Culture Tsuribune Shrine Chiara Terzuolo Check out the fish-themed offerings at this little shrine on the grounds of Kochi Hachimangu Shrine, and see if you can spot all..
Activities Iiyama Nanohana Festival 2026 Early May Iiyama's aptly-named Nanohana Park comes alive during spring, and their annual nanohana festival is held during the latter half..
Culture 5 of Japan's Best Open-Air Museums Kim Bergström Japan is home to a wide array of excellent museums, and many of them are open-air venues. This guide covers 5 of the country's..
Food Tendo City Nabe Battle 2026 Mid Nov Now in its 27th year, the Tendo City Nabe Battle is held every winter and sees numerous restaurants fight it out – peacefully ..
10 Culture Kamakura Camera - Snow at Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine Peter Oxley A new blog created by Peter Oxley, photographer, writer, tour guide, and bon vivant. This introductory article highlights a rare..
Culture Sendai's Octopus Temple Justin Velgus The Tako Yakushi-do Temple (literally “Octopus Yakushi Hall”) is located alongside the Butai Hachiman Shrine in the Nagamachi ..
Food The "Golden Hamburg" Restaurant Justin Velgus Tsukimichi (つきみち) is a restaurant located in Wakuya Town, Miyagi Prefecture which is famous for its homemade hamburgs. To ..
Culture Oyumi Hajime Festival 2026 Sunday - Jan 4th Nara's Oyamato Shrine holds their annual Oyumi Hajime Festival on January 4th. The purpose of the festival is to pray for good..