Consulate General of Japan in Los Angeles

At 118 years old, the world’s oldest living person will be one of the torch bearers for the Tokyo 2020 #Olympic and #Paralympic #Games. #TorchBearer #Japan http://cnn.it/3eoPqjO

The Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan has launched its 15th Japan International #MANGA Award contest. The application period is open from April 7 - July 8, 2021. Applicants from all around the world are welcomed! / Japan International Manga Award For application information, click here: https://www.manga-award.mofa.go.jp//applicat/15/index.html ... https://www.manga-award.mofa.go.jp/application/15/index.html See more

Which #Cherryblossom do you prefer? #Night Sakura or #Daytime Sakura #Japan #Sakura #JapaneseCulture #JapaneseTraditions #ConnectwithJapan... Photo @ Find47

Since the devastating #earthquakes that hit #Kumamoto on April 14th and April 16th, 2016, Kumamoto prefecture has shown tremendous strength and resilience, making strides in its reconstruction efforts. https://youtu.be/6qn2zLjh04E

#ikebana #FlowerArrangment #Kado #Japan #JapaneseCulture #JapaneseTradition # #

#Sakura #CherryBlossoms

Many households in #Japan eat a special meal called #OsechiRyori (#), or #Osechi (#), at the start of the year. Osechi Ryori is a colorful selection of... food served in a neat arrangement inside containers called Jubako. Jubako are square-shaped boxes that can be stacked on top of each other in a tower with two, three, four, or even five stories. This stacked tower is said to represent multiple layers of happiness for the future. Each element of Osechi Ryori is made with care and effort, and together these foods represent a wide range of wishes for the New Year. Many of the dishes are well-cooked or prepared with strong flavors so that they keep for a long time. As such, Osechi is known as a meal that lets people rest on the New Year’s holiday without needing to cook. Let’s learn about significance of each type of food in Osechi Ryori at #WebJapan / #TrendsInJapan! https://web-japan.org/trends/11_food/jfd201912_osechi.html https://web-japan.org/trends//food/jfd201912_osechi_fr.html https://web-japan.org/trends//food/jfd201912_osechi_es.html https://web-japan.org/trends//food/jfd201912_osechi_cn.html https://web-japan.org/trends//food/jfd201912_osechi_ar.html

Happy New Year! This year will be the year of the #ox or #ushi (). Those born in years including 1949, 1961, 1973, 1985, 1997, 2009, and 2021 have the #ZodiacSign of an ox. Were you born in the year of the ox or know someone who was?

Enjoy the charms of #shojo #manga (girls’ manga) through a gallery walkthrough of the exhibition Shojo Manga An Introduction-, the creation of the project Genga (Dash) to preserve original manuscripts of manga, and an interview with one of the pioneers of Shojo manga, TAKEMIYA Keiko.

2021 is almost here, and so is Hatsuhinode! Celebrating the first sunrise of the year, this time-honored tradition brings good luck and fortune at a time when we need it the most. People all over Japan, and the world, will honor this new day by praying and wishing for prosperity, positive well-being, safety, and good health. Even if you do not live in Japan, you can still benefit from Hatsuhinode. While most parks and beaches in California are closed due to the stay-at-home o...rder, there are still great spots to watch the sunrise. In Rancho Palos Verdes, you can visit Pelican Cove Park as well as Terranea Cove beach to enjoy this holiday tradition. If you happen to live in Arizona, a great place to wathch the sunrise is Desert Botanical Garden. You can also try Wrigley Mansion, which offers spectracular views. Photos @shutterstock

Imagine riding a bike on a disused railway line. It is actually a lot easier than it sounds! The unique "Gattan Go" experience will have you pedal mountain bik...es mounted on a roller frame that is designed to glide along the railway track easily; you can even add on multiple seat options carrying up to 6 people! The experience offers 2 courses: the Town Course lets you cycle through 2 train tunnels, while the Canyon Course takes you along iron bridges suspended above the canyon. https://rail-mtb.com/en/ #Outdoor See more

Learn how to make various #origami #animals such as a stingray, brachiosaurus, and elephant with The Japan Foundation Center for Cultural Exchange in Vietnam.

It’s not only Japanese people who love partaking in #sento or #hotbaths. #capybara

The finest Japanese swords? For history and craft lovers, this museum is a must-visit place! Learn more about sword crafting at Bizen Osafune Sword Museum in Ok...ayama Prefecture, where you'll get to witness the delicate craft firsthand and hear stories about Japanese swords from professionals. Visit the link to learn more about what the museum offers: https://bddy.me/3aeZIBc #stayhome #stayinspired #TravelingWithoutLeavingHome #Tradition

From Sept. 2 until Dec. 30, Urasenke Tankokai North America Chado Relay / is hosting a North America Chado Relay on their Facebook page. They will have #Chado Urasenke Tankokai (#TeaCeremony) organizations from all around North America post about their activities that connect people through tea and create friendship and peace throughout the community. Please find the schedule of organizations in SoCal and AZ down below. Oct. 29-31: Chado Urasenke Arizona Ass...ociation Nov. 1-3: Urasenke Tankokai San Diego Association Nov. 4-5: Urasenke Tankokai Orange County Association Nov. 7-9: Urasenke Tankokai Los Angeles See more

Join us on Thurs., Dec. 17 from 4 p.m. for a discussion, Prospects for U.S.-Japan Relations under the #BidenAdministration with Glen S. Fukushima, a Senior Fellow at the Center for American Progress who has served in senior leadership positions in public and private sectors both in Japan and U.S. For more information and on how to register, click here: https://www.japanhousela.com//us-japan-relations-under-th/

Japanese craft breweries have been able to turn their unused #beer with a shelf life of 4-6 months into #gin, a product without an expiration date. https://cnn.it/35OZBbJ

Odashirogahara The scarlet path of the golden oak forest takes you to a wetland called Odashirogahara in NikkoCIty.... The Odashirogahara Marsh is located in Nikko National Park, Tochigi Prefecture, and has an altitude of approximately 1,405 to 1,430 m. This moor is well protected as a special area of Nikko National Park, as one of the Japan’s 500 important wetlands as well as a wetland designated under the the Ramsar Convention.

[Kyoto by the Sea, Northern Kyoto, Gourmet Kingdom Developed by the Sea, Villages and Mountains -SAVOR JAPAN-] Are you satisfied with just sightseeing around ce...ntral #Kyoto? Kyoto by the Sea, that is northern Kyoto facing the Japan Sea, is home to Buri-shabu (yellow-tail shabu-shabu), Yakigani (grilled crab), and Niku-jaga (meat and potato stew), which are standard homemade dishes. There is a unique food culture in Kyoto by the Sea which offers different dishes in different seasons, and a lot of myths and legends relating to the sources of the #food remain. Kyoto by the Sea offers various food-culture experiences for visitors. Other popular experiences include factory tours for Tango-Chirimen (silk fabric), #kimono wearing and #sushi making. Located just one and a half hours by train from central Kyoto, the region is especially recommended for visitors who want to experience the sources of the food and lifestyles of the area. Learn about SAVOR JAPAN: https://savorjp.info/ Our Web Site: https://www.maff.go.jp/e/policies/rural_dev/savor/index.html Kyoto by the Sea Website: https://www.uminokyoto.jp/english/

Do you know about Japan’s oldest celebrities? Read about the relationship between dogs and people in #Japan and the country’s six native #dog breeds: https://bit.ly/3gUn2nr

Step into the fantasy world of some of Japan’s most beloved characters: Naruto and Godzilla! Nijigen no Mori on Awaji Island (connected to Kobe via a bridge) is... a theme park like no other. Don your scientist hat and help tame the towering Godzilla as you zipline through its mouth and fire missiles while inside it! Or take up the challenge as ninjas from Naruto and Boruto by collecting the missing seals. By night, walk through the world of The Firebird’s manga-inspired projection mapping world, and spend the night at one of the park’s cottages. https://nijigennomori.com/ #Cities

Northern #Japan has found a way to make use of pesky #barnacles. Would you try this local #delicacy? #JapaneseFood

Take a look into canned mackerel developed by Japanese high school students and sent into space with NOGUCHI Soichi.

Arita Ware One of the famous ceramics in Japan is Arita porcelain, which was first created about 400 years ago. Since then, Arita ware has fascinated not... only Japanese but also Europeans. Arita Ware: https://web-japan.org/kidsweb/meet/arita/arita01.html

#MeetTheChangemakers: KOJIMA Yuka founded FOVE Inc. (@foveinc) to materialized an idea to play in #VirtualReality space w/ eye movement. She introduced the worl...d’s first mass-produced eye-tracking #VR device. It goes beyond gaming, providing the physically challenged an experience of playing piano & pioneering #healthcare application of #VR such as self-check of cognitive functions. FOVE Inc.: https://lnky.jp/9H0NDrQ Eye Play the Piano: https://lnky.jp/YPgX0d8 #WonderWomanWednesday #InnovationJapan

Mt. #Kurikoma (# #Kurikomayama), straddling #Miyagi, #Akita, and #Iwate Prefectures, is a volcano with a height of 1,626 meters (5,335 feet). Because of its ...magnificent view of #FallFoliage, #MtKurikoma is called the Carpet of God. There are many #hiking trails leading to its peak; you can choose it depending on the difficulty, the duration, and/or which prefecture you would like to start from. Visitors can see beautiful, colorful flowers, alpine plants, and #AutumnLeaves at the mountain that is open from May to November, and you can enjoy backcountry skiing and snowboarding in winter. Also, there are some great #onsen (#HotSprings) around the mountain. #WebJapan #MofaJapan #Travel #BucketList #DreamNowTravelLater #StayInspired

#Japan has developed #technology that empowers #OlderAdults and #PeopleWithDisabilities. Some include #AI software that translates and transcribes audio in real-time for people who are hearing-impaired, AI-enabled suitcases that help navigate people who are vision-impaired, and a mobile app that connects elderly Japanese teachers with younger language learners to combat loneliness. https://bit.ly/36LfORc

Aizu lacquerware In the area around the Aizu basin, which lies in the middle of Fukushima Prefecture, lacquer working dates back to about the 15th ce...ntury. The firm foundations for Aizu lacquerware were later laid when a number of lacquer craftsmen were brought in by a new feudal lord who was transferred from Shiga to rule the land. In the second half of the 18th century the feudal administration of Aizu took the initiative and started directing production after inviting various craftsmen from Kyoto, who specialized in gold dust application and other decorative techniques. Aizu lacquerware is the product of a distinctive manufacturing system involving a fine division of labor, that allows volume production while using handcrafting techniques. Specialist craftworkers perform separate tasks such as wood forming and lacquering, so each contributes a high level of skill that leads to the creation of finished items of superior quality. The types of lacquerwork being particularly famous are a special technique called hananuri (a lacquering technique that goes through the process of coating with lacquer, drying and finishing without polishing) and the decorative use of gold dust to create gorgeous designs known as makie. Aizu remains one of the most famous lacquerware production centers, producing mainly furniture and other items for household use, including bowls, trays, cake dishes, stacking boxes, and sake servers.

Kyoto wire weaving, a traditional craft in #Japan, requires unwavering focus to make these beautiful creations. #KyotoWireWeaving #WireWeaving #TraditionalCraft

#Japan has been using #technology to expand access to #education and #employment around the world. Hear the stories of a few Japanese companies that have contributed to communities in #Bangladesh, #Vietnam and #Kenya. https://bit.ly/36PkKV4