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Grand Sumo Tournament Posted by sasha on Oct 17, 2012
When you think of Japan, one of the first things that comes to mind is certainly sumo wrestling (相撲). Japan’s national sport has been around for many centuries; it originally began as a performance meant to entertain Shinto gods. Some ancient rituals are still present in modern-day sumo, such as the leg-stomping exercise to drive…
Hakone Open Air Museum Posted by sasha on Sep 22, 2012
The stunning Open Air Museum is one of the highlights of Hakone, as it combines art and nature with numerous sculptures situated on beautiful grounds surrounded by mountains. Take a stroll around this truly unique museum in this video.
A Day in Hakone (Video) Posted by sasha on Sep 15, 2012
Ryokan breakfasts are a great way to start the day. After that, getting around Hakone is a breeze, thanks to the Hakone free pass. Head up to the top of the ropeway for a stop at the “Hell’s Valley” before heading down to enjoy a cruise on a pirate ship across Lake Ashi. Finally, top…
Hakone – Ryokan and Onsen (Video) Posted by sasha on Aug 17, 2012
Just a few hours from Japan’s capital city of Tokyo lies the mountainous area known as Hakone. From the big city, you can take a bullet train, switch to a scenic train, and finally take a short cable car ride to get here. With such beautiful scenery, the ride is half the fun! Two of…
Temple Hopping in Tokyo (Video) Posted by sasha on Jul 30, 2012
Tokyo is known around the world as a bustling metropolis, full of skyscrapers, neon lights, and millions upon millions of people. The Japanese capital also has quite a few peaceful temples and shrines, where one can escape the madness of the busy streets. Take a short tour through two of these – the Senso-Ji Buddhist…
Temple Hopping in Tokyo Posted by sasha on Jul 25, 2012
Arriving in the city proper, our first order of business was figuring out how to navigate the incredibly complex Tokyo subway system. First of all, there are different companies operating lines – the Tokyo Metro (東京メトロ) and the Toei (都営). The good news is you can get anywhere you want in the city; the bad news…
Hajimemashite, Japan Posted by sasha on Jul 17, 2012
こんにちは Transparent Japanese blog! My name is Sasha, and I’ll be a guest writer/video producer on the blog for the next few months. As I currently reside in Beijing, you can usually find me on the Chinese blog. I’ve also contributed to both the Thai and Spanish pages, so if you’re interested in China, Thailand…