Author: Deano「ヂィノ」 Wormald
There are many unique buildings in Japan. Some of the greatest buildings integrate nature into their design. Opened in 1995, this green building mimics the shape of a mountain. ACROS Fukuoka「アクロス福岡」 The north side of ...
These flags of flying fish are actually a special breed of Japanese carp 「koi, 鯉」 which are bred for ornamental purposes. The carp flags (or kites/streamers) are known as koinobori 「鯉幟」 and symbolise Children’s Day ...
Japan is home to some massive buildings. Tokyo Tower, 333m high; Skytree, 634m high; JR Nagoya Station, 245m high. JR Kyoto Station isn’t all that high, only about 70m tall. But it’s still the second ...
After the defeat of Japan in World War II, the country clung (and/or was forced) to the idea of peace. Memorials are found all over Japan, especially in places like Hiroshima. The red torii gate, ...
Hakone Shrine is a popular day trip for Tokyoites, and it’s easy to see why. Just a couple of hours from Japan’s capital, Hakone has a lot to offer… a natural setting and national parks, ...
Trams were popular in Japan from the 1950s, but over the coming decades were replaced by underground subways in most major cities. Trams have been around for a long time in Okayama, and are a ...
Bitchu Matsuyama Castle 「Bitchū Matsuyama-jō, 備中松山城」 is well known in Japan and among Japanese castle-philes as one of the 12 remaining original castles in Japan. The city of Takahashi, home to Bitchu Matsuyama-jo says the ...
Until I visited Japan for the first time in 2009, I never knew purple carrots existed. So I was a little more than surprised when I first saw this drink in a convenience store… The ...
This was the hotel I first stayed in for my October 2013 Japan travels. The hotel is placed next to a major transit hub, where buses and trains to and from Kansai International Airport are ...
On the south east coast of Kyūshū, one of the most southerly points of Japan’s four main islands, is an ancient shrine hidden in a cave… Japanese shrine in cave: Udo-jingu This photo is a ...
Hello Kitty, or Harō Kiti 「ハローキティ」 as pronounced in Japanese, is so insanely popular that the cute character now has its own range of sex toys… I won’t go near any pussy puns here. Hello ...
The Japan Rail smoking signs. I always keep my eye out for them. In a very obscure way, these signs are trying to tell people to be considerate smokers… Funny Japanese smoking sign in Kyoto ...
Sanjusangendo, literally translates to Thirty-Three Length Hall, and formally known as Rengeo-in, is a very unique temple. The interior of the hall holds 1000 Buddha statues A ken 「間」 is a unit of Japanese measurement. ...
In flights meals. They have a bit of a reputation. I usually try and stay away from them. In preparation for the 9.5 hours without a decent meal, I usually have a big meal before ...
The route I most often take to and from Japan is Gold Coast (Australia) to Kansai International Airport at Osaka. Flight time is a little over 9 hours, which for an international flight, isn’t very ...
Many Japanese “fast-food” restaurants speed up the process of ordering by using a “dumb-waiter”. Pictured here is a a vending machine, where you pay the machine money, and a human serves up your food… If ...
While buying a beer from the “cans shop”, a conveniently placed vending machine on the same floor as your hotel room, is certainly convenient, it’s not your cheapest option. Japanese beer vending machine The cost ...
Small local shrines appear in every neighbourhood in Japan. No matter their size, they always feature the same elements: a main hall, and a torii gate. Akiba Shrine, Eikakushinmachi, Toyota City Akiba Shrine also features a ...
The price of beer in Japan is fairly standard across the country. With the huge battle for market share in convenience stores, prices are just about the same everywhere. Here we look at the price ...
For almost 700 years, from the 1100s to 1868, samurai were the ruling political class in Japan. The nobility ruled the courts, and the samurai warriors based their culture on these nobles. The everyday samurai ...
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