Japan is a narrow island country with diverse geographic features. Its land is surrounded by the ocean, with plains, mountains, and volcanoes all down the middle. However, big cities that are popular tourist attractions like Tokyo, Osaka, and Nagoya, do not have a lot of beautiful nature. The plains, mountains, and natural oceans that once dominated the land, have [...]
Japan has four very distinct seasons, but there is another season that Japan experiences between spring and summer. Tsuyu, is the name of the rainy season that comes during June. Due to the seasonal rain front that crosses Japan from east to west, the whole country experiences two weeks of bad weather. However, like they [...]
Miyazaki After relaxing and refreshing at Kurokawa Onsen, we resumed our journey through Kyushu and headed west to Miyazaki prefecture. My friend from college had grown up in Miyazaki, and told me about the Takachiho Canyon. We rented a canoe for 30 minutes, and enjoyed the view from the water. There were beautiful waterfalls, and looking at them [...]
There are four main islands that form Japan. Hokkaido, Honshu, Shikoku, and Kyushu. I had the opportunity to visit Kyushu last year during this time of the year. The region, that is located below the main land (Honshu) of Japan, has a higher average temperature, and is rich in nature. My friend and I decided [...]
The practice of Sado is more than just drinking bitter Japanese green tea. It has its own doctrines and philosophies. People learn these principles through the countless rules of making and drinking matcha. Sado that is practiced today, was founded by Sen no Rikyu. He established the traditions and rules of wabi-cha, which focuses on [...]
The aesthetic of Japanese art and culture is clean and simple, but creating its simplicity and beauty requires many years of learning. Japanese flower arrangement, known as Ikebana, is an established art culture. There are a number of schools of ikebana that each have their own views and rules when arranging flowers. For example, some [...]
Traditional Japanese houses had courtyards or gardens that brought nature into homes. Today, most temples and shrines have grand beautiful gardens. These Japanese gardens are kept simple but are very artistic. They represent a smaller version of the vast natural landscapes that you see in Japan. Japan has beautiful oceans and lakes, with mountains going down all [...]
Japanese washi paper is a delicate type of paper, that has been used for centuries in Japan. You may have seen or heard the term “washi tape” at a stationary store, or in DIY project instructions. Washi tape comes in many colors and patterns, and can be used for decorating objects such as notebooks or scrapbooks. Even [...]
Kyoto is known for its high temperature and humid summers. Today, people use air-conditioning to cool their homes and make it through the hot season of the year. However, needless to say, until the invention of air-conditioners, people had to stand the heat without the use of any electricity what-so-ever. One of their ways of [...]
The architecture of historical Japanese buildings, including temples, shrines, and residential houses, is pact with centuries worth of knowledge. From finding the most durable materials to figuring out a design that would last for hundreds of years, generations of architects and carpenters have established and developed an outstanding architectural field. Their knowledge of architecture and [...]