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 knew as Japanese chess or the Generals' Game, is a two-player strategy board game in the same family as Western (international) chess and is the most popular of a family of chess variants native to Japan. Shōgi means generals. The earliest predecessor of the game, chaturanga, originated in India in the 6th century. Shogi in its present form was played as early as the 16th century, while a direct ancestor without the drop rule was recorded from 1210 in a historical document Nichūreki, which is an edited copy of Shōchūreki and Kaichūreki from the late Heian period (c. 1120). Shogi was the earliest chess variant to allow captured pieces to be returned to the board by the capturing player.   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.   Set Up And Gameplay Shogi starting setup; Black (at the bottom) moves first. Each ...

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 ...

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 Unagi? Unagi is the Japanese word for freshwater eel, especially the Japanese eel (Anguilla japonica). Unagi is a common ingredient in Japanese cooking. Unagi is served as part of unadon (sometimes spelled unagi don), especially in menus in Japanese restaurants in Western countries.   The most popular unagi dishes Due to the health hazards of eating raw freshwater fish, eels are always cooked, and in Japanese food, are often served with tare sauce. Kabayaki is unagi that is grilled over hot charcoal, steamed to remove fat, seasoned with a sweet basting sauce, and grilled a final time over hot charcoal. It can be served on a skewer as a hors d ’oeuvre, on top of a bed of rice, or inside a sushi roll.   Unadon & Unaju Unadon Unadon is Kabayaki unagi over a bowl of rice, served as donburi (rice bowl) in a lacquer bowl. Unadon is dripping an original sauce on rice ...