Insights from a Kagurazaka Store Owner

Where Tradition Dances Through Time in Tokyo’s Hidden Geisha District In the heart of Tokyo lies Kagurazaka , a neighborhood where...

What Is the Japan Seasons Calendar? The Japan Seasons Calendar is not just a way of marking time—it is a poetic encyclopedia of nature...

Why Revisit Japan’s Ancient Seasonal Calendar? Everyone knows that Japan has four seasons , but what if we told you the year is actually divided into 72 subtle shifts of nature? Imagine the world changing every five days—that’s the essence of the Japanese seasonal calendar. This system is called Nijūshi Sekki Shichijūni Kō (24 sekki and 72 kō) . The 24 sekki  divide the year into 24 solar terms of about 15 days each, while the 72 kō  refine these further into micro-seasons of

Imagine two very different evenings. In one, your curiosity about the dishes and the geisha’s attire remains unanswered. In the other,...

Why Do Geisha Wear White Makeup? More Than Just Shadows of the Past For foreigners and Japanese people alike, the white makeup of the...

Imagine the scene: in an intimate banquet room, a geisha rises to perform. With the elegant arc of a fan and rhythmic steps in tabi...

A Parable That Reflects Our Work In Japan, there’s an old story about a stonecutter who strikes a rock day after day—hundreds of...

Kagurazaka in Summer: A Guide to Geisha, Artisans, and "Iki" Culture When you picture Tokyo in August, you might imagine the scramble of...

Is August a Good Time to Visit Tokyo? An Expert's Guide to Thriving in Tokyo's August Heat Every August, I see it: foreign visitors,...

Why the Yukata-kai Is a Must-See Geisha Experience in Tokyo for Cultural Lovers When most people think of a geisha experience in Tokyo ,...

The countdown is on! In just 3 months, on Sunday, October 12, 2025 , the annual Bakeneko Festival will be held in Kagurazaka, Tokyo !...

Discover Where Japan's Geisha Culture Thrives Today White makeup , exquisite kimono , elegant dance ... The geisha is an iconic symbol of...

Japan’s July is no joke when it comes to heat.  As mentioned in Part 1 of this series, Japan and Tokyo Travel in July , it is the second...

The Meaning Behind Matsuri in Japan: Why Summer Festivals Are More Than Just Fun When you think of July in Japan, one word comes to mind:...

“My usual matcha is now twice the price...” — Growing Concern Among Tea Ceremony Practitioners Matcha that once seemed readily available...

Best Experienced in a Stage Show or at a Traditional Restaurant "Ryotei"? “The first time I saw a geisha enter a traditional ryotei, I...

On Saturday, June 7, 2025, the annual summer event “ Kagurazaka Premium Beer Hall ,” hosted by the geisha of Kagurazaka, was held at the...

There’s just one week left until the much-anticipated second “ Kagurazaka Premium Beer Hall 2025 ” event on Saturday, June 7th. This...

When Japan’s Geisha Gather: An Unprecedented Cultural Event at the 100th Azuma Odori Have you ever witnessed a gathering of geisha from...

Gagaku The Beauty of Authentic Traditional Performing Arts in Tokyo's Kagurazaka The traditional performing arts festival Kagurazaka...