Unless you are going to spend all your time in Japan shopping, eating and drinking – and we could hardly blame you – Japan is one of the great cultures of the world when it comes to religious, or spiritual, expression. Much Japanese art and architecture is devoted to spiritual matters, and the country is […]
Sure, you want to fit in with Japanese culture, and you have made the effort: You’ve learned about how to handle chopsticks, and especially what to not do; you’ve studied the various ways you should and shouldn’t behave in shrines and temples; you’ve even learned enough Japanese phrases to show that you’re making an effort. […]
There are few places offering greater opportunities to violate local customs that at the dining table. Nowhere else do such clear rules come in conflict with such a basic need: we are, after all, hungry. So here are ten tips for gaijin – things to do as well as things not to do – while […]