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Meal Muji Cafe in Yurakucho, Tokyo images

Meal Muji Cafe in Yurakucho, Tokyo

Meal Muji is located on the second floor in the Yurakucho Muji store (same building as Loft). I would say one of the best Muji stores in Tokyo. It's a large open cafeteria style space- you wait in line to be seated, then you go to the deli counter to order your food and pay. Although they don't…(221 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Walking Alone at Age 7: Japan’s Independent Kids images

Walking Alone at Age 7: Japan’s Independent Kids

Opening with the Japanese proverb kawaii ko ni wa tabi saseyo, which translates to “send the beloved child on a journey” and means something like ‘leave them be, let them try,’ this new mini-documentary from Australian TV channel SBS 2 depicts one of the significant cultural differences between Jap…(462 words)

Japanista image

Japanista

Legoland Discovery Center in Odaiba, Tokyo images

Legoland Discovery Center in Odaiba, Tokyo

Legoland is a theme park dedicated to families with children between the age of 2 and 12 that features interactive rides, play space and attractions based on the LEGO toy brand. The park is split into various areas such as a Lego miniland, play fields and model village. The model village is bre…(252 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Kyara-ben or chara-ben Culture images

Kyara-ben or chara-ben Culture

It is a shortened form of character bento. As Autumn is season for sports festivals in Japan, it comes up in our conversations between moms. Moms decorate homemade food to look like cute characters in order to make their kids happy and their lunches more appealing.If you’re interested in seeing…(222 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Japan has an annual Ninja Festa (Kids welcome!) images

Japan has an annual Ninja Festa (Kids welcome!)

Iga-Ueno City's Ninja Festival celebrates Japan's famed warriors and its place in their history. Few iconic figures are more closely identified with Japan than the ninja; a combination of elite warrior and intelligence agent whose basic mission continues in various forms to this day. "The art o…(549 words)

GoodPeople image

GoodPeople

EPSON Shinagawa Aqua Stadium images

EPSON Shinagawa Aqua Stadium

This aquarium is a couple of minute walk from the Takanawa exit of Shinagawa station and located within the Shinagawa Price Hotel complex. The aquarium is rather small, but good size for little kids to walk around. A variety of colorful fish will entertain your eyes. Their tropical fish submari…(193 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Don't Wear Black in Japan images

Don't Wear Black in Japan

In Japan, the color white is attributed to happiness and good times. Death is a time of mourning and so people must dress in the color of depression, black. Men usually wear a black suit with a black tie (dress shirt is usually white). Women are also usually in a black dress. Wearing a formal black…(129 words)

GenS image

GenS

A Pepper By Any Other Name Would Taste As Sweet images

A Pepper By Any Other Name Would Taste As Sweet

Someone asked me a question recently; one, that if you’ve lived in Japan long enough, have surely asked yourself: “Why do the Japanese call green bell peppers ‘piman’ and the red and yellow and orange ones ‘papurika’?”For me, answer the question was confusing on a few levels, seeing as how I, h…(381 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Horseback riding on the beach images

Horseback riding on the beach

Summer is around the corner and the temperature is rising day by day.Time for us to plan our summer vacation. (maybe already done?)Japan is a mountain country surrounded by sea...so we can reach both mountains and beaches easily. Either way is good to escape the summer heat.This time I ch…(298 words)

Zara image

Zara

Why Are All the Dogs I See in Japan So Small? images

Why Are All the Dogs I See in Japan So Small?

“That looks like a Rat!” exclaimed my English friend when he saw my tiny Kaninchen Dachshund named Cloudy skirting, bouncing and happily flitting around his legs one day in the park.At over six feet tall, I don't think he could really see clearly what critter was attached to the end of the leas…(982 words)

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Must Have Japanese Souvenirs: Gachapon images

Must Have Japanese Souvenirs: Gachapon

Spend any amount of time in Japan and you'll inevitably run into one. Whether it's at your local supermarket, drug store, or Yodabashi Camera, gachapon machines are practically everywhere."Gachapon" or "gashapon" are vending machine-dispensed capsule toys that are extremely popular in Japan.The…(181 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Tamiya Playmodel Factory - and race track images

Tamiya Playmodel Factory - and race track

While I thought it would be just an interesting shopping experience, the Tamiya Playmodel Factory turned into a 3 hour stop with my 8 year old son.Three floors total. Bottom two are dedicated to models, radio-controled cars, and race cars kits for the second floor circuit track. Models are a …(345 words)

JiyugaokaPaul image

JiyugaokaPaul

Doraemon in Roppongi Hills images

Doraemon in Roppongi Hills

Doraemon everywhere. I'm not sure how many there are, but I'd say around a hundred of them. There all over the plaza, on the walls, in the water fountains.There's Doraemon doing magic. Singing. Dancing.I understand it is to celebrate the movie that came out recently. The Stand By Me 3D…(341 words)

mikekato image

mikekato

Summer Festival in your neighborhood images

Summer Festival in your neighborhood

This useful tip is for short term visitors and for long term residents, both. If you wish to immerse in local japanese culture, make new friends, know your neighborhood, or simply enjoy a fun-filled evening with beer, pan-fried noodles ("yaki soba"), etc. look out for summer festivals organized in …(192 words)

Samir Bodhe image

Samir Bodhe

Horseback riding at the foot of Mt Fuji images

Horseback riding at the foot of Mt Fuji

What's your plan for the next weekend ?If not decided, how about horseback riding ?No, it's not that difficult nor scary experience at all as you might imagine.They can even take the first time riders out for trekking on horses!After learning basic control, how to go forward, turn left or…(289 words)

Zara image

Zara

Dont Forget to Manga-fy Yourself at Purikura! (part 2) images

Dont Forget to Manga-fy Yourself at Purikura! (part 2)

What would it be like to be a fairy princess? What would it be like to have that little pointy chin, big eyes and pouty mouth? Ever since my PuriKura “print club” experience in Kumamoto, I now know exactly how, at least, I would look.Found in almost any game center or resort (ski, hot spring, e…(607 words)

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Lavender fields of Farm Tomita/Hokkaido images

Lavender fields of Farm Tomita/Hokkaido

In Hokkaido, Furano's lavender fields attract large numbers of visitors to the region every summer when the plants are in full bloom. Lavenders usually start blooming in late June and reaches its peak from around mid July to early August. I had always wanted to visit Furano since I watched the …(328 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Odawara Castle - Worth a Visit! images

Odawara Castle - Worth a Visit!

When you are in Odawara area, the Odawara Castle is worth a visit. It is actually located in a fairly short walk from Odawara Station. You can see it from the station as this castle is built upon a small hill. What I liked most is a beautiful red bridge leading across the moat into the castle g…(269 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Japan's Sengakuji Temple and the 47 Famous Samurai (Part 1) images

Japan's Sengakuji Temple and the 47 Famous Samurai (Part 1)

Have you heard of “Chushingura” or the legacy of the Forty-Seven Ronin?The image of elegant Samurai, a picture of honor and integrity; this is the path of the “Bushi” or warrior. “Bushi-do” literally means “Warrior-path” with “do” the Chinese Character for “Path”.https://www.youtube.com/watch?v…(387 words)

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Visit Enoshima Aquarium when you visit Enoshima Island images

Visit Enoshima Aquarium when you visit Enoshima Island

As a former long-time resident of the area, I'll admit: I used to think Enoshima Aquarium was an overpriced tourist trap. But with each new visit, especially after their renewal, I've grown to really appreciate and enjoy the aquarium.First, the price - at 2100 yen for an adult ticket, it's real…(273 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

The Cutest Cartoon Character in Japan, Funasshii images

The Cutest Cartoon Character in Japan, Funasshii

My daughter and I love the character representing Funabashi City in Chiba Prefecture named "Funasshii". Recently the characters or mascots from different areas of Japan are on TV a lot and there is actually a Sumo contest on TV between these adorable and playful characters. Each of them has a perso…(225 words)

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The Hakone Open Air Museum : Amazing place! images

The Hakone Open Air Museum : Amazing place!

The Hakone Open Air Museum is a beautiful landscape park with wonderful arts and the mountains as a backdrop. I recommend this as an unforgettable stop while exploring Hakone. We went there in the afternoon on the way back from our Hakone trip as it has been always my favorite Hakone spot. We stay…(255 words)

EmiOnishi image

EmiOnishi

Where can I take a nice jog in Nagoya? images

Where can I take a nice jog in Nagoya?

You might of heard of Kin-shachi if you have visited Nagoya.The Kin-shachi or the golden dolphin is known for the symbol of Nagoya.Where does this Kin-shachi come from?There is actually two and they proudly sit on top of the the Nagoya castle.The Nagoya castle is known for one of the we…(159 words)

Yuuki I image

Yuuki I

Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref. images

Whitewater Rafting in Gunma Pref.

Living in the concrete jungle of Tokyo can be overwhelming after a while. (Like the frog being boiled in a pot.)I was looking for a place to get back to nature within a short Shinkansen ride from Tokyo. A friend turned me on to a place called Minakami in Gunma prefecture. There the Tone Riv…(112 words)

JiyugaokaPaul image

JiyugaokaPaul

Nagashi-Somen, Delicious Noodles in Japan images

Nagashi-Somen, Delicious Noodles in Japan

One of the best things I like about Japan is that the 4-season weather system is clearly reflected in the culture. In fall, you enjoy the changing colors and the sanma. Winter is for oranges in a warm kotatsu at home. Spring, is of course SAKURA. Summer has multiple cultural highlights too. Waterme…(286 words)

GenS image

GenS

Summer in Shinjuku Chuo Park images

Summer in Shinjuku Chuo Park

Want a place to entertain your kids in the midsummer in Tokyo for free?Well, look no further than Shinjuku Chuo Park The paddling pool じゃぶじゃぶ池 is fantastic. It is fairly big.It seems that the water of these paddling pools are drained on a daily basis, so in theory, the water should…(116 words)

Steve image

Steve

Shopping for little ones while in Japan images

Shopping for little ones while in Japan

While in Japan, why not stop in one of the numerous shopping malls and find some Japan fashions for your kids? Motherways www.motherways.com is one of the most popular stores for parents to buy great fashionable clothes for children from toddlers through to 12 years old. Most clothes can be found…(135 words)

Kevin image

Kevin

100 Yen Shop Shopping Sense images

100 Yen Shop Shopping Sense

I've yet to meet anyone who doesn't think that 100 yen shops aren't great. There's just so much of everything that you can find for a mere few coins. If you can find it at a convenience store or local market, you can bet your nearby 100 yen store probably will, too.It used to be one might hide …(252 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer

Staying in Kusatsu images

Staying in Kusatsu

“Irrashaimase!” They were expecting us? We were surprised to see that the two greeters at Hotel Sakurai seemed to be expecting us. At least they didn’t look surprised to see not 1, but 2, foreigners pull up in their car. As they guided us to our parking space and to the main hotel lobby o…(228 words)

Alana image

Alana

Onsens and Outdoors in Kusatsu images

Onsens and Outdoors in Kusatsu

Ranked for last 12 years straight as one of the Top 100 onsens in Japan, it really is for the onsens that visitors come to Kusatsu. There are public onsens and of course ryokan and resort hotels with their private onsens. A few of the the famous public onsens are Sainokawahara (西の河原露天風呂)…(307 words)

Alana image

Alana

Sailing at Beautiful Zushi Beach with Tiwal Japan images

Sailing at Beautiful Zushi Beach with Tiwal Japan

Do you like the ocean? Do you like sailing? Or perhaps you've always wanted to but didn't know how? Well, I'm here to tell you about an exciting opportunity that will give you just that chance. Allow me to introduce you to the world of Tiwal.Tiwal 3.2 is the first high-performance inflatable mu…(736 words)

Former Deep Japan Writer image

Former Deep Japan Writer