Stories and Objects
Deep from within Japan
New Stories
Ramen Bowls: Choosing the Right Bowls for Japan's Noodle Soups
Ramen bowls shape the way that noodles, broth and toppings come together. Find the right bowl by understanding how size, design and material affect heat retention, presentation and the overall dini...
Types of Japanese Noodles: Ramen, Udon, Soba and Beyond
A detailed guide to Japanese noodles covering soba, udon, ramen, eating etiquette and how to make fresh udon noodles at home.
Warm Up with a Classic Japanese Stew: How to Make Oden at Home
How did oden evolve from tofu skewers to become one of Japan’s most beloved one-pot dishes? We serve up chunks of dashi-soaked history plus a recipe for making oden at home.
Discover Kyoto in February: Setsubun Demons, Beans and Plum Blossoms
Kyoto in February means demon-banishing rituals and the first plum blossoms of the year. This festival guide covers where to join in the bean-throwing fun - and where to sit down to tea with appren...
Cafes in Kyoto: Best Places For Breakfast near Kyoto Station and Beyond
Whether you want your Kyoto breakfast to be a spread of Japanese cuisine or you can’t handle anything more than coffee and toast, the city has you covered. This guide introduces some of the best pl...
Egg Customs from a Long Tamago at Japan’s Shrines
Are eggs all they're cracked up to be in Japan's shrines? Find out here.
Praying to Gourds: Japan’s Vegetable Shrines and Temples, Part 2
Table of Contents Introduction Aubergines Cucumber Kanpyo Squash (Kabocha) Nozawana Introduction A new year’s resolution to eat more vegetables is probably made easier by getting a large variet...
Toka Ebisu Festivals: Seeking Luck with the Help of a Laughing God
Ebisu, Japan’s beaming god of good fortune, anchors the lively Toka Ebisu festival season, from Nishinomiya Shrine’s Lucky Man race to Osaka’s large-scale celebrations and Kyoto rituals featuring g...
A Hotline to the Gods: Wishing on Ema in Japan Shinto Shrines
Seen hanging at shrines throughout Japan, ema plaques transform hopes for love, health and success into offerings to the gods. Here’s how to write one, where to find memorable designs and how to re...
Festivals and Things To Do in Kyoto in January
Looking for events in Kyoto for January? This guide highlights New Year rituals, Heian-period games, shrine festivals and flea markets.
Radishes, Rhizomes, and More: Japan’s Vegetable Shrines and Temples, Part 1
From Japanese ginger to garlic, these shrines and temples are where you can give thanks for the marvelous plants that make our food tasty.
Manju Buns: Japanese Confectionery that's Sweet - and Steamy
The buns known as manju have evolved from temple food into an icon of wagashi culture. This guide traces the sweet's origins, its regional forms and its enduring place in Japanese culture.
Kyoto Year-End Dining Guide: Restaurants Open Over the New Year
Finding an open restaurant in Japan during the New Year holiday can feel like spotting a rare Pokemon. If you're looking for places to dine in Kyoto from Dec 31 to Jan 2, here are tips and restaura...
Food of the Imo-rtals: Every Single Sweet Potato Shrine (and One Temple) in Japan
Boil 'em, mash 'em, stick 'em in a stew — learn about Japan's relationship with sweet potatoes and the history of the shrines that venerate them.
Ring in the New Year in Kyoto: The Temple Bells of Joya no Kane
A New Year’s Eve guide to joya no kane in Kyoto and where visitors can line up to ring the temple bell.
Send Noods: Shrines and Temples for Your Favourite Japanese Noodles
Here are places in Japan to thank the gods for the noods that keep you going.
December Kyoto Events: Festivals and Celebrations
From the kaomise performances at Minamiza to the fiery Shinto ritual of okera mairi, December events in Kyoto offer a front-row seat to more than a thousand years of Japanese culture.
Oodles of Unagi: Japan’s Eel Shrines and Temples
Here are way moray shrines celebrating eels than you ever thought possible.
Traditional Japanese Partitions: Slide Open The World of Fusuma
These Japanese room dividers, found from castles to Zen temples, not only shape space but also hold powerful painted stories.
Of Citruses and Sweets: Tajimamori, A God for Candyfreaks
Introducing the god of sweets — Tajimamori-no-mikoto, the semi-legendary figure who brought the first fruit of immortality back to Japan — and the shrines that venerate him. Required visiting for a...
Baby Your Japanese Floor: How to Clean Tatami Mats
A guide to picking the right type of tatami as well as preventing mold and mites and removing stains.
What You Need to Know About Tatami Mats Before Buying
The range of tatami options available can feel overwhelming but this guide will help you find the mats that fit your home, habits and humidity levels.
It’s a Dog’s Life: Japan’s Top Dog Shrines and Temples, Part 4
From legendary hounds to true tales of modern-day dogs, these shrines and temples tell the stories of good dogs and the canine deeds that left a mark in the hearts of people around them.
Floor Story: A History of Tatami - and How to Arrange Those Mats
Tatami mats went from aristocratic bedding to the signature floor of Japanese interiors. Here's a look at tatami from the ground up: its history, auspicious layouts and the arrangements that are be...