Shibuya 109 (called “Ichi Maru Kyu in Japanese) is one of the most iconic fashion destinations for young women in Japan. The high-rise building and large 109 sign have become a familiar part of the Tokyo landscape along with the famous Shibuya Crossing and Hachiko statue.
The biggest difference between traditional Japanese tea cups and Western tea cups is that Japanese tea cups have no handle. There are two kinds of Japanese tea “cups” – yunomi, which are tall cylindrical cups, and chawan, wide bowls used to drink matcha in the Japanese tea ceremony. Unlike a chawan, a yunomi can be used for everyday tea drinking at your home or even at work. Japanese tea cups come in all kinds of styles and glazes, from white porcelain, to iron black, and unglazed clay. Like Western tea cups, however, there can be a huge range in prices for a single piece. A mass-produced factory yunomi are quite affordable, but a quality yunomi made by a master can cost over 10,000 yen.
When buying a Japanese tea cup, you should not only consider the style but also hold it in your hands and try imagine yourself drinking tea from it. The evolution of traditional Japanese tea cups can be traced through the Japanese pottery styles of yore—let’s examine the top five types.
Autumn in Japan is one of the most beautiful times of the year, with green leaves transforming into a collage of red, yellow, and orange.
Even if you live outside of Japan, though, you can still celebrate the fall season with these in-demand anime figurines (oh, and Racing Miku, of course) being released in Japan this autumn. Stretching from September to December, there’s at least one must-have figurine coming out every month, so let’s count down the top ten figurines you simply must get your hands on in fall 2015!
Along with the kimono, one of the most recognized outfits from Japan is the standard Japanese school uniform. Thanks to anime and manga, the traditional sailor styled uniform is synonymous with Japan and something that even people outside Japan want to wear themselves, either for cosplay or as a fashion-forward statement. Whether cosplayer or not, options are flourishing especially for women who want to buy a Japanese school girl outfit. The Internet has made it possible for anybody to indulge in their cute Japanese fashion obsession.
After months of browsing the Internet, you finally hunt down that special (and rare) figurine that you’ve been tracking for…
Many Japanese women have beautiful and youthful skin and are known to take great pride in their daily routines. This may seem like it would require a lot of time and money, but you do not actually have to spend a lot on high end cosmetics and skin care here; in Japan there is a huge range of products to help your skin without breaking the bank. Some of them can even be found in local stores, and at a very reasonable price!