So you’re living in Japan — either for work, your studies, or travel. You have a lot of time and opportunities to see what this amazing country has to offer, but don’t know where to explore first. Luckily, there are many things to do in Japan — from eating delicious food to bathing in an onsen. So if you have some time, why don’t you try these Japanese cultural experiences and tick off the “bucket list” of things you should do to truly immerse yourself in Japan and Japanese culture?
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Soaking in Onsen
One of the best ways to relax after a long day of hard work is definitely bathing in a hot spring bath. You can practically find onsen almost everywhere in Japan, even a big city like Tokyo has many natural onsen places. There are so many famous onsen towns such as Ginzan Onsen or Nyuto Onsen which are known for their magnificent view that you can enjoy while soaking in an outdoor bath. Besides natural onsen, there are also many public baths (sento) in the city where you can dip and enjoy the bathing experience like a local. Please be aware that most of the onsen and sento places don’t allow people with tattoos, however, you can still enjoy the experience at tattoo-friendly ones.
Wearing a Kimono
If we have to think about Japan, one of the things that pop up in almost everyone’s mind is a kimono, a traditional garment that truly represents Japanese culture. You can still see some people wearing kimonos in daily life on the street or even on a train. It’s probably impossible to own one as it’s quite expensive but you can still enjoy the experience by renting one and strolling around the old town such as Asakusa in Tokyo or basically everywhere in Kyoto. Besides kimonos, you can also try yukata which is easier and lighter to wear and is common to see in summer festivals and onsen towns (and it’s also more affordable).
Enjoying Hanami Season
We could say sakura or cherry blossom is a symbol of Japan and somehow if you are in Japan in spring, Hanami or sakura viewing is a cultural experience you shouldn’t miss at all. Hanami is a special event as people come out to celebrate the full bloom of the cherry blossoms, either walking along the sakura tree lines or eating and drinking under the trees. Sakura mostly blooms at the end of March till early April around 1-2 weeks depending on the weather. Besides sakura, you can also enjoy other flowers such as kawaii-sakura and ume which blooms a bit faster in February. On the other hand, wisteria and hydrangea bloom a bit later at the end of April and June respectively.
Participating in Matsuri
Japan has tons of matsuri or festivals all year round, especially in the summertime such as the famous Gion Matsuri in Kyoto, Tenjin Matsuri in Osaka and Nebuta Matsuri in Aomori. Each region has its own festivals celebrating gods, historical events, etc. Matsuri is always fun as you can enjoy the processions, parades, decorated floats, dancing as well as delicious local food and drink. Moreover, Japanese summer is also famous for Hanabi or fireworks festivals where people dress up in yukata to enjoy the spectacular shows.
Joining the Momijigari
The other highlight of Japanese seasonal beauty is the autumn leaves when all the trees turn red and yellow making the scenery look extremely spectacular. Momijigari or autumn leaves hunting is an activity where you can just walk around and admire the colorful leaves and appreciate the seasonal change. The leaves start to change around mid-November until early December and there are many famous places you can enjoy Momijigari such as Nikko, Kamikochi and Arashiyama.
Eating Japanese Food
Japan offers so many delicious foods from sushi to tempura so if you are in Japan, this is a chance to try the authentic ones. Moreover, each region has its own unique style and fresh ingredients so you can try the same dish with a completely different taste like miso ramen served with corn and butter in Hokkaido or tonkatsu ramen with milky pork broth in Fukuoka. It’s also fun to eat like a local by going to izakaya restaurants to eat yakitori skewers with local nihonshu or sitting in yatai, an outdoor food stand that is hard to find nowadays.
Visiting Temples and Shrines
Japan has a long history of Buddhism and Shintoism. That’s the reason why there are so many temples and shrines across the country. Shrine is associated with Shintoism and can be easily noticed by a big red torii gate while the temple is associated with Buddhism and it’s common to see incense burners and big Buddha statues. Even though you have different beliefs, it’s still fun to visit temples and shrines to see beautiful architecture and immerse yourself in the peaceful and serene atmosphere. Nowadays, you can also stay overnight in some temples to experience the minimal and simple lifestyle of the monks.
Staying Overnight in Ryokan
If you have a chance to stay a night anywhere in Japan, it’s the best opportunity to try ryokan or the traditional inn to experience Japanese-styled hospitality. Ryokan can come in various styles —from a family-run inn with a few rooms to a large complex with many facilities, hence the price can be very different. However, a ryokan is a place where you can immerse in various Japanese cultural experiences as it usually comes with a traditional tatami room with futon, yukata, onsen as well as local kaiseki cuisine for both breakfast and dinner.
Watching Traditional Performances
There are various types of Japanese traditional performances but the most common ones are Kabuki and Noh. Kabuki is known for extravagant costumes and makeup while Noh is a drama with a slower pace. These traditional performances can be very long and they are mostly separated into smaller segments which allows you to buy a ticket for just one part. If you are worried that you might not understand the story, don’t be. The performance usually uses old language which is even hard for Japanese to understand. However, you can still have fun with dynamic acting and some places even have English subtitles.
Watching Sumo Matches
Sumo is considered the national sport of Japan as it has been associated with Japanese culture and Shintoism for hundreds of years. Generally, there are 6 tournaments per year (January, May and September in Tokyo, March in Osaka, July in Nagoya and November in Fukuoka) and it lasts 15 days. The tournaments usually start in the early morning so you can go early to watch the whole thing or you can just skip and see the highlight match in the late afternoon. However, if there is no tournament during your visit, you can still enjoy the experience at the exhibition matches and morning training sessions.
Sipping Matcha in a Tea Ceremony
Tea ceremony or chado has been a tradition for the guest to enjoy the host’s hospitality for hundreds of years. Nowadays it’s not common in daily life anymore/ However, you can still enjoy the experience and see how matcha is prepared and served in a traditional way. The ceremony usually takes place in a traditional tea room with a tatami floor surrounded by a beautiful Japanese-styled garden. The tea is also accompanied by wagashi or a Japanese traditional sweet to balance the bitterness of the drink.
Getting into the Art of Ikebana
Ikebana or Japanese flower arrangement (also known as kado) is an art that focuses on the simplicity and natural beauty of flowers, leaves and branches as well as the self-expression of the person who arranges it. This art has been in Japan for decades and nowadays there are plenty of schools and courses that teach you how to get in touch with nature and your inner self. It’s fun to try to peacefully arrange the flowers and make yourself a nice memorable souvenir.
Writing in Calligraphy Class
Even though Japanese children have to learn calligraphy or shodo in elementary schools, the art of writing becomes a hobby to many as it focuses on the peaceful mind when you put your heart and soul into the beautiful alphabet on paper. You can participate in a class or a workshop to learn how to use the tool and write beautifully in the correct strokes which can be started from the block lettering which is the easier style. The harder styles are semi-cursive and cursive which is said to take years to master.
Going Back in Time in Edo-Styled Theme Parks
It’s fun to walk around the old town and absorb the traditional ambiance but it’s even more fun if you can really go back in time! There are so many theme parks in Japan dedicated to the past where you can travel back to the Edo period and try to live your life as a samurai, ninja or even geisha such as Edo Wonderland in Nikko or Toei Kyoto Studio Park in Kyoto. Most of the places offer cosplays, samurai/ninja experiences as well as other historical activities. Besides the Edo period, Showa-styled theme parks are also popular and give a fun retro vibe.
Spending a Day in Themed Shops or Cafes
Besides traditional beliefs, Japan is also known for its quirkiness and the love for manga, anime and many things which is why there are so many themed shops and cafes popping up here and there. From animal-theme cafes to pop-up stores for your favorite game franchises or cute maid cafes, you can be surrounded by what you love or even try new things that you haven’t had an interest in before. It’s fun to eat character-inspired food in a decorative atmosphere and buy some merchandise to support your favs.
Conclusion
In conclusion, Japan has so many things to offer from beautiful nature to unique cultural events and many fun activities to do. If you have some free time while you are in Japan, it’s a good chance to go out there and try out some of unique Japanese cultural experiences that can’t be found anywhere else in the world.
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If you already live in Japan, it’s great to go out and experience Japanese culture directly. As there are many events all year round, you can check information online and find whatever you like to try. If you don’t have a friend to do it with, there are many meetup groups or workshops that you can participate in.
Japan has a mixture of traditional values and modern characteristics. You can find temples with traditional architecture right next to futuristic skyscrapers or Japanese traditional sweets in the shape of Pokemon. This uniqueness makes Japanese culture fun and interesting to explore.
Everywhere has its own unique culture so it’s extremely hard to pinpoint one place. However, if you have only a limited time in Japan, Kyoto is probably the city where you can experience most of the Japanese culture in a short period of time because Kyoto used to be a capital city and a cultural center for hundreds of years. Here you can do anything from visiting beautiful temples, strolling in kimonos and watching traditional performances.
