Traditions
Discover Japan’s rich cultural traditions, festivals, rituals, and customs that have shaped its unique identity.
A Guide to Tatami and Tatami Mats
This page contains affiliate links. Tatami mats have long been an important part of Japanese culture, design, and even sports. The woven rush grass of tatami mats creates a welcoming, relaxing environ…
What is White Day in Japan?
This page contains affiliate links. White Day is the day on March 14 when men who received chocolates on Valentine's Day return the favor to the woman. On White Day, the most common sweets are candies…
Setsubun: Welcoming Spring with Ogres, Beans, and Sushi
This page contains affiliate links. Famous for bean-throwing antics and parents dressed in ogre costumes to scare children, Setsubun is celebrated in Japan on February 2 or 3 (depending on the year) t…
Japanese Kotatsu: Staying Warm in Winter
This page contains affiliate links. Kotatsu, while largely unknown outside of Japan, has long been part of Japanese culture, keeping people warm during cold winters. With the exception of Hokkaido, ho…
Japanese New Year Traditions
This article is contributed by Tokyo Central Japanese Language School. This page contains affiliate links. Hello everyone! I'm Eri, a Japanese language teacher. January 1st is the beginning of the new…
Nengajo – New Year’s Cards
This page contains affiliate links. Every year in late December the Japanese postal system is inundated with colorful post cards crisscrossing the country. These are 年賀状 (Nengajo) or New Year’s cards.…
Geisha Dinner Experience in Tokyo
The geisha is a world-famous Japanese symbol that is seldom understood outside of Japan. The geisha arts, a 250-year-old legacy, are fast fading, yet there are still sites in Japan where one may have…
Sustainable Lifestyles in Edo and Japanese History
In Japan, there has long been a 'mottainai spirit' of taking good care of things, and in the Edo era, people in various professions recycled things to reuse them. Sustainability, which has been attrac…
Chopstick Etiquette in Japan : DOs and DON'Ts
This page contains affiliate links. Most people around the world are familiar with chopsticks these days, whether from eating out in a favourite Asian-cuisine restaurant or chowing down on cup noodles…
The Story Behind “Washi”, Japan’s Traditional Handmade Paper
This article is contributed by MADALAND. Located about 15 minutes by car southeast of Takefu Station on the JR Hokuriku Line, the village of Goka in Fukui Prefecture (which comprises the Imadate-cho n…
The Japanese Lucky Cat: Unlocking the Secret to Good Fortune
This page contains affiliate links. The maneki neko statue, also known as the lucky cat, is a symbol that is instantly recognizable all around the world. You can find these lucky cats in businesses, h…
The Japanese Zodiac: Unleash the Fun of This New Year Tradition
This page contains affiliate links. The Japanese zodiac has a rich history and unique features that include a fascinating blend of Chinese and Japanese influences. While some aspects are based on the…
The Enduring Allure of Rakugo: Japanese Storytelling Evolved
Japan boasts a rich variety of traditional performance arts, from the dramatic flair of Kabuki to the simplicity of Noh. Another form of storytelling, Rakugo, adds a comedic twist to this mix. Rakugo…
NINJA: Their True Mission & Ultimate Purpose (Part 1/3)
This article is contributed by COMMU忍(NIN)CATION. What do you imagine when you hear the word "ninja"? What comes to mind may differ from generation to generation. Perhaps you think of movies. Or anima…
NINJA: How they collected useful information (Part 2/3)
This article is contributed by COMMU忍(NIN)CATION. In our previous column, we explained the image of ninja held by the public and what recent research has revealed about ninja. In this article, we will…
Ninja : The Secrets of Unwavering Mental Strength (Part 3/3)
This article is contributed by COMMU忍(NIN)CATION. In our previous columns, we explained that ninja were more like secret agents than combatants, that they used disguises to gather information, and tha…
Hanko/Inkan: A Guide to the World of Japanese Signature Seals
This page contains affiliate links. If you're a foreigner planning to live in Japan, you'll likely need to set up a bank account, apply for a phone, and sign up for public utilities. During these proc…
Bonsai Basics: Beginner's Guide, Top Trees, Tokyo Picks
This page contains affiliate links. Bonsai is perhaps the most well-known and treasured of Japan’s botanical beauty. What you may not realize, however, is that “bonsai” is not the name of the trees th…
Discovering Kabuki: A Guide to Kabuki Theatres, Tickets, and Cultural Insights
So, what is Kabuki theatre, really? To the first timer, it is oftentimes remembered as a jumble of color, fast action and archaic language few can understand. Plots are mysterious and centered largely…
Exploring the Enigmatic World of Japanese Noh Theatre: Ancient Masks to Modern Marvels
Noh is to modern Japanese theatre what Shakespeare is to English theatre, and then some. It is the oldest form of masked theatre (like Kabuki, Noh opts for the “theatre” spelling of the word) in the w…
