For many travelers visiting Japan, one surprise at the dinner table is the loud sound of noodle slurping. Trying it just once might completely change how you think about eating noodles!

Japanese festivals, called matsuri, aren’t just about food and music—they also bring a world of fun games. Every summer, autumn, or shrine festival clears a space for yatai stalls that invite kids and adults to test their skills.

Tanabata is one of Japan’s most beloved summer festivals, filling streets with color, music, and handmade decorations. While its story is centuries old, how it’s celebrated today continues to change and grow.

Every year in Kumamoto, fire lights up the sea in one of Japan’s most mysterious and striking summer festivals—the Shiranui Fire Festival of the Sea. This unique event blends legend, science, and ritual, all focused around strange lights said to appear over the ocean.

Racing on a slot car track may seem like a relic of the past, but it has carved out a lasting home in Japanese hobby culture. Tucked between modern gaming and remote-controlled toys, this hands-on pursuit continues to draw fans of engineering, model-building, and motorsport. While not mainstream, the community around slot car racing is...

The Japanese language is filled with special words that describe deep feelings, habits, and ways of seeing the world. Many of these don’t have direct English translations but express something instantly recognizable. Let’s take a look at some words you should know.