Discover Japan, from inside the culture
Food, culture, travel, and history of Japan — explained in plain English for curious readers.
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Latest Articles
- Japanese Traditional Crafts: What Ceramics and Lacquerware Can Teach You About Slowness
- From Sake Brewery to Tea Room: Understanding Japan’s Two Worlds of Refinement
- Understanding the Etiquette of New Year Shrine Visits: The Two Bows, Two Claps, One Bow Ritual
- Learning the Proper Way to Visit a Shrine — From the Two Bows, Two Claps, One Bow to Passing Through the Torii Gate
- Discovering Japanese Traditional Crafts: Learning Materials and Techniques in Ceramics, Lacquerware, and Textiles
Japanese Food & Drink
- Seven Curated Artisan Goods and Delicacies from Akita: Regional Treasures Worth Discovering
- Japanese Breakfast: What to Eat and Where to Find It
- Eating Vegetarian and Vegan in Japan Without Stress
- Wagyu Beef in Japan: What First-Timers Get Wrong
- How to Drink Sake Without Looking Like a Tourist
View all Japanese Food & Drink →
Japanese Culture Basics
- Japanese Traditional Crafts: What Ceramics and Lacquerware Can Teach You About Slowness
- From Sake Brewery to Tea Room: Understanding Japan’s Two Worlds of Refinement
- Learning the Proper Way to Visit a Shrine — From the Two Bows, Two Claps, One Bow to Passing Through the Torii Gate
- Discovering Japanese Traditional Crafts: Learning Materials and Techniques in Ceramics, Lacquerware, and Textiles
- Walking the Historic Roads of Kyoto, Nara, and Kamakura — What Post Towns Reveal About Japanese Travel Culture
View all Japanese Culture Basics →
Travel & Getting Around Japan
- Walking the Historic Roads of Kyoto, Nara, and Kamakura — What Post Towns Reveal About Japanese Travel Culture
- Walking the Historic Routes: Encountering Old Japan in the Post Towns of Kyoto, Nara, and Kamakura
- Japan Beyond Tokyo: Places Most Tourists Never Find
- Easy Day Trips from Tokyo (Without Getting Lost)
- IC Cards in Japan: Stop Fumbling for Cash at Gates
View all Travel & Getting Around Japan →
Guide
- Planning Your Japan Trip Without Draining Your Savings
- Japan Beyond Tokyo: Places Most Tourists Never Find
- Easy Day Trips from Tokyo (Without Getting Lost)
- IC Cards in Japan: Stop Fumbling for Cash at Gates
- Japanese Breakfast: What to Eat and Where to Find It
How-To
- Understanding the Etiquette of New Year Shrine Visits: The Two Bows, Two Claps, One Bow Ritual
- Learning the Proper Way to Visit a Shrine — From the Two Bows, Two Claps, One Bow to Passing Through the Torii Gate
- Discovering Japanese Traditional Crafts: Learning Materials and Techniques in Ceramics, Lacquerware, and Textiles
- The Etiquette of Shrine Worship: Meaning and Practice of Two Bows, Two Claps, One Bow
- The Foundations of Tea Ceremony: Beginning with the Etiquette of a Single Bowl
Japanese History
- Walking the Historic Roads of Kyoto, Nara, and Kamakura — What Post Towns Reveal About Japanese Travel Culture
- Why Sengoku Tea Master Sen no Rikyū Became Beloved by Those in Power Through Chanoyu
- Oda Nobunaga and the Way of Tea—Why the Tea Room Held Power in an Age of War
- Walking the Historic Routes: Encountering Old Japan in the Post Towns of Kyoto, Nara, and Kamakura
- The History of Samurai Culture in Japan
About This Site
Akita Samurai
I am Akita Samurai, a calm guide to Japanese culture. I write about shrines, temples, seasonal events, Japanese food, crafts, martial arts, calligraphy, and the quiet beauty behind everyday traditions. Rather than only explaining “what it is,” I try to share “why it matters.” The articles are based on official sources such as cultural institutions, museums, and local tourism information, while keeping the tone open and easy to understand for modern readers.