Osaka is widely regarded to have some of the best food in Japan. Quick, tasty bites are in Osaka’s DNA. And best of all, they are all super cheap! History of the yatai Yatai street food carts or “shop stands”, as they are translated, date back to at least the 17th century, with some sources saying they were around in the 5th and 6th centuries! Yatai...
If you’re a vegetarian or vegan and have never visited Japan before, don’t despair. You might have a picture of porky ramen, wagyu beef, and raw sushi in your head when you think of Japanese cuisine, but I’d like to introduce you to another style of cooking that is authentic, wonderful, and uniquely Japanese. Even if you are an omnivore like myself...
Picture yourself sitting on the tatami mats in your private room, enjoying a cup of tea. You step out on to the deck of your private garden and slip out of your yukata nightrobe for a nighttime (or daytime) dip in your private tub, surrounded by a bright green carefully sculpted and curated garden. What more could one ask for? What is a ryokan? A ryokan (旅館) is...
Thousands of bright orange torii gates winding up the mountain, contrasted and framed with the neon green of the mountain forest. You’ve undoubtedly seen pictures of this striking Japanese Shinto shrine, Fushimi Inari. History of the shrine Inari Okami is the Shinto god of rice and business, and Inariyama is the sacred mountain dedicated to this god. There are about...
First off, I’m very sorry about the unannounced 3 month hiatus. I just got married and it completely took over my world! I will get back to regularly scheduled posts here shortly. But first off, a post about Himeji castle! Fortunately for my readers, my latest trip (my honeymoon!) was to Japan, and I’m here to share all the tidbits I picked up on my way to this...