Japanese culture

Have you ever seen mysterious masks when you came to Japan? Perhaps you have seen a mask called “Hyottoko”. By any chance, “Hyottoko” and “Okame” have been popular as lucky charms for a long time. Perhaps the reason for their popularity is their expressions that make you laugh unintentionally. However, the origin of their faces […]

Have you ever heard of the term teru teru bozu? Children don’t make them anymore, so you may not have the chance to see the real thing. Teru teru teru bozu” refers to small dolls made by children to wish for good weather. Most Japanese people remember making teru teru bozu several times in their

If you ask Japanese people, “What are the characteristics of Japan?” many may answer, “A peaceful and beautiful country,” but many may also answer, “A country with four seasons. As the name implies, there are four seasons, spring, summer, fall, and winter, and they change throughout the year. Those who have moved to Japan may

We Japanese have been familiar with Daruma-san since childhood through games such as “Niramekko” and “Daruma-san Koronda. Daruma-san has a charming appearance, and it is understandable that he is popular as a lucky charm for the New Year. They are also popular as objects to express wishes. However, Daruma-san comes in many different colors and

Foreigners who come to Japan still have a strong image of “TOKYO” and “FUJIYAMA,” and many people say, “If I go to Japan, I want to go to Tokyo” or “I want to climb Mt. However, there are many other sightseeing spots in Japan, and there are also many spots that are “commonplace for Japanese

Kokeshi dolls are surprisingly popular in Japan as a tourist attraction and abroad as a souvenir. For decades, there has always been a kokeshi in every house. Since people buy them as souvenirs on trips or give them to others, the number of kokeshi dolls has gradually increased. However, if you think about it, the

When Japanese people go to visit shrines and temples, they first look for money to make a donation. However, if they cannot find coins, they are in trouble. Aside from the wealthy people who have no money problems, it usually takes some courage to put a bill in the money box. On this page, we

Not many Japanese know that “O-fudo-san” means Fudo Myoo. In general, many people may only have an image of Fudo Myoo as having a scary face and being surrounded by red flames. In this page, we will look at Fudo Myoo and matters related to him. What is “Ofudo-san”? Ofudo-san” is a friendly term for

In Japan, you may see Ojizo-san in various places such as temple grounds, cemetery entrances, cemetery grounds, and street corners. However, when you think about it, many of you may not understand what they mean or why they are wearing red yodarekake or maegake. This page summarizes the origin of Jizo-san’s name, the reasons why

In Japanese food culture, ozoni is an indispensable part of the New Year’s holiday along with osechi dishes. When you have it on the morning of New Year’s Day, you can feel relieved and immerse yourself in the New Year’s spirit. Zoni consists of various dishes with different ingredients depending on the region. So, let’s