講談社

Nihonshu (Japanese sake) is a type of alcohol made by fermenting rice. It has been produced in Japan for more than 1,000 years.

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

There was a kingdom known as Ryukyu that existed on the Nansei Islands, part of present day Okinawa

Shintoism is a religion unique to Japan and has existed since before Buddhism came to the country.

Shodo means the traditional Japanese art of calligraphy, in which kanji and kana letters are written using a brush and ink.

There are now around 55,000 convenience stores throughout Japan.

Fukuoka City in Fukuoka Prefecture has the largest population of cities in Kyushu. 福岡県福岡市は、九州でもっとも

Sashimi is raw seafood served in thin slices. It is also called otsukuri.

Sanrio Puroland in Tama City, Tokyo, is an indoor theme park where you can meet many Sanrio characters, including Hello Kitty.

There are two main religions in Japan: Shintoism and Buddhism.

Yakushima is an island that floats in the sea off the southernmost tip of the mainland of Kyushu, ar

The driving force behind the popularization of drug stores in Japan was "Matsumotokiyoshi".

In Japan, there are public baths that are open for anyone to use called sento.

Kanazawa in Ishikawa Prefecture is one of the big cities that represents the Hokuriku region.

The tea ceremony is a traditional way of serving tea and entertaining guests.

When the cold season comes to Japan, many people start eating Japanese nabe hot pots.

In the Edo period, the area near the present Asakusa was called Yoshiwara. It was home to a red-ligh

Today, though, there are a lot of stylish yakitori places that are like café bars, and it is not unusual for women to dine alone, or for couples to come on dates.

In Japan plum blossoms are known as a bloom that announces the coming of spring. 梅は桜より少し早く、毎年2月頃から花

Himeji Castle in Hyogo Prefecture, with its white outer walls, has the largest tower of any castle in Japan.