What is the best side dish to go with rice in your opinion? I would answer, “Tonkatsu”. If you have never had Tonkatsu, then you are missing out on half the joy of living. Tonkatsu is a simple dish of deep-fried pork, but it is incredibly delicious. Tonkatsu meat is juicy, tender, and has a […]
Gonpachi became world-famous for the historic “Izakaya meeting” between former President George W. Bush and former Prime Minister Koizumi that took place at Gonpachi Nishi-Azabu, and for being the model for the scene in Quentin Tarantino’s “Kill Bill”. As a Japanese restaurant serving soba noodles, kushiyaki (skewers), tempura, and other dishes, Gonpachi attracts customers from […]
Shinjuku is a fierce battleground for ramen. While there are famous ramen stores such as Menya Musashi and Ichiran that appear in guidebooks, there are also some lesser-known but still delicious ramen stores. In this article, we would like to introduce some ramen restaurants in Shinjuku that are not so well known to tourists, but […]
He’s a master of the arcade game “Taiko no Tatsujin!” As you can see in the video, he is fast and accurate. To the untrained eye, it makes no sense how he can hit a given spot so quickly and so accurately… He also holds a Guinness record of 1241 single strokes per minute. There […]
Daikon no Hana is a luxury ryokan nestled in a forest of about 10,000 tsubo in Miyagi Prefecture. The ryokan offers 12 buildings with 18 rooms in 5 areas. The rooms have a sense of openness with a vaulted ceiling to the roof, and the beams made of Kanayama cedar are impressive. The rooms’ private […]
What is your mode of transportation between Tokyo and Osaka? Airplane? Train? Why not take a bus once in a while, and a very rich one at that? The bus fare between Tokyo and Osaka costs 20,000 yen, more than the 14,000 yen for an airplane, and the trip takes about 7.5 hours. In exchange, […]
This is the Japanese art of comedy! It may be difficult to understand for those who are not familiar with Japanese comedy tricks, but this is all calculated comedy. (1) The man in the purple jumper who casually sets up a system that allows him to fall into the bathtub at any time. (2) The […]
Controlled and regular group behavior is easily remembered, for better or worse. It must be input into our genes as a human instinct to survive by working together. It is similar to haka in New Zealand and kecak in Bali. But Japanese collective behavior is a bit different. The big difference is that they don’t […]
Why don’t you enjoy Osaka-Shimonoseki on the “WEST EXPRESS Ginga”, the sleeping car train that will make you feel the richest? I’m sure you’ll have great memories! WEST EXPRESS Ginga(Japanese) WEST EXPRESS Ginga(English) WEST EXPRESS Ginga(English) WEST EXPRESS Ginga(Google search/English) WEST EXPRESS Ginga(Google search/Japanese) […]
Let us introduce you to a Japanese comedian. They are called “Anjash,” and they specialize in skits in which they take on the role of a character in a story, called a “Konto”, and proceed with the story. What they are most good at is the “Misunderstanding Konto,” as seen in this video, in which […]
Japan’s national flower is the cherry blossom. Many trees are planted in central Tokyo. Therefore, in March and April, when cherry blossoms bloom, Japan is tinged with the pink color of cherry blossoms. Since Japanese graduation and entrance ceremonies are held in March and April, respectively, and cherry blossoms symbolize the season of parting and […]
I have always found sumo wrestlers to be among the strongest fighters in the world. They have powerful muscles hiding under their thick fat, and they can exert tremendous power at a moment’s notice! No matter how strong a fighter is, it would be unwise to fight a sumo wrestler. They are super athletes. Unfortunately, […]
There is a standing Izakaya called “Uo-kusa” in Ueno, Tokyo. It may take a bit of courage to enter as a tourist, but it is a cheap and tasty standing bar! There are many such standing Izakaya in Ueno. If you want to enjoy seafood and sake, you should definitely visit one. Standing Izakaya like […]
Shinjuku Kabukicho at night is fun to see many different faces. It is a neo-Tokyo with a variety of stores and restaurants. It is interesting just to walk around the streets without going into a store. Before holidays and on weekends, it is crowded even at midnight. Be careful, however, as the dark, unpopular back […]
Many people are familiar with Mianya Musashi, but few know of this ramen restaurant called Manrai. Mianya Musashi has a delicious thick broth, but the broth here is light yet flavorful and still delicious. There are two types of ramen: regular ramen and tsukemen, and I recommend tsukemen when you come to Banrai. Mitsurai’s tsukemen […]
Golden eel bowl / Eel bowl specialty restaurant Kawashou This is very good. Eel is one of Japan’s most expensive foods, and there is a dish called “golden eel bowl” which is made by grilling this eel, pouring a special sweet sauce for eel, and putting a half-boiled egg on top of it. It is […]
This is a nice and realistic video. I’m sure you’d have plenty of fun walking the exact same route as this video! If I actually walked the same route, it would probably take me a whole day from morning to night because I think I would make a lot of stops. The interesting thing about […]
How about traveling by ferry between Tokyo and Sapporo? Strictly speaking, the 22-hour trip consists of train from Tokyo to Mito City, Ibaraki Prefecture, ferry from Mito City to Tomakomai, Hokkaido, and then train from Tomakomai to Hakodate. By plane, it takes about 1 hour and 30 minutes from Haneda Airport to New Chitose Airport, […]
This is a character from the game NieR : Automata, an action RPG released by Square Enix for PlayStation 4 in 2017. As you can see in the video, it is very elaborate. Elaborately made figures can be found in every country, but the crazy thing about Japan is that even mass-produced products are elaborately […]
Asakusa is a town of humanity. The local people have a very strong connection with each other and are very proud of Asakusa. There are many clean towns in Japan with little trash, but Asakusa is probably one of the cleanest towns in Japan. The locals follow the rules and keep the streets clean. It […]