Moving west, we come to Ehime Prefecture, which is also a part of the Shikoku region. Aoshima might be the most sparsely populated of Japan’s Cat Islands, with just 15 permanent residents compared to ...

The Edo Period (also called the Tokugawa Era) spans from 1603 to 1868 and saw the emergence of popular figures that all lovers of Japanese culture know well: samurai, geisha, kabuki actors, etc. One ...

While there are hundreds to choose from, we’ve selected 10 anime that use fascinating and unique real-life settings worthy of visiting! We’ve also ensured a balance of locations across Japan, so you ...

A parallel with okama referring to a "girly" man, another kitchen tool is used for tomboys: onabe, which means cooking pot. Initially, this term was used for female prostitutes who dressed like men ...

Competitive auto racing has existed in Japan since the 1920s, but it wasn't until the Tamagawa Speedway was opened in 1936 that the sport had a permanent, dedicated track. Soichiro Honda, who would ...

Human activity in Japan is estimated to trace back to around 30,000 B.C. While little is known of Japan’s earliest inhabitants, thanks to the introduction of Chinese writing in the fifth century, we ...

Almost all of Japan’s warlords took sides, and participated in the battle preparations. In fact, the Battle of Sekigahara is known as the largest battle in Japan’s feudal history, with an estimated ...

As I walked toward the center of the cascading waterfalls, severe coldness gripped my feet, and the rhythmic chants of a Shinto priest disappeared under the sounds of torrents pounding the rocky ...

More than just a veranda, the engawa is an extension of living space that connects us to the outdoors that literally lets us breathe. Many cultures have porches, verandas, or balconies, all of which ...

Although you probably don’t have the image of island nation Japan as the home of any large dangerous animal, there are in fact two species of bear living here. The Asiatic black bear or “moon bear” as ...

During the Meiji Period (1868–1912), soon after the advent of rail travel in Japan, the first ekiben (train station bento) were sold and subsequently popularized as the industrial rail boom spread ...

Japanese society is often concerned with relative status in social relationships. Obviously, higher-ranking employees are considered higher status, but so are guests, those with more experience and ...