Kiyosu with its castle is just minutes from Nagoya Station, and yet it is one of those places generally never mentioned in guidebooks or travel magazines. In fact, I know many people in Nagoya who have never heard of Kiyosu Castle, and even I (Elly) heard about it for the first time after living in...Read More

The Nippon Domannaka Festival, commonly known as Domatsuri, is one of the most energetic and vibrant festivals all around Japan. It is held in Nagoya, at the end of August, when the summer heat reaches its peak.  Domatsuri is a 4-day-festival that fills Nagoya city and its surroundings with hundreds of Yosakoi dancers coming from...Read More

The Buddha’s ashes, an old villa, and modern delicacies. All of these can be found in Kakuozan, a contemporary and artistic district of Nagoya city. This area extends half a kilometer from Kakuozan Station all the way to Nittaiji temple, which enshrines some ashes of the Buddha (yes, the actual Buddha!) bestowed by the king...Read More

Cosplay — the art of dressing up as characters from anime, manga, video games, TV shows, or any other media — has become a global phenomenon over the years. Once dressed in their Cosplay, Cosplayers can attend conventions to take photos, enter competitions, or perform theatrical routines. They can also gather with other Cosplayers while...Read More

Sumo wrestling is an integral part of Japan’s culture and has been practiced in one form or another for around 2000 years. In part 1 we shared everything you need to know if you are new to Sumo, and want to attend the Nagoya Grand Sumo Tournament. If you haven’t read it yet, follow this...Read More

When people think about Japan, one of the first things they think of is Sumo Wrestling. So when people plan their trips to Japan, they often want to see a Sumo tournament. But what most people don’t realize is that getting to see a Sumo tournament or even a morning Sumo practice is normally quite...Read More

For over 1,300 years, local fishermen in Japan have used an unusual technique to catch river fish during the summer. Japanese cormorants called Ukai in Japanese are trained for up to three years by their owners to help them catch fish. Known as Ukai in Japanese, cormorant fishing is a unique traditional method that is...Read More

Atsuta Shrine, also called, Atsuta-san or Atsuta-sama, is the second most important Shinto shrine in Japan, after the Ise Grand Shrine. The venerated sun goddess Amaterasu is enshrined here as well as being home to the sacred sword Kusanagi-no-tsurugi which is one of the three Japanese imperial treasures. Legend has it that Amaterasu gave the...Read More

Hydrangea is a flower with a long history and tradition in Japan. Because of its beauty and special significance, Japanese people adore hydrangea flowers the same way that they do Sakura flowers during spring.  If the plum blossom is the sign of early spring, hydrangea (Ajisai in Japanese) is a sign that summer is approaching....Read More

Of the roughly 70 festivals each year held at Atsuta Shrine, the Atsuta Festival (Atsuta Matsuri or Shobu-sai) is by far the biggest and most important. This festival is held every June 5th and signals the arrival of summer. Summer in Japan is the season of summer festivals and fireworks! Atsuta Jingu, also called, Atsuta-san...Read More