Blogs

Clockwise from top left: Mother with children in Tokyo, Kimono-clad lady in Kyoto, Going surfing in Miyazaki, Mamachari “Grand-Prix” in Osaka. In Japan, mamachari bicycles — liter … read more

Mid-August in Japan is the time for Bon Odori street dances during Obon, Festival of the Dead. Obon lasts for three days, during which the Japanese invite the spirits of their departed ancestors bac … read more

In Japanese mythology, the seventh day of the seventh month (July 7) is the festival of Tanabata. On this day, the deities Orihime and Hikoboshi, two lovers separated by the milky way, unite for their … read more

Aya (綾) is a picturesque sustainable organic farming community of 7,053 inhabitants (2019) located about 20 kilometers from our hometown of Miyazaki in south Kyushu island. It is nestled betwe … read more

In Japan, the tea ceremony is more than an artistic pastime for preparation and presentation of matcha. The ideals which it represents serve as tools for teaching children personal and social values … read more