日本

Culture & Customs

🍱 Japanese Food Trivia Series – Part 2 The Power of Dashi: Why Japanese Soup Stock Is So Much More Than Just Flavor

When my Canadian friend Sophie visited Japan for the first time, I took her to a small, family-run restaurant in Kyoto. ...
Culture & Customs

🍱 Japanese Food Trivia Series – Part 1 What Is Washoku? And Why Did It Become a UNESCO Cultural Heritage?

🥢 “Japanese food is so beautiful… it looks like art!”That’s what my friend Mark from California said during his trip to ...
Culture & Customs

⛩️ Japanese Trivia Part 5: Hamaya and the Culture of Good Luck Charms in Japan

What Is a Hamaya?When visiting a Japanese shrine around New Year's, you might see people carrying a decorative arrow wit...
Culture & Customs

⛩️ Japanese Trivia Part 4: Omamori & Ema – Small Charms, Deep Wishes

What Is an Omamori?An omamori is a small, colorful charm you can find at almost any shrine or temple in Japan. Usually e...
Culture & Customs

⛩️Japanese Trivia Part 3: Why do people bow, clap, and wash their hands at shrines? What’s the deal with those red gates?

🧼 The cleansing ritual at shrinesWhen my Canadian friend Emma visited Tokyo, we stopped by a peaceful shrine surrounded ...
Culture & Customs

⛩️ Japanese Trivia Part 2: What’s the Meaning Behind Torii Gates and the Path to Shrines?

When you visit a shrine in Japan, the first thing you'll notice is a large gate—painted in bright red or made of simple ...
Culture & Customs

⛩️Japanese Trivia Part 1: What’s the Difference Between Shrines and Temples?

When traveling around Japan, it’s common to stumble upon beautiful religious sites—some with bright red gates, others wi...
Language

“Japanese Greetings” Words that Connect Gratitude and Friendliness- Greetings2: “Tadaima” and “Okaeri”

A Daily Dialogue of ConnectionIn Japanese homes, there’s a beautiful call-and-response ritual that happens every day—whe...
Language

“Japanese Greetings” Words that Connect Gratitude and Friendliness- Greetings2: “Ittekimasu” and “Itterasshai”

"Ittekimasu" and "Itterasshai" — The Warm Ritual Before You Step Out the Door“When my Japanese host said ‘Ittekimasu!’ b...
Culture & Customs

“Japanese Greetings” Words that Connect Gratitude and Friendliness- Greetings2: “Itadakimasu” and “Gochisousama”

When it comes to Japanese culture, even a simple meal is rich with meaning. In Japan, there are two essential phrases th...