Japan’s Golden Week Celebration
After enjoying Japan's cherry blossom period, there is another holiday to be celebrated on the last week of April to the first week of May. It's called Golden Week. But what is Golden Week? What is the origin of this holiday? How do we celebrate it? Read on to have an insight into this long holiday season. What is Golden Week? Golden Week is the period between April 29th to May 5th. That's exactly 7 days! Let me tell you the names of each non-working holiday. First is Showa Day (Showa no Hi), followed by Constitution Memorial Day (Kenpo Kinenbi), Greenery Day (Midori no Hi), and finally Children's Day (Kodomo no Hi). Showa Day (April 29th) Showa Day celebrates the…
11 Ways to Celebrate Earth Day Everyday
April has been a wonderful month with different flowers all over Japan. Before we move on to the next month, let's look back at one of the most important events happening in April and that was Earth Day. This day includes a wide range of activities worldwide to create awareness about environmental protection. Issues include reducing carbon footprint, tree planting, recycling, and other relevant activities. You don't need to have a higher educational background to do your part in conserving our planet. A little bit of lifestyle change in our daily lives can help save Mother Earth. To give you some ideas, read on and I'm sure you will enjoy doing these activities for the sake of the next generation.…
Utsunomiya Terrace: Discover a world of comfort during your travels.
Recently, I had the chance to visit the newly-opened shopping complex near Utsunomiya Station in Tochigi, Japan: Utsunomiya Terrace. As the name suggests, you might imagine being on the terrace of your home or resort. But the establishment resembles a resort/apartment type architecture where one can enjoy spending outdoors at the roof deck garden or terrace. The outdoor space brings an overall appeal to the building which is different from other shopping malls. It is also a perfect place to catch a glimpse of the nearby buildings or simply sunbathe during the cold winter months. Curious about what's inside Utsunomiya Terrace? Let's find out in my tour. Shops and stores Utsunomiya Terrace officially opened last August 2022 with some shops…
Popular Foods to enjoy during Hanami Cherryblossoms viewing
I may be a little bit late writing about this blog but the spring we have in Japan right now is earlier than last year! Sounds really cool as I looked forward to spring and witness the amazing flowers in bloom. Of course one of the main events to experience is hanami or cherry blossom viewing but it's not complete without food to enjoy. No worries though even if Tokyo has its cherry blossoms peak season last week, you can still enjoy last-minute hanami when the petals started to fall down and form a beautiful pink carpet on the ground. To give you ideas on what to bring to your picnic, I listed down five food groups to choose from…
THE RISE OF GLUTEN-FREE SNACKS AND PASTRIES
While browsing my social media feed to find out some quick and easy recipes, I stumbled upon short videos about gluten-free cakes and desserts. They looked mouthwatering and I think I'd give it a try. Indeed they are quick to bake and a great alternative to flour-based snacks! Disclaimer: I am not a health professional and my blog post is based purely on my experience. It is always appropriate to consult a doctor before starting any type of eating plan. Related post: https://www.tanboblog.org/gluten-free-christmas-cookies-sugar-cookies/ HOW I STARTED MY GLUTEN-FREE JOURNEY When my son was diagnosed with autism and asthma, I was researching the best possible diet to lessen the symptoms of his skin allergies and meltdowns. Some books that I've read introduced…
CANOLA FLOWERS: Japan’s Gorgeous Golden Flowers in Spring
When spring comes in Japan, we only have one flower in mind to watch out for: cherry blossoms or sakura. Did you know that the country is a plethora of flowers, especially during springtime? It ranges from flowering trees to vast flower fields that stretch through the horizon. And one of the best flowers to watch out for is canola/ rapeseed flowers or nano hana in Japanese. Also read: https://www.tanboblog.org/what-you-need-to-know-about-japans-cherry-blossoms-season/ WHAT ARE CANOLA FLOWERS? Image by Yves from Pixabay Canola or Rapeseed flowers are bright yellow members of the mustard family, harvested mainly for their oil-rich seed which is edible and contains erucic acid. In Japan, it is consumed as a side dish either boiled or sauteed. Canola oil is the third-largest source of…
HOMEMADE PIZZA BAKED IN A DUTCH OVEN
Last Fall of 2022, I attended a school activity with my daughters where we made a pizza baked in a dutch oven. I haven't heard about this oven before but I learned that it's like a pot and lid filled with burning charcoal. So when you place the raw pizza inside, the heat from the charcoal is distributed equally, baking both the top and bottom of the pizza. It is easy to make that I'm sharing with you this magical recipe and most of the ingredients can be bought from the supermarket here in Japan. To make this blog even more interesting, a posted a video on the last part to have a glimpse of how we did it. INGREDIENTS …
How I Started My Capsule Wardrobe
During the past five years pre-pandemic, there was a trend in minimalism and simple living. The idea of following this philosophy is to achieve a work-life balance, sustainability, frugality, and financial freedom. I am following minimalism right now and still sticking to this habit in the years to come. I've seen the benefits of minimalism, mentally and physically. I've never felt so much free and calm compared to before I knew about this movement. Reorganizing my clothes and closet To start practicing minimalism, I started the area in my closet because that was the most cluttered part of the house that affects my mind. I took off all my clothes including those ill-fitted and not worn for many years. At first, it's really hard to…
8 SIMPLE WAYS TO ENJOY LIFE THIS YEAR 2023
Hello, my dear readers! This is my first post this year 2023 and I was a little bit absent from blogging for a few weeks. I took time off online and just enjoy the moment around family and friends and just traveled nearby to explore some hidden gems in town. Most people would love to have their New Year's resolutions but I don't believe in those things, but rather have an affirmation to myself of what I would love to do this year. I make a list of my goals this year (simplified and realistic goals) and I will check it off once I accomplished them. Do you do the same method of goal-setting as me? I would like to…
Winter Illuminations at Grimm no Mori Park
Every winter in Japan, the country's parks and commercial centers comes alive with spectacular lights and illuminations to brighten the season's long chilly nights. Most of these spots have Christmas themes and decorations while some just display floral or fairy tale themes. One of my favorite spots near my town is Grimm no Mori. Fairy Tale Theme Illumination I wrote a previous blog about Grimm no Mori which you can find here. This park was built as a dedication to the Grimm brothers who wrote world-famous fairy tales such as Hansel and Gretel. The sprawling park turns into a fantasy on a winter night. Elaborate Christmas lights are adorned at every corner of each garden, making it one of the…
