A solo hike to Mount Yoshino
Mount Yoshino offers splendid views of cherry blossoms during spring. It is one of the most popular hanami 花見 (flower viewing) spots in Japan. In April 2016, on a lovely…
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Articles
Manga Museums in Japan
The collection of manga books and materials available here is unparalleled. There are research reference rooms where you can get access to over 2,50,000 manga materials inclusive of international publications. There are also exhibition corners, featured sections and workshop areas.
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Japan Habba 2018
It gives me immense pleasure to share the updates and photos from Japan Habba 2018 with you. This event started off in 2005 as a small Indo-Japan cultural exchange gathering…
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Torii – the gateway to a divine realm
Torii 鳥居 gates are mostly found in front of shrines in Japan. It is an important cultural symbol as it marks the entrance to a sacred ground or a divine territory.…
Read MoreJLPT N1 Kanji Lesson 10
朱 cinnabar 訓読み：あけ 音読み：シュ 例文：朱色（しゅいろ vermilion） 珠 gem 訓読み：たま 音読み：シュ 例文：珠算（しゅざん abacus）、真珠（しんじゅ pearl）、珠玉（しゅぎょく jewel） 殊 especially 訓読み：こと 音読み：シュ 例文：特殊（とくしゅ speciality） 株 stock 訓読み：かぶ 音読み：シュ 例文：株式（かぶしき stock）、株主（かぶぬし stock holder）、貸し株（かしかぶ lending stock） 菜…
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The importance of Ema in Japan
What is ema? Those cute wooden votive plaques hanging outside a shrine or a temple are called ema. People tie ema for two reasons - when they are praying for something or…
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The Cherry Blossoms of Hikone and Nagahama
Almost 13 kilometres away from the overflowing cherry blossom parks of Kyoto stands an elegant white castle on top of a small hill in Shiga prefecture. Surrounded by a wide moat and a…
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The Four Seasons of Wakakusayama
Nara, the ancient capital of Japan is best known for its temples more than anything else. Most visitors come here to pay homage to the great 大仏 daibutsu (Buddha) of…
Read MoreJLPT N1 Kanji Lesson 9
士 samurai, gentleman 音読み：シ 例文：武士 (ぶし warrior）、同士（どうし companion）、弁護士（べんごし lawyer）、博士（はくし doctorate） 志 aspire, intent 訓読み：こころざし 音読み：シ 例文：志向 (しこう intention）、志を果たす（こころざしをはたす realise one's aspiration）、志望（しぼう desire） 氏 family name, title (example: Mr oo) 訓読み：うじ 音読み：シ 例文：氏名…
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丁 street 訓読み：ひのと 音読み：チン・テイ・チョウ・トウ・チ 例文：丁目 (ちょうめ ward/block）、丁寧（ていねい polite）、丁度（ちょうど exactly）、符丁（ふちょう code/cipher） 刀 sword 訓読み：かたな・そり 音読み：トウ 例文：刀剣 (とうけん sword）、木刀（ぼくとう wooden sword）、竹刀（しない bamboo/fencing sword）、薙刀（なぎなた long sword）、刀工（とうこう swordsmith） 及 to reach/as well as 訓読み：およぶ・および 音読み：キュウ…
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