Japan enjoyed something of a travel boom in the late Edo Period (1603-1868). This was no doubt a key impetus behind the famous ukiyo-e landscape series “Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji” created by Katsushika Hokusai around 1830, depicting the beauty of the iconic mountain from a variety of locations. A short while later, Utagawa Hiroshige...Read More
You may be familiar with Hachiko as his story was made into a Hollywood movie in 2009 called ‘Hachi: A Dog’s Tale’ which starred Richard Gere. Hachi was a stray dog. A professor of Tokyo University found this abandoned dog and took him home. Over a period of time, he formed an unbreakable bond with Hachi....Read More
Ask anyone who has been to Japan, and they will always remember the ubiquitous yellow tactile paving blocks. As a tour guide, I am often asked what they are. Designed to assist sight-impaired individuals travel solo, Japan’s tactile paving blocks are typically found everywhere, such as stairs, elevators and railroad station platforms. First created and...Read More
Tsukemono – Common pickle dishes The following are some of the more common types of tsukemono (Japanese pickles) that travelers are likely to encounter. Most tsukemono can be found nationwide, except where noted, however the exact ingredients of each tsukemono type may vary from region to region and household to household. Umeboshi Umeboshi are Japanese...Read More
Godzilla Did you know the original Godzilla (“ゴジラ” Gojira in Japanese), was made as an anti-nuclear protest film? In 1954, a Japanese fishing boat inadvertently strayed into the U.S. H-bomb testing range of the Bikini Atoll. The crew aboard were subsequently irradiated, with one dying of radiation poisoning. With the memories of Hiroshima and Nagasaki...Read More
If you are reading this, you love to travel. Travel is about experiencing new places, foods, and cultures. Because of COVID 19, traveling to Japan may have to be delayed for some of us. But that does not mean we have to stop exploring. Here are a few ways I love to get my Japan...Read More
Japan is known for its craftsmanship in many areas, but did you know denim is another area Japanese craftsmen excel in? We know that America was the birthplace of denim jeans but after the second World War, American denim began to trend in Japan. In the 50s, due to demand for American made jeans, companies...Read More
Arima Onsen Arima Onsen is one of the most well known and popular onsen in Japan. It is one of Japan’s oldest onsen. In the ancient era, the mythology is said that ancient gods found Arima Onsen. According to mythology, three injured crows bathed in the spring water in Arima, and were completely cured. Japan’s...Read More
