03 Mar: Customs and traditions of Japan - Hina Matsuri: Dolls and Deli
On March 3rd, Japan celebrates Hina Matsuri 「雛祭り」, the Japanese Doll Festival, also known as the "Girl's Day", an important event, especially for families with daughters. photo credit: St ... »
Read more » 47 comments » 25 Feb: 20 Japan Top Lists
Dear friends, welcome to the Japan Blog Matsuri, February 2010 Edition! This month, 20 Japan bloggers united to provide you with an amazing set of Japan Top Lists, covering a great variety of subjects: tourism, technology, ... »
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Japan was and remains a unique place. Whether we talk about traditional festivals or traditional theater, religion or pop culture, architecture or transport, food or clothing, martial arts or games, you can see in Japan unique scenes, ... »
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Japan's love for Mount Fuji, the most famous place in Japan, remained unchanged over the years. Fuji-san (富士山) is definitely the most represented place from Japan, starting with the ukiyo-e paintings, continuing with ... »
Read more » 59 comments » 05 Feb: 40 great vintage Geisha Photos
Today we almost cannot think about traveling somewhere without taking photos, with more or less sophisticated cameras or at least with the mobile phone... A hundred years ago however, when the first westerners started visiting Japan, ... »
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The "robot anime" (ロボット, robotto) (known outside Japan as mecha anime) is a Japanese animation genre featuring walking robots (called mecha), usually bipedal, with arms and hands able to use objects and ... »
Read more » 56 comments » 15 Jan: The Japanese Soldier
38 years ago, on January 24 1972, two residents from Guam discovered Shoichi Yokoi, a Japanese soldier who was hiding in the jungle for... 28 years. Shoichi Yokoi, preparing to return to civilization, image via Wikipedia When ... »
Read more » 38 comments » 08 Jan: Japanese Giant Tombs
From time to time, searching for travel destinations, I stumble across interesting things in Google Maps, like the huge drawing with Earth-kun. This time, browsing the Google Earth near Osaka, my attention was suddenly drawn to some... ... »
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Anyone who experienced the Japanese trains has a story to tell... There are hundreds of stories about the punctuality, the speed or the cleanness of the Japanese trains. Nevertheless, what makes the Japanese trains so different? Of ... »
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The Great Buddha from Kamakura (Daibutsu) represents the Amida Buddha (in Japanese Amida Nyorai), the Buddha of the Infinite Light, the main Deity of the Buddhist Sect Jodo (Pure Land). Actually, Buddha is not a name, but a ... »
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If we compare the Tokyo's tallest buildings with the skyscrapers from other countries, most probably they won't impress much: the tallest building from Tokyo is only the 145th in the world, with a height of 248 meters (the tallest ... »
Read more » 77 comments » 24 Nov: Children's Mikoshi
For me, a Mikoshi parade is always a source of joy. I participated at several parades and, every time, I met happy and friendly people, many smiled at me, some of them posed for photos and some of them tried to explain to me, with pride, ... »
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Shichi-Go-San ( 七五三 - seven-five-three ) is a festival marking a Japanese traditional rite of passage for 3 and 7 year-old girls and 3 and 5 year-old boys. Because it is not a national holiday, it is held on the ... »
Read more » 28 comments » 06 Nov: Japanese Yukata Photo-essay
In Japan, old and new are joined not only in architecture, but also in the dressing style. One of the main aspects I love about Japan is the fact that it is one of the few modern countries where the traditional dressing is still ... »
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I think that the best place to admire Yokohama from high above is from the heights of the Yokohama Landmark Tower. ] [/lightbox] Click on photo for higher resolution: If the weather is good the landscape is stunning, and you can ... »
Read more » 47 comments » 23 Oct: Japanese garden photowalk - Tsurugaoka Hachimangu ponds
One of the most beautiful places in Kamakura is the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, built in 1180 by Minamoto no Yoritomo, the first shogun of the Kamakura Shogunate. There are a lot of interesting things to be said about this ... »
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In the old time in Japan, it was a custom for wealthy families to donate horses to shrines, as part of the invocations and a sign of respect for kami. In time, this practice changed, first the donations became horse statues and finally ... »
Read more » 44 comments » 09 Oct: The pirate ships from Hakone
As a child, I was fascinated by adventure books with explorers and pirates and I was dreaming of sailing away... I know, it's unusual for a girl, but I even learned some sailing and navigation terms. So, when I visited Hakone, I ... »
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The first maid cafe (メイドカフェ, Meido kafe) in Akihabara, the coffee shops where the waitresses are dressed as maids, appeared 11 years ago. In time, they become one of the Akihabara ... »
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A photowalk through the amazing Japanese garden inside the Hasedera Temple from Kamakura. It's an oasis of peace and silence... so I'll let the following 14 photos to speak for themselves: O plimbare foto prin superbă ... »
Read more » 46 comments » 02 Sep: Good Bye, Gundam!
The time has come to say Good Bye to the life-size Gundam statue from Odaiba! For now, it is unknown what will be the fate of the statue after dismantling. I hope that after some time we will see it again, somewhere. Click on photo ... »
Read more » 50 comments » 17 Aug: 30 detailed Gundam photos
Finally, the time has come to visit Odaiba and, of course, the Gundam. Many photos were published until now (my favorites are shibuya246's), but the modelist in me wasn't satisfied yet... I wanted more details! I took a lot of ... »
Read more » 17 comments » 06 Jul: Customs and traditions of Japan - Travel impressions from last years Tanabata
I like Japanese festivals, Buddhist and Shinto alike, they transpose me into their magical world, with kami, supernatural beings and romantic stories, they make me see the world with child's eyes and enjoy simple things. Perhaps the ... »
Read more » 62 comments » 20 Jun: Travel tips for visiting Tokyo
When I make plans for holiday, in addition to maps and data about the places I wish to visit, I always search travel tips and information about discounts for tourists. After accommodation and meals, I spend the most on ... »
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Not infrequently, events I couldn't control and that messed up my tight schedule, where more good than bad. An event like this happened on my first visit to Meiji Jingu, when a strong rain caught me, probably not by accident, ... »
Read more » 31 comments » 04 May: Customs and traditions of Japan - Tango no Sekku (5th May)
As the girls have the Hina Matsuri on March 3rd, the boys have their own festival, Tango no sekku, on May 5th, which was designated as a National holiday, Kodomo no hi (Children's Day), in 1948. A TV recording from the last years ... »
Read more » 5 comments » 20 Apr: A Summer Night at Sensoji
During my first visit in Tokyo, I stayed at a hotel in Asakusa. Arriving early, after I left my luggage at reception, until the hour when I could check-in the room, I took a walk in the area, eager to see the places I have ... »
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11 Mar: 25 Sakura Songs, 22: Rythem - Sakura Uta 
25 Sakura Songs: Rythem - Sakura ... »
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09 Mar: A Photo Visit to Hongaku-ji Temple 
At less than half a kilometer south-east of Kamakura Station, you can visit one of the most ... »
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08 Mar: Give a Name to a Shinkansen! 
I wrote 3 months ago about the launch of the new Shinkansen E5 series, a new train which will begin ... »
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06 Mar: A Japan Photo per Day - An Invitation to the Osteria 
Human billboard advertising in Ikebukuro, Tokyo Nikon D90 Lens: 18-70mm F/3.5-4.5G Focal ... »
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05 Mar: The Japanese Officer - 30 Years in War Mission 
36 years ago, on March 9 1974, Lieutenant Hiroo Onoda, from the Japanese Imperial Army ... »
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01 Mar: Sayonara Shinkansen 500 - The Retirement of a Champion 
Not long ago, I wrote about the reduced lifespan of Japanese trains, approx. 15 years (7 ... »
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26 Feb: A Japan Photo per Day - A Rickshaw Ride and... a Photo 
Rickshaw ride in Asakusa, Tokyo Nikon D90 Lens: 18-70mm F/3.5-4.5G Focal Length: ... »
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