Shinobi

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

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 ...

Let’s be honest Japan is known throughout the world for its use of cutting-edge technology to make everyday life easier. In fact, there are hundreds of products in Japan with the sole purpose of increasing strength and alleviating suffering in the sweltering days of a Japanese summer, yet none work as well as unagi (the Anguilla Japonica freshwater eel). This historical food remedy is crunchy and sweet on the outside while remaining succulent and soft on the inside. Unagi is served throughout the year but the peak consumption is during the summer months in most major cities.   What is ...

Sumo wrestling or Sumo is a competitive full-contact wrestling sport where a rikishi (wrestler) attempts to force another wrestler out of a circular ring or the Dohyō or into touching the ground with anything other than the soles of his feet. The sport originated in Japan, the only country where it is practiced professionally It is generally considered a Gendai-budō (a modern Japanese martial art), however, this definition is misleading, as the sport has a history spanning many centuries. Many ancient traditions have been preserved in sumo, and even today the sport includes many ritual elements, such as the use ...

The Maneki-Neko (literally "beckoning cat") is a common Japanese figurine (lucky charm, talisman) which is often believed to bring good luck to the owner. In modern times, they are usually made of ceramic or plastic. The figurine depicts a cat (traditionally a calico Japanese Bobtail) beckoning with an upright paw, and is usually displayed in—often at the entrance of—shops, restaurants, pachinko parlors, and other businesses. The Maneki-Neko is sometimes also called the welcoming cat, lucky cat, money cat, happy cat, raging cat, beckoning cat, or fortune cat in English.   Various Types Maneki-Neko comes in different colors, styles and degrees ...

Living costs in Japan and especially in Tokyo are famous to be among the world's highest. However, if you live outside of central Tokyo, adjust to a Japanese lifestyle, and do not depend too heavily on food and products from your home country, you may be surprised how inexpensive Japan can be. Also in Japan's many dollar shops, you can find goods for less than $1.00 US that you would not find available anywhere else, and some of these are of reasonable quality.   Food Costs Local supermarkets are relatively inexpensive if you stick to Japanese food such as seasonal ...

It has been said that Japanese is difficult to learn, but perhaps not as difficult as you would think. Whilst it may take a while to come to terms with the huge differences between Japanese and English, the spoken language is actually pretty simple, and the written language can be learned very successfully with a little hard work and logical planning. Obviously more difficult than most European languages, but probably easier than other "exotic languages", the lack of tones is a blessing for westerners.   The Japanese Language Is Not Difficult...? If looked at from a linguistic point of view, ...

The Japanese government has announced measures to limit the number of overtime employees can do – in an attempt to stop people literally working themselves to death. The Japanese may finally get to spend less time at work, but that doesn't mean they'll use it for shopping. The government is taking aim at the workforce's reputation for long hours, proposing fresh legislation limiting over time, potentially to 45 to 60 hours a month. While working to the point of collapse is associated with Japan, the phrase death from overwork has burrowed into the languages of other Asian countries where employee ...