Cosplay — the art of dressing up as characters from anime, manga, video games, TV shows, or any other media — has become a global phenomenon over the years. Once dressed in their cosplay, cosplayers attend conventions to take photos, enter competitions, or perform theatrical routines. The World Cosplay Summit is a perfect occasion to...Read More

Hydrangea is a flower with a long history and tradition in Japan. Because of its beauty and special significance, Japanese people adore hydrangea flowers the same way that they do Sakura flowers during spring.  If the plum blossom is a sign of early spring, the hydrangea (Ajisai in Japanese) is a sign that summer is...Read More

Of the roughly 70 festivals each year held at Atsuta Shrine, the Atsuta Festival (Atsuta Matsuri or Shobu-sai) is by far the biggest and most important. This festival is held every June 5th and signals the arrival of summer. Summer in Japan is the season of summer festivals and fireworks! Atsuta Jingu, also called Atsuta-san...Read More

Arimatsu, located just about 20 minutes by train from Nagoya Station, is a town well known for being the home of the traditional Arimatsu-Narumi Shibori technique, a fabric dyeing method that has been skillfully crafted over the last 400 years. Edo Period traditional black wooden houses along the Tokaido Road During the Edo Period (1603...Read More

Traveling with kids adds an extra challenge to all travel plans. You need to find activities that are interesting to your little ones because many probably won’t want to see the same attractions that adults do. This post highlights the top things to do in and around Nagoya with your family. It is filled with...Read More

Are you ready to embark on a cultural journey unlike any other? Imagine a meal that tantalizes your taste buds with the finest ingredients and a show that leaves you in awe of ancient skills and traditions. At Kisoji in Nagoya, you can indulge in a luxury Shabu Shabu hot pot feast paired with a...Read More

Atsuta Shrine, also called, Atsuta-san or Atsuta-sama, is the second most important Shinto shrine in Japan, after the Ise Grand Shrine. The venerated sun goddess Amaterasu is enshrined here as well as being home to the sacred sword Kusanagi-no-tsurugi, which is one of the three Japanese imperial treasures. Legend has it that Amaterasu gave the...Read More

Japan has a wide variety of traditional noodle-based dishes. Nagoya uses a lot of noodles in their signature Nagoya Meshi, which are dishes local to Nagoya. In fact, five of them are noodle bases dishes! (Ok fine, two of those are actually spaghetti… not sure if that counts!) Another popular type of noodle is udon....Read More

Springtime in Japan is famous for a variety of beautiful flowers. One of them is the Japanese wisteria, a flower that captivates with its mysterious beauty and its sweet fragrance. Like wisteria’s more famous cousin the cherry blossom, multiple varieties of wisteria bloom at different times. The average blooming period extends from mid-April to early...Read More

Tokoname is home to Chubu Centrair International Airport, the largest airport in the region. What many people don’t know, is that it is also a city with a long tradition of pottery and amazing craftsmanship. Tokoname is an excellent place to visit for a day or half-day trip from Nagoya (or the airport if you...Read More