Either way let us not get side tracked and involved in such complicated topics as, per say, the differences between religion and mythology. In this article we are merely going to tackle some of the basics of the Shinto religion. So without any further ado, let’s get started!

Shintoism is the indigenous national religion of Japan. It is said to have been practiced since the beginning of times in the Land of the Rising Sun, and up to this day serves as a gateway which connects modern Japan with the ways and traditions of the past. Nevertheless, it is important to note, that Shinto in the form we know it today is not as old as you might think it is. In reality most of the beloved Shinto traditions practiced by Japanese people nowadays, such as hatsumode, matsuri, omaeri, etc., have been created during and after the Meiji Restoration in 1868.

When the 15-year-old boy was made into the Emperor of Japan, his court members needed more than just his bloodline to secure the throne. Since Buddhism was closely associated with the Tokugawa family, the family of shoguns (lit. general) who ruled over Japan for more than 200 years at this point, the new court decided to take the opposite direction and make Shinto the symbol of their new Emperor. Shinto, however, needed to get more refined before it could be represented to the public, hence the introduction of new festivities, novel traditions and so on.

Despite this, Shinto has old roots, which might be as old as Japanese people. It has interesting theologies and legends. Shinto literally means ‘the way of the gods’. Shinto belief is that gods are present everywhere, they live in every rock, tree or flower. This is why there are thousands over thousands of gods in Shinto. Shinto philosophies talk about life and existence, Shinto beliefs are beautiful and very encouraging. Let us go through several interesting facts about Shintoism.

1. Shintoism is old. The first records about it have been made in the 8th century AD. However, at this point Shintoism wasn’t presented as a unified religion, but rather as a set of beliefs and myths. After Buddhism was introduced to Japan, Shinto didn’t fade away. Just the opposite: in modern Japan Shinto and Buddhism are closely related and in a way complete each other.
2. The essence of the Shinto beliefs is the deification of nature. As I have already mentioned above, there is a spirit in literally everything. These spirits are called kami (lit. god).
3. Shintoism also includes elements of magic and totemism. One of the most beloved Shinto traditions is carrying a talisman, omamori. Originally these might have been used to protect one from hostile deities, but nowadays you can get one as a good luck charm for your studies, love life, marriage, work, exams and so on.
4. The primary goddess in Shinto is Amaterasu. She is the one who created the universe, and the Imperial Family bears her lineage. Amaterasu is the goddess of the sun.
5. The most important shrine in Shinto is Ise Jingu. As you might have guessed, it is dedicated to Amaterasu. It is actually a shrine complex and is visited by hundreds if not thousands of people on daily basis.
6. The essence of Shinto is purity. As a matter of fact, it is the purity of literally everything: spirit, body and even mind. This can be noticed in the way Japanese people live their lives even nowadays. The sick don’t visit the shrines, since sickness and malady are considered to be an impurity of body.
7. There are many Shinto holidays, but the most notable ones are the festivals – matsuri. Shinto holidays are accompanied by religious dances. Another custom of modern Japanese people is giving sacrifices to the shrine, more often than not in the form of cash.
8. The most important Shinto holiday is the arrival of a New Year, since it symbolises the beginning a new life as well as it announces the arrival of spring. Japanese people tend to visit shrines, pray, get good luck charms and pray for their success in the new year.
9. Shinto is a very national religion and is closely tied up with the identity of a Japanese person. This might be the reason for why Shinto hasn’t really spread outside the borders of Japan, when there are so many people who adore and love Japan and Japanese culture.
10. As a matter of fact, it is quite easy to grasp the concept of Shintoism. You just need to keep in mind that the dead member of a family will turn into a kami and protect his/her descendants from upcoming perils and hardships.
11. As I have already mentioned above, it is considered that the Emperor is a direct descendant to Amaterasu, thus he himself is said to be gods. Nevertheless, chances are a regular person will also turn into a kami after they pass away.

Shinto is an extremely interesting religion. The myths and legends surrounding each and every of the major deities are quite entertaining, They might even open your eyes up to new aspects of modern Japanese culture. If you are a fan of mythologies and plan on reading these Japanese tales, you should start reading the ones involving Amaterasu and Susanoo first.

Keep in mind, that these myths have not just survived centuries of neglect, but have managed to emerge in the right place at the right time.

I hope you enjoyed the article and will see you soon!

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Anyway, in this article I want to talk about different types of festivals. Those that actually take place in a jinja, the Shinto shrines. Here is a list of my favourite Japanese traditional festivals which are being celebrated all over the country.

Hatsumode – This is the first visit to the shrine at the beginning of every year. You don’t really have a set date, but people tend to make their hatsumode during the first week of January. A lot of people tend to go to the nearby shrine after midnight strikes on the night of the 31st of December. You will see a lot of yatai on your way to the shrine, and even inside the shrine (yatai are small booths where you can buy traditional Japanese food and drinks). You might want to try amazake, which is a sweet drink made of rice. Chances are you won’t like it, but it will heat you up during the cold winter night, plus it is traditionally being drunk during your first visit to the shrine.

During your visit make sure to pray to the god of the shrine and ask them for whatever it is you wish for happening during the year. The next thing you will need to do is draw an omikuji – a fortune-telling paper strip. You can get anything from a terrible curse to big luck. Nonetheless, it is an interesting experience, so make sure to give it a try if you’re in Japan during the New Year season.

Dontosai: Hadaka Matsuri – This particular festival is usually celebrated in Tohoku Region, but it is worth seeing. The largest ones are held in Sendai and Morioka. As the name suggests this festival includes bonfires and half-naked men. The bonfire has a special meaning. You get to burn the omamori (lit. good luck charm) that have already fulfilled their purpose in it. But the most interesting part is seeing the rite. Many boys, young men and even elderly gentlemen take part in the festival. However, they have to wash their bodies with ice-cold water before they can participate. Afterwards they put on special white boxers, straw belts and straw sandals. Recently women have also started taking part in the hadaka-mairi and they get to wear a white jacket. The final touch is a thin paper between the lips to prevent talking or teeth chattering.

Hadaka-mairi is a purification rite which has over 300 years of history. You can find similar hadaka matsuri in many other corners of Japan, however the one you will get to see in Sendai is unique and one of its kind.

Setsubun – This is an event held in celebration of spring. It is quite an interesting one too. Not only you get to eat special dishes, but the male head of the household performs the so called mamemaki. The father of the family will throw some beans outside the house or at a family member who is wearing the costume of an oni (demon). Then the words Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi! are being chanted. They literally mean “Demons out, luck in”. The event is especially beloved by children. This is another purification rite, which is supposed to drive away bad luck such as misfortune and bad health.

Seijin no Hi – This is something I wish other countries also celebrated. In Japan one comes to age when they turn 20. Many Westerners hold huge parties on their 20th birthday, and so did I. Unlike us though, Japanese people don’t really celebrate their birthdays with such a big flare. On Seijin no Hi all of those kids who are turning 20 during that year gather in their cities, have a ceremony, and afterwards hold massive celebrations. It is a fun day, and young men and women get to dress in traditional Japanese clothing called hakama.

Shichi Go San – This is another coming of age ceremony. It is held for boys who turn three and five years old and for girls who turn three and seven years old. The kids are also dressed into special type of kimono and hakama. They are taken to the shrines and afterwards photos are taken. The kids are also being given a red candy. Sometimes you might even see some children who are wearing Western attire. It is said that Shichi Go San finds its roots in Heian Period. Either way it is a sweet sight for one’s eyes.

Hina Matsuri – The event might be known to you as Doll’s Day or Girls’ Day. During this festival you will see many ornamental dolls in Japanese households which have daughters. The dolls are supposed to represent the Emperor and the Empress, but some might even represent attendants and court musicians. All of these dolls are wearing traditional Japanese court dresses. Since these dolls are quite expensive, they are usually passed down in the family. The whole point of the festival is to symbolically show the families good wishes and intentions for their daughters, such as health, luck and successful marriage.

Tanabata Matsuri – This is a festival of the stars. It is a nationwide festival. It symbolises the reunion of two lover stars who are only allowed to meet each other once in the year on this day. It is celebrated on the 7th of July in the whole country, except for Sendai.

Sendai Tanabata is actually quite famous. It is the most famous and the most lavishly celebrated tanabata event in the whole country. Believe me, Sendai Tanabata is definitely worth your visit. It is held every year from August 6-8. The city gets decorated in thousands of colourful streamers. In addition to the beautiful sights in downtown Sendai, usually a hanabi taikai, fireworks event, is held in the city as well.

This was a list of some of the most famous and worthwhile traditional festivals of Japan. Some of them might be harder to get an access to, but the trouble is worth it and I promise you will not regret it!

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We are going to divide Japanese history into several historical periods. Interestingly, most of the Japanese historical periods are named after the capital cities of the time. However, since the end of the 19th century the periods been named after the ruling emperor. For starters here is a list of the periods:

Classical Japan

Asuka/Early Japan (538–710)

Nara (710–794)

Heian (794–1185)

Medieval/Feudal Japan

Kamakura (1192-1333)

Muromachi-Ashikaga (1338-1573)

Azuchi-Momoyama (1573-1600)

Edo (1600-1868)

Modern Japan

Meiji (1868-1912)

Taisho (1912-1926)

Showa (1926-1989)

Heisei (1989-present)

In this article I am going to cover Japanese history until the Taisho period, which is the beginning of the 20th century. So without further ado, let us dive in!

One could argue that the first most important event in Japanese history is the ascension of the first god-emperor, Jimmu. According to the legends the current Japanese Imperial family originates from Jimmu himself. The first Emperor was no more no less but a descendant of Amaterasu, the goddess of sun. The legends and stories surrounding Jimmu and his ascension are extremely fascinating. Unfortunately, he is rarely remembered in modern Japan because of the associations that people started drawing with fascism. As you might have guessed this was a result of the Japanese using Shinto and Jimmu as a symbol for their nationalism during the WWII.

The following 100 years would conclude what the historians call the Early Japan or Asuka Period. The next era is known as Nara. During the Nara period Japan started prospering. Japan was bearing Chinese influences and it could be seen in literature, language, architecture and even religion. However, one of the most important things that happened during the Nara Period was the recognition of the Emperor as the central figure in the government. The Emperor also started to be interpreted as the leader of the indigenous Japanese religion, Shinto.

The third and final period of Classical Japan is known as Heian, named after the then capital Kyoto. During this period Japanese culture flourished. Arts became more refined and less dependent on their Chinese counterparts. The Emperor and most of the aristocracy spent their time writing uta (Japanese short poems commonly known as haiku or tanka), enjoying the beauties of nature and neglecting the politics. As a result, some of the best, and I cannot stress this enough, pieces of Japanese literature both in poetry and prose have been written during this period of Japanese history. However, the Emperor’s lack of interest towards politics and leadership led to a change in Japanese government, with the Emperor becoming merely a symbolic figure and the shogun holding the real power.

The above mentioned events lead us to Kamakura Period. The period is named after the military centre of the time. While the Emperor and his court were still situated in Kyoto, the real power was concentrating around the shogun, the military leader of the state. You could say that Kamakura period is responsible for the rise of the warrior class, the development of the samurai code of honour – Bushidō, and most importantly the infamous seppuku – a ritual act of suicide to protect one’s honour. The Kamakura Period also gave rise to Zen Buddhism since it could be applied perfectly to many samurai disciplines.

During Muromachi Period Japan’s political life fell into chaos and ordeal, which led to many gruesome wars and massacres. Nonetheless, despite the chaotic political situation, spiritual life and arts kept prospering under the influences of Zen. Tea ceremony – sadō, calligraphy – shodō, flower arrangements – kadō, and theatre peaked and reached their heights.

Azuchi-Momoyama Period was filled with fighting and endless wars, the most famous of them being the Ōnin War. The second half of Azuchi-Momoyama is widely known as the Era of the Warring States – Sengoku Jidai. You may recognize such names as Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu. These three are the men who have coined the history of Japan. Talking about each of them would take an unnecessarily long amount of time, thus we shall move on. It is just important to keep in mind that at this point in time, Japan had been in a political chaos for decades.

The following Edo/Tokugawa Period is famous for bringing over 200 years of lasting peace to the land and its people. The Tokugawas who became the ruling family in Japan and were named shogun, managed to reunify the country which was basically crumbling away from all of the endless fighting. Even though the Tokugawas brought peace to the country, they established a bakufu – a military state. Many new rules were introduced and most interestingly, the country closed its gates to the rest of the world, becoming a sakoku (lit. a closed country). However after 200 years, the ideologies started changing, and the foreign countries such as the USA came banging on the walls that Japan had built all over itself. The Edo Period came to a more or less bloody end in 1868 when the Shogunate in Edo/Tokyo fell. This was the beginning of the Meiji Restoration.

With the Shogunate collapsing, Japanese intellectuals, aristocrats and politically powerful people decided to bring back the glory of the ancient days and put the young 15-years old Emperor Meiji on the Chrysanthemum Throne. Meiji Period was in a sense an era of enlightenment for Japan. Schools started opening up all over the countries, first universities were established, a constitution was written, and so on. All in all life started prospering and shifting to Western standards. Even though Japan faced the Russo-Japanese War during the end of the Meiji Period, in general Emperor Meiji himself is highly revered and always addressed to with respect even in contemporary Japan.

This concludes my crush course on Japanese history. I decided to stop at the beginning of the 20th century, since otherwise we won’t have enough space to write it all down! Taisho and Showa are also very important periods of Japanese history, however each of them is too massive and extensive to be covered in a short article.

The last thing that I want to add is that Japan has not seen a war since the end of WWII. The Japanese were on the losing side and gave up their rights of maintaining an army. Nonetheless, this might have been the push that the country needed to move in the direction of industrialisation. Ever since Japan has become one of the largest manufacturers and economy’s in the world!

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Luckily for all of us though, there are plenty of things that you can enjoy in Tokyo and spend not even a penny on doing so! Here in this article we will try to explore all of the most interesting possibilities that Tokyo offers you, and nonetheless free of charge!

Here’s 17 things you can do in Tokyo for FREE!

1. The first thing that comes to mind is definitely Harajuku. To be more precise I’d say take a stroll through the famous Takeshita Street. This is very the modern youth fashion of Japan is concentrated. You will see many people who wear quite eccentric clothing, but that’s the beauty and charm of Harajuku.
2. If you end up in Harajuku, you definitely have to walk to Omotesando next. As the Japanese would say this is one of the oshare (fashionable) places in Tokyo. You will get to see many stores of high fashion, interesting cafes that are hidden in the narrow alleyways.
3. Go to the famous Shibuya crossing! This is the busiest crossing in the world and it is said that over a thousand people cross it during the peak hours. Besides you will get to see the statue of famous Hachiko. Just be prepared, this is probably the most crowded place you’ll ever be in your life!
4. Depending on the season of your visit you might get the chance to see a couple of festivals, from sakura viewing to fireworks and red leaves viewing. If your feet take you to any of these you will also be able to buy some traditional Japanese food from the yatai – booths which will be all over the place!
5. Visit shrines and temples. Most of these don’t have any entrance fees. Though keep in mind that in Buddhist temples you’re more likely to be asked to pay for entering the place, rather than not.
6. Talking about shrines, you should definitely visit Meiji Jingu. This place is dedicated to the late emperor Meiji and his empress. The place is also in a walking distance from  the above-mentioned Harajuku and Omotesando. The shrine is surrounded by a majestic garden which will make the whole experience quite mysterious.
7. You should also visit Asakusa, probably one of the most famous temples in Japan that has a gigantic entrance to it. On the way to the temple you will walk through narrow streets which bare resemblance to medieval Japanese streets.
8. A visit to Odaiba might be interesting. If you’re not scared of walking challenge yourself and walk over the Rainbow Bridge. You will get to see the beautiful sceneries of the Tokyo beaches.
9. If you are into otaku culture definitely visit Akihabara! Here you will meet many other otakus and will realise that in reality you aren’t one (that’s what happened to me haha). Here you will get to see huge screens that will show anime or idols singing. You might even run into actual idols singing somewhere on the streets. If you go into the stores you will see a lot of anime merchandise like figurines or cosplay.
10. You can take a stroll over Nihonbashi, a famous bridge which has been there since the 17th century. The district which grew around the bridge and bares the same name is the centre of business in Tokyo, in a way this is the Japanese Wall Street.
11. Take a walk down the Ameyoko Shopping Street which is very close to the Ueno station. This one is different from the above-mentioned Takeshita street, but you will still get to see many interesting shops.
12. You might also like to visit the Sunshine City, which is in Ikebukuro. It is a building complex consisting of 60 buildings, and even has an observatory! This place also often comes up in anime, so you might find the visit quite interesting!
13. Definitely visit the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building Observatories in Shinjuku! You will get to see an amazing scenery spread out in front of you: Tokyo and its parks, the Meiji Jingu, etc.
14. Visit Shimokitazawa. This is a small town in the Western parts of Tokyo, but it is very popular amongst the young people. Shimokitazawa is also famous for its many second hand shops, which sell very rare brand items.
15. Definitely visit Yokohama. It’s a bit far from the central districts of Tokyo, but believe me it’s worth your visit. Yokohama is one of Tokyo’s suburbs and is famous for a couple of things, like its access to the sea, as well as its Chinatown (Yokohama Chukagai). It’s the largest Chinatown in Japan. Here you can find many colourful streets, Chinese stores and restaurants.
16. While you’re visiting Yokohama, it might also be a great idea to visit Kamakura. Kamakura is famous for its large Buddha statue. Even though the entrance to the Buddhist temple will require you to pay a tiny amount of money, there is still a Shintoist shrine on the other side of the city, which is free of charge.
17. Visit parks! Tokyo is famous for being a green city. And indeed there are many parks worth your time! A couple of famous ones are Yoyogi park, Hibiya Park, Roppongi West Park, but there are so many more!

As I have already mentioned above, Tokyo is an expensive city. One would expect this from a megapolis. But then again the city also offers you many cheap or even free alternatives of having fun and enjoying the Japanese culture. If you follow the list I gave you in this article, I assure you that you will not only have a full schedule on your hands, but also will get to see some of the most visited places in Tokyo. Fun doesn’t always have to cost you a fortune, now does it?

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However, despite having a lot to offer to the tourists, the tourism in Tohoku has died down in the past eight years. To be more precise this happened since early 2011, when an earthquake and tsunami hit the Eastern shores of Northern Japan. The earthquake and tsunami were devastating for coastal regions. However, it didn’t end with just an earthquake and a tsunami. These in their turn caused the Fukushima nuclear power plant to have a meltdown. All in all the situation was drastic and these events have made Tohoku into a place that most tourists simply don’t consider visiting, be it because of the fear of radiation or even earthquakes and tsunami.

Tohoku has become a home to me for the past two years, it has been kind to me, welcomed me and in this article I want to show that Tohoku is not a scary place at all, it is a region filled with so much history, kind and sincere people and of course, delicious food!

Miyagi prefecture

Sendai, one of the major cities in Japan is located in Miyagi prefecture. Here you can find remains of the Aoba castle, which belonged to Date clan. Date Masamune is famous for helping the Tokugawa come to rule. You can also visit an old Shinto shrine named Oosaki Hachiman-gu. It is probably the most important shrine in all of Tohoku. The city is also where Tohoku University is. The university has a long history as a former Imperial University, it is the second best in Japan right now and it houses over a 1500 foreign students.
In Miyagi you can find the world-famous kitsune mura (fox village). Here you can see the foxes run around and if you’re lucky, even get to hug the cubs.
Nearby the fox village is a place called Akiu. Akiu is famous for its onsen – hot springs.

Fukushima prefecture

While the idea of going to Fukushima might seem frightening because of the nuclear meltdown in 2011, let me reassure you: the affected areas are closed down to public, hence you will be safe unless you do something irrational. The Aizuwakamatsu city is definitely worth your visit if you are in Tohoku. Not only because the city has some pretty scenery, but also because a historically vital castle named Tsuruga is situated in the city.

Akita prefecture

Akita prefecture is famous in Japan for its Akita bijin, in other words, beautiful people. Akita is also famous for the Akita breed of dogs. The prefecture will also allow you an access to the Japanese sea. I personally prefer the Pacific shore of Japan, but this is also an interesting experience.
Nonetheless, this prefecture too has a historically important castle called Kakunodate. The region also has many well-preserved samurai houses. It is worth adding, that the surrounding areas of the castle are favoured spots for flower-viewing, hanami.

Yamagata prefecture

The prefecture is famous for its soba (a type of noodles). Yamagata city also hosts more than a hundred years old building called Bunshokan which was a political centre in early Meiji era.
What makes a visit to Yamagata unique, however, is an old temple called Yamadera. It is located on the top of a mountain and you will have to go up for about 1000 stairs to get to the temple. The view from the top is stunning, and it’s totally worth the hike!

Iwate prefecture

It must be noted that Iwate is the second largest prefecture in Japan, following Hokkaido, which by the way is a totally separate island. While there are many onsen, ski resorts and other interesting places worth visiting in Iwate, I would like to direct your attention to Chusonji, a temple in Hiraizumi. The temple is a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
It is also worth visiting the so called Geibi-kei, a two kilometer gorge where you can take a boat trip and bask in the beauty of waterfalls, caves and impressive rocks.

Aomori prefecture

This is the Northernmost prefecture on the Honshu island. And it is very cold in winter. But with all the cold, Aomori is famous for its apples. These sell at very high prices in all of the Japan, but their taste is incomparable to any other apple you’ve ever had.
Apples aside, though, the prefecture is famous for… surprise-surprise… another castle! Hirosaki castle might not be as old as the ones mentioned above, but it still is one of the most interesting and well-preserved castles in whole of Japan. It is also famous for its surrounding gardens.

These are simple some of the most famous touristic sites in the region of Tohoku, but believe me when I say that Tohoku is worth a visit. It has a lot to offer and you, my friend, will not be disappointed, I can assure you of that!

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Nonetheless, let’s leave the trials of a chef struggling abroad behind us and take a look at some iconic dishes of Japanese cuisine.

It is a pity to say that most people can’t really think of anything except sushi and maybe ramen (noodles) as Japanese cuisine. Why is it a pity, you ask? Well, because Japanese cuisine is so much more. And below we shall see what exactly!

Miso Soup

Let’s start simple. Miso soup is usually served for breakfast. However, it goes really well with dinner too. Miso is a Japanese traditional seasoning, which is prepared from soybeans. I personally like it with almost everything I have for dinner. It fits perfectly with sushi, fried fish, fried chicken, pretty much every dish you can think about. Oh and by the way, it’s an amazing remedy for a hangover! It should also be noted, that in past Japanese men used to propose to their girlfriends by asking them the following question: “Can you cook miso soup for me every day?” Well, cute isn’t it? This also shows the standing of miso soup in Japanese households.

Tonjiru

Another famous soup in Japanese cuisine. It is prepared with pork, vegetables and miso. It is similar to miso soup, yet also different. Tonjiru tends to be more substantial. You can replace everything I said above about miso soup with tonjiru, and the point would still stand.

Onigiri

This is also a simple dish, well a rice ball really. But there are so many types of onigiri. They can contain nothing, and on the other hand they can contain meat, fish, chicken, vegetables, you name it. Onigiri can even be grilled, and that my friends is a treat out of this world. Simple as it may be, onigiri is still one of the most beloved and common foods in Japan. You can find onigiri in every supermarket and/or convenience store you enter.

Tempura

Even though originally a Portuguese dish, tempura has been adapted by Japan and is now one of the most delicious things Japan can offer. It is mainly made from seafood and vegetables that have been deep fried.

Curry Rice

Well, as the name suggests this is a curry dish. Curry is a common food in Asia, from all the way in India to Korea and Japan. However, there is a strict distinction in the curry that’s served in each of those countries. Curry rice is one of the most famous and beloved dishes in Japan. It’s easy to make, it lasts for a couple of days and it’s extremely delicious!

Okonomiyaki

The amazing dish is very popular all over Japan, yet it famously tastes its best in Kansai and Hiroshima. It is worth mentioning that these two regions make it differently. To put it simply okonomiyaki is a grill of different vegetables, however the Hiroshima version also includes grilled noodles.

Soba

Talking about noodles… Japanese noodles don’t just limit themselves to ramen. Soba is one of the most beloved dishes in Japan. It is usually served with tempura, can be eaten both warm and cold, and both versions taste amazing. These particular noodles are prepared from buckwheat flour.

Udon

Another famous type of noodles would be udon. Udon noodles are generally thicker than that of soba and ramen. It can be served with or without soup. My favourite, however, is curry udon. Definitely worth a try. The udon noodles are made from wheat flour.

Oyakodon

The name of this dish in literal translation mean “parent and child bowl”. Well, as the name suggests it is a dish made of chicken and eggs upon a bowl of rice. While the name can leave to hope for better, the dish itself is absolutely delicious, so make sure to give it a shot.

Yakitori

The name literally translates to “grilled chicken”. You can go to many yakitori restaurants, or even order some in traditional Japanese bars called izakaya. The grilled chicken will be served on skewers called kishi in Japan. You can order different parts of chicken and even chicken skin, which believe me is so much more delicious than you can ever imagine.

Yakiniku

Yakiniku is not just a dish, it can be considered a ceremony. You can make it at home, of course, but if you want to experience the whole spirit of yakiniku than you should go to a specialised restaurant. To put it simply, yakiniku is grilled meat. But the best part is that you get to grill it yourself. The meat is not limited to beef only, so you can order chicken, pork and so on. Just beware, you’re probably going to smell like grilled food after you leave the restaurant!

Yakisoba

Well, since we are talking about all the grilled stuff, I thought that it would be worth mentioning yakisoba too. As you might have already guessed from the name, this is grilled noodles. The dish can be prepared at home, but it’s mostly famous for being served at yatai (food stalls) during Japanese festivals, such as hanami (flower viewing), hanabi (fireworks) and so on.

Takoyaki

Since we are talking about yatai, let’s mention takoyaki. This is more a snack rather than a full dish, but it is very famous all over Japan. Basically, takoyaki is ball-shaped and contains octopus. The snack is beloved and you might even be invited to tako-pa, in other words takoyaki party, where all you do is cook and enjoy takoyaki with your friends.

Oden

Personally for me, oden is a blessing during cold Japanese winters. The dish is served in convenience stores during the winters and can be obtained very easily. What is oden though? Even though the dish may vary a bit from region to region, in general it is a hot pot containing boiled eggs, daikon (radish) and konjac.

Shabu shabu

Shabu shabu can be enjoyed during the warm seasons too, but in my opinion it’s best to be had during winter. I personally see shabu shabu as a better variation of yakiniku (even though the two dishes don’t really have much to do with each other, except that they contain meat). Just like yakiniku it’s better to have your shabu shabu in a specialised restaurant, and just like yakiniku you get to prepare it yourself. Except this time you boil the meat and vegetables.

Sukiyaki

Talking about winter dishes, it would be blasphemous not to mention sukiyaki. This too, is a hot pot quite similar to shabu shabu. However, the dish is customarily eaten during winter. It usually consists of beef and vegetables and is slowly cooked with soy sauce. Sukiyaki may also be served during celebrations and gatherings.

This is merely the tip of the iceberg, but the list should give you a general idea of what to try when in Japan. Japanese cuisine is unique, a bit extravagant and probably quite unusual for Westerners, but believe me it’s worth the try!

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The tourism in Japan usually reaches its peak in April and May, which is when the sakura (cherry blossom) blossom. Even though sakura are one of the main attractions of Japan, it would be unfair to say that the country loses its charms in the remaining seasons of the year. There are things unique to only Japan during each season. As I already said, in spring it’s the sakura, in summer it’s the matsuri (festivals) and the hanabi (fireworks) and in autumn it’s the momiji (red leaves). All of these sound pretty exciting, no? Well, that’s because they really are. I have had the opportunity to experience all of the above mentioned more than twice, and I must say, you can never get enough of it.

But these leaves the question: What can I do in Japan in winter? And in this article I am going to give you the answer for this question.
It should be noted that Japan is very cold during winter, especially in the Northern parts of the country. But believe me the cold is not a good reason to say no to all of the exciting things that one can do in Japan during a winter trip.

In this article I’m mostly going to concentrate on the Northern regions of Japan, since you get plenty of snow here, hence you have the chance to enjoy Japanese winter at its best.

• As you might already know, one of the best things about a trip to Japan is getting your body warmed up in an onsen (hot springs). In winter you can do this while it’s snowing all around you and you are basically surrounded by snow. The experience is out of this world and it brings out the best qualities of a rotenburo (outdoor open air onsen).
• Japan also offers a great amount of possibilities of going skiing or skateboarding in winter. You can find many ski resorts all over Tohoku and Hokkaido regions.
• Japanese cuisine is very famous all over the world. Unfortunately, to many people the idea of Japanese cuisine is limited to only sushi and ramen. While this is not the case and a whole separate article would not suffice to convey the amazing qualities of Japanese cuisine, it is worth noting, that there are some amazing dishes which are supposed to be enjoyed during winter. Good examples would be sukiyaki and nabe. While you can take pleasure in eating shabu-shabu during any other season of the year as well, the hot dish will seem even more delicious during winter.
• While the Northern regions of Japan may seem like the best place for a winter trip, the rest of the country also offers some amazing sights. Kyoto, the city of many temples and shrines, the old capital of Japan, shines in its beauty even during the cold winter days. One of the most famous temples, Ginkaku-ji, is extremely beautiful while covered in snow. The contrast of gold and white is astonishing.
• Valentines day! On this day girls buy or make chocolate/chocolate cakes to give them to their loved ones, friends and dear people in general. A lot of love confessions take place on this exact day and many couples start out on Valentine’s. Since the holiday is centered on giving chocolate away, Japanese stores start selling some amazing assortment of chocolate all over the country.
• There are many more things to do in Japan during February, but at the top of it all is the yuki matsuri in Sapporo. The name translates to ‘snow festival’, and as you might have guessed it involves a lot of snow! The city is being decorated by snow and ice figures, sculptures and structures. Some of those are really amazing and impressive, for example, castles and dragons! And the best part about it is that you can enjoy all of these while eating some traditional Japanese food, which you can buy from the yatai (food stalls).

As you can see, winter in Japan is by all means a very entertaining season! The country has so many many things to offer to both its inhabitants and tourists. I promise you, you will not be bored in Japan during winter season. In addition to this, by being surrounded with all of these exciting activities you won’t even feel or notice the cold. I do hope you enjoy your holidays in Japan this February!

The post Things to do in Japan this February appeared first on Japaniverse Travel Guide.

Yet the country is quite large and the touristic spots worth visiting are countless. Even one’s lifetime may not be enough to explore the whole country. Most Japanese themselves do not get to visit Kyoto, the majestic former capital of the country from the Middle Ages filled with hundreds of unspeakably beautiful shrines and temples, until they are in their late 20s, or even 30s. Most Japanese might use the Golden and Silver Weeks, as well as the extended weekends to travel through the country. In case you are a foreigner studying or working in Japan, this is probably going to be the case for you too.

Then again, a question arises: Where should I go? It is not an easy feat to answer this question, but let us try and list some of the must-visit places while your stay.

The first thing that comes to mind is of course Tokyo, the capital of Japan, one of the largest megalopolises in the world (the largest if we include its suburban areas). But then again, not even a whole month would suffice to explore all of the beauty and magic of Tokyo. Hence, let’s concentrate on some of the key points of the city.

One of the first things to do as soon as you arrive in Tokyo is to explore Shinjuku. For starters the Tokyo Metropolitan Government Building, basically the head of the administration of the city is located in Shinjuku. Secondly, the busiest railway station in the world is Shinjuku Station. Don’t worry if you get lost in here, everybody does. Some other interesting places to visit in Shinjuku would be the famous Gyoen Park, Metropolitan Observatory, and of course do not forget Kabukicho, the red-light district.

Second place to visit on your list should be Shibuya. You surely have heard of the most crowded crossing in the world. Well, it is located in front of Shibuya station. Shibuya is housing the entertainment in Tokyo. The district is filled with high-class boutiques, expensive night clubs, bars and pubs. Shibuya is also famous for the statue of Hachiko, a dog who kept waiting for the return of its owner at the very spot of the statue, even after the latter had passed away. Make sure to take a photo with Hachiko!

The next step is Harajuku. Harajuku is famous for its Takeshita Street, where the most daring and unbelievable fashion trends are born and displayed, worn without any reservations. Takeshita Street is also famous for its crepes, so make sure to taste those delicious “atrocities” (spoiler alert: you might gain some weight). From Harajuku you can easily access one of the most famous shrines throughout the whole country, Meiji Jingu, dedicated to the Emperor Meiji and his wife. It is located in a wonderful park, so take your time to enjoy the scenery.

Another absolutely must-visit spots in Tokyo is Ikebukoru. One of the essentials is the Sunshine City. This place is one of the oldest parts of Tokyo and has some amazing skyscrapers. Ikebukuro also houses Gokokuji temple, which is a historically important spot since the Tokugawa Edo era. Japan has some amazing parks, and if you are a greens enthusiast, you should definitely stop by at the Nishiguchi Park. You can even find one of the most interesting cat cafes called Neko no Iru Kyukeijo.

Our next stop should be Asakusa. For starters visit the Sensoji Temple. The place is famous for its Thunder Gate and Divine Sandals. On your way to the Sensoji Temple you will pass through Nakamise Dori, a street filled with small shops and boutiques built in the spirit of old Japan. On your way back drop by the famous Tokyo Skytree. This is the tallest tower in Japan at 450 meters.

These are some of the essential places to visit in Tokyo, but absolutely not all of them. Consider this list to be a starting point, which will help you explore the wondrous city of Tokyo.

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For starters, I want to discuss the concept of culture. What is culture? According to Oxford Dictionary the word culture stands for the following: the customs and beliefs, art, way of life and social organization of a particular country or group.

Now that we have cleared this one thing up let’s check out some interesting facts about Japanese culture.

Religion

An important part of a culture is religion, after all. It must be noted that the Japanese concept of religion is very vague. They live according to many religious customs, but one cannot say that Japanese people are religious.
The two major religions in Japan are Shinto and Buddhism. These two have been introduced to Japan in totally different eras and situations. You could say that Shintoism is indigenous to Japan, unlike Buddhism, which was introduced to Japan from China. Nevertheless, these two complete each other perfectly: Shintoism is a religion about life and Buddhism provides a general idea of what happens to one’s soul after death.

Martial Arts

I think nobody would find it surprising to see this section coming up. While martial arts has deep roots in China too, Japan has some variations unique only to itself. To put it very simply, martial arts are a more sophisticated version of a certain aspect of being a warrior. I think the most famous one would be karate-dō. If you are in Japan for a long period of time you might get a chance to either personally experience some martial arts or at least watch yearly national tournaments. Here are some names worth remembering if you are into martial arts: kyuudō, iaidō, kendō, aikidō and so much more.

Artistic “dō”s

You might have noticed that in the upper section the names of the mentioned martial arts end with dō. Dō (道) literally means a road/way in Japanese, hence the way of the sword, the way of the bow, etc. While all of the above mentioned have a certain level of artistic expressionism to them, the most artistic dō-s would be the following: sadō – Japanese tea ceremony, shodō – calligraphy or artistic writing, and finally kadō – the art of flowers, i.e. ikebana.
It is important to keep in mind that the Japanese samurai and lords were usually very skilled in the above mentioned three, since it is said that these are necessary for perfecting one’s capability in martial arts.

Japanese theatre

If you are into visual artistics, I think Japanese theatre might be an interesting experience for you. There are three main types: kabuki, noh, bunraku. Out of all of these the most famous one would be kabuki which in a sense is the combination of drama, music and dance. I personally have been to kabuki performances twice, and I must say it’s quite amusing. Kabuki might be difficult to understand since there is not much talking happening. The performances I saw were both presented by a single actor who would act out a couple of characters. It is confusing, that’s for sure, but the confusion in itself is very satisfying. Believe me, this is an experience you wouldn’t regret.

Geisha

You have certainly heard the term geisha, probably even seen the movie Memoirs of a Geisha (if you haven’t yet, make sure to watch it, it’s an amazing movie). Nowadays geisha do not really have the same standing as they did in previous eras, but you can see young girls who are still learning the arts of a geisha if you visit Gion district in Kyoto. If you ever happen to be in Kyoto, one of the must-do things would be visiting Gion.

Japanese Traditional Attire

When it comes to Japanese traditional attire the word kimono automatically jumps to one’s mind. By the way, in Japanese the kanji for kimono literally stand for “things to wear”. I find this to be a bit cute. But anyway, there is also yukata which is a summer version of a kimono, and is generally cheaper, as well as has less layers. Many places in Japan offer you the opportunity to wear a yukata and walk around in the city for a day, and for a very nice price of around $30-40. The case is a bit different with kimono though, since these have enormous prices and can cost more than a car!

Japanese Cinematography

Japan has produced some of the best movies in the 20th century. A name that comes to your mind immediately would be that of Akira Kurosawa, a world renowned film director. Some of his rather famous works would be Seven Samurai, Rashomon, The Hidden Fortress. It is amazing as it is that he has made these fabulous movies, but it must be mentioned that his The Hidden Fortress is actually what inspired Star Wars. If you watch the movie you’ll see the similarities in the plot. I actually would highly recommend to watch at least a few of his movies.

Japanese Language

This is probably one of the most off putting factor for many foreigners who would like to move to Japan, be it for work or for studies. To be honest, it is easy to learn how to speak (if we don’t consider the different levels of formality present in the language), however the main challenge is when it comes to reading and especially writing in Japanese. To make things even more complicated there are THREE writing systems in Japanese: kanji, hiragana, katakana. Each of these has a main purpose and specific situation to being used. Unfortunately, even if you master hiragana and katakana, kanji can be a big problem, since there are over 2000 symbols in this system!

Japanese Literature

Japanese literature has very old roots. Early medieval Japanese literature is very sophisticated, but can be a bit tough to understand if you’re not very informed about Japanese history. But fret not! Modern Japanese literature is just as amazing. Some of the best authors since early 20th century would be Soseki Natsume, Ryuunosuke Akutagawa, Osamu Dazai, Ango Sakaguchi. All of them have amazing novels and short stories. Another famous name would be Haruki Murakami. The guy has some very controversial storylines and often uses magical realism in his works. You should definitely check him out!

This is it for our mini crash course of Japanese culture! I hope it was of interest to you and can become a basis for looking into matters that might interest each and every of you individually.

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Japan has always been mysterious, as a matter of fact it still is. This was mostly caused by the country being closed down to the outer world for more than 200 years, during the Tokugawa regime (1600-1868). However, why is it that many of us are still drawn to this country in the 21st century when you can freely travel there? Without further ado let us check out some cool facts!

Japanese history

Japan has a captivating history, from its very beginnings up to today. Needless to say, the samurai are one of its major parts. However, despite the popular opinion, the samurai were not swordsmen throughout Japanese history. In the earlier stages of history they were famous for their archery skills. As a matter of fact, Japanese archery is very different from that practiced in the West. Japanese bows were longer and their draw was much larger (I have been lucky enough to practice kyuudo, Japanese archery, for about a year). With time they started using swords, which also differ from western claymores and knightly arming swords. The Japanese katana is still considered to have the sharpest edge ever created by many specialists. Nevertheless, Japanese history shouldn’t be defined simply by the samurai factor. There are many more interesting bits to it which might even overwhelm you.

Japanese culture

Right next to Japanese history we should put Japanese culture. Many make the mistake of comparing and considering it identical to that of Chinese. Of course, it is an undeniable fact that Japanese have been influenced by Chinese in many aspects of their life, from culture to religion, from writing system to literature. But what makes Japan unique is the amazing skill of the people to not be underwhelmed by other cultures. They can take in pretty much anything, and change it, adapt to it and make it their own. This may also be the reason why the Japanese suddenly became one of the best producers of whisky, cars and technology in the whole world, even though none of these things originated here.

Japanese religion

Japan is known to be Buddhist and Shintoist. While Shintoism originated in Japan and could be considered the indigenous belief of the people, the image of Shinto we have now was mostly coined in the Meiji era (1868-1912). Of course, it finds routes in earlier eras, but has been shifted and modelled to fit the contemporary people over the ages.
As for Buddhism, even though it originated in India, it varies from country to country. Japanese were introduced to it by Chinese, but then again, they managed to adapt it to their culture and people.

Interestingly enough, Shintoism and Buddhism, while having core differences managed to survive next to each other. Many scholars agree, that the main reason for this is the following: while Shintoism is a religion that centres around life, it never managed to give any explanations to what happens to a human soul after death. As a contrast Buddhism provides all of the answers and it managed to fit in next to Shintoism just perfectly. Nowadays too, Shinto is mostly practiced in such occasions as birth of a child, marriage, etc., while Buddhism is the way to go when a family member passes away.

The Japanese people

Having travelled to many different countries and being given the chance to meet people of various nationalities thanks to my parents work since my early childhood, I must admit that the Japanese are at the top of the list when it comes to kindness. The Japanese are sincere, sweet and will do pretty much anything to help you out if you’re going through a hardship or have any problem. They will go out of their way to make you feel comfortable and welcome.

A lot of foreigners, myself included, get the opportunity to experience home-stay. During this amazing experience I was treated just like a family member by people whom I barely knew. This really talks for itself.

Of course, keep in mind that the situation might be slightly different in Tokyo, where people are always in a rush, or need to get things done in very short period of time. However, if I got to judge from my trips to Tokyo I’ve been treated really gently by all the strangers who helped me find my way in the city or anything of the likes.

Japanese food

For many of us Westerners, the first thought that comes up when we hear Japanese food is sushi. But there is just so much more to it! Japanese food doesn’t simply consist of fish. Some memorable dishes would be tempura, ramen, karaage, okonomiyaki, oyakodon, sukiyaki and so, so much more. When visiting Japan make sure to try out tiny diners, since these are like hidden jewels. Make sure not to miss out on this amazing opportunity!

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