Tour Guide (794) — page 2 | Japan Culture Navi

Food & DrinkEssential ichiju sansai一汁三菜one soup and three dishes, the standard shape of a Japanese meal

Food & DrinkEssential ekiben駅弁station lunch boxes

Food & DrinkEssential katsuobushi鰹節dried, smoked and fermented bonito, shaved into flakes for stock

Food & DrinkEssential izakaya居酒屋the Japanese pub where food comes first

Food & DrinkEssential konbu昆布the kelp that gives Japanese stock its savory depth

Food & DrinkEssential zoni雑煮the New Year soup with rice cakes in it

Food & DrinkEssential sushi寿司vinegared rice with fish or other toppings

Food & DrinkEssential yakitori焼き鳥grilled chicken skewers

Food & DrinkEssential oyakodon親子丼chicken and egg on rice, and the name nobody expects

Food & DrinkEssential daifuku大福the pounded rice cake wrapped around sweet bean paste

Food & DrinkEssential teishoku定食a set meal built around rice, soup and a main dish

Food & DrinkEssential tempura天ぷらlightly battered deep-fried seafood and vegetables

Food & DrinkEssential nihonshu日本酒Japanese rice wine

Food & DrinkEssential kome米rice as the center of the meal

Food & DrinkEssential matcha抹茶powdered green tea

Food & DrinkEssential miso味噌fermented soybean paste

Food & DrinkEssential mochi餅pounded rice cake

Food & DrinkEssential tamagoyaki卵焼きthe rolled omelette, sweet or savory depending on where you are

Food & DrinkEssential washoku和食traditional Japanese cuisine

HistoryEssential gengo元号the Japanese era name

HistoryEssential samurai侍the warrior class of old Japan

HistoryEssential shiro城a castle of the warlord era

Home & LivingEssential tatami畳woven straw floor mats

Home & LivingEssential washitsu和室a traditional tatami room

Life EventsEssential iei遺影the portrait photograph displayed at a funeral

Life EventsEssential kazokusou家族葬a funeral limited to close family and a few relatives

Life EventsEssential kon'in todoke婚姻届the marriage registration form filed at a city office

MannersEssential shashin o toru mae no hitokoto写真を撮る前のひと言when you need permission

MannersEssential shokuba no omiyage職場のお土産bringing back sweets for colleagues

MannersEssential mono wa ryote de watasu物は両手で渡すwhy two hands matter

Modern JapanEssential depachikaデパ地下the department store food hall

Modern JapanEssential famiri resutoranファミリーレストランthe all-purpose chain restaurant, and the drink bar

Modern JapanEssential kotsukei ai shi kado交通系ICカードthe tap card that works almost everywhere

Modern JapanEssential Yamanotesen山手線the loop line that connects most of central Tokyo

Modern JapanEssential shoshi koreika少子高齢化a falling birth rate with an aging population

Modern JapanEssential shinkansen新幹線the bullet train

Modern JapanEssential taifu台風the typhoons that reach Japan each year

Modern JapanEssential jishin e no sonae地震への備えhow Japan prepares for earthquakes

Modern JapanEssential densha no teiji unko電車の定時運行why Japanese trains run on time

Seasons & NatureEssential kazan to jishin火山と地震living on an unstable archipelago

Seasons & NatureEssential koyo紅葉autumn leaves, and going to look at them

Seasons & NatureEssential Fujisan to shinko富士山と信仰Mount Fuji and mountain worship

Onsen & BathEssential taoru o yubune ni irenaiタオルを湯船に入れないthe rule that towels never go into the shared bathwater

Onsen & BathEssential onsen温泉a natural hot spring bath

Onsen & BathEssential rotenburo露天風呂open-air bath

PlacesEssential Kamakura no Daibutsu鎌倉の大仏the bronze Buddha that sits outdoors because its hall was destroyed

PlacesEssential Gion祇園と花街the old Kyoto quarter where geiko and maiko still work

PlacesEssential kyoto京都the capital for a thousand years, and how to explain it

PlacesEssential Kinkakuji金閣寺the Golden Pavilion in Kyoto

PlacesEssential Ginkakuji銀閣寺the Silver Pavilion in Kyoto, which has no silver on it

PlacesEssential Harajuku and Omotesando原宿と表参道the youth fashion street and the tree-lined avenue beside it

PlacesEssential Itsukushima Jinja厳島神社the shrine built over the sea, with a torii gate standing in the water

PlacesEssential Hiroshima to Heiwa Kinen Koen広島と平和記念公園the park in the middle of Hiroshima built where the city was destroyed

PlacesEssential Kokyo皇居と二重橋where the Emperor lives, on the site of Edo Castle

PlacesEssential Shinjuku and Kabukicho新宿と歌舞伎町the world's busiest station and the entertainment district beside it

PlacesEssential Kiyomizudera清水寺the Kyoto temple with a wooden stage built out over a hillside

PlacesEssential Asakusa浅草the old temple district in eastern Tokyo

PlacesEssential osaka大阪the merchant city, and how it differs from Tokyo

PlacesEssential Tsukiji and Toyosu築地と豊洲the old fish market street and the new wholesale market

PlacesEssential Tokyo Tawa東京タワーthe red and white broadcasting tower built in 1958