Gotochi in Japanese can be translated simply into "local" or "regional" which is the main purpose of Japanese postal system producing these cards as they beautifully represent Japan's 47 prefectures.
Modern life is geared towards convenience. In the West, we like everything to be easily accessible, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, 365 days a year. Japan is no different. Let’s focus on one specific aspect: convenience stores. Here’s how Japan is getting it oh so right.
Many similar tourist locations such as Tsukiji end up confusing tourists with too many restaurants available, but in Otaru, you can simply head over to the Otaru Sankaku Market for a concentration of 6 small shops that serves up some of the best kaisendon in the country.
Japan loves all things kawaii, it’s deeply ingrained in all aspects of modern day living. But what is kawaii? And where did it come from? Read on to discover why kawaii is so much more than just a word.
The moment you venture into the infoshop, be prepared to gaze upon reams of posters, books, “zines,” t-shirts, and other goods that favor countercultural ideas. From anarchist thinkers such as Mikhail Bakunin to early Japanese nonconformists like Noe Ito and Kotoku Shusui, you’ll find something to sink your political teeth into without much trouble.
Massively popular toy dispensing capsule machines known as “Gachapon” can be found all around Japan. Named onomatopoeically “gacha” represents the sound that the machine makes when you put a coin in and twist the handle, and “pon” represents the noise of a little plastic ball falling out.
Manga Souko is a chain of second hand stores found throughout Japan. Touted as a “recycle store”, they buy and sell games, DVDs, manga, books, clothing, furniture, toys, decor, textiles, musical instruments, leisure equipment, electronics, and collectibles. With stores located in the Chubu, Kinki, Chugoku, Shikoku, Kyushu and Okinawa regions, you aren’t too far away from experiencing one of these magical places.
That's right. Hello Kitty is such a popular character here that she gets her own bullet train, as I discovered when I accidentally rode it.
A central town in Hokkaido known for its picturesque landscape, Furano holds one novel treasure: Ningle Terrace, a group of 15 cottages hidden in the woods next to one of Furano’s most popular resorts, New Furano Prince Hotel.
Known for its annual snow festival, Sapporo is one of Japan’s most vibrant cities and is extremely visitor-friendly. It has fantastic food and plenty to do. Here’s a sampling.
If you have been living in Japan or traveling the country, you are very familiar with the 100 yen stores called Daiso. You can get anything here. It is a paradise of abundance. But maybe you have found yourself frustrated with the number of times you had to run back here because the purchased item repeatedly broke.
There is no shortage of exciting stores here. I was surprised by how aesthetically pleasing the mall is, and by how spacious it is! It is well worth visiting!
