While travelers to Japan typically dream of green tea and sake, coffee lovers from around the world are also starting to take note of Japan’s booming specialty coffee scene. To take us deeper into the world of third wave coffee in Japan, we spoke... -

Shinto Shrines: A Guide to the Sacred Sites of Japan\'s Ancient Religion by Joseph CaliMy rating: 5 of 5 starsAn excellent guide to the most interesting Shinto shrines in Japan, with a very complete introduction about Shinto, Shinto architecture,... -

Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 9hana no iro wautsurinikeri naitazura niwaga mi yo ni furunagame seshi ma ni??????????????????????????????As the color of the cherry blossomshas lost its lusterin vainso I have passed through the worldgazing at the falling... -

Besides the Yukishibori Honjozo Namagenshu, Daishichi has one more seasonal sake for the winter season: Yukishibori Honjozo Nigorizake. Yukishibori Honjozo Nigorizake is Daishichi\'s only "nigori" or "cloudy sake," a sake which during... -

Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 8waga iho wamiyako no tatsumishika zo sumuyo wo Ujiyama tohito wa iunari??????????????????????????Although I live contentedly in my hut to the southeast of the capital,it seems people call it "Grief Mountain." Priest Kisen... -

Hi BUMBLEBEEMUM, Thanks for the advice, really appreciate it! We have worked out a revised itinerary, kindly check it out! Day 1: Remain as per, Sapporo, full day, will take your advice to prioritize our destinations Day 2: Travel to Toya, from... -

Seasonal sakes are popular in Japan and one of the seasonal drinks from the Daishichi Sake Brewery for the first months of the year is Yukishibori Honjozo Namagenshu.Yukishibori Honjozo Namagenshu is Daishichi?s version of shiboritate or "freshly... -

Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 7ama no harafurisakemirebaKasuga naruMikasa no yama niideshi tsuki ka mo?????????????????????????When I gaze into the distanceacross the plain of heaven,I see the same moonthat came out from behindMt Mikasa in Kasuga!Abe no... -

To celebrate my 5 years of blogging with my readers, I picked 5 things that I absolutely love in my kitchen and give them to 5 readers (1 item per person)!Here are my top 5 favorite items in the kitchen!1. Instant Pot IP-DUO60 7-in-1 Programmable... -

Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 2haru sugitenatsu kinikerashishirotae nokoromo hosutefuama no kaguyama???????????????????????Spring has gone away, andsummer come, it seems, for I hear they are drying robes of white mulberry clothon Heavenly Mount Kagu![Grave... -

(This is the first of 11 posts on my awesome Japan trip. I’m gonna blog about it from the very beginning all the way to the end!) Our flight to Tokyo was at 8:30 in the morning! To be in time to check in at 6 or 7ish, we would have to wake up at... -

It’s not a secret that I love cats – and Japan does, too. I’m sure you know about the cat cafes in Japan" I’ve been to a lot of them and from time to time I want to introduce them to you. The most recent one I went to is located in a... -

Hyakunin Isshu, Poem 5okuyama nimomiji fumiwakenaku shika nokoe kiku toki zoaki wa kanashiki???????????????????????When I hear the voiceof the crying stag stepping through the autumn leavesdeep in the mountains -then I really feel the sadness of... -

Early in the morning I had to leave Tokyo for Kyoto, where I would be spending the next two days with xanthe! To reach Kyoto I would take the super high-speed bullet train from Tokyo station. I had never been on a bullet train before so I was... -

Although there exist several interesting, individual breweries here, the Kanto area generally speaking is not a major sake producing area. This despite the presence of towns like Sawara (Chiba) and Ishioka (Ibaraki) where in the Edo-period brewing... -

The Great Buddha of Kamakura, better know as the Daibutsu, is a sight to behold and was one of the highlights of my trip to the area. Sitting peacefully on the grounds of Kotoku-in in the hills to the southwest of Kamakura station this weathered... -

Just outside and to the east of Osaka Station, high above the high-rises, stands this bright red Ferris wheel on top of a shopping mall. At its highest point, you are 106 meters above the street. Osaka Station, newly renovated and with even a... -

Located in the tallest building in the city, The Ritz-Carlton, Tokyo offers guests an understated and luxurious environment high above the hustle and bustle of Roppongi’s trendy Tokyo Midtown complex. I recently had the pleasure of a relaxing one... -

The Tokyo Skytree certainly became a new symbol of Tokyo and is very popular among tourists. But is it really worth visiting Tokyo Skytree considering it’s quite pricy to go up there" Visited: October 20th 2014 Is it crowded" Should I... -