Category: Culture
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Going to the Movies in Japan
The movie-going experience in Japan can be rather different than what you might be used to in your home country. From etiquette inside the theater to the release windows and availability of films on offer, going for a night out at the cinema (or a matinee, if that’s your speed) can prove a little perplexing… Read more
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Rokuyou (六曜): The Lucky and Unlucky Japanese Days
You may have seen it on Japanese calendars: some characters under the dates, usually in black and red. These are the rokuyou/rokuyō (六曜), “six days”, a way used in Japan to learn whether a day is lucky or unlucky. They are becoming less and less well known, but they can still be seen in some… Read more
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The (Untold) Etiquette of Onsen ♨
It took me too many years to realize that the key to learning the magic of the onsen experience wasn’t as easy as reading the list of bad behaviors at the entrance of the hot springs. The art of onsen (温泉), and of sento (銭湯, its little brother of the city), is passed down through… Read more