These elaborate, colorful, and heart-warming cards show a person's appreciation and affection for being helped in the previous year and help maintain good relationships in the year to come; they’re like Japan’s Christmas cards.

The New Year's events are one of the most awaited events in the country. Many people will celebrate it happily with joyous festivities and precious time with family. The meaning of New Year’s Eve is that we shut all the things that we have passed on this year and prepare to face the new things in the coming year.

Here are a few things you can experience at the start of the New Year on the beautiful Ryukyu islands, which differ from mainland O-shogatsu.

In Japan, New Years is a holiday of prime significance celebrating culture, family, friendships, and of course the future. Can you prepare yourself for New Years in Japan? Let's see what there is to know first.

Instead of the usual “lose weight”, “get a better job” or “go to the gym every Tuesday” scenario, why not base a realistic (and, let’s face it – fun) Japan or Japanese-based resolution that you can try alone or with friends? How about it?

Did you know the differences between a shrine and a temple in Japan? There are some unique observable feature that can help you find the differences.

Yagiyama Beny Land is a metropolitan amusement park located in Yagiyama, next to Yagiyama Zoological Park. It is a compact park equipped with about 30 attractions from thrill rides to family rides.

Every January, cities and towns all over Japan host Hatsu Ichi festivals.

From late November until the beginning of January, you will start seeing two-layered mochi varieties in different sizes for sale in supermarkets, convenience stores and food stalls everywhere. Let’s take a look into the tradition of the “kagami mochi!”

New Year's, or oshogatsu in Japanese, is the most important holiday in Japan, and it is celebrated quite differently than it is in the West.

In daily life, it is called osyougatsu (お正月) and is one of the most awaited holidays in Japan.

Christmas is not a national holiday in Japan, and it can be quite disconcerting to head out on December 25th to find shops open and cars commuting just like any other day.