桜祭り – Sakura Matsuri
I will be at the Sakura Matsuri (the street festival) for the National Cherry Blossom Festival in Washington DC on Saturday, 4/11/15. …
桜 – Cherry Blossom
It’s time for cherry blossoms again!!! Although cherry blossoms are not a floral emblem of Japan officially, cherry blossoms are strongly associated …
流行り – Fad
In Japan we go through fads of food, books, toys, fashion, etc. Some of fads stay for a while, and some of …
雛祭り – Hina-Matsuri
March 3rd is Hina-matsuri (English translation “Dolls’ Festival, Girls’ Day, or Dolls’ Day.”) It is not an official holiday, but a …
梅酒 – Plum Wine
Plum wine is well-known in the U.S. as a popular drink in Japan and China. If you can find fresh plums, plum …
梅 – Plum Blossom
Plum blossoms bloom in Japan from February through April. The Blossoms are white, pink, and red. Plums as fruits are also common …
カワイイ区 – Kawaii District
Back in 2012, the city of Fukushima, located on Japan’s eastern coast, created an imaginary district called “Kawaii” (which means “cute”), and …
デコ鍋 – Deco Nabe
This kind of “kawaii” (please read more under the Kawaii Fashion & Lifestyle post) nabe ryōri, is called “Deco Nabe” coming from …
鍋 – Hot Pot
A popular meal especially during winter in Japan is “Nabe” or “Nabe Ryōri.” To make this hot pot dish, we usually …
瓦 – Roof Tiles
A traditional Japanese roof uses roof tiles that made out of clay. Those are interlocking high-quality tiles and are used for castles, …