New Year’s in Japan

New Year’s or Oshogatsu (正月) in Japan is one of the most important holidays. Most people will return home to spend the time together with their families. Many people visit a temple at Midnight on December 31st as Buddhist temples all around Japan ring their bells a total of 108 times to symbolize the 108 human sins in Buddhist belief and to get rid of the 108 worldly desires.

New Year’s Day is meant to be full of joy and happiness with no stress or anger. Everything should be clean and you should not work on this day. It is tradition to visit a Shrine or Temple during Oshogatsu.

Merry Christmas from Japan Australia

Wishing all my followers and friends a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Let's hope for a great 2012 and many more great years to come.

Japan on a Budget

Japan is a great tourist destination and it is possible to visit Japan on a budget. Here are some money saving tips to help you on your next trip.

Travel

If you plan to do a lot of travelling in Japan then it is worth getting the Japan Rail Pass, which allows unlimited travel on almost all JR trains, including the shinkansen (excluding the Nozomi superexpress). This pass can only be purchased outside of Japan and will save you travel money in Japan.

In Tokyo, most of the main sights and hot spots can be visited via the JR Train Line (Yamanote loop line) with a one-day JR train pass for 730 yen (about USD$9). You can also look at regional pass like the JR Kanto Area Pass.

Ue Kara Mariko by AKB48

This week’s Japanese Song of the Week is Ue Kara Mariko by AKB48 which has debuted at number 1 on the Japanese JPop Oricon charts. AKB48 is a popular all girl idol group, which you can read more about here. This is AKB48’s 5th number 1 single of 2011 and they have dominated the Japanese JPop Oricon charts with the top 5 selling singles of the year in 2011.

Japan Picture of the Week Kinkakuji Temple Surrounds Kyoto

This week’s Japan Picture of the Week is a shot of the surrounds of Kinkakuji Temple in Kyoto, Japan.

Kinkakuji Temple (金閣寺)Temple of the Golden Pavilion is one of Japan’s best known sites. The original building was constructed in 1397 as the retirement villa for shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu.

Japan Travel Adventures a Photo Blog on Travel in Japan

I have just started a new photo blog called Japan Travel Adventures dedicated to Travel in Japan.

The blog will highlight some of my best pictures of Japan and some of the best places to visit.

You can check out the blog by following the link
Japan Travel Adventures

Skiing in Japan

Japan has some of the best ski resorts and powder snow in the world.

The two best areas for skiing or snowboarding in Japan are Nagano on the main island of Honshu and Hokkaido, the island furthest north in Japan.

Japanese Song of the Week Love me Back by Koda Kumi

This week’s Japanese Song of the Week is Love me Back by Koda Kumi, which has debuted at number 6 on the Japanese J-Pop Oricon charts.

Koda Kumi (倖田 來未) is a Japanese singer and songwriter from Kyoto known for her sexy image and urban and R&B songs. She has been called the Christina Aquilera of Japan. You can read more about Koda Kumi here.

This song is short, upbeat and very sexy, which is typical of Kumi Koda.

Christmas in Japan

image from bobby stokes

Christmas in Japan is traditionally celebrated with KFC fried chicken and a fancy Christmas cake. The cake usually consists of a sponge cake covered in whipped cream and topped with strawberries. Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, and unfortunately is just a regular working day if it falls on a week day. The retail stores and shopping malls scattered all around Japan have been the most enthusiastic about Christmas, with large Christmas trees, Santa Clauses and seasonal decorations out in force several weeks or months in advance. Christmas Eve has traditionally been a time for couples to go out on a romantic dinner date and restaurants and hotels are usually fully booked out during this time.

Teriyaki Sauce Recipe

image from AsiaFood1

This Month's Easy to Cook Japanese Recipe is the world famous Teriyaki Sauce.

Teriyaki (てりやき) is a cooking technique used in Japanese cuisine where food is broiled or grilled in a sweet sauce marinade. Teriyaki sauce is now available at most supermarkets or Asian Grocery Stores, but it is so easy to make yourself at home.

Japanese Song of the Week Saisho no Mail by French Kiss

This week’s Japanese Song of the Week is Saisho no Mail by French Kiss, which has debuted at number 1 on the Japanese J-Pop Oricon charts.

French Kiss (フレンチ・キス) is a Japanese pop trio unit formed from the popular idol group AKB48. The subunit is also signed to the Avex Trax label.

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Entrance to Kiyomizu–dera Kyoto Japan

This week’s Japan Picture of the Week is the famous entrance to Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, Japan. Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺) means "Pure Water Temple" and is a temple first built in 798. It is one of the most famous landmarks of Kyoto and attracts a lot of tourist, especially during the cherry blossom season.

To get there take the No. 206 or 207 bus from JR Kyoto Station and get off at either the Kiyomizu-machi or Gojo-zaka bus stop. From there it is a 10-15 minute uphill walk to the temple.