Like this post? Help us by sharing it! There are seven wonders of the world, seven days of the week, early astronomers recgognised seven planets, we avoid the seven deadly sins, and we pray for sevens at slot machines. The world has always had a fascination with the number seven and Japan is no exception. […]
Culture & History
Cradle to the grave – birth, marriage and death in Japan
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Every culture has rituals and ceremonies that mark the key stages of life, usually birth, marriage, and death. In many cases, these rituals have a religious significance. The baby of Catholic parents, for example, will probably be baptised in church. At a Jewish wedding the groom will […]
The Circle of Life – Rituals, Celebrations and Festivals in Japan
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! Living in Japan, I’ve been flabbergasted a number of times when asked, in all seriousness, if my home country of England has the same cycle of four seasons as Japan – something they hold as unique and prized. While politely pointing out that Japan is not alone […]
There’s a festival for that: Japan and it’s matsuri
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! A trip to Japan at any time is a cultural adventure to say the least with some ‘very Japanese’ experiences you should try whilst visiting the country. Staying in a traditional ryokan guest house, heading to a local Izakaya, riding the Shinkansen, tucking into a bowl of good ramen or […]
The Rituals of Childhood
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! You are struck by ritual and tradition everywhere in Japan – from the moment you step off the plane to the ground crew bowing your arrival. What may seem quite different, or even quaint at the time, is actually just a continuation of values and traditions instilled […]
A grain of truth: Japanese rice
Like this post? Help us by sharing it! There’s one foodstuff that’s so intrinsic to Japan that word for it cooked (gohan ご飯, also meshi) is also the general meaning of “meal”. It’s part of the fabric of life. You guessed it, we’re talking about the humble grain: rice Rice has been cultivated in Japan […]