Things to Know Tsunamis in Japan: Why Do They Happen and What to Do in Case of Emergency? Tsunami (津波). Literally, wave (波) in the harbour (津). The fact this Japanese word is the universal term used nowadays…Toshiko SakuraiSeptember 28, 2021
CultureThings to Know Japan Cultural Expo Virtual Platform: Experience the Best of Japan Through Multimedia Technology Having the world’s spotlight during the Olympics was the perfect opportunity for the Japan Cultural Expo to showcase the richness…Toshiko SakuraiSeptember 27, 2021
CultureKanto Nakagin Capsule Tower: No Future for Tokyo’s Most Futurist Icon It was impossible to avoid cyberpunk or sci-fi evocations while standing in front of the legendary Nakagin Capsule Tower. It…Toshiko SakuraiAugust 27, 2021
ActivitiesCultureEvents A Look Into Japan’s Past, Present and Future through Kabuki and Architecture A samurai on the run. A distraught courtesan. A relentless fox. History and folk tales collide on stage, where a…Toshiko SakuraiAugust 18, 2021
CulturePop CultureThings to Know Pokémon in Japan: How and Why it Became a Global Phenomenon How many video game franchises have worldwide International Championships to their credit? How many hold annual parades starring their most…Toshiko SakuraiAugust 10, 2021
Things to Know Which vaccinations are required to enter Japan? While there’s an ongoing debate about the possibility of introducing vaccination passports to deal with COVID-19, many people begin to…Toshiko SakuraiJuly 2, 2021
ChubuCultureKantoPop CultureSightseeing The Real-Life Locations of the Movie, Your Name You'd have to have been hiding under a rock in 2016 not to have heard of Your Name (君の名は, Kimi…Toshiko SakuraiJuly 1, 2021
ActivitiesFoodKantoPop CultureShopping Pokémon Cafe: The First Permanent Pokémon Cafe in Tokyo If Japan is not the world's mecca of themed cafés and restaurants, it has to be missing very little. Any…Toshiko SakuraiFebruary 17, 2021
KansaiSightseeingSponsored Discovering Japan anew with the Hokuriku Arch Pass, Part 3: sightseeing in Kansai This is Part 3 of a 3 part series of articles about the New Golden Route, a part of Japan…Toshiko SakuraiFebruary 12, 2021
ChubuSightseeingSponsored Discovering Japan anew with the Hokuriku Arch Pass, Part 2: sightseeing in Chubu This is Part 2 of a 3 part series of articles about the New Golden Route, a part of Japan…Toshiko SakuraiFebruary 12, 2021
CulturePop CultureThings to Know Sebastian Masuda and Harajuku’s Kawaii and Japanese Punk: Notes on an Urban Rebellion What does Hello Kitty have to do with the US-Japan bilateral Treaty of Cooperation and Security and the May 68…Toshiko SakuraiJanuary 23, 2021
CultureThings to Know Why Japanese People Use Kanji? Kanji. The bane of students of Japanese, of certain carefree T-shirt designers and tattoo artists victims of customers lacking enough…Toshiko SakuraiJanuary 14, 2021
CultureEventsKanto Oji Kitsune no Gyoretsu: New Year in Tokyo Like You’ve Never Seen Before If you're in Tokyo on New Year's Eve, Oji is where you need to be. Oji is the magical neighborhood…Toshiko SakuraiJanuary 4, 2021
CultureThings to Know Why do the Japanese sleep on the floor? History of the futon in Japan The experience of sleeping on a futon (布団) remains one of the most appealing activities for travelers coming to Japan.…Toshiko SakuraiDecember 4, 2020
ActivitiesKantoPop Culture Kawaii Monster Cafe, The Most Psychedelic Tokyo Experience in Harajuku We are the latest victims of Mr. Choppy, a voracious monster obsessed with swallowing the latest and craziest aesthetic trends.…Toshiko SakuraiNovember 14, 2020
Things to Know Do you need a visa to travel to Japan? Every single country in the world has visa requirements for international visitors and Japan is no exception. Be it for…Toshiko SakuraiNovember 5, 2020
EventsKanto Halloween in Tokyo: No Sleepy Tales To talk about Halloween in Tokyo is to talk about two parallel stories that only share a name. In another…Toshiko SakuraiOctober 28, 2020
CultureEventsPop CultureThings to Know The Halloween Phenomenon in Japan The Japanese seasonal change isn't just noticeable in the change in temperature or the number of clothing layers you have…Toshiko SakuraiSeptember 15, 2020
FoodKantoShoppingSightseeing Oji, A Nature and History Oasis in Tokyo I can’t help but feel overcome with nostalgia when I think about Oji (王子). It was in this neighbourhood where I spent…Toshiko SakuraiAugust 21, 2020