Lucky Cats for Americans
Lucky cats, known as “maneki-neko,” are cherished worldwide, from Japan to far-off lands. But did you know there’s a special version for …
Hot Beverage Vending Machine
Japan has a long history of innovation in vending machines, particularly in the beverage industry. Beverage vending machines were first introduced in …
成人式 – Seijin Shiki
“Seijin no Hi” or “Coming of Age Day” is a national holiday celebrated on the second Monday in January with a ceremony …
ネオ瓦 – Neo Kawara
There is a company in Gifu Prefecture that specializes in making traditional kawara, or roof tiles. Established in 1883, their kawara have …
反毛 – Hanmō
Hanmō has two distinct meanings: The traditional Japanese technique of transforming clothing back into raw yarn material. The fabric produced using this …
お子様ランチ – Kid’s Lunch
Family restaurants, and many other dining establishments, offer a dish called okosama lunch, or kid’s lunch. Despite being called a kid’s lunch, …
Japanese vs American Gesture 1
If you love Japan, you might already know that the Japanese gesture for “come here” looks similar to the American gesture …
天のウズメ – Ama no Uzume
Ama no Uzume, also known as Uzume of Heaven, is the goddess of entertainment in Japanese mythology, prominently featured in the legend …
白湯 – Hot Water
In November 2022, a renowned beverage company in Japan began selling bottled hot water at stores and vending machines. Around that time, …
Building Demolition
Japan leads the world in its plans, methods, and techniques for demolishing buildings. It has developed and successfully implemented many of the …