The yukata is a lightweight garment often worn during summer festivals in Japan. Unlike the kimono, which is more formal and often more challenging to wear, the yukata is a more casual yet equally elegant outfit made of cotton and decorated with floral, geometric, or nature-inspired patterns. Historical background of yukata The yukata is a […]

What is the Rokuyō calendar ? The Rokuyō (六曜) is a traditional Japanese calendar system that assigns a fortune—ranging from good to bad—to each day, cycling through six distinct types. While not based on scientific evidence, Rokuyō remains influential in Japan, especially when selecting dates for significant life events like weddings, funerals, and business openings. […]

When is Golden Week? Golden Week (ゴールデンウィーク) is one of Japan’s biggest holiday seasons, spanning several national holidays that fall close together at the end of April and beginning of May. It’s a popular time for travel, leisure, and family gatherings across the country. Why “Golden Week”? Golden Week itself wasn’t a term initially used […]

Is Christmas a national holiday in Japan ?Do Japanese celebrate Christmas and how ?  Christmas (クリスマス) is not a national holiday in Japan, but it is widely celebrated in a unique way. Unlike in Western countries, Christmas in Japan is more about festive gatherings and romantic gestures than traditional religious customs. Christmas Eve, in particular, […]

On February 2nd, Shinjuku Japanese Language Insitute celebrated Setsubun a day early. Teachers explained the significance of Setsubun in each class and distributed beans. Suddenly, to everyone’s surprise, a demon appeared in the classroom! Amid rising tension, the students faced the imminent threat by shouting loudly, “Out with the demon, in with good fortune!” They […]

Rainy season occurs from the end of May to the end of July in Japan. It sometimes amount to a quarter of the annual rainfall and is dreaded by many. Unpredictable weather, rising heat and humidity… Many people may think it’s wiser to avoid going to Japan during that period of time. However, rainy season […]

Every autumn (秋), Japan gets the chance to showcase its famous red maple leaves. This phenomenon can be expressed by two different words: momiji and kouyou. Even though they are written with the same characters, 紅葉, they describe two distinct things. Momiji refers to the maple leaves covered with red at that time of the […]

A matsuri is a traditional festival which celebrates Japanese deities through dances, shows, parades and processions. This religious festival most of the time comes with yatai, games and drinks and take a very lively turn. Matsuri are organised all year round and all over Japan. What’s a matsuri? In English, matsuri (祭り) is most of […]

With more than 600 different species of cherry trees, Japan is internationally known for its sakura season. This very special time of the year attracts not only locals but also many visitors coming from all over the globe. One key word during that season: hanami (花見) which combines the kanjis for “flower” and “look”. This […]

In Japan, Valentine’s Day is celebrated in two stages. The first one, on February 14, where women buy chocolates for the men in their surroundings. These chocolates can have various objectives and meanings: some of them are used to confess one’s love (本命チョコ, honmei-choko) while others (義理チョコ, giri-choko) are kind of an obligation and most […]