Tag Archives: Japan
The Cemetery Posted by Marcel on Sep 28, 2012
Unlike カナダ (Canada) and many western countries, the 春 (はる/spring) equinox and 秋 (あき/fall) equinox are national holidays in 日本 (にっぽん/Japan). Many people use this time to go to the 墓地 (ぼち/cemetery) to pray for their deceased family members and relatives. While the 夏 (なつ/summer) Obon holiday is perhaps the most popular time to go…
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…
鹿児島 Kagoshima Posted by Marcel on Sep 13, 2012
日本 (にっぽん/Japan) consists of four main 島 (しま/islands), starting with 本州(ほんしゅう/Honshu), the large main 島. To the 北 (きた/north) you’ll find 北海道 (ほっかいどう/Hokkaido), 南 (みなみ/south) of it’s middle you’ll find 四国 (しこく/Shikoku), and to the 西 (にし/west) you’ll find 九州 (きゅうしゅう/Kyushu). The biggest and most famous city in 九州 is 福岡 (ふくおか/Fukuoka), but if you travel…
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…
The National High School Baseball Championship Posted by Marcel on Aug 11, 2012
What’s 日本 (にっぽん/Japan’s) national sport? If you answered 相撲 (すもう/Sumo), you’d be right, at least on paper. If you rank by popularity though, 野球 (やきゅう/baseball) is far and away 日本’s most popular sport. 男の子 (おとこのこ/Boys) start playing in 小学校 (しょうがっこう/elementary school) with the dream of joining one of the 12 teams in Japan’s professional league…
Thunder and Lightning Posted by Marcel on Jul 31, 2012
Due to all the 雨 (あめ/rain) we had over the last ２ヶ月 (にかげつ/two months), I’ve thoroughly got 雷 (かみなり/lightning) on the brain. We don’t get 雷 *every* time 雨が降る (あめがふる/rain falls), but we still get it a lot. I personally love to sit at a 窓 (まど/window) with a cup of 紅茶 (こうちゃ/ black tea) and…
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…