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Etiquettes and Behaviors Tokyo
52 Reviews Don't be daunted by the huge crowds using the trains in Tokyo. We have all seen how packed the trains are either in photos, in media, etc. No worries, they have a cool system! While there we have not...
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Visiting Temples and Shrines Kyoto
41 Reviews It's tradition but a lot of visitors of the temple miss this local custom! There is a covered fountain fronting the gate of the Ginkakuji Temple. The water fountain has a bamboo scooper where you...
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food & specialities Osaka
7 Reviews Our hotel room was included breakfast and when we checked in the receptionist ask if we want to have standard western breakfast or Japanese breakfast? Common, we have "normal" breakfast all over the...
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Tradition Tokyo
33 Reviews On a beautiful Saturday in March, we decided to visit General Nogi's house and its attached Shinto shrine. The General was a count who was involved in the battle for Port Arthur, losing many of his...
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Geisha and Maiko Kyoto
12 Reviews In Gion at a Geisha bar. Again, this was only possible via an introduction. The Geisha were more sophisticated than the Maiko. They focused on the male members of our party. I asked a friend who often...
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etiquettes / behaviors Osaka
9 Reviews In the streets you will at some places see trees that are lighted at night, that looks quite funny and romantic. It has nothing to do with christmas, because we had been there in March. We had 3...
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People Tokyo
32 Reviews Vending machines seem to be in breeding overdrive in Japan. I heard one source say there were over six million and still going strong. I think they would only work in a society that is on the whole...
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Language Kyoto
7 Reviews The Kyoto dialect (Kyo-kotoba) is quite distinct from standard Japanese and other dialects. Because it developed in the ancient capital, the feeling it gives Japanese people when they hear it is one...
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culture & history Osaka
11 Reviews There are many interesting classes you can take in a wide range of traditional Japanese arts and crafts. Such things as ikebana (flower arranging), traditional dance, taiko drumming, tea ceremony,...
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Speak / Learn Japanese (Nihongo) Tokyo
10 Reviews When in Tokyo I tried to learn Japanese. I had a Japanese textbook in Russian and I understood that it wasn't so difficult as we used to think. Very soon I could write my name and surname in...
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Public Restrooms Kyoto
5 Reviews Most of the bathrooms in Japan (just the local ones not those in luxury hotels and upclass shopping malls), are not equipped with papertowels to wipe hands. By having a wash cloth in your pocket will...
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language Osaka
4 Reviews OSAKA DIALECT: Osakaben is a special dialect spoken by the people of Osaka. Some of the commonly used terms are as follows:mo-karimakka Hi! How are you doing? ohayo-okaeri Have a nice day! o-kini...
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Infrastructures Tokyo
18 Reviews Most guides will advise buying Yen before you go to Japan to cover initial expenses but then buying more once there as there is a better exchange rate in the country itself. You also avoid the...
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Gardens Kyoto
7 Reviews Maruyama Park, at the eastern end of Shijo-dori, behind the Yasaka Shrine, becomes a busy and festive place in spring. The many cherry trees there are a riot of blossom and centre-stage stands a giant...
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castle Osaka
2 Reviews The old classic Japanese construction and architecture is obvious very local. However, OSaka is very large business modern city, there is not much about temples and history to see with the exception...
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Religion Tokyo
19 Reviews Before visiting a shrine in Japan, you should purify your body. Here, at the Meiji Shinto Shrine, you should take a ladel of water, swish it around in your mouth, and spit it out, preferably not into...
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Festivals Kyoto
4 Reviews Gion Matsuri is held annually in Kyoto and is probably one of the most famous festival in all of Japan. It is on during the entire month of July and the Yama-boko Junkō, which is the parade with...
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Street Scene Tokyo
19 Reviews I was intrigued to see some workers reinstalling the stanchions around planting beds. I had to take a photograph of the stanchions, because they struck me as quintessentially Japanese -- an attention...
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Have you ever seen this before? Tokyo
14 Reviews The Japanese obsession with automation, astronomical land prices and sense or order all come together when you look at car parking. There are a good number of these giant vending-type machines all...
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Japanese Style Room / House Tokyo
1 Review If you get the chance, there is nothing that beats putting up a night at a traditional inn or RYOKAN. There are quite a few within Tokyo city, but those that offer better facilities and a more...
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These differ depending on the part of the country, varying from the traditional ones to fairs.The fairs tend to have plenty of good food and drink at cheap prices and a bit of entertainment.I always enjoy checking these out, particularly the eating and drinking side of things.
We took the high speed bullet train from Narita to Tokyo. The interior was like a airplane only with larger seats. When two of the bullet trains pass one and other at speed, looking out of the window was like watching a movie. You could see right through the passing train and make out details in the station. The trip back by train took less time than driving.
About 70% of Japanese weddings are conducted in Shinto style.The next most common are those conducted in Christian style, followed by Buddhist-style welding.Most couples do not associate their chosen style of wedding with a religious faith.In olden times the wedding ceremony was held in husband home.Ceremonies in shrines became common in the Meiji period(1868-1912).Christian-style ceremony in churches are usually open only to Christians, but recently some churches admit couples who have taken classes on Christianity.Hotels and wedding halls have facilities for both Shinto-style and Christian-style ceremonies where Shinto priests and ministers come to preside over the ceremonies.After the ceremony, commemorative photos are taken and wedding receptions are held.A wedding reception is an event to make couple’s marriage public, to which friends and acquaintances are invited.
Geta are a form of Japanese footwear that resembles both clogs and flip-flop.They are a kind of sandal with an elevated wooden base held onto the foot with a fabric thong. They are worn with traditional Japanese clothing such as kimono or yukata, but also with Western clothing during the summer months.
Ukiyo-e is a genre of Japanese woodblock print and paintings produced between the 17th and the 20th centuries, featuring motifs of landscapes, actors, the everyday lives of common people, and licensed entertainment quarters.Hokusai is best-known as author of the woodblock print series Thirth-six Views of Mt.Fuji, which includes the iconic and internationally-recognized print, The Great Wave off Kanagawa.
Golden Week is a vacation that begins at the end of April and lasts until the beginning of May.Many national holidays are concentrated together during this week.In the case of in 2007, this is from April 29 to May 06.
If you visit a Japanese house or even some restaurants you will have to don your shoes. Better make sure you wash your feet and wear good socks. As well, don’t be surprised if you see Japanese people walking around barefoot in a restaurant. It’s a little gross, but they don’t seem to mind.
Taking off your shoes and instead putting on slippers is a custom as old as Japan. And is the custom in all Japanese homes, temples, shrines, many hospitals and small offices, schools, restaurants, etc. All shoes worn outside are taken off at the entrance called "genkan" and you are provided your own guest slippers to be worn inside. These slippers however are removed before entering the tatami room, the traditional Japanese room where the floor is covered with a number of tightly woven straw mats used for sleeping at night or for a traditional ceremony like a tea ceremony.There are special slippers designated for use while in the toilet room. This is also a signal that the toilet is occupied.
Urishi-nuri is a Japanese traditional craft that is the exquisite lacquer ware.The most famous lacquer ware is Wajima-nuri, that producing in Wajima Ishikawa-ken.Using handmade tools the Kijishi prepares the wooden bases for the Togishi, who duplicate with amazing accuracy the desired shapes.The Nushi then lacquers these wooden bases repeatedly until achieving a finish worthy of the name of Wajima-nuri.The lacquer base is finally enhanced with ornamental work done by the Makieshi.The process bestows Wajima-nuri object with a finish and durability admire throughout the world.
Miko are young female attendants at Shinto shrines. They are often the daughters of the priest who presided over a given shrine. Roles of Miko included performing in ceremonial dances and assisting priests in various ceremonies, especially weddings. You can meet a Miko at many Shinto shrines.
Park Hyatt Tokyo Tokyo
7 Reviews and 328 Opinions Most memorable
Hotel Granvia Kyoto Kyoto
6 Reviews and 478 Opinions We stayed 3 nights at Kyoto Granvia Hotel from Feb. 27 to Mar 1, 2008. We paid Yen 17,600 per night,...
Dotonbori Hotel Osaka Osaka
7 Reviews and 88 Opinions I've personally stayed in this hotel twice in my previous 2 trips to Osaka. Famous for their...
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Q: Toyoko Inn Club Card - I read that the price for this membership card is 1500yen. When is the expiration for this card for...
A: Generally the price of the room listed on the website should be the price of the room, at least for Japanese hotels. I can't guarantee it though. Booking.com may add...
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