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...
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Culture & Customs 
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 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...
Culture & Customs Differences in Manners and Rules Between Japan and Other Countries Part3
🚾Story E: Japanese Toilets Are Too High-Tech!?One day, I was talking with a traveler from Sweden named Erik. He had just...
Culture & Customs Differences in Manners and Rules Between Japan and Other Countries Part2
As someone living in Japan, I’ve gotten used to many things that seem totally normal here—but when I talk to friends fro...
Culture & Customs Differences in Manners and Rules Between Japan and Other Countries Part1
When we think of culture shock, we often imagine big things: language, customs, food.But for many foreigners visiting Ja...