For over 1300 years, local fishermen in Japan have used an unusual technique to catch river fish during the summer. Japanese cormorants, called “u” in Japanese, are trained for up to three years by their owners to help catch fish. Known as “ukai” in Japanese, cormorant fishing is a unique traditional method that is rare today and is mostly continued as both a tourist attraction and a way to keep...
Summer is finally here, and with the arrival of the hot weather, we are ready to have some fun! Japanese summers are synonymous with incredible festivals. In particular, Summer inspires some of the most stunning Natsu Matsuri (summer festivals), featuring Obon dances and spectacular fireworks displays. Everyone dresses up in their most beautiful Yukata and looks forward to the popular festival foods. It’s time to indulge in Yakisoba, Takoyaki, Kakigori,...
A fairy tale might not have been what you were expecting when you opened this blog post, but we will tell you one anyway. It is a story of gods and love. Orihime, the sewing princess, and daughter of the Sky King, was sewing beautiful clothes by the Heavenly River, known in our modern understanding as the Milky Way. The Sky King loved his daughter very much and also her...
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 attend conventions to take photos, enter competitions, or perform theatrical routines. The World Cosplay Summit is a perfect occasion to do all of this at the same time. It’s the world’s biggest cosplay event, and...
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 a sign of early spring, the hydrangea (Ajisai in Japanese) is a sign that summer is approaching. The hydrangea blooming season starts in early June and lasts until mid-July, coinciding with...
