We often hear about sadô (茶道), the tea ceremony, or even kadô (華 道), the floral art. But have you ever heard of Kôdô (香 道), the third major classical art that all fine Japanese women should learn? It literally means the “way of perfume” and in this article, we will tell you more about […]
Coffee was introduced in Japan by the Dutch in the 16th century. However, it didn’t get popular among the Japanese population until the beginning of the 20th century. Nowadays, you can find many coffee shops from big chains such as Starbucks, which opened its first store in 1996 in Ginza, but also a lot of […]
If you don’t know yet what an omikuji is, this is definitely something to add to your list of things to do while traveling in Japan. It’s a fun and traditional Japanese experience. Keep reading if you want to know more! Draw an Omikuji Fortune Slip They are found in all shrines and temples in […]
If you are interested in Japanese traditional crafts, why not check out Nara calligraphy brushes? Kukai is a famous monk who introduced Buddhism to Nara from China in the 9th century. He also brought back with him the techniques of making calligraphy brushes. Nara brushes are known for their flexibility. Using them, anyone can draw […]
Nengajo: Japanese New Year Cards Nengajo are the New Year cards that Japanese people send to each other to celebrate the New Year. In Western countries, it may seem a bit old-fashioned, but in Japan, it is still a beloved tradition, and the Post Office often gets overwhelmed at the end and beginning of the […]
That you believe in it or not, it’s always fun to look into the New Year’s zodiac sign. And for this Japanese New year, the ox is in the spotlight. So, what to expect for 2021? We will try to decrypt all of this with you in this article. The second of the zodiac signs […]
Located in Hiroshima prefecture, Joge is a nice historical village that has seen the birth of an innovative cake: Kunihiroya’s yoshu cake. Definitely a must-try sweet during your stay in Hiroshima area. Yoshu 洋酒 is composed of 2 kanjis. Yo 洋 meaning western and shu 酒 meaning alcohol. Yoshu cake (洋酒ケーキ) is then a “western […]
Fugetsu-do Tsuchinoko Manju is an unmissable confection to try out if you are in Joge. I love its delicious pie crust and its sweet white beans paste filling. It is in my opinion one of the best Japanese sweets. Why is Tsuchinoko manju one of the best Japanese sweets you will ever try? First of […]
Meet Yamaki Taichi, 4th generation owner of this tatami shop located in Tokyo. His family has been making those traditional Japanese mats for more than a hundred years. Even if, nowadays, 80% of the juncus used to make the mats come from China, Yamaki-san takes pride in only using juncus from Kumamoto prefecture, in Kyushu. […]
Kyoto Natural Factory The first actor in the creation of the yuzu soap you will find in your Spirit of Japan box is Kyoto Natural Factory. Kyoto Natural Factory is a human-sized company located in the shopping area in the heart of Kyoto. They are very proud to deliver 100% Natural and 100% Made in […]
One of the items featured in your box Spirit of Japan is a Daruma doll. I am sure you have a lot of questions about it! What is a Daruma? How can it make my wish come true? Where did the doll was made? What is the story behind it and what am I supposed […]
