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, […]
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 […]
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 […]
Do you know okonomiyaki? It is made of flour dissolved in water as a batter, egg, vegetables, meat, seafood, noodles, and other ingredients of your choice, grilled on a griddle, and eaten with sauce, mayonnaise, aonori (green laver), and other seasonings. The style of cooking and ingredients vary by region, and there are various styles […]
This video shows a competition called “Kata” in karate. The “Kata” of Karate refers to the Karate performance. It is a fact that there are both pros and cons to Karate “Kata”. However, to me, Kata seems to be a very symbolic sport of Japan, and I hope that it will remain an Olympic sport. […]
This is a live cam image of Shinjuku South Exit. The large road in front of you is Koshu Kaido, which leads to Shinjuku Gyoen (Shinjuku Imperial Garden) to the right and to the skyscrapers to the left. […]
Do you know what sake is? While most whiskey is made from grains such as barley, rye, and corn, sake is made from rice. The taste and price of sake depends on whether the rice is used as is or whether the outer part of the rice is scraped off and only the sweeter part […]
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 […]
The festival is held on Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays, starting on the third Saturday of May, mainly in the 44 towns that are Ujiko of Asakusa Shrine. It is one of the representative festivals in Japan, attracting approximately 1,800,000 people over the three days, mainly for the parade of portable shrines, which is both heroic […]
Have you ever heard of Mobile Suit Gundam? Many of you know it. This is a full-size Gundam RX-78 at the Gundam Factory in Yokohama, Japan. You can see that the full-size Gundam is quite large in person. No matter how much technology advances, it will unfortunately be impossible for such a large piece of […]
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) […]
Yabusame (horseback archery on horseback) is a traditional Japanese martial art that has been passed down through the ages, and is a Shinto ritual in which people make a wish. Yabusame has been passed down from the Heian period (794-1185) to the present, and is now so popular that it is practiced not only in […]
For 51 months from December 1986 to February 1991, Japan was in the midst of a bubble economy. More than 30 years ago, a club culture was born at a club in Roppongi, with long hair, tight dresses, and for some reason, dancing with a fan in hand. The scene was so intense that it […]
Hinamatsuri is an annual seasonal event in Japan to pray for the healthy growth of girls. It is a seasonal festival in which hina dolls (mainly male and female dolls) are decorated with cherry blossoms, tachibana, peach blossoms, and other trees, hina arare and hishimochi are offered, and food and drink such as white sake […]
The Nakamise Street near Sensoji Temple is lined with traditional crafts and food stalls, Hanayashiki, built in the mid-19th century, has screaming attractions and cafes, and Sumida Park along the river regularly hosts festivals and firework displays, creating an atmosphere of a traditional downtown area. Festivals and fireworks displays are held regularly at Sumida Park […]
Shiodome is the name of a district and former town in Minato Ward, Tokyo. Today, it mainly refers to the “Shiodome Siosite”, a huge urban complex built in the Shiodome district on the east side of Shinbashi Station. The former Shiodome (Shiodome-cho) is now mostly Higashi-Shinbashi and part of Kaigan 1-chome in the current administrative […]
He’s already a retired sumo wrestler, but really strong! As you can see from the video, they have a strong torso. And by leaning his body forward 45 degrees, he is able to defeat his opponent without losing his balance. Even people bigger than him cannot match his sumo skills. If you come to Japan, […]
My 93 year old grandfather enjoys playing car games. On this day, he was presented with a new game handle. In fact, this steering wheel was a gift from Logitech, a company that provides digital devices. A Logitech employee saw a video of him playing a car game, and after some internal discussion, they decided […]
Why not take a leisurely 32-hour ferry trip between Tokyo and Kitakyushu? If you have time to spare, such a trip is good for you once in a while. But this ferry has a peculiarity. There is no restaurant on this ferry! Instead, there are vending machines! Interesting, isn’t it? The Shinkansen takes about 5 […]
Japanese people are very fond of tunas. One-fourth of the world’s tuna production is consumed in Japan. Japanese people frequently consume tuna not only for sushi, but also as a side dish for rice. Tuna is such an indispensable ingredient in the Japanese diet. The first tuna auction at the beginning of the year attracts […]