Held on the first weekend of November in Wazuka, Kyoto, the Teatopia Festival is organized by our partners at Kyoto Obubu Tea Farms. Chagenkyo Festival is an ancient agricultural festival that was first called the “Green Fest”. Over time it has taken many different forms...

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While unmistakably a tourist trap, the Asukusa district of Tokyo, and Sensoji Temple, its main attraction, is definitely a must-see for any first time visitor to Japan. Knowing there are tourists also means there is a concentration of traditional culture here that is a stark...

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Bonsai, with its history for over a thousand years in Japan, is a miniature tree in a pot, cultivated and shaped to create a specific form. It is both the art of creating and enjoying the miniature tree. Bonsai needs great care in cultivation and...

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The matcha roll cake with cream in the center is a staple at many Japanese cafés. Japan doesn’t have establishments called tea houses or “Chaya” except for a few that carry on the old tradition in Kyoto for geisha. Instead there are a number of...

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A scene from a commuter train transfer point in Kanagawa (just outside of Tokyo)

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In the Edo period, ceramic ware and pottery was used as an offering the the feudal lords or the shogunate. Nabeshima-yaki is a ceramic ware established by the Nabeshima family in the late 17th century in Kyushu. Nabeshima family established their own style (Nabeshima-yaki, name...

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If you’re planning a trip this summer to Kyoto, Japan, visit the path to the Kibune shrine. Visit any one of the restaurants for lunch on the river (on platforms called kawadoko, literally “river floor”), but do stop by the Kibune Chaya tea house! One...

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“Hachi-jyu-hachiya” is the 88th day after Risshun. Risshun is the day that Spring begins on Japan’s lunar calender. Currently, it is on February 4th. In other words, “Hachi-jyu-hachiya” is the 88th day of Spring, and is somewhere around May 2nd　(There is a one day difference...

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Itaya Hazan (1872-1963) is a Japanese potter active during late Meiji to mid Showa period. He was the first potter to receive the Order of Cultural Merit (Bunka Kunsho). Following the techniques of Chinese ceramics, specifically Guan ware, Hazan combined this with the late 19th...

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Scrolls of Frolicking Animals and Humans (Chōjū giga) is a national treasure consisting of a set of four scrolls, known to have been produced in the late Heian period (794-1185) to Kamakura period (1185-1333). Owned by the Kozan-ji temple in Kyoto, established by a Kamakura...

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Mt. Fuji, also known as the Fujiyama, is probably one of the top images foreigners relate to when thinking of Japan. Designated as the UNESCO World Heritage Site, the beautiful mountain resides on two prefectures: Shizuoka (the number one tea production region in Japan) and...

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Obon, an annual Buddhist festival in Japan, plays an important role in the Japanese culture. The spirits of ancestors are said to return to this world during obon, so the family prepares to welcome back and then to see the spirits off. Although it is...

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