Hinamatsuri, also known as Doll’s Day or Girls’ Day, is an annual festival in Japan held to celebrate the health and happiness of female children and femininity in general.
The main tradition associated with the Hina Matsuri doll festival involves mounting an altar covered with a dankake (a red carpet) on which several platforms of hina-ningyō (ornamental dolls) in the traditional court dress of the Heian period are placed.
When you think of TV series from Japan, the first thing that comes to mind is most likely the huge output of anime processed in the country.
However, aside from quality animation, there is also a huge range of television content produced in the country, from entertaining reality shows to high-class dramas.
Gotokuji temple (護国寺 in kanji) is well known across Japan as the supposed origin of Maneki-neko, the “beckoning cat” figurine which is said to bring good fortune and success to its owner if kept in their bedroom or place of study.
Many people across the world mistakenly believe that this good luck talisman is Chinese in origin due to its popularity among Chinese and Vietnamese communities. However, the birthplace of Maneki-neko is undoubtedly in Japan, and one of the most popular legends links it directly to Gotojuki.
JR East has announced that it will introduce driverless Shinkansen in Japan by the mid-2030s. JR Tokai could launch self-driving bullet trains even earlier, by 2028.
As part of its Change 2027 program, JR East previously conducted a series of driverless Shinkansen test runs in late 2021, using a 12-car E7-series bullet train. JR East allocated an estimated budget of 200 million yen for the trials.
When many travelers think of Japan, they envision swaying cherry blossoms or stunning autumn foliage. However, Japan also boasts a substantial snow season, complete with all the winter sports such as skiing, snowboarding, ice sculpting, at one of more than 500 resorts.
Read on to learn about the unique winter adventures this country has to offer.
Although you might already be aware that the holiday is celebrated across the world in territories as diverse as the United States, Brazil, Canada, Liberia, and Puerto Rico, you may not know that there is also a Thanksgiving in Japan.
If you’re planning to travel around Japan in November using the JR Pass, you may first want to brush up on this traditional national holiday and whether you can expect to be served turkey at a Japanese Thanksgiving dinner.
