhist temples in Japan, attracting millions of visitors from all over the world each year. Zenkōji, open to everyone 💕 The temple is located in … Read More
15 Hilariously Literal Japanese Words
There are a surprising number of Japanese words that are incredibly literal. The Japanese word “tebukuro” (手袋) is made up of the characters “Te” (Hand) and “Bukuro” (bag) = “hand bag”. It’s the Japanese word for “glove”! That makes sense, considering gloves technically are bags for your hands… Here are 15 other hilariously literal Japanese words that are used quite … Read More
Osorezan (恐山): Japan’s “Fear Mountain”
Japan’s Mount Osorezan (恐山) in Aomori Prefecture is ranked along with Koyasan and Hieizan as one of the three most sacred places in the entire country. Today, it known as the site of Bodai-ji Temple, where female mediums called itako are said to be able to communicate with the deceased. Read on to learn all about Japan’s fascinating “fear mountain”.
The Most Popular Japanese GESTURES!
Have you ever been to Japan? You may have noticed that several of the common gestures used by Japanese people are actually quite different from the ones used in your home country. Here is a picture guide of the most commonly used gestures in Japan, along with their meanings!
How to Keep Warm During Winter in JAPAN
Winter in Japan usually lasts from December until February, and can be pretty unforgiving if you’re not used to the cold. Temperatures average around 2ºC~10ºC (35°F~50°F) in city areas, and can get as low as -6°C (21°F) in country side and even colder in Hokkaido! If you’re visiting Japan during the winter months, you’ll definitely want to take care to … Read More
Catch Your Own Fish At This Restaurant in Japan
Seafood doesn’t get any more fresh than this! At this uniquely interactive restaurant in Shinsekai, Osaka, you can use a rod to choose a type of fish, catch it, then have it cooked for you to eat! Here was our experience.
How to Write Your Name in Japanese (Katakana)
If you’re learning Japanese, one of the first things you should learn is how to introduce yourself! And you can’t do that unless you know your name in Japanese, right? Here is how to write your name in Japanese!