Why is Aizuwakamatsu Known as The Samurai City?

It’s a bold claim, but what happened here completely rewrote the trajectory of the warrior class in Japan and Japanese society as a whole. Let’s explore its fabled history together!

Hideyo Noguchi Sites in Fukushima

Hideyo Noguchi is one of the scientific masters of Japan, and his birthday is November 9th! His achievements were so important and revered in Japan that he adorns the 1000 yen bill (although, that will change in the future). He was born in Inawashiro, Fukushima, and both in his hometown and nearby Aizuwakamatsu are some […]

The Soul in Your Butt, According to Japanese Legend

Yes, you heard that correctly. This one was brought to my attention after watching a lore video about the popular game Elden Ring. This lead me down a series of twists and turns I was not anticipating, and neither will you!

Must-Eats in Nagoya: Ogura Toast and Tebasaki Chicken Wings

Nagoya has a bit of a boring reputation (there’s even an entire website dedicated to debunking this notion, to which I am very grateful). If you do find yourself without much to do in Nagoya, why not eat two iconic treats from the city?

Higashi Chaya and Nishi Chaya Geisha Districts of Kanazawa

Most people know about Gion, the famous Geisha district in Kyoto, but are there any others out there? Well, there’s a hidden gem of a city, Kanazawa, that has not one, not two, but three surviving Geisha districts! We went to the two larger ones, the West and East Tea Districts, to check out the […]

Why Are Japanese Schools So… English?

If you come to Japan, or if you’ve watched any school-based anime, you probably know what I’m getting at here: There are a few sights and sounds in Japan that they took directly from the English. From sailor uniforms to a familiar school jingle, Japan owes a lot of its iconic school culture to England.

Goshuin: Temple Stamp Books

Listen, Japan loves paper. It is a very tactile country, and you can find many examples of this all across the culture. One such is the pervasiveness of stamps: You can get stamps from train stations, collect them from special events, and find them on special pedestals in museums. The granddaddy of them all, quite […]

Tabi: Traditional Japanese Socks

Are you a person who shudders at the sight of someone wearing socks with sandals? Well, I have some bad news for you: That is pretty common in Japan, but it isn’t a new development. Socks have been worn with sandals for hundreds of years, and Japanese socks have been honed and perfected by craftsmen […]

Kaga-Yuzen: Kimono Painting in Kanazawa

Did you know there are three big Kimono styles in Japan? The first, of course, is the old capital of Kyoto, and the second is the new capital of Tokyo. What is the third? Kanazawa, the hidden gem on the northern coast! They are renowned for their kimono painting technique, Kaga-Yuzen, and we got to […]

Bingata: Okinawan Coral Prints

Okinawa has a rich and unique island culture that makes it stand apart from other prefectures in Japan. Once its own kingdom, it brought many of its cultures and crafts into the Japanese consciousness, including its own styles of dyeing cloths known as Bingata.