The Etymology of Akita The name derives from the ancient term “Agita.” It is the place visited by Abe no Hirafu, who appears in the *Nihon Shoki* (Chronicles of Japan). The prevailing theory is that the name originates from Ainu or ancient Japanese words meaning “a high place” or “a piece of land jutting … Read More
What kind of country is Saudi Arabia? Saudi Arabia is a vast country occupying 80% of the Arabian Peninsula, with most of its land being desert. It shares borders with countries such as Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates, Yemen, and Oman. It holds world-leading reserves and production levels of oil, … Read More
A small island nation situated between Europe and North America. The capital, Reykjavík, lies at 64 degrees north latitude. New York City’s coordinates are approximately 40.7 degrees north latitude, and Japan’s Hokkaido is also around 40 degrees north. It certainly sounds cold. However, thanks to the warm current flowing north from Mexico, it’s a … Read More
Mount Hiei, also known by the famous name “Fuji of the Capital,” as well as Eizan, Hokurei, and Tendai-san, is a mountain straddling western Ōtsu City in Shiga Prefecture and northeastern Kyoto City in Kyoto Prefecture. A mountain revered by ancient people Located on the border between Kyoto and Shiga Prefectures, it offers a … Read More
What is Gokuraku? Four-character idiom, Buddhist term abbreviated from “Gokuraku jo do” (Land of Perfect Bliss). The Pure Land of Amitabha Buddha. In Sanskrit, Sukhavati. Said to lie beyond this world to the west, beyond ten billion Buddha lands, it is a realm of bliss where all suffering is absent and all things are … Read More
Description for UAE The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is a federal state located at the southeastern tip of the Arabian Peninsula, bordering the Arabian Gulf and part of the Gulf of Oman. It consists of seven emirates: Abu Dhabi, Dubai, Sharjah, Ras Al Khaimah, Fujairah, Ajman, and Umm Al Quwain. Most of the country … Read More
A mountain awarded three Michelin stars Mt. Takao is located in Hachioji City, Tokyo, at the western edge of the Kanto Plain. As it is located where the plain turns into mountainous terrain, trains run right up to the trailhead, making it very accessible. With an elevation of 599 meters, it is a low … Read More
Description for Kinkaku-ji The golden World Heritage Site, Kinkaku-ji Temple. Its official name is Rokuon-ji Temple, but it is commonly known as Kinkaku-ji Temple because its most famous structure, the Shari-den Hall (Golden Pavilion), is covered in gold leaf. Located in Kita Ward, Kyoto City, it is a temple of the Rinzai sect’s Shokoku-ji … Read More
This style comes from the Manga culture If you look closely, you can see the letters slightly bulging in a heart shape. In manga, it is common to intentionally distort the lines toward the center or the character in order to make the space look wider, as if looking through a camera’s wide-angle lens, … Read More
Covers approximately 5,000,000,000 people This is a heart-shaped typographic representation of the word “thank you” in 44 languages. The choice of words has been made so that the thank you in each country are polite or formal, or more emphatic than a general thank you, so that they can be used by friends, family, … Read More
The first character in the center is the old character form of Shibuya. You hardly ever see it nowadays, but this character was used until around the early Showa period. It seems some Japanese people still use this old character form in their surnames. This character is a kanji meaning “bitter taste,” “to stagnate,” … Read More
As a Tokyo landmark, it attracts many visitors from both Japan and abroad. Standing at 634 meters tall, it is the world’s tallest free-standing broadcasting tower. From the “Sky Deck” at 350 meters, you can enjoy a beautiful view overlooking Tokyo, and from the “Sky Corridor” at 450 meters, you can take in a … Read More
It holds the Guinness World Record as the world’s tallest tower. Built in Sumida Ward, this 634-meter-tall free-standing broadcast tower opened as part of “Tokyo Skytree Town,” which includes the commercial complex “Tokyo Solamachi.” Originally scheduled for completion in December 2011, construction was delayed by about two months due to the Great East Japan … Read More
Turkey is located at the crossroads of Asia and Europe. Turkey borders Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east, Iraq and Syria to the south, and Greece and Bulgaria to the west. Turkey is a major tourist destination. As of 2022, 19 historical sites in Turkey are registered as UNESCO World Heritage Sites. … Read More
A constitutional monarchy in northwestern Europe. It is bordered by the Netherlands to the north, Germany to the east, Luxembourg to the southeast, France to the south, and the North Sea to the west, forming a 65.5 km coastline against Great Britain. Nature in Belgium Topographically and geologically, the country is divided into three … Read More
About the Republic of San Marino San Marino is a small landlocked country in the central-eastern part of the Italian Peninsula, surrounded entirely by Italy. Its high elevation offers views of the Adriatic Sea. Founded in 301 AD, it is the world’s oldest republic and the only surviving city-state. Its historic old town, registered … Read More