Learn One Thing Before Going to Japan — Katakana!

There are a lot of things to learn before heading off on your first trip to Japan. You really should know some basic Japanese phrases at the very least. You should also read up on important cultural differences so that you don’t unwittingly create an international incident. But what will give you the most bang

The Long Slog – Learning How to Read Japanese

The most daunting part of learning Japanese can be the writing system. Here is a quick primer on the basics to get you started! In Japanese there are three writing systems: Hiragana – This is a phonetic alphabet (meaning each symbol represents one sound) and is what I would call the “default.” This is the

Ryokan: The Traditional Japanese Inn

Any trip to Japan would be incomplete without at least a short stay at a ryokan — a traditional Japanese inn. Here you can get an experience that Japanese people have enjoyed for centuries. In fact, some of the more famous ryokans have been around for over a thousand years! So, what’s so great about

My Favorite Place in Nihon

There are so many wonderful places to find in Nihon. I’ve been to Nihon twice and visited close to a dozen prefectures (a prefecture is like a state) and my favorite has to be the neglected prefecture of Tottori Tottori is famous for its magnificent sand dunes where you can take a camel for a