Taima-dera Temple: Nerikuyo-eshiki Ceremony
Nerikuyo-eshiki Ceremony May 14th Legend has it that Princess Chujo was born to Toyonari Fujiwara, a powerful minister in the 8th century...
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Fan Scattering Ceremony
Uchiwamaki Toshodai-ji Temple, May 19th Temple bells toll and a crowd of worshipers scramble to catch and pick up heart-shaped uchiwa...
The Legend of Zelda: 31 Facts
Can you believe that the Legend of Zelda video game series is now 31 years old?! The first game was released by Nintendo on February 21st...
Golden Week
Japan’s new fiscal year is not yet a month old, new company employees are in training, and many schools are not yet in their second week...
The Koto
What images spring to mind when thinking of Japan? Mt. Fuji? Geisha? Sumo Wrestlers? Sushi? Any and all of these are perfectly fine...
Top 5 Cherry Blossom Viewing Spots in Nara
Spring his in sight! Warm weather and clear skies are on their way, and clouds of pink flowers are due to engulf Japan's sakura trees....
Girls' Day - March 3rd
In Japan, girls get their special holiday on the 3rd of March of every year. The event, known as the Hina Matsuri, traces its origins...
Japalantines Day
Matters of the heart are never simple - For a western male living in Japan, thanks to the concept of "giri choco," his first valentines...
BEANS? SUSHI? SETSU-WHAT?
Setsubun "The Bean Throwing Festival" At the beginning of February laughing and squealing children throw handfuls of roasted beans at a...
Japanese Etiquette 101
"When in Rome, do as the Romans do" - "When in Japan, prepare to have your mind blown" Encountering new people, new cultures and new ways...
"The stars twinkle, they watch us from heaven"
So ends the traditional song sung during Japan’s Tanabata Star Festival every summer. Based on the Chinese Qixi Festival, the Tanabata...
musikfest NARA 2016
Musikfest Nara 2016 is going on now and preventing the rainy season from dampening June! This, the 5th installment of Musikfest runs from...
Magical Fireflies in the Heart of Nara
Yellow-green lights glimmer in the darkness. They almost look like Christmas lights hanging in the undergrowth, but Christmas lights...
Bushido - The Way of the Warrior
Bushido (武士道) translates to, “the way of the warrior,” and “samurai” means “one who serves.” Bushido was the samurai’s equivalent of...
Shichifukujin - The 7 Lucky Gods
There are 8 million deities in Japanese tradition but only 7 of them are revered as “The Gods of Good Fortune” or Shichifukujin in...
Niō: Guardians of the Gate
Often found either side of the gateways to Buddhist temples, Niō statues are placed there to protect the temple from evil spirits and...
Triumphant Tanuki Testicles!
Upon first glance one might assume they’re seeing things, a second glance may draw out rigid disbelief but closer inspection confirms the...
Unique Japanese Postboxes
Japan is a country that doesn’t do ordinary and nothing personifies this more than Kawaii culture. In a land of anime, dedicated product...
Golden Week: Children's Day
Kabuto battle helmets and figurines of a boy riding a carp are displayed in the homes of families with children and colorful koinobori...
Heijyo Tempyo Festival
Dance teams in shishi lion costumes show off their skills, falconers demonstrate the beauty and prowess of their raptors, and the Emperor...
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