Bonsai Trees

Bonsai trees are a wonderful hobby to enjoy for a lifetime. However, when most people start out, most of their bonsai trees fall sick and die within a few weeks. Bonsai trees are extremely sensitive to their conditions and the caretaker needs to learn how to properly take care of these wonderful and attractive plants. Here are a few tips to ensure that you're able to keep your tree healthy.

Archeological evidence gleaned from illustrated ceramics fragments suggests that dance has been a part of daily life for thousands of years. Many early dances, such as those of Native Americans, derived from ceremonial and ritualistic purposes. Ancient Egyptian and Indian dances often had religious purposes, while those of ancient Greece were more celebratory in nature

Geisha are the subject of much speculation from any other world outside Japan. Despite their fame the western world and even other eastern cultures do not completely understand the mystique that surrounds geisha. According to Liza Dalby, an American anthropologist who did research on geisha, the misunderstandings are probably due to the fact that there is no comparable group to them in other societies

Fukushu-en (Fukushu Garden) is a Chinese-style garden located in Naha City. It was constructed to celebrate the city’s historical ties to China’s Fujian province and current relationship with the city of Fuzhou.

Futenma Shrine (Futenma Gongen) is a Shinto shrine located in Futenma on Highway 330 between Gates 6 and 7 of Camp Foster. Rich in history, Futenma gives visitors a glimpse at religion in the times of the Ryukyu Kingdom as well as in modern Japan.

Gyokusendo Cave is located in a theme park called Okinawa World, in Tamagusuku Village, on the southern portion of Okinawa. Geologists estimate that the cave is more than 300,000 years old, having formed as the island’s native fossilized-coral-turned-limestone slowly eroded from thousands of years of rain and runoff.

Hakugin-do Shrine is a Shinto shrine located in Itoman City, Okinawa.

Communal bathing was once popular in Britain. The Romans brought it to us heathens along with things like straight roads and walls which, up until then, we English hadn't thought of. When the Romans finally headed home we decided to keep most of the infrastructure they left behind. However, the idea of fully-grown men sitting around in the bath together was just so foreign to us that "

Capsule hotels are a type of hotel popular mostly among travelers stranded for the night and those who are on a tight budget. Despite the very limited space you will be surprised at how well equipped these hotels are. Each capsule usually comes with a built in mini TV, radio, and alarm clock, plus fresh bedding of course. You can also use the hotel’s lockers, shower rooms, laundry facilities

Karaoke bars probably established their roots in the early twentieth century in Japan during the Taisho rule. “Utagoe Kissa,” or “coffee shop,” became popular with customers who tried out their singing talents backed up by music from a live band. Soon, the trend caught up with the rest of the world, and karaoke bars are now the ideal place for fun and unwinding after a hard

As opposed to the heavy silk or synthetic fabrics used to make kimono, yukata

The chances are high you’ll meet them if you go to an anime or gaming convention. People dress up as characters from a game, anime, or manga, and wow the crowd with their in-character acting and poses. And that’s when they’re off the stage. Once they’re on, they perform - through skits, song and dance.

However, cosplay isn’t limited to conventions and events.

The top government spokesman lodged a protest with the government of Myanmar for the death of a Japanese journalist, after security forces indiscriminately fired at demonstrators in Yangon.

"The Japanese government urged Myanmar not to use force to suppress the demonstration. It's tragic that a Japanese national lost his life in the incident, and we strongly protest to the Myanmar government," Chief Cabinet Secretary Nobutaka Machimura said.

The Foreign Ministry confirmed Thursday that Kenji Nagai, 50, a freelance video journalist who worked for Tokyo-based APF News, died after being shot while covering Myanmar security forces' crackdown of demonstrators in Yangon.

Myanmar's state-run TV reported that nine people including Nagai died, and 11 others were injured after security forces fired shots at demonstrators on Thursday. (Mainichi)

The Battle of Okinawa was the only battle fought on Japanese soil during World War II, and the fighting was so fierce that Okinawans nicknamed it the "Typhoon of Steel," or tetsu no bofu. Battle veterans returning to the island today recognize little of the Okinawa of 1945, as most of the buildings were leveled and much of the landscape was bombed and blasted away.

The Japanese Imperial Navy built the headquarters of its Okinawa district headquarters under a hill in Oroku, near Naha. Abandoned for decades after the war, the chambers have been opened to the public since the 1970s. Visitors can see the marks left on the walls by the pickaxes of the men who carved the commander's office, storerooms, bunk rooms, powder rooms, and medical rooms from the earthy hill. Blast marks from the mass suicide committed by Vice Admiral Minoru Ota and his men are visible as well. Some tunnels and rooms remain exactly as they were during the war and are off limits to visitors.

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Karaoke Bars

Karaoke bars probably established their roots in the early twentieth century in Japan during the Taisho rule. “Utagoe Kissa,” or “coffee shop,” became popular with customers who tried out their singing talents backed up by music from a live band. Soon, the trend caught up with the rest of the world, and karaoke bars are now the ideal place for fun and unwinding after a hardday’s work.

Katusuren Castle is located on the Katsuren Peninsula on the eastern coast of Okinawa. Today, the ruins of the castle are an educational attraction, hosting tourists, schoolchildren, amateur historians, and curious passersby.

Kokusai Street (Kokusai Dori) is a 1.6-kilometer long commercial zone that stretches through Okinawa’s capital city of Naha. Lining the street are dozens of omiyage (souvenir) stores, clothing stores, variety stores, restaurants, bars, and music venues, making it one of the primary tourist attractions on the island.

Kozakura-no-To is a large monument in Asahigaoka Park (Asahigaoka Koen), only a few yards from Gokoku-ji (Gokoku Temple) and Naminoue-gu (Naminoue Shrine) in Naminoue. It is dedicated to the children killed aboard the S.S. Tsushima Maru, an evacuation ship sunk during World War II.

While Kyoto may have been spared from bombing by Allied generals during World War II due to its cultural importance

Obon is a three-day holiday set aside each summer to honor deceased ancestors. During this period, family members celebrate the return of ancestral spirits by gathering together, feasting, and praying.

Okinawa, the southernmost prefecture of Japan, consists of 57 islands which include the Miyako and Yaeyama groups, with the main island of Okinawa as the center. The only prefecture in Japan that is truly subtropical, Okinawa is a southern paradise where colorful flowers of the subtropics bloom the year-round. The sea that surrounds these islands has an emerald-green sheen, and the resplendent