It’s already December–winter has come! Make a hot cup of tea, and settle down to read Japanese “tanka” poetry! December–Month Name December, or Shiwasu 師走, is the period when even…
Tag: wa
Why Do Japanese Take Off Their Shoes?
“Dosoku kinshi” (土足禁止) Shoes Prohibited Shoes Prohibited! “Dosoku kinshi” (土足禁止) means “shoes prohibited.” Although in the West we walk straight into the house wearing our shoes or sandals, in Japan,…
3 Things You Didn’t Know About Umeshu, Japanese Plum Wine
梅酒 Ume-shu If you have ever been to an izakaya (居酒屋), Japanese pub, you might remember trying a delightfully sweet, fruity, and surprisingly strong drink called umeshu, Japanese plum wine.…
Obon Midsummer Festival
What Is Obon? Bon (盆), or Obon (お盆) is a midsummer festival not unlike Mexico’s Day of the Dead. According to Buddhist belief, ancestors’ spirits are believed to come back…
Hakka-Yu: Mint Bath For Midsummer
August has come, and with it, midsummer heat. Other than moving to a colder climate, is there anything you can do, wa-style, to survive? There is, and the answer might take…
10 Things You Didn’t Know About Natto, Japan’s Superfood
納豆 na ・ tto Lots of Japanese health foods are trending around the world, from kombucha (in Japan, called “koucha kinoko” (紅茶キノコ) or mushroom tea) to green tea to tofu.…