Millions of Japanese all over Japan start their day with Rajio Taiso, or Radio Calistenics. It is something almost every Japanese person has participated in, and everyone in Japan is familiar with it. In 1928, the program started broadcasting on radio. And in 1957, it started broadcasting on television. Today, every morning at 6:30AM, the...Read More
In Hiroshima, it is called “okonomiyaki”. But everywhere else in Japan it is called “Hiroshimayaki” to differentiate it from the Osaka-style okonomiyaki. While there are similarities between the two, there are also differences. For those who do not know what okonomiyaki is, it can best be described as a savory pancake. Other than the basic ingredients...Read More
As with many words in Japanese, the word “onsen” (温泉) has different meanings. The two main meanings are either a hot spring, or a group of traditional inns and hotels that have been developed around a hot spring. For the purpose of this blog, we will use the latter meaning. Since it is a geothermally-active...Read More
The Kii-Katsuura port boasts the largest tuna catch in Japan. There are several reasons for this. The port is close to the Kuroshio ocean current. Because the port is deep and can easily accommodate the larger boats needed for tuna fishing, Kii-Katsuura is only one of two ports in Japan that receive tuna all-year. And...Read More
In Japan, we are so in love with cherry blossom flowers that we have used scientific technology to accurately determine what exact day these flowers will blossom in what area and what exact their petals will fall in what area. We are crazy about cherry blossoms! There are researchers and meteorologists who monitor the temperature...Read More
I am writing again about one of my favorite subjects: Japanese movies. One of my favorite Japanese movie series is Zatoichi, The Blind Swordsman. A total of 26 movies were made between 1962 and 1989, and 105 television shows were made between 1974 to 1979 making it the longest-running action series in Japanese history. Oddly...Read More
Nyuto Onsen is a collection of seven popular and remote hot spring inns, located in the Towada Hachimatai National Park in north-central Tohoku. The name Nyuto Onsen means “nipple hot spring” and comes from the suggestive shape of nearby Mount Nyuto. With a history of over 300 years, many of the springs were visited by...Read More
If you are looking for a unique souvenir for yourself from Japan, we recommend that you consider purchasing a “御朱印帳”, or “Red seal book”. You can use this to get unique, one-of-a-kind seals and calligraphy at temples and shrines. Or, you can bring a notebook for the many ink stamps you will find everywhere in...Read More
The Japanese love to create lists of different things. There are the Nihon Sankei (Three Scenic Views: Miyajima Island, Amanohashidate and Matsushima), the Nihon Sanmeien (Three great gardens: Korakuen, Korakuen and Kairakuen), the Hyakumeizan (100 great mountains), etc. Most lists contain the largest or greatest. But since Japan is a small country, I thought it might be interesting...Read More
Total Elevation Gain: 1,650 Feet (500 meters) Total Elevation Loss: 1,300 Feet (400 meters) Net Elevation Gain: 350 (100 meters) Total Distance: 8 1/4 Miles (13.2 kilometers) During the night it rained heavily, which meant one thing for today’s walk. It would be very humid. After having an excellent breakfast at the minshuku, I set...Read More
