This article is brought to you through a partnership with the Heart of Japan blog, a project by the Hyogo International Association. Having defeated a renowned swordsman in a decisive battle at the age of 13 in the early Edo Period (somewhere between 1584 and 1645 according to legend), the fame of masterless-samurai, or rounin,…
For undulating sand dunes straight out of Arabian Nights look no further than Japan’s least populated prefecture, our very near neighbour, Tottori. That’s right, just to our north west you can live out your Ali Baba fantasies, complete with camels and hundreds of other tourists. The Tottori Sand Dunes are Japan’s only dune system, and…
Temple 8 of the pilgrimage is Hasedera, called the Flower Temple, a beautiful site in Nara Prefecture. My own trip to Hasedera was unique along my helter-skelter pilgrimage route: rather than simply wander around taking pictures and reading information off my phone, I actually spent the night in a ryokan in the monzen machi (the…
The perennial cheapskate in me will always be happy to find a good deal on the drinks/good food combo. When the same is offered right on my doorstep I can never decide if it’s a good thing, or just dangerous for the wallet and waistline. On this occasion I am very much leaning towards the…
When it comes to the winter vacation period, in my mind there are three options:stay in Japan and indulge in champagne powder skiing (did that last year), head home for creature comforts (this year’s plan) or jet off somewhere exotic where the idea of needing a kotatsu would make locals guffaw. If you fall into…
In my opinion this is the best Japanese comfort food, and likely to be found in your school’s cafeteria as a favourite amongst the students too. Katsu is breaded pork and don means atop rice (if you remember from last month’s kaisendon); the clincher is the steamed egg and sweet sauce topping combination – winning….
Hello Hyogo! Happy Halloween! Ok so I know I’m a bit early, but Halloween will be here before we know it! For me October means all of my sports festivals are over and it’s time to start teaching again, including getting ready for my Halloween lessons. This month there are a lot of fun events…
Hello all! October has arrived and with it far more temperate weather as we inch closer to the spectacular leaf-changes of autumn, one of my favourite seasons. Did you know Japan has four seasons? It may not the first time you’ve been asked this and it certainly won’t be the last! This question, which…