Numbers of Nara Geisha seem to be going down with time. However, it was possible recently to see them perform live since they were presenting a debut of one of their new Maiko! This was a rare and wonderful opportunity, since seeing Geisha performing life usually costs a lot of money, and Nara geisha can be hard to find. I hope you will enjoy watching the performance. Note that geisha are always dressed to compliment the season. So, this is also a rare opportunity to see them

I was wandering around near Caulfield Station looking for a place to eat with its own bathroom when I came across Men Tei Ramen. Being vegetarian, eating out is sometimes a challenge. But I was pleased to see a wealth of non-meat options on the menu. Particularly tofu curry don. I had long missed the aromatic flavour of Japanese curry. But the tofu option meant that at long last I could finally have it again. When I went to order, the staff informed me that I could request ve

Recently I was researching kabuki costumes for a customer in my Etsy store when I came across an exciting tourist experience! Travel to Kinosaki in Hyōgo Prefecture and you can go for a full Kabuki experience for 499,000 yen. You will be dressed in genuine kabuki makeup and costume, taught how to do some real kabuki moves and photos will be taken of you. Did I mention that all of this happens in one of the oldest kabuki theatres still in use in Japan? This is an experience th

I made previous posts about the Autumn foods of Japan, including a post on the Autumn Kitkat of Japan, since I am looking for ways to make the most of Autumn where I am. But a particularly exciting item I found in my local Asian grocer were these little boxes of LOOK Sweet Potato and Chestnut chocolates! I was expecting them to be generic sweet potato and Chestnut. But I was wrong! This is so much better! (Photos by me.) Looking at the back, I learned that it was specifically

In Australia it can sometimes be a challenge to get the special Japanese flavours of KitKat. But in my local Asian Grocery, I got lucky and found that they had bags of KitKat chestnut for sale! Given that it is Autumn in Australia, this is the perfect time to eat it. I blogged about foods commonly associated with the Japanese autumn and chestnuts were an important presence in that list. I was so excited I bought the bag without even looking at the price. But I know it can't h

It doesn't seem to be something celebrated commonly in Japan. Perhaps because it is common place for in-laws to fail to get along. But every year in Noshiro City, Akita, a curious tradition called the Daughter In Law Festival or Yomeni Matsuri takes place. Women who got married in the previous year dress up in traditional wedding kimono all together. It is a remarkably colourful sight to behold as a result. The event is held to honour wives for the hard work they do. The fest

As I've talked about in other posts, I've been looking for ways to make more fun in Autumn. It turns out that Autumn is the traditional time of year to harvest peanuts. And you can make this recipe non-dairy! But still full of buttery, creamy, chocolatey deliciousness! So that is how I will show it off! (Photos taken by me.) Here's what you'll need: -Equipment- 1 Blender 1 Large Glass A few spoons -Ingredients- 1 1/2 Cups of Carton Coconut milk 5 Tablespoons of Peanut But

If you've been online much in the past few month and you have a strong interest in Japanese pop culture you might have seen Tokyo Treat boxes marketed on your social media. But are they worth it for the money? You might remember my previous post where I extoll the virtues of the SakuraCo box. And it was a most excellent box. The Tokyo Treat box is the same size. But it is a very different experience. I wouldn't normally go in for this sort of thing. But the Tokyotreat box pro

Since I missed Spring in Japan so much, I decided to buy a SakuraCo box and did a video about the content and how I will make the most of it! I mention things I did in other posts in this blog such as how I made "tea" out of orange peels to go with the matcha and the online sakura event I intend to attend later this month! If you would like to supplement your virtual experiences of Japan with real life, wearable objects, you could try perusing my online store. I try to keep m

While I had been missing the Japanese spring very much, it occurred to me that I should try to learn ways to better enjoy the Autumn time in my own country. After all, it is Autumn in Australia. With that in mind, I decided to find out what foods are usually eaten in Japan during the Autumn time and recipes to go with them in case you'd like to try them for yourself. Sanma Sanma is a specific species of fish found in the seas around Asia, Alaska and Mexico. It is long and th

As I've mentioned in other posts, I have felt sad at how I could not be in Japan for sakura or cherry blossom season this year. So, I decided to see what online options were available on Eventbrite for people who are missing Japan. It turns out that there are many, with some costing an amount of money, some being quite expensive and others being free! So, I will show the free ones first and explain them. Free The Japan Foundation is known to be one of the most important Japan

(Image borrowed from Eventbrite.) Azumi Uchitani works around the world sharing Japanese culture and philosophy with people who are less familiar with it. On the 18th of March she will be giving a talk on the philosophy and culture surrounding Japanese traditional foods. Azumi is highly experienced in her work and has many online resources that can be enjoyed today. Here is a talk she gave on sushi in Amsterdam in 2009: Since the pandemic began, many of her events and talks

While on my lonely candy haul the other day, I stumbled upon a bag of candy I hadn't even heard of before; Koume. I was instantly excited to buy and try it, since the bag's packaging featured a beautiful young woman wearing an even lovelier kimono. Unless I say otherwise, the photos in this post were taken by me in March 2021. I was able to buy the bag fairly cheaply, for about $4.20 in Springvale, Victoria, Australia. I knew enough about Japanese candy to know that many of t

(Image by Unsplash, 5/3/21) If you've been watching my Instagram or my Facebook, you'll know that the upcoming sakura season in Japan has me missing my trip to Kyoto like crazy, and looking for ways I can (affordably) experience some Japanese culture right where I am. So, I've been tracking down various Japanese snacks for me to eat, some of which I'm planning on talking about here in this blog! Some of what I have bought is a little expensive for the quantity, but is of ex

(All photos in this post will be have taken by me, 2021.) We're just coming out of the Lunar New Year season but as a Vegetarian, my ability to participate was kind of limited. As a mixed-race person, I also like to blend different forms of cuisine to create "mixed-race foods". I usually don't like fried rice since it seems like a lot of empty carbs. So, I tried to invent a plant-based variant on fried rice that would be rice with nutrition and flavour! Here are the things y

You may be a cat lover, you might be a cat hater, but either way, the Kagurazaka Bakeneko Parade is guaranteed to have you transfixed. This year, it is due to be held on the 10th of October, not far from Shinjuku, Tokyo. Though you may wish to check the official website closer to the date, since it doesn't seem to be set in stone. But what is a bakeneko exactly? I decided to see if I could find a good definition: In fact, in Japan there are multiple classic horror movies base

When you visit Japan, you'll sometimes run into places that are frustratingly modernist; devoid of flavour and personality. But then other times, you'll come across places you can't find anywhere else, that make you feel as if you're taking a thrilling step back in time. I happened to stumble upon such a place while I was scrolling around online. So, I collected some images of this place from Booking.com and HotelsCombined.com so you too could embrace the vintage splendour of

Have you ever dreamed of being a ninja? Have you wanted to see a region of Japan that is not so often visited? Well, there is a Ninja Village amusement park in Saga! And in case you needed additional conviction that it is a fun place to go, the area is called "Ureshino" which literally means "Joy Park"! And since the park says February is Ninja Month, this seems like a very good time to talk about this place. The Ninja Village promises an experience of the Edo period of Jap

Every year in Japan, in various cities, there is an event held called "Yabusame". And to look at, it is usually spectacular! Lavish historical Japanese outfits are usually worn by participants as they compete on horseback to complete various archery goals. These outfits are rarely worn and seen. And since the horses and attendants are often dressed historically, too, there is that odd sense of witnessing history come alive, much like what you may feel if you see the Jidai Mat

For a long time I dreamed of having my hair done in traditional Japanese style by a trained professional. In fact, during my last trip to Kyoto, I asked multiple locals about where I could go to get my hair done in this style, a style broadly known as "nihongami". Though I know for certain that people capable of performing nihongami must exist in Kyoto. This can be known with certainty because Maiko, or Geisha apprentices need their hair regularly restyled to maintain the sha