The Danjiri Matsuri (float festival) in Osaka started in 1703. The festival was created by the Lord of Kishiwada Castle…
Within the music world of Japan, there are two acts that have gone down in history as legends and continue…
Eiheiji, 'The Temple of Eternal Peace', is one of the two most important temples of the Soto Zen School. It…
It can be difficult to choose which shrine to visit in Japan because there are so many interesting ones to…
When someone comes to Japan for the first time, the contrast or the great cultural differences that exist between Japan…
Koyasan is a center of Buddhist study and practice, located in the northeastern part of Wakayama Prefecture. It is surrounded…
Whether you are in a large city like Tokyo or in a small village in the countryside, a Shinto shrine…
The turning point for the city of Edo, actually for all of Japan, was the arrival of Commodore Matthew Perry's…
While Japan's first main religion is Shinto, the second main religion is Buddhism. How did Buddhism come to Japan, and…
Shinto has been the main religion in Japan since ancient times, centering on the ideas of Japanese intimacy with nature…
Throughout the year there are many lively festivals, or matsuri, that are held throughout Japan. Which festivals are considered the…
Japanese ceramics and lacquerware are very popular household goods throughout the world. Find out more about these wonderful crafts from…
It was in the 14th century that Ikebana arose in Japan when people started arranging the flowers that they offer…
Naha is usually the first place tourists see in Okinawa after touching down in the archipelago. It's a great place…
Tono City in Iwate is not on the tourists' Golden Route in Japan, but if you love horses or folk…
Tsumago is one of the most popular old post towns to visit on the Nakasendo Trail because it is so…
Magome was a post town on the Nakasendo Route, which is one of the five routes that connected Edo with…
Declared a UNESCO world heritage site in 1995, Shirakawago is best known for its traditional farmhouses in the thatched-roof style…
is a town of old wooden houses standing side-by-side, highlighted by projecting lattice and eaves of uniform height, and it…
The preserved canal town of Kurashiki is a great place to visit if you want to be transported back in…