Asuka, the origin of the rising sun and arguably the first capital of Japan during the Asuka period, is an ancient village filled with precious treasures and natural wonders that are extremely significant to Japanese history.

Summer's here and for Japan, that means hot weather, exciting festivals, and fun cultural activities in every prefecture celebrated by all people young and old. With that said, Japan is the place to be this summer and here are 5 reasons why.

The Children’s Day celebration reminds everyone how important the strength, happiness and health of children are for the future of a society.

Who are oiran? According to Wikipedia, the word originates from the Japanese phrase "oira no tokoro no nēsan", which translates into "my elder sister." The kanji characters are 花 meaning "flower" and 魁 meaning "leader" or "first". They were high-class courtesans that possessed entertainer’s skills, such as playing musical instruments, arranging ikebana, performing tea ceremonies, etc.