Having an English-speaking guide in a country where you don’t speak the language can be invaluable. That’s where volunteer guide organizations come in. Volunteer guide organizations help residents connect with travelers to share their knowledge and love for their hometown. These guides are primarily amateurs, many of whom are retired, passionately offering their services for free while struggling to overcome the language barrier. Here is a list of places around...
At first glance, Ankake Spaghetti may look like the Italian pasta that Mama used to make, but it’s definitely not like what you’re used to. Give this to an Italian chef and he would probably be horrified that someone is actually calling this “pasta!” Though this style of pasta is definitely unconventional, that doesn’t make it any less delicious. In fact, Ankake Spaghetti is so popular in Nagoya, it’s actually...
Japanese kites are considered some of the most spectacular in the world, appreciated both for their aesthetic value, and as traditional toys. They have many different styles and types of kites, and each region of Japan has its own distinctive shape. Here we have some cicada kites. Thankfully they don’t make the same noise! In Aichi, and more specifically in Nagoya, there is a variety of kites called Nagoya Koryu...
Every February, a rather unique festival is held in the Owari Okunitama Jinja Shrine in Inazawa that would make even your grandmother blush! This festival is known as the Konomiya Hadaka Matsuri or Konomiya Naked Festival, and as the name suggests, men will do the Full Monty as they brave the cold and treat the locals and travelers alike to a display of partial nudity as part of this exceptional...
Lovers of Studio Ghibli listen up! You might have heard that a gigantic theme park dedicated only to Studio Ghibli will open here in Aichi in autumn 2022. (If this is news to you, you can find out more here) We can’t wait for it to open and so can’t the rest of the world it seems. To give a taste of what’s to come, Studio Ghibli created an exciting...
