What is Japanese Kawaii Culture?
Japan’s cultural influence is recognised globally, from anime to gaming to fashion trends. One sub-culture which has become increasingly popular is Japanese kawaii culture, which …
Shibori Dyeing Techniques
As Shibori patterns grow more popular and more fashionable on the British high street, we thought we’d dig a little deeper into the history of …
The Quick Guide to Omamori!
Omamori – what are they? What does it mean? What do I keep mentioning them at every shrine in every travel blog post? Well it’s …
Top 3 Must-Visit Locations in Japan: Wakayama
Welcome back to the final instalment in the mini-series on my top Japanese locations! If you haven’t yet, make sure you check out the first …
Japan’s First Love Story: The Hare of Inaba
The Hare of Inaba is considered to be Japan’s first love story, and comes from the ancient Japanese ‘records’, known as Kojiki. The Kojiki chronicled …
7 Traditional Japanese Games to Play at Home
Happy Children’s Day! In Japan, Golden week is coming to a close with the final national holiday, Children’s Day. To learn a bit more about …
Top 3 Must-Visit Locations in Japan: Okayama
Japan is a notoriously beautiful country, with vistas varying from the snowy mountains of Hokkaido, to the tropical islands of Okinawa. There’s plenty to see …
The Ultimate KonMari Method Checklist
I hate to say it, but it’s already that time of year again: time to spring clean. Let’s face it, we’ve all been putting off …
10 Types of Traditional Japanese Dolls
Dolls, or ningyos, have long been a significant component of Japanese culture. Traditional Japanese dolls are more than souvenirs; they are given as formal gifts, …