Etegami is a Japanese folk art consisting of simple hand-painted drawings accompanied by a few apt words, and they are almost always done on postcards for quick and easy mailing. The basic concept has been around for a long time; the tradition of handmade New Years cards testifies to this. But the present day surge [...]

Once you have familiarized yourself with with the variety of options for getting around in Japan the next issue that you will need to tackle is how to find everything.  While finding English maps online is not impossible, it can be a challenge especially if you are nowt following a predetermined route from a guidebook [...]

No arms, no legs, but a well know symbol of good luck in Japan, Daruma dolls were first made over 300 years ago at a temple in Takasaki City, Gunma Prefecture in the likeness of Daruma, the Japanese name for Bodhidharma and the founder of Zen Buddhism who achieved enlightenment by staring at a blank [...]

A variety or rituals and rites are performed at Shinto shrine throughout Japan each year.  Many are associated with good luck, good health, prosperity and longevity.  Two such rites can be witnessed in Tokyo at the Torigoe Shrine on June 30th and July 1st. Chinowa Kuguri This tradition of passing through a straw or reed [...]

Got bad breath?  Get Gummi Mints! Save your love life, don’t gross out your date with your gaseous expulsions – she just might pass out from the egregious odors emanating from your mouth!  The inset cartoon on this ad speaks volumes and I can’t even read Japanese well enough to translate it for myself or [...]

Planning a trip to Japan or even travel within Japan is an exciting proposition that can easily get thrown into disarray once you are on the ground.  One of the most common questions that we are asked in the Japan Discovered! weekly tweetchat goes something like this:  “I have X days in Japan, can I [...]

The bright red Togetsu Bridge connects Oshima Island (sometimes referred to as Ojima Island) to the town of Matsushima in Miyagi Prefecture.  After crossing the short but stunning red bridge take some time explore the small island’s rocky terrain along winding paths that take you past more than fifty caves carved into the rock containing [...]

The decision on whether Tokyo will once again be honored as the host city of the Olympics is just a few months away.  On October 2nd, the Olympic bid committee will decide whether Tokyo will be chosen to host the Summer Olympics in 2016. The Summer Olympics were hosted by Tokyo in 1964 and is [...]

In the past week there has been some great food news for travelers to Japan and other developments that could be confusing for those concerned about the impact of their food choices on the environment. The good news is that for those travelers wanting to taste all of the great regional specialties in Japan a [...]

You may have though it was all bad news when you heard that Japan’s rainy season officially started this week but it’s doesn’t rain everyday and the weather is still relatively cool and pleasant – in fact it’s great sightseeing weather!    One of the best things to do this time of year is to take [...]