One of the first and most exciting signs of spring in Japan is when flowers start blooming. The cherry blossom or Sakura, is the best-known flower during the spring season. However, there is a flower that blooms before the Sakura tree, and it has played an important role in Japanese culture and tradition for many centuries: we are talking about the plum blossom. The flowering season of the plum blossom...
If you love shrimp, then Nagoya is a fantastic place to visit! Aichi Prefecture has one of the highest per capita shrimp consumption in the country, probably because shrimp can be easily fished in Aichi’s Ise Bay. In fact, the official fish of the Aichi Prefecture is the tiger prawn! (Yes, prawns are not technically fish… but who cares?) Because seafood tastes best when it’s fresh, you will often found...
The Buddha’s ashes, an old villa, and modern delicacies. All of these can be found in Kakuozan, a contemporary, artsy district of Nagoya city. The Kakuozan 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!) given to Japan by the king of Thailand. The area features historic architecture from the Showa era (1926-1989), alongside...
Have you ever heard of Ogura Toast? Well, read on for a brief history of this Nagoya breakfast staple, as well as our recommendations on where to get it! A standard daily Japanese breakfast usually includes rice, not bread. Rice is typically served alongside grilled fish, miso soup, an egg (either raw on top of the rice or fried as a Japanese-style omelet called tamago maki), and of course natto...
The New Year holiday period, known as “Oshōgatsu” in Japan, is one of the most important and widely celebrated occasions in Japanese culture. It is a major holiday in Japan, and many citizens return to their hometowns to celebrate it with their families. As a result, public transportation tends to be crowded and a lot of businesses, may close for the holidays. This might sound like a setback to your...
