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Japanese Accomodation Offers Unexpected Experiences
Whether you fall asleep with the gentle scent of tatami permeating your pillow at a ryokan, or cramped into a tiny space at a capsule hotel, there is no doubt that Japan offers up some interesting forms of accommodation. Dating from the Edo period, when they operated as rest places for travelers, is represented by ryokan the traditional side of Japanese accommodation....
A Dog Without Leash
One balmy night in the summer of 2006, I, my fiancé Keita, several friends and our dog Lip made the 20-minute drive from our house to Kumano Beach, Mie prefecture. We were headed out to watch the world-class fireworks show that the city hosts each year. ...
"Ramen" is the most popular food in Japan
Japanese food, which comes in many varieties, is very popular all over the world. Among the wide variety available, sushi and gyuudon are well-known to foreigners. However, Japanese people most enjoy eating ramen which look like Chinese noodles. ...
The Best Cooking is the Least Cooking
Japan's Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries recenty created a new award for people living in foreign countries who contribute to the popularization of Japanese food and ingredients, the name of which is "Award for Overseas Promotion of Japanese Food." ...
Wedding Presents are Cash in Japan
In Japan, autumn as well as spring is wedding season. You may be invited to a wedding party by your Japanese friends. What should you present as a gift when you are invited? It is very common in Japan to bring celebratory money when one is invited to a wedding. ...
“Janken” is Used Daily in Japan
There are many customs in Japan, and among them, “Janken” is one of the most useful. When two or more people are choosing what to order, they can decide easily and fairly by just using their hands. ...
Are You Really Insured?
I was called to a hospital recently to find one of my friends had suffered a serious health problem. I was duly signed in as his next of kin and experienced the intricacies of the Japanese healthcare system up-close and dirty. ...
Flea Markets are now part of Japan's culture
According to statistics from the Japanese government, tourists to Japan typically spend 30% of their budget on shopping! This is hardly surprising as nowhere else in the world can you find such a tempting city like Tokyo filled with items for sale ranging from the latest fashion trends to cute novelty goods. ...
The Sushi Shop I patronize
I am a foreign student living in Japan. Sometimes I eat with Japanese. When I say to Japanese I meet for the first time, "Watashi no ikitsuke no sushiya de ippai yarimasen-ka," (Shall we have sushi over drinks at the sushi shop I patronize?" they are usually very surprised and believe I am very rich. ...
Foreign customers not welcome at some restaurants
I like Japanese food and often go to Izakaya (Japanese pub restaurants) with my work mates. As Japanese food is provided at reasonable prices at Izakaya, I always take my friends from overseas whenever they come to Japan. That no English menu is provided is only my complaint. ...
