Uncovering Rural Japan: Onsen, Nature, and Local Flavors!
Cruising Through the Countryside with My Big Brother When my brother first told me he wanted to come and visit…
Art & Culture
Nabari Autumn Festival Experience – A Traditional Celebration of Bonfires and Mikoshi
Across the weekend of the 26th and 27th of October, Nabari (Mie Prefecture) held its autumn festival, celebrating the year’s…
Pottery Class in Mitsue, Nara
I have been hooked on handcrafting in East Nara Nabari for the past year or two. It may be because…
Kintsugi Experience in Soni Village, the Birthplace of Urushi Lacquering
Have you ever heard of kintsugi? It is also called kintsukuroi. If this doesn't ring a bell, have you ever…
Bamboo Lantern Festival and illumination at Akame 48 Waterfalls
Saturday, December 3, 2022, clear skies We went to Akame 48 Waterfalls, where all kinds of exciting things awaited us,…
Craving for Thai Food? Foodie workshop in Soni
Mmm... image the smell and taste of... Massaman curry.... Khao Man Gai... Fried spring roll.. What other Thai cuisines can…
Bamboo Lanterns Connecting Our Hearts
Two Stories of Community Development Through Bamboo Lanterns One early morning in late autumn, I took the Kintetsu Urban Liner…
Tea Making was Hard but Fun!
Hello everyone! How are you? This is Mineko. I’ve been spending every day this summer in good health, with no…
Enjoying Installation Art in Murou, Nara
It's that time of year when the trees are getting greener and greener, and when you're driving along, you can’t…
Weekend Warriors at Taisenkaku Inn
You have not been to Japan until you stay in a traditional Japanese inn, ryokan. We had to perform the…
Sneak Preview: Bamboo Lantern Illumination at Akame 48 Waterfalls
On a refreshing sunny day in early autumn, I visited Akame 48 Waterfalls (Nabari, Mie Pref.)! I’ve visited the place…
A Village Where Creators Gather – Higashiyoshino
Nature, pottery, and international exchange One day in September, in the last days of summer, I drove to Higashiyoshino Village…
Crafting Bamboo Lanterns for the Waterfall Illumination
Hi, it’s Mineko! It’s been quite a while since I updated this blog. How is everyone doing? It was extremely…
Bamboo Lantern Illumination at Akame 48 Waterfalls
This post is about the event in 2019 Autumn feels at Akame Falls At Akame 48 Waterfalls, some of the…
Kumihimo—Braided Cords
Learning the art of traditional Japanese braiding Have you ever heard of Kumihimo? If you saw the anime movie "Your…
Walk around town & chat with locals
One of the most exciting experiences while traveling is to chat with locals and get to know how they live…
