Click on photo or link to read the feature • Beyond TokyoLet’s go to hell with a blue beer chaser and ice cream on top! Beppu is famous for its hells. There are seven pools of the damned, each more beautiful than the last. Beppu’s jigoku are natural volcanic mineral pools dressed in astonishingly unnatural-looking colors. TheseContinueContinue reading “JUL-AUG 2026”
Category Archives: July
Why is it so hard to swear in Japanese?
You can tell when translators are truly bi-cultural because Japanese-Americans translate J-drama subtitles using four-letter words, even though they don’t appear anywhere in the script. Many a foreign teenager has scoured their bilingual dictionary for the equivalents of “sh*t” and “f*ck,” only to be met with gales of laughter when they fling the Japanese wordsContinueContinue reading “Why is it so hard to swear in Japanese?”
Did you win the June Book Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won your choice of one of these three books! The Calamity Club by Kathryn StockettThe Square of Sevens by Laura Shepherd-RobinsonMemoirs of a Geisha by Arthur Golden If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and let me know which book you’d like, and if you’dContinueContinue reading “Did you win the June Book Giveaway?”
Let’s go to hell with a blue beer chaser and ice cream on top
Beppu in Oita Prefecture Beppu is famous for its hells. There are seven pools of the damned, each more beautiful than the last. Beppu’s jigoku are natural volcanic mineral pools dressed in astonishingly unnatural-looking colors. These steamy blue, green, red and white cauldrons get their hues from a variety of naturally occurring minerals, and areContinueContinue reading “Let’s go to hell with a blue beer chaser and ice cream on top”
Japan doesn’t have one famous flower season. It has twelve.
Higanbana native amaryllis at Kinchakuda, near Koma Station This is your sign from the universe to stop trying to find some way to be in Japan for the ten days of Classic Pinkness, because you’re about to get clued in on the other flower wow that Japan has been dishing up year-round for centuries. BecauseContinueContinue reading “Japan doesn’t have one famous flower season. It has twelve.”
More Failed Rock Gardens of Japan
I know I already showed you my collection of the finest failed rock gardens in all of Japan, but little did I know there would be more. So many more! Less-than-serene attempts at creating the contemplative landscapes for which Japan is so famous began appearing around every corner. And I don’t think we can crown the previousContinueContinue reading “More Failed Rock Gardens of Japan”
Did you win the Jul-Aug Book Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of Daikon by Samuel Hawley! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and let me know if you’d like the Kindle version or a paperback. If you’d like the Kindle version, let me know which email you’d like me to send theContinueContinue reading “Did you win the Jul-Aug Book Giveaway?”
JUL-AUG 2025
Click on photo or link to read the feature • Beyond TokyoCome with me to the northiest north! Okay, I know this isn’t the Norwaygram, and I apologize to be coming to you from a place that is SO far beyond Tokyo this month. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I wasContinueContinue reading “JUL-AUG 2025”
Why do cars drive on the left in Japan?
If Japan had ever been part of the British Empire it would be obvious why they adopted the practice of driving on the left. But they’ve never been invaded or conquered by anyone, and the only country they’ve ever surrendered to—the United States—drives on the right. So…why? In a word, swords. Most samurai (like peopleContinueContinue reading “Why do cars drive on the left in Japan?”
Daikon
By Samuel Hawley Setting & details: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Authenticity of Japanese characters & dialogue: ⭐⭐⭐⭐Translation quality: N/AEntertainment value: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐My recommendation: A what-if scenario set in the final days of WWII, this novel imagines what might have happened if the Japanese captured an unexploded A-bomb in the days before Hiroshima and Nagasaki. Rigorous research and the author’s timeContinueContinue reading “Daikon”
J-Style No-Mayo Tuna Salad
Canned tuna has been having a moment lately, and this tasty, tangy take on tuna salad is about to become your new summer go-to! One bite after my Japanese cousin Yoko brought this bowl to the table I was begging for the recipe, and was extra-delighted to discover it uses only six ingredients (including theContinueContinue reading “J-Style No-Mayo Tuna Salad”
Come with me to the northiest north!
Hiking the Lofoten Islands, inside the Arctic Circle Little red houses everywhere! Okay, I know this isn’t the Norwaygram, and I apologize to be coming to you from a place that is SO far beyond Tokyo this month. To be honest, I can’t remember the last time I was in a country where they wereContinueContinue reading “Come with me to the northiest north!”
Links to fun stuff you might have missed
If you don’t subscribe to my Japan travel site or the blog where I write about stuff you’d never see anywhere else, here are links to a couple of other things you might enjoy… • New post from The Tokyo Guide I Wish I’d HadWhat to do in Tokyo when it’s HOT outside Tell meContinueContinue reading “Links to fun stuff you might have missed”
Did you win the May-Jun Japan Swag Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a Japanese summer wind chime! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it. If I didn’t pull your name from the hat this time,I hope you get lucky next time! One lucky subscriber will win every two months,ContinueContinue reading “Did you win the May-Jun Japan Swag Giveaway?”
JUL 2024
Click on photo or link to read the feature • The Thing I Learned Today:The weird things you can buy in Japanese vending machines Coffee, tea and soft drinks are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to what a few coins can buy you from vending machines in Japan…read more • JapaneseContinueContinue reading “JUL 2024”
Did you win the May-Jun Book Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of The Kamogawa Food Detectives! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it. (I’ll need an email address if you’d like the e-book or a mailing address if you’d like a paperback). If I didn’t pullContinueContinue reading “Did you win the May-Jun Book Giveaway?”
The weird things you can buy in Japanese vending machines
One thing you can always count on is that the moment you set foot on Japanese soil, vending machines will be waiting to greet you, and the beverage of your dreams is but a few coins away. The mix of hot and cold offerings waxes and wanes with the seasons, along with the seasonal fruitContinueContinue reading “The weird things you can buy in Japanese vending machines”
J-Style Poke Bowl
A cool & satisfying summer meal you can make in minutes! When Japanese laborers arrived in Hawaii to work the cane fields a century ago, they brought chirashi sushi with them—a simple meal of rice topped with fresh-caught fish that was the ideal no-cook meal for a tropical climate. Over time, it evolved into theContinueContinue reading “J-Style Poke Bowl”
Let’s go see where that fabulous Meisen kimono silk comes from!
Chichibu Meisen-kan in Saitama Prefecture It’s no secret I’m a major fangirl when it comes to Jazz Age kimonos, and if you’ve been following Only In Japan, you’ll remember that fabulous exhibit at the Yayoi-Yumeji Museum that showcased Meisen silk kimonos with patterns influenced by modern art… kitchy Western motifs… and the sheer graphic exuberanceContinueContinue reading “Let’s go see where that fabulous Meisen kimono silk comes from!”
JUL-AUG 2023
Click on photo or link to read the feature • Seasonal Secret:Splashparks: Tokyo’s secret summer delight You don’t have to be a kid to fling socks and shoes to the wind and dip your hot, tired feet in these inviting summertime streams, pools and fountains. Best of all, these are all in public parks, soContinueContinue reading “JUL-AUG 2023”
What the heckin’ heck is THIS?
First, let’s answer last month’s question and find out what the heckin’ heck was THAT? Answer: A miso muddler And what does a miso muddler do? Well, first, it measures something that’s a huge pain to measure. Miso is the peanut butter of Japanese ingredients (i.e. you’re doomed to getting it all over your fingersContinueContinue reading “What the heckin’ heck is THIS?”
Splashparks: Tokyo’s secret summer delight
You don’t have to be a kid to fling socks and shoes to the wind and dip your hot, tired feet in these inviting summertime streams, pools and fountains. Best of all, these are all in public parks, so they’re free! A typical splashpark has water so safely shallow that even for the tiniest totsContinueContinue reading “Splashparks: Tokyo’s secret summer delight”
Jul-Aug Japan Swag Giveaway
A set of five limited edition “Drinking Cats” gachapon capsule toys The inspired es dreamed up by the companies that make the miniature limited edition toys sold in gachapon machines all over Japan never cease to amaze! This month’s giveaway is a subset of an especially WTF collection of drunken pets. They all come withContinueContinue reading “Jul-Aug Japan Swag Giveaway”
How NOT to say “Get Well Soon” in Japan
As if Japan isn’t complicated enough when it comes to gift giving, visiting a sick friend in the hospital comes with its very own set of horrifying opportunities for The Big Fail. Here’s how NOT to say “Get Well Soon” in Japan… Where I come from, flowers are always a safe bet. They don’t torpedoContinueContinue reading “How NOT to say “Get Well Soon” in Japan”
A town that’s packed with weird, wild & wonderful shrines and temples
Kamakura in Kanagawa Prefecture MAP to all shrines and temples If you want to set a record for seeing the most entertaining shrines & temples in a single day, the best of the best are just an hour away from central Tokyo in the charming town of Kamakura! Read on, to pick your must-sees. BeforeContinueContinue reading “A town that’s packed with weird, wild & wonderful shrines and temples”
Deviled Eggs with a Japanese Twist
No summertime picnic is complete without a tray of deviled eggs, and this duo of Japanese-flavored variations will have everyone begging for your recipe! The Miso Deviled Eggs pack an extra wallop of sweet and savory, while the Spicy Deviled Eggs get their kick from the citrusy pepper relish known as yuzu koshō. • MisoContinueContinue reading “Deviled Eggs with a Japanese Twist”
Did you win the May-Jun Japan Swag Giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won three limited edition see-no-evil, hear-no-evil, speak-no-evil gachapon cats! If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and tell me where to send it. (I’ll need a mailing address). If I didn’t pull your name from the hat this time, you might get lucky next time!ContinueContinue reading “Did you win the May-Jun Japan Swag Giveaway?”
Did you win the May-Jun book giveaway?
If you recognize your email, congratulations! You just won a copy of The Breakaway Japanese Kitchen by Eric Gower If you think this is you, shoot a message to JapanagramJonelle@gmail.com and give me a mailing address you’d like it sent to (this one is only available in hardcover) and I’ll get it to you soonest. If IContinueContinue reading “Did you win the May-Jun book giveaway?”
Easy Japanese lunchbox supper
Start with a bed of rice, then arrange bits and pieces of leftovers, pantry staples, and/or quick-cooked fresh foods tossed in dressings that you already have in your fridge. The pleasure of this dish is having so many different tastes in one meal It’s summertime, and the last thing you want to do is slaveContinueContinue reading “Easy Japanese lunchbox supper”
Let’s stroll through a forest of perfect miniature trees!
Bonsai Village in Ōmiya The Ōmiya Bonsai Art Museum is a work of art in itself—the trees are displayed in a beautifully-designed landscape that feels like a contemporary Japanese garden. It showcases the trees amid traditional fences and rockscapes Bonsai Village is the neighborhood surrounding the Bonsai Art Museum in Ōmiya, which is home toContinueContinue reading “Let’s stroll through a forest of perfect miniature trees!”
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