There has been an increase in people overseas interested in Japanese culture such as calligraphy, the tea ceremony, and flower arranging, but recently there are many foreign visitors who want to actually try such activities. The highest point of interest is usually because such an idea or art doesn’
This series is our collection of selected locations (machi) from all around Japan - places with various different cultures and local specialities, and those with novel customs of some sort. In the last volume we went to Aomori, this time our focus is on Gifu! Gifu - a prefecture that foreig
This is our collection of selected locations (machi) from all around Japan - places with various different cultures, local specialities, and novel customs. In what should a memorable first edition, we feature Aomori Prefecture at the northernmost point of Honshu, best known as an apple region and fo
Tsuruoka City in Yamagata prefecture is a beautiful area, rich with nature and where you can find remnants of the historical culture of the castle town it once was. This time I participated in a model tour planned by ANA to experience the history and food culture of this region. It was a valuable ex
This is a continuation of the previous installment of “Beautiful Japan in Pictures Vol. 1 <Townscape / Everyday Life>”. This time we carefully selected pictures that depict the unique charm of Japan’s atmosphere and culture. While some of the following is not only found in Japan, there are var
For those from different countries and cultures, what is considered everyday life for locals, is an unusual and sometimes beautiful scene. If we look again through the eyes of visitors, something mysterious happens; we notice new things and our everyday surroundings become brand-new. In this
Hello LocoBee users! Thank you for using LocoBee. LocoBee is a web magazine that provides news, culture, food, shopping, travel and other information about Japan for Japan fans living in Japan, Vietnam and many other countries around the world. LocoBee has introduced a membership system, w
Have you heard of the “JLPT” exam? It officially stands for “Japanese Language Proficiency Test”, and it is held in every July and December as a “test to measure the Japanese proficiency for those whom Japanese is not their native language”. The levels go from N1 to 5, and this is a test that most s
You definitely want to try it if you go to Nagoya! Hitsumabushi is one of Nagoya's representative dishes. It is a dish with finely chopped and grilled unagi (eel) and grilled on top of rice. Unagi is a high-class food, but you should definitely try it if you ever visit in Nagoya. Uya
In Japan, there is a custom called "social etiquette". This refers to dialogue which is thought to be beneficial to smoothly facilitating business and personal relationships. Example The following conversation is an example of a typical social etiquette. A "Recently, I'm into fi
“Okinawa Churaumi Aquarium” is known as one of the spots which you must visit if you go to Okinawa. We will introduce all the highlights of this aquarium! Location of Churaumi Aquarium The aquarium is located at Motobu-cho, 90km from Naha Airport. It's quite a distance from the airport
If you have a sudden fever or poor health during your stay in Japan, go to the hospital or a drug store. We will introduce useful Japanese phrases for you to be able to describe your symptoms properly. First tell those around you that you're sick If you feel sick or need some rest, say
You most likely need a part time job when studying abroad in Japan. In order for this, there's always an interview in the beginning. This interview determines if you are hired or not, so you would like to be well prepared beforehand. This time I have come up with a list of questions that yo
