A ninja, also known as shinobi, refers to spies and assassins who operated secretly in Japan's historical periods. Predominantly active from the medieval era through the Edo period, ninjas were deeply rooted in Japan's history and culture. Their presence was especially significant during the Sengoku period (late 15th to early 17th century), a time of intense conflict among warlords vying for power. The primary tasks of ninjas included gathering intelligence, conducting sabotage, and assassinating key figures. Unlike samurai, ninjas had to operate in secrecy, mastering the arts of stealth and disguise to carry out their missions effectively.   The Training and Skills of a Ninja Becoming a ninja required rigorous training. Often starting from a young age, aspiring ninjas honed various skills to develop their physical abilities and mental resilience. This training encompassed ninjutsu, a specialized set of techniques. Ninjutsu included skills such as invisibility (intonjutsu), disguise techniques, combat skills (bujutsu), psychological warfare (shinrigaku), and intelligence gathering. Ninjas used these skills to execute their missions without being detected. They were also knowledgeable in herbal medicine and the use of poisons, which they employed when necessary.   Ninja Equipment and Weapons A ninja’s gear was crucial to their operations. While they are commonly depicted wearing black outfits, in reality, ninjas adapted their attire to blend into their environment. For night missions, black attire was suitable, but during the day, they might disguise themselves as farmers or merchants to avoid detection.     Notable ninja weapons included shuriken (throwing stars) and kunai. Shuriken were used to distract ...

Clam digging is one of many popular outdoor activities for all generations in Japan from April to the end of June. May and June are the most popular months of the year to go clam digging - (Shiohigari in Japan). Once I went clam digging in Egawakaigan-Shiohigarijo in Kisarazu, Chiba with some of my friends from back home in Europe, and they had a blast!. It took about one hour for each member to dig about 2 Kilos of Asari clams (Japanese littleneck clams). Clam digging is very popular in Japan so locations can get very crowded on holidays and weekends. Here are some tips for clam digging that was taught to us by an “expert” Japanese clam digger.   A Tip to Prepare for Clam Digging Determine what location you will dig at, and review the tide chart. Most places are open for digging a few hours before and after low tide about a six-hour window. Most locations close at the end of June so check end dates on the websites.   Items necessary for clam digging Clam digging rake (garden rake) Bucket Net bag Small cooler and ice pack some people had bathroom stools or small chairs, so they did not need to bend over the entire time. Clam digging set - Optional items Hat Towels Sunglasses Gloves lunch empty plastic bottles to take home seawater for soaking clams sun protection bottle of water If you have small kids, bring some sand toys so they can play once they get bored digging. Layer ...

Everyone wants to live in a country that is free from violent crime and feels as safe as a village in the Cotswolds. The idealism of a beautiful utopia that never has any mass shootings, robberies, sexual attacks on women. The crime rate in Japan is very low, and Japan is a very safe country to live in. But, unfortunately, there are still some unstable people there as there are in many parts of the world. Maybe the number of them is not so big compared to the other parts of the world when we take Japanese modest nature into account, but still, we have to be careful. As we know, ordinary Japanese people are very helpful, so we can ask them for help when you are in trouble.   Is Japan Safe? They will surely help you and maybe explain the situation to the police as well if you cannot speak Japanese well. The bottom line is, overall Japan is considered a very safe country for travelers. It ranks in the top 10 in the Global Peace Index. In these lists, Japan was ranked fifth out of 158 countries in 2012 and sixth in 2013. Having previously remained around fifth to seventh from 2007 until 2009 and risen to third from 2010 until 2011, Japan has continually ranked highly in the lists.   There are some areas to watch out for Of course, like any country (including your own), Japan has areas that are less safe than others, and travelers should use common sense, ...

Shogi, also known as Japanese chess, is a two-player strategy board game in the same family as Western chess. "Shogi" means "game of generals" and has been played in its current form since the 16th century. Its earliest predecessor was Chaturanga, built in the 6th century in India. A unique feature of shogi is the rule that allows captured pieces to be reused, enhancing strategic depth.   The History Of Shogi - Shogi in its present form was played in Japan as early as the 16th century. It is not clear when chess was brought to Japan. The earliest generally accepted mention of shogi is Shin Saru Gakuki (1058–1064) by Fujiwara Akihira. The oldest archaeological evidence is a group of 16 shogi pieces excavated from the grounds of Kōfuku-Ji in Nara Prefecture. As it was physically associated with a wooden tablet written on in the sixth year of Tenki (1058), the pieces are thought to date from that period. These simple pieces were cut from a writing plaque in the same five-sided shape as modern pieces, with the names of the pieces written on them.   Shogi Setup and Basic Rules Shogi begins with each player arranging their pieces on a 9x9 board. The setup from left to right is: "Lance, knight, silver general, gold general, king, gold general, silver general, knight, lance." The objective is to checkmate the opponent's king, meaning the king can be captured on the next move.   Shogi starting setup; Black (at the bottom) moves first. Each player sets up ...

As we all saw recently in Fukushima, in March of 2011, and in Kobe in January of 1995, catastrophic earthquakes and tsunamis are a real threat to Japan. Just about every day there is at least one tremor in the country but fortunately, large dangerous earthquakes are relatively rare, but when they do strike they can be deadly. The Japanese have been brought up with these natural occurrences. Children from a very young age are taught what to do in the case of an emergency. It is usually the tourist who panics or is scared of the minor tremor which will generally go unnoticed by the Japanese. But as we have seen in Kobe and the horrific 8.9 magnitude earthquake off Japan’s Tohoku region in March of 2011 earthquakes and follow-up tsunamis can happen without warning, anywhere anytime.   Behavior During An Earthquake Japan has stringent building regulations which make many of the new buildings and subways some of the safest places to be during an earthquake. Water, gas, and power can be cut during a quake so it’s best to avoid naked flames. It also is not a bad idea to save as much water as you can, even filling the bathtub is a fantastic idea as there may be difficulty obtaining fresh water after a serious quake.   The Hotel If you are in your hotel during a quake, it would be best to follow the directions of the hotel’s staff. Japanese hotels will have a safety guide in your room that you ...