A trip to Japan usually involves at least one visit to a Shinto shrine. Unlike other religious sites, Shinto shrines do not have subdivisions or categories that define and divide faith or community. Instead, each shrine may house multiple gods...
Inspired by the 2014 documentary “Edible City,” some Japanese cities have turned city streets and parks into urban food oases. These are some examples. Edible Way, Matsudo, Chiba Prefecture The “Edible Way” is about a 1 km stretch between the JR...
Why do we still head to malls in the age of online shopping? Because malls are not only for shopping. They are places to meet with friends, grab a bite or coffee, get a haircut or mini spa treatments, squeeze in a workout or a massage and much more...
If you have ever embarked on a house renovation project, you know how much work it involves. Supervising contractors is never straightforward, and budgets and timelines always slide. The challenge is much bigger if the house has been abandoned. It...
Tokyo Llama is a popular YouTube channel of an Australian who bought and DIY-renovated an abandoned traditional house in Japan. His videos walk us through a painstaking process of remaking the old house from scratch, drawing over 200k viewers...
After moving back to Japan from the U.S., I have noticed a significantly wider variety of non-alcoholic drinks available here. My friends often opt for non-alcoholic beers and cocktails when they want to slow down their alcohol intake, and they...
Earth Day 2024, which takes place on April 22 annually and globally, is fast approaching. It is the world’s largest gathering to address the health of our planet. Since its launch in 1970, one billion people from 192 countries have participated in...
If you head north from Tokyo for an hour on a bullet train, you will reach Nasushiobara. This area is a popular destination for alpine hiking in the summer, skiing in the winter and hot springs all year round. You can take a local bus from there for...
The Local Vitalization Cooperator program, a Japanese community empowerment version of the Peace Corps, has deployed more than 6,500 paid volunteers from Hokkaido to Okinawa since it started in 2009. The Ministry of Internal Affairs and...
A small truck named COEXIST, run by 28-year-old Keita Sugawara, sells sustainable products made in Japan. He has built and mounted a wooden mobile shop on the back of a pickup truck, using timber from forest thinning in Tokyo, to showcase eco...