Explore Japan Through the Eyes of Travelers

All Japan Regions (332)

Kagoshima Prefecture (4)

Nagano prefecture (1)

Wakayama Prefecture (2)

Every year on November 15, Japan celebrates Shichi-Go-San - Children's Day. Dressed in their very finest garments, girls and boys aged three, boys aged five, and girls aged seven, go with their families to nearby shrines, where they line up, sometimes for hours, to await their turn to be blessed by the presiding priest. After the blessing, the child is presented with a gift of long sticks of candy called chitose-ame, "thousand year sweets," wrapped in ornate bags decorated with cranes and turtles, both symbols of longevity.

Japanese Expressions

A story told with photos.

Japan Robert George<br>Haiku by Celeste Heiter

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Vignettes in Japan - book review

Title: Vignettes in Japan Author: Celeste Heiter Celeste Heiter is the author of the must-have &l...

Japan Ernie Yap

Japan: The Green That Never Ends

When I was in the second grade, some of the kids in my class used to sing the most annoying song....

Japan Will Raus

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Walking along the Sumida River

I threw caution to the wind and decided to walk along the Sumida River. I'm staying at a hotel ne...

Japan Stefan Chiarantano

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The Shrines of General Nogi and the Emperor Meiji and his consort, Empress Shokan

The serenity of General Nogi's shrine overwhelmed me. It is nestled amongst the concrete jung...

Japan Stefan Chiarantano

Fugu restaurant in Shimbashi

Extreme Gourmet

Fugu is a fish native to the Pacific Ocean and a local delicacy in the Land of the Rising Sun. It...

Japan Puspa Malar

Springtime in Japan is one of the year's most anticipated events. With it comes Ohanami--cherry blossom time. During Ohanami season, which lasts only a few short weeks, the people of Japan turn out in droves to gather in city parks and private gardens in celebration of the ephemeral beauty of the flowering trees.

A story told with photos.

Japan Robert George

Rural life in Gunma Prefecture moves at a much slower pace than the typical urban existence in Tokyo.

A story told with photos.

Japan Robert George

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My visit to Mt. Takao allowed me to experience Buddhism within a pleasing natural environment alb...

Japan Stefan Chiarantano

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Measuring Laughter in Japan

Latest Japanese gadget measures laughter...

Japan AFP/Harumi Ozawa

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The Gunma Museum of Art, Tatebayashi

The author, a frequent traveler to Japan, takes you on a tour of the Gunma Museum of Art in Tateb...

Japan Stefan Chiarantano

On bridge heading towards the Imperial Palace

Imperial Garden

If you are in Tokyo, a visit to the Imperial Palace is a definite must. So much of emphasi...

Japan Puspa Malar

The symbol of the Moerenuma Park is the glass pyramid, nicknamed Hidamari, designed by Isamu Noguchi a Japanese-Amerian artist.

Sapporo's Art Parks

Sapporo is Japan's 4th largest city and one of the newest as development only began in the 1800s....

Japan Asian Images John Lander

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Japan Paper Museum

The Japanese Paper Museum is located in a lovely park near Oji station. It traces the history of ...

Japan Stefan Chiarantano

Although most women dress in contemporary clothing, many women still hold to the tradition of dressing in kimono for everyday wear.

A story told with photos.

Japan Robert George

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The Sushi Book - a book review

The Sushi Book Author: Celeste Heiter Photography: Marc Schultz This is a very painful boo...

Japan Ernie Yap

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In greying Japan, even grannies go high-tech

A high-tech granny used to be considered an oxymoron. But in Japan, with its love of technology a...

Japan AFP/Miwa Suzuki

Toshikoshi Soba with Panko-Crusted Shrimp

Recipe: Toshikoshi Soba with Panko-Crusted Shrimp

When translated into English, "toshikoshi" means "year passing", and these savory and satisfying ...

Japan Celeste Heiter

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Dawn in Japanese Photography (I. Kanto district)

The photo exhibit is well worth a visit to the Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photograph. It ...

Japan Stefan Chiarantano

Floats on the river at Kyoto's Aoi Festival

I am a sucker for a good festival. After 11 months in Japan, my interest in seeing them has not l...

Japan Frank Lev

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