待てば海路の日和あり- Patience is a virtue
Articles
Senzaiichigū
千載一隅（せんざいいちぐう） A once-in-a-lifetime opportunity comes without notice. Always be prepared.
New Year in Japan
“Akemashite Omedetougozaimasu” is how you say “happy new year” in Japanese. New year is celebrated extensively all across Japan. Winter in Japan means illumination everywhere and that’s what makes new year’s time all so special. Even though a lot of Japanese festivals are based on the lunar calendar and also the Chinese zodiac system is […]
Castle in the water
And it dazzled so bright, that the water had to reflect its glory……
An imagination painted by nature
When autumn bade farewell, the wind kissed those last red leaves…..
My favorite Japanese snacks
This is a list of my favorite Japanese snacks; my regular stockpile (>_<) 1. Pocky – ‘anata mo watashi mo pocky’ if you are in Japan and never tried pocky you are surely missing on a lot. Japan’s favorite snack pocky comes in many flavors. These are (sweet) flavor coated biscuit sticks, produced by Ezaki […]
The Old Japanese Calendar Kyūreki or Inreki
The old Japanese calendar is based on lunar cycle and was called the 旧暦 kyūreki or 陰暦 inreki. This calendar dates back to the Edo period, Tempo era. Over the course of time, Western/Gregorian calendar was introduced in Japan and Kyūreki lost its popularity. The western calendar is used till date but a modified version […]
Japanese Zodiac Signs 十干十二支
It is not improper for cats to despise rats, as their enmity goes back to the time of gods. Jikkan Jūnishi (lit ten heavenly stems and twelve earthly branches), the Japanese zodiac is based on the Chinese zodiac system which has twelve animals representing each year respectively from the twelve-year-cycle. Jikkan refers to the ten […]
The rabbit who makes rice-cake on the moon – 月ウサギがもちつきをしている
「月ウサギがもちつきをしている。」 In Japan, legend has it that there is a rabbit on the moon making rice-cake (mochi). The silhouette of the rabbit can be observed on the left hand side of the moon, holding a wooden mallet and pounding the mochigame in a mortar. According to the Buddhist mythological story in Konjaku Monogatarishū (an anthology […]
The Four Seasons of Japan – 日本四季
Spring which starts in March and stays till May is a very busy period in Japan. It is also the season when the most beautiful festival – Hanami is celebrated. The Sakura trees (or the cherry blossoms) all over Japan come into bloom for between seven to ten days. People hold outdoor parties to view […]