Kameido Tenjin Shrine is noted for beautiful flowers and its wisteria festival is the most celebrated in the region. The festival is free and runs to...
Spring in modern Japan is about new beginnings, but ancient festivals reveal that sakura was a sign so ominous it could scare people out of their...
Infants become champions in the adorable Naki Sumo, or crying baby ceremony, one of Japan's lesser-known traditions celebrating transitions in a child's life.
After the sakura come the azalea, bursting with vibrant colors that illuminate the city. These spots are accessible by public transportation or even by bike.
Sugawara no Michizane was an eminent poet of the Heian period. His love of plum blossoms has been passed down over a millennium to the children...
Home to the world's only shrine built to the air, Asahi Town in Yamagata Prefecture is speaking out about the importance of clean air, both at...
Visiting Choraku-ji and Anyo-ji on a relaxed walking route makes for the perfect afternoon of unhurried discovery. Better yet, put down the digital map and see...
Enoshima stood straight ahead with Kamakura over to the right. Boats bobbed, windsurfers surfed and the elusive Mt. Fuji lurked beyond. Welcome to Morito Beach!
Some temples and shrines in Tokyo now offer multi-lingual fortune-telling paper strips that have something to say about work, studies, travel, love, and even health or...
Many of Japan’s traditions and ideas are unfamiliar to those outside of Japan. Therefore, JAPAN Forward and Jinja Honcho have collaborated to bring readers an explanation...
Many of Japan’s traditions and ideas are unfamiliar to those outside of Japan. Therefore, JAPAN Forward and Jinja Honcho have collaborated to bring readers an...
CAPTION: Kunito Horii is surrounded by karihari (temporary pasting) mounds used to dry Hanging Scrolls, which are being restored at the Usami Shokakudo Cultural Heritage Restoration...