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A free daily Japanese lesson in your inbox every morning, with word breakdowns, audio, and cultural
Christian Werner, in: Die ‚Alleinherrschaft’ der russischen Zaren in der ‚Zeit der Wirren‘
Reconstructing the Life of Uesugi Kiyoko
2025-07-19
Uesugi Kiyoko (1270–1342) was the mother of the founder of the Ashikaga shogunate, Takauji.
Year-end Tax Adjustment in Japan
2023-11-24
income tax filing and Year-end Tax Adjustment in Japan
Fault models of the 1703 Genroku and 1923 Taisho Kanto earthquakes inferred from coastal movements
2023-08-02
1923 Taisho Kanto earthquake
Duggan, Mark, and Steven D. Levitt. 2002. "Winning Isn't Everything: Corruption in Sumo Wrestling ."
Tōkeiji's Business: the Agency of Nuns in the Early Modern Period
Kanji Breakthrough
2022-03-14
A download of Mary’s “Kanji Breakthrough,” a series of lessons originally published in 2007.
Latest articles
Society
Marriage in Japan
When Japanese tie the knot
Marriage in Japan has changed considerably over the centuries. Courtly visiting relationships, alliances between warrior families, household succession and modern romantic partnerships all belong to its history. No single marriage pattern has been shared by everyone in...
Mito daimyō and iconic drama character
Tokugawa Mitsukuni (徳川光圀, 1628–1701) was the second lord of the Mito Domain in present-day Ibaraki Prefecture and a grandson of Tokugawa Ieyasu (徳川家康, 1543–1616), the founder of the Tokugawa shogunate. Mito belonged to the Tokugawa Gosanke (徳川御三家), the...
Bio
Saigo Takamori
The Last True Samurai and True Last SamuraiBorn into a lower-ranking samurai family in Kagoshima, Saigō Takamori (西郷隆盛, 1828–1877) became one of the principal architects of the Meiji Restoration. He helped overthrow the Tokugawa shogunate, negotiated the peaceful surrender of Edo Castle and...
Inage Shigenari (稲毛重成, d. 1205), also known as Inage Saburō Shigenari, was a warrior of the late Heian and early Kamakura periods and a retainer of the Kamakura shogunate. He belonged to the Chichibu clan, a branch of the Kanmu Taira, and held Inage-shō (稲毛荘), an estate in Musashi Province...
Nakamura Utaemon III as Ishikawa Goemon in the kabuki play Kinmon Gosan no Kiri. Colour woodblock print by Shunkōsai Hokushū, 1822. Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York.The Historical Goemon and the Age of HideyoshiIshikawa Goemon (石川五右衛門, d. 1594) was a Japanese outlaw active during the...
Hōjō Masako (北条政子, 1157–1225) was the eldest daughter of Hōjō Tokimasa (北条時政, 1138–1215), the wife of Minamoto no Yoritomo (源頼朝, 1147–1199), and the mother of two of his successors, Minamoto no Yoriie (源頼家, 1182–1204) and Minamoto no Sanetomo (源実朝, 1192–1219). Around 1177, she married Yoritomo...
Ōuchi Yoshitaka (大内義隆, 1507–1551) was a military lord, provincial governor and court noble of the Sengoku period. The sixteenth head of the Ōuchi house, he ruled from Yamaguchi in Suō Province, in what is now eastern Yamaguchi Prefecture. He held the military governorships of Suō, Nagato, Iwami...
Culture
日本全国の現役酒蔵一覧
全体として自然で、調査基準も明確です。ただ、「蔵、酒蔵、工場」の重複や、末尾で更新・訂正について繰り返し述べる部分を整理すると、読みやすくなります。以下、書式を保った修正版です。
このページでは、日本国内で現在日本酒を製造している酒蔵を掲載しています。日本酒製造免許を保有するすべての事業者や、過去に日本酒を製造していた事業者を網羅した一覧ではありません。
調査方法本一覧では、個々の銘柄や製造施設ではなく、現在日本酒を製造している酒蔵・酒造会社を対象としています。同じ酒蔵・酒造会社が複数の蔵や工場を運営している場合も、1社として数えています。...
How many active sake breweries are there in Japan?As of 12 October 2026, JREF has identified 1,344 active sake breweries in Japan. This figure counts breweries or brewing companies currently producing sake, rather than individual licences, brands or production facilities. Different sources...
Mount Fuji: introduction and geography
[/URL][/URL]These are approximate walking times. Allow additional time for breaks, congestion and the effects of altitude. Reaching the highest point at Kengamine or walking around the summit crater also adds to the journey.
Preparing for the climb
Wear...
Latest journal entries
Last Wednesday, I finally managed to find enough time to visit one of the most fascinating special exhibitions of the year at the Tōkyō National Museum in Ueno: "The Maeda: Legacy of a Prosperous Samurai Family." Most of the exhibits are normally displayed in Kanazawa, while museums and...
We'd passed through the Oyamada district of Machida countless times, burning rubber on our road bikes. Today, by sheer coincidence, we took a different turn and found this hidden gem of a temple. Oyamada was the family name of a local clan that controlled territory in modern-day Machida and...
When we first visited Himeji Castle in December 2013, we were rather disappointed to discover that it was undergoing major restoration work, with the main keep and several other structures hidden behind enormous scaffolding erected to protect the donjon and its roofs from the elements. Little...
Local sights and landmarks: Sakunobe Castle.
Sakunobe Castle (作延城 Sakunobe-jō) was a flat mountain castle (平山城 hirayamajō) in present-day Shimosakunobe, Takatsu-ku, Kawasaki, allegedly constructed by Inage Saburō Shigenari (稲毛三郎重成), a member of the Oyamada clan in the early Kamakura period...
From Leather Imitations to Global Luxury
Japanese wallpaper tells a story that most people never hear. While we're familiar with zen gardens and tea ceremonies, the art of decorating walls has quietly shaped Japanese interiors for generations, evolving through political upheaval, economic...
The Miura Peninsula (三浦半島 Miura-hantō), nestled in southern Kanagawa, is renowned for its stunning coastal landscapes, rich history, and delectable seafood. Its picturesque beaches, rugged cliffs, and charming little harbours offer a serene escape from urban life. Historical cities like...
Some may recall that I left Japan due to concerns of my father's health at the time. He had cancer (again), and had a severe stroke not long before. It seemed that it was time for him to cast aside his mortal coil and leave this Earth. However, Fate had other plans in mind, thankfully.
That...
I bought this Japanese Censor here in New England and when I researched the silversmith, Paris France, they were in business from 1880's to about the 1900's and then no longer existed. What's interesting about the piece is the color combination and the artwork on the piece.
Japanese export...
I used to have a breadmaker in Japan that I had picked up when someone threw it away. Other than the vent's grill on the top being cracked and missing part of the grill, the breadmaker was perfectly fine. All you had to do was measure out the ingredients, put them in the machine in the proper...
As you might know, kabukicho can be a little different compared to the rest of Tokyo and most of Japan. In a way, I decided to use that to my advantage and spent quite some time there (not buying any special services there though 🤨).
Because of my frequency around the area, I can recall various...
Latest items
A limited autumn junmai ginjō from Saitama, matured over summer for greater depth and bottled undiluted at 16%. Enjoy chilled or warmed alongside seasonal dishes.
- Prefecture
- Saitama (埼玉)
- Style
- Genshu (原酒), undiluted
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Umami
- Rice type
- Domestic rice (国産米)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 60%
- Alcohol content
- 16%
- SMV
- ±0
- Acidity
- 1.5
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Hiya (冷や), room temperature
- Hitohadakan (人肌燗), around 35°C
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Koyama Honke Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 小山本家酒造
- Address
- 1798 Sashiogi, Nishi-ku, Saitama, 331-0047
- Phone
- 048-623-0011
- Website
Raifuku Junmai Ginjō Aiyama is made with Hyōgo-grown Aiyama rice polished to 50%. Gentle fruity aromas, soft sweetness and rounded rice flavour define this pasteurised sake from Ibaraki.
- Prefecture
- Ibaraki (茨城)
- Style
- Muroka (無濾過), unfiltered
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Umami
- Rice type
- Aiyama (愛山)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 50%
- Yeast
- Tokyo University of Agriculture isolate (東農大分離株)
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Hiya (冷や), room temperature
- Brewery
- Raifuku Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 来福酒造
- Address
- 1626 Murata, Chikusei, Ibaraki 300-4546
- Phone
- 0296-52-2448
- Website
Daisekkei with a difference: a limited junmai ginjō made from Omachi rice grown in Azumino, with fruity aromas, gentle sweetness and a refreshing hint of citrus-like bitterness.
- Prefecture
- Nagano (長野)
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Citrusy
- Rice type
- Omachi (雄町)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 55%
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- SMV
- −3.0
- Acidity
- 1.7
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Hiire (火入れ), pasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Daisekkei Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 大雪渓酒造株式会社
- Address
- 9642-2 Aisome, Ikeda-machi, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-8602
- Phone
- 0261-62-3125
- Website
An autumn sake from Nagano, made with Hitogokochi rice and matured over the summer. Its rounded rice flavour and savoury richness make it well suited to meals.
- Prefecture
- Nagano (長野)
- Style
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Umami
- Rice type
- Hitogokochi (ひとごこち)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 59%
- Alcohol content
- 16%
- SMV
- +4.0
- Acidity
- 1.7
- Amino acidity
- 1.2
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Hiire (火入れ), pasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Hiya (冷や), room temperature
- Hinatakan (日向燗), around 30°C
- Hitohadakan (人肌燗), around 35°C
- Production date
- September 2026
- Brewery
- Daisekkei Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 大雪渓酒造株式会社
- Address
- 9642-2 Aisome, Ikeda-machi, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-8602
- Phone
- 0261-62-3125
- Website
-
A seasonal junmai ginjō from Miyagi, matured over the summer for a softer, rounded flavour. Subtle banana and melon aromas meet refreshing acidity and a clean finish; enjoy chilled alongside seafood.
- Prefecture
- Miyagi (宮城)
- Style
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Rice type
- Kura no Hana (蔵の華)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 55%
- Yeast
- Miyagi yeast (宮城酵母)
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- SMV
- +4.0
- Acidity
- 1.6
- Amino acidity
- 1.1
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Hiire (火入れ), pasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Brewery
- Niizawa Jōzōten
- Name in Japanese
- 新澤醸造店
- Address
- 63 Kitamachi, Sanbongi, Ōsaki-shi, Miyagi 989-6321
- Phone
- 0229-52-3002
- Website
【公式】株式会社新澤醸造店 | 伯楽星・あたごのまつ醸造元
創業1873年。『究極の食中酒』を目指す新澤醸造店の公式Webサイト。伯楽星、愛宕の松などの日本酒を製造。
niizawa-brewery.co.jp
An autumn junmai from Shizuoka, made with Yamada Nishiki rice and matured over summer for a rounded, rich flavour. Enjoy chilled or warmed alongside hotpot dishes or fatty seafood.
- Prefecture
- Shizuoka (静岡)
- Style
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Umami
- Rice type
- Yamada Nishiki (山田錦)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 55%
- Yeast
- Shizuoka yeast (静岡酵母)
- Alcohol content
- 16%
- SMV
- +3.0
- Acidity
- 1.4
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Namazume (生詰酒), pasteurised once before storage
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Doi Shuzōjō
- Name in Japanese
- 土井酒造場
- Address
- 633 Onuki, Kakegawa, Shizuoka 437-1407
- Phone
- 0537-74-2006
- Website
An unfiltered autumn junmai ginjō from Ikekame in Fukuoka, matured over summer for a rounded flavour with refreshing character. Enjoy lightly chilled or gently warmed.
- Prefecture
- Fukuoka (福岡)
- Style
- Muroka (無濾過), unfiltered
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Umami
- Rice type
- Domestic rice (国産米)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 60%
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- SMV
- ±0
- Acidity
- 1.4
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Namazume (生詰酒), pasteurised once before storage
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Hinatakan (日向燗), around 30°C
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Ikekame Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 池亀酒造
- Address
- 545 Mizumamachi Kusaba, Kurume, Fukuoka 830-0105
- Phone
- 0942-64-3101
- Website
池亀酒造 – 時代に寄り添う酒造り（福岡・久留米・城島の酒蔵）
筑後三潴で創業130余年。位置します久留米は、17もの酒蔵がある日本第二位の酒処です。池亀酒造より、新鮮な驚きと感動を与える酒文化の情報をお届けします。ikekame.com
- Online store
池亀酒造(株)オンラインショップ
池亀酒造、直販のオンラインショップです。1万5千円以上のご購入で、送料無料！ 池亀酒造(株)オンラインショップでは、初めて日本酒をお楽しみになる方に向けて、厳選したおすすめの日本酒をご紹介しています。日本酒は、日本の伝統的なお酒でありながら、その奥深い味わいと多彩なバリエーションで世界中で愛されています。弊社では、初めての方にも親しみやすいフルーティーでやさしい味わいの日本酒から、深みのある風味や個性豊かな銘柄まで、幅広いラインナップをご用意しています。
shop-ikekame.com
An autumn junmai sake from Saga, made with Omachi rice and cosmos flower yeast. Matured over summer, it combines gentle rice flavour with refreshing acidity and can be enjoyed chilled or gently warmed.
- Prefecture
- Saga (佐賀)
- Style
- Hiyaoroshi (ひやおろし), autumn-matured
- Taste profile
- Umami
- Rice type
- Omachi (雄町)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 65%
- Yeast
- Cosmos flower yeast (コスモス酵母)
- Alcohol content
- 15%
- SMV
- +5.2
- Acidity
- 1.4
- Amino acidity
- 0.7
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Namazume (生詰酒), pasteurised once before storage
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Production date
- Autumn release; the 2026 release was announced on 7 August.
- Brewery
- Amabuki Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 天吹酒造
- Address
- 2894 Higashio, Miyaki-chō, Miyaki-gun, Saga Prefecture, 849-0113
- Phone
- 0942-89-2001
- Website
- Online store
天吹酒造ネットショップ
天吹酒造が花より分離した花酵母で醸す日本酒、酒粕を原料に粕取り焼酎 蒸留酒に果物やハーブの副材料を加え砂糖やシロップ着色料を加えて作るお酒を販売しています。amabukihanbai.com
Bottled directly after pressing, this unpasteurised, undiluted sake is made from Nagano-grown Hitogokochi rice. It combines rounded savoury flavour with citrus-like acidity and a slight natural fizz.
- Prefecture
- Nagano (長野)
- Style
- Genshu (原酒), undiluted
- Muroka (無濾過), unfiltered
- Taste profile
- Citrusy
- Umami
- Rice type
- Hitogokochi (ひとごこち)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 59%
- Alcohol content
- 17%
- SMV
- +3
- Acidity
- 2.1
- Amino acidity
- 1.2
- Brewing alcohol
- No
- Pasteurisation
- Namazake (生酒), unpasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Production date
- September 2026
- Brewery
- Daisekkei Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 大雪渓酒造株式会社
- Address
- 9642-2 Aisome, Ikeda-machi, Kitaazumi-gun, Nagano 399-8602
- Phone
- 0261-62-3125
- Website
-
An unpasteurised, undiluted sake made with Okayama-grown Omachi rice and begonia flower yeast. Rich and full-flavoured, with fresh fruit aromas and firm acidity.
- Prefecture
- Ibaraki (茨城)
- Style
- Genshu (原酒), undiluted
- Taste profile
- Fruity
- Umami
- Rice type
- Omachi (雄町)
- Polishing rate (semaibuai)
- 50%
- Yeast
- Begonia flower yeast (花酵母ベゴニア)
- Alcohol content
- 17%
- Pasteurisation
- Namazake (生酒), unpasteurised
- Serving
- Reishu (冷酒), chilled
- Production date
- August 2026
- Brewery
- Raifuku Shuzō
- Name in Japanese
- 来福酒造
- Address
- 1626 Murata, Chikusei, Ibaraki 300-4546
- Phone
- 0296-52-2448
- Website
Latest items
Maker of enzymes for pharmeceuticals, diagnostic medicines, and the food industry. Head office in Nagoya.
Japanese listed-company dividend and financial history based on EDINET filings, with sources and methodology. Not investment advice.
Hitachinokuni Ninja Academy is an outdoor activity and cultural experience centre in Hitachi-Ōta, Ibaraki Prefecture.
Construction contractor providing electric facility installations.
Japanese Hobby is a blog dedicated to learning Japanese through manga, books and other reading materials.
Visa information, historical relations, economy & trade, cultural exchange between Oman and Japan.
Visa information, bilateral relations.
Fujinomiya City, Shizuoka Prefecture; sightseeing, illustrated guide to Mt. Fuji, ascent, Fujinomiya Fall Festival, photo gallery.
JICC is located on the lower level of the glass enclosed Galleria at Lafayette Centre III in downtown Washington, DC.
Latest items
This is a fresh and surprising account of Japan's culture from the 'opening up' of the country in the mid-nineteenth century to the present.
- Author
- Christopher Harding
- Publisher
- Penguin Books Ltd
- Year of publication
- 1 August 2019
- Number of pages
- 528
- Price
- £12.99
- ISBN
- 978-0141985374
Minamoto Yoshitsune should not have been a samurai. But his story is a legend in this real-life saga.
This epic tale of warriors and bravery, rebellion and revenge, reads like a novel, but it is the true story of the greatest samurai in Japanese history.
When Yoshitsune was just a baby, his...
- Author
- Turner, Pamela S.
- Publisher
- Charlesbridge
- Year of publication
- 2016
- Number of pages
- 256
- Price
- USD 9.99
- ISBN
- 978-1580895842
History
Sekigahara 1600
Osprey's Campaign title for Sekigahara (1600), which was the most decisive battle in Japanese history. Fought against the ritualised and colourful backdrop of Samurai life, it was the culmination of a long-standing power struggle between Tokugawa Ieyasu and Hashiba Hideyoshi, two of the most...
- Author
- Anthony J Bryant
- Publisher
- Osprey Publishing
- Year of publication
- 1995
- Number of pages
- 96
- Price
- USD 25.00
- ISBN
- 978-1855323957
History
Samurai
This groundbreaking book, accompanying a major exhibition at the British Museum, challenges preconceptions of the samurai as a universal icon, tracing their fascinating history from medieval warriors to a global pop culture phenomenon.
- Author
- Buckland, Rosina/Benesch, Oleg
- Publisher
- The British Museum Press
- Year of publication
- 2026
- Number of pages
- 304
- Price
- GBP 40.00
- ISBN
- 9780714137018
An English translation of Shōsetsu Nihonshi (詳説日本史, 日B309), Japan’s most widely trusted high school history textbook, presenting a clear and accessible account of Japan’s past.
- Author
- 佐藤 信 (Editor), 五味 文彦 (Editor), 高埜 利彦 (Editor), 近藤 成一 (Consultant Editor, Translator), 亀井 ダイチ 利永子 (Translator), 亀井 ダイチ アンドリュー (Translator)
- Publisher
- 山川出版社
- Year of publication
- 23 March 2024
- Number of pages
- 512
- Price
- JPY 3,300
- ISBN
- 978-4634591165
Travel Book
Insider's Tokyo
Unravels hidden facts, fascinating stories, faces and places of Tokyo's ancient history and vibrant present
- Author
- Angela Jeffs
- Publisher
- Times Books International
- Year of publication
- 2001
- Number of pages
- 280
- Price
- JPY 1,406 (Amazon)
- ISBN
- 978-9812049117
This book is an introduction to significant people and events - cultural, social, political, and historical - spanning the beginning of the Kamakura period in 1185 through the end of the Edo (Tokugawa) period in 1868.
- Author
- WIlliam E. Deal
- Publisher
- Oxford University Press
- Year of publication
- October 3, 2007 (paperback)
- Number of pages
- 415
- Price
- £23.99
- ISBN
- 978-0195331264
Fiction
Three Assassins
A propulsive new thriller from the bestselling author of "Bullet Train"
- Author
- Kotaro Isaka
- Publisher
- Penguin Random House Vintage
- Year of publication
- 16 February 2023
- Number of pages
- 304
- Price
- GBP 9.99
- ISBN
- 9781529115512
Fiction
The Mantis
Good dad or good assassin? Can he be both?
- Author
- Isaka Kotaro
- Publisher
- Penguin Random House Vintage
- Year of publication
- 25 April 2024
- Number of pages
- 272
- Price
- GBP 9.99
- ISBN
- 9781529920666
Fiction
Bullet Train
Five killers. One journey. But who will survive?
- Author
- Isaka Kotaro
- Publisher
- Penguin Random House Vintage
- Year of publication
- 21 July 2022
- Number of pages
- 464
- Price
- GBP 8.99
- ISBN
- 9781529116267
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