Living on the west side of Tokyo is affordable and convenient, especially if you live near Shinjuku. However, I often lament the lack of cycling infrastructure in this part of the city. Additionally, the dense urban sprawl between central Tokyo and the mountains to the west leaves few opportunities for cycling in nature. Fortunately, if…
Expressing Love in Japanese Culture
When you are interested in a culture and start learning a new language, for some reason, the word “love” and the phrase “I love you” are some of the first people usually want to know and remember. Maybe this is why you are now reading the article. While love may be universal, the ways to…
Tokyo Cycling: Discovering Nature along the Kanda River
Living in Tokyo can feel claustrophobic, especially if you live far from the city’s amazing parks and waterways. A perennial westside resident, I’ve often felt isolated from some of the best nature the city has to offer. Although I’ve been cycling in Tokyo since I arrived in 2009, my recent desire to connect with nature…
Tsukemen: The Other Japanese Noodles for Ramen Lovers
Tsukemen is a noodle dish derived from ramen. It is an established theory that tsukemen came out of staff meals of the ramen restaurant Tai-sho-ken in Tokyo in 1955, and has kept growing in popularity ever since. The noun “tsukemen” is formed by the nominalized word of the Japanese verb “tsukeru,” which in this case…
Tokyo Cycling: Riding along the Zenpukuji River
In previous articles, I’ve often mentioned that Tokyo’s rivers offer some of the best cycling the city has to offer. Major waterways such as the Arakawa and Tama rivers are obvious choices for long, uninterrupted rides. However, Tokyo’s smaller, lesser-known rivers can also be great for a quick, scenic ride—if you know where to find…
The Toyosu Fish Market: A Behind-the-Scenes Experience with Restaurateur Nobutaka Tsuchida
In the fall of 2018, the world-famous Tsukiji Inner Market shut down permanently, and all of its primary activity was relocated to a brand-new facility in Toyosu on the opposite side of Tokyo bay. The new Toyosu Fish Market is pristine and efficient; however, most will agree that it lacks the rustic charm of the…
The Correct Manners When Visiting the Japanese Grand Shrine of Ise
The gods of the Ise Grand Shrine have been enshrined here for over 2,000 years, and this shrine is the holiest in Japan. It is one of the places Japanese people hope to visit at least once in their lifetime. It has a special and mystical atmosphere, with its 100-year-old cedar trees. Here are eight…
Our Experience of Japanese Strawberry Picking at a Chiba Farm
As a follow-up to our fun futomakizushi experience, my colleagues Aree, Ayane, and I decided to go further in exploring Chiba food and culture by enjoying one of its most popular seasonal products: strawberries! In spring, a typical activity for young people and families in Japan is to go directly to the farms to do…
The Unique Festive Sushi from Chiba Prefecture
If you are familiar with Japanese food, you may know the two most common types of sushi. The first is nigirizushi, literally “sushi pressed in hand,” for which a piece of raw fish is put on top of some rice molded by hand. The other type is makizushi, the famous sushi rolls, for which a piece of…
3 Applications That Will Help You Read Japanese
After coming to grips with the soul-crushing inevitability of having to memorize over 2000 kanji characters, the next wall of frustration that Japanese learners face is reading the same books, magazines, and blog articles that native Japanese speakers do. Reading is essential for adding context to the constant influx of vocabulary, kanji, and grammar points…