Keisuke and Rui Izumi are brewers at Manaturu Brewery, a 270-year-old brewery located in Echizen Ono, the “Little Kyoto” of Fukui Prefecture. Its location is famous for its crystal-clear water and snowy winters, two elements that allow making excellent sake. Manaturu Brewery takes pride in doing most of the sake-making process by hand. But do…
Yosakoi, A Japanese Dance For All
Have you ever heard of yosakoi? It is a Japanese dance performed in festivals all around Japan and in many other countries too. How did this dance originating from Kochi Prefecture (Shikoku island) manage to spread so far? The answer lies in its welcoming spirit and easy principles. On July 4, I was invited to…
Shinji Tsuchimochi: Drawing Tokyo’s Nostalgic Towns and Reviving Ukiyo-e
Maybe you do not know his name, but if you like Japan or cute illustrations, then you probably have already seen some of his works online. Shinji Tsuchimochi is a Tokyo-born illustrator who started drawing scenes of the Tokyo traditional districts as a way to express himself beside his main job—painting backgrounds for Japanese animation…
Ajisai and Asagao, Two Flowers of the Japanese Summer
Japanese people are famous for loving and admiring flowers in spring, during which they gather in parks all over the country to enjoy hanami, or cherry blossom viewing. However, this appreciation for flowers does not stop there, and Japanese people observe the blooming of flowers every season. During summer, they especially appreciate two sorts: ajisai…
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…
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…
The Meaning of Hina Matsuri, the Japanese Girls’ Day and Its Dolls
Hina Matsuri is a festival celebrated on March 3rd to pray for the health and good future of young girls. When a girl is born into a family, it is customary for the relatives to offer hina ningyo (hina dolls). On the day of the festival, these dolls are displayed in the household. The Origins of Hina Matsuri The history of hina…
How to Consult an Oracle at Japanese Shrines and Temples
If you have already visited a Japanese shrine, you may have wondered what the folded papers attached to trees or threads were. These are called omikuji, or oracles. What is written on them is believed to be a message from the deities. They are provided in many forms: some shrines and temples have sorts of…
Casting Evil Away: The Japanese Celebration of Setsubun
The characters for setsubun in Japanese are 節分, literally meaning “season division.” This celebration traditionally takes place on February 3rd, one day before spring according to the lunar calendar. In older times, spring used to be the New Year, so setsubun can be understood as a form of ancient New Year’s Eve. To welcome the new year…
Japan’s Most Beautiful Bamboo Forest Is Not in Kyoto
Wakayama Farm is an exceptional place in Utsunomiya, a city that can be reached in one hour by Shinkansen from Tokyo. Despite its name having the word “farm,” Wakayama Farm is home to the last carefully tended bamboo forest in Japan. A few years ago, it started welcoming visitors on its ground. Its owner Taro…