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The Shinto religion is a mystery to many. There is no real founder, there are many gods and deities that are worshipped, and something about spiritualism and spirits in nature (that most people can’t quite put their finger on). Today, many of those confusions will be cleared up, as you will explore the Shinto faith and all its most important rituals, gods and goddesses, symbolism, etc. A long list of divine beings and their purpose and tasks will be revealed, some background stories about the most famous ones, and the history and legends of Japan’s gigantic mountain: Mount Fuji.

Zen, haiku, martial arts, sushi, anime, manga, film, video games . . . Japanese culture has long enriched our Western way of life. Yet from a Western perspective, Japan remains a remote island country that has long had a complicated relationship with the outside world. Japan—an archipelago strung like a necklace around the Asian mainland—is considerably farther from Asia than Britain is from Europe. The sea has provided an effective barrier against invasion and enabled the culture to develop in unique ways.

Before he joined the Armed Detective Agency, Osamu Dazai was the youngest-ever executive with the Port Mafia, the most notorious underground crime syndicate in all of Yokohama. Three of its members—Dazai, Odasaku, and Ango—formed a camaraderie despite their vast disparities in rank. When Ango suddenly goes missing, Odasaku, a lowly Mafia grunt, receives direct orders from their boss to find him…only for Ango’s trail to lead Odasaku to a mysterious, foreign criminal organization called Mimic.

Among the many types of egg cuisines, tamagoyaki is said to be one of Japan's unique household dishes. It is also known as atsuyaki tamago.

Lacquerware that uses Japanese lacquer is known as shitsugei (lacquer art).

The Shirakami Mountain Range is spread across Aomori and Akita Prefectures and spans over 1,000 mete

One of the classic activities for autumn in Japan is otsukimi (moon viewing).

Tori-no-Ichi (day of the rooster), held at Otori shrines across Japan every November, is a festival where people wish for good fortune and thriving business for the coming year.

Ryoanji Temple, Tenryuji Temple, and Saihoji Temple are Zen temples in the area called Rakusai in Ky

Hiraizumi in Iwate Prefecture was the political, economic, and cultural center of the Tohoku region

The Gion Matsuri, held over one month in July every year in Kyoto, is one of the three biggest festi

In Japan, they say that the stars "Orihime" (Vega) and "Hikoboshi" (Altair), which face each other a

The first Tokyu Hands store opened in Kanagawa Prefecture in 1976.

Yakisoba is a noodle dish created by frying steamed Chinese noodles with meat and vegetables.

The onigiri (rice ball) is a simple dish consisting of a compacted ball of rice with some ingredients placed inside.

In Japanese, wearing Japanese clothing is referred to as waso, and the accessories needed to put them on are called waso komono.

The Golden Gai area in Tokyo's Kabukicho, in Shinjuku Ward, is home to many restaurants and bars. ゴ

The Aoi Matsuri (Hollyhock Festival) held every year on May 15th is one of the three major festivals

From mid-March to mid-May, people all over Japan go to see cherry blossoms in bloom. 日本では3月中旬から5月中旬

Purikura are photo booths in places like arcades where users can create stickers from photographs th