Sushi. The word alone conjures images of meticulously crafted nigiri, gleaming fish atop perfectly seasoned rice, and perhaps, a hushed, high-end restaurant experience. For many outside Japan, this is the primary lens…
Valentine’s Day, a holiday typically associated with romantic gestures in the West, takes on a decidedly different form in Japan. Here, the day is characterized by a unique tradition in which women…
It came as a surprising piece of news to many Japanese when Morioka secured the No. 2 spot on the New York Times’ 2023 list of 52 Places to Go. “Why Morioka?”…
” I can’t believe these pictures were shot in Japan!” One of my friends from Europe said. The Oki Islands encompass four inhabited and many uninhabited islands located in the Sea of…
I suppose “Urabandai” is still a hidden gem for foreign tourists. It is located in northern Fukushima, in the Tohoku Region, with an elevation of 800 m above sea level. About 3-hour…
Japanese wine is often talked about, such as when it was served to dignitaries at the Ise-Shima Summit. This all started in the Meiji era (1868-1912). Although its history is quite young,…