Hikari Travel Agency

14/06/2022

Rain rain, go away ☔️

Monsoon season in Japan coincides with summer, typically lasting May-July. The Japanese call this time 梅雨 (tsuyu), or plum rain, since Japanese plums ripen during this period.

While the rain may put a damper on summer plans, it can also put a romantic mood in the air. 相合傘 (aiaigasa), or the act of sharing an umbrella, is typically seen by younger people as a romantic gesture… sometimes causing them to “forget” their umbrellas at home in the hopes that a special someone might offer to share theirs!

02/06/2022

The Japanese have always been into selfies 📸

This mirror portrait was taken 100 years ago in Japan.

31/05/2022

Work hard, play hard - just like the Japanese do! 🍻

Join Isaac and Abby as they explore the different venues you can visit on a night out in Japan. From Karaoke to Izakayas to Girls’ Bars, there’s tons of fun to be had once the sun goes down!

🍾🍾🍾

Look for Hibana: The Japan Travel, Life, and Culture Guide on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, or wherever else you get your favorite podcasts!

26/05/2022

A stroll through a Japanese garden is a lovely way to spend an afternoon. 🌿

In Japanese gardens, you won’t often see flowering plants. Instead, trees, moss, and aged, worn stones are used to mimic a natural landscape.

The goal is to express the fragility of existence as well as time's unstoppable advance.

Seasonal trees also play an important role, as they help to change the color of the landscape to a light pink in the spring and red in the fall.

25/05/2022

One of Japan’s favorite ways to beat the summer heat is with kakigori - shaved ice! 🍧

Kakigori found at street stalls at summer festivals are similar to snow cones, and are flavored with fruit-flavored syrups.

It’s in restaurants or tea rooms where you’ll find more gourmet topping, such as matcha green tea, fresh strawberries, or even sakura petals if they’re in season! 🌸

24/05/2022

With Summer just around the corner, the time is ripe to break out a yukata! 👘

Yukatas differ from traditional kimonos in several ways, but the biggest difference is the fabric.

Since yukatas are considered summer wear, they’re made of lightweight and breathable cotton rather than silk.

They also tend to have bolder, more colorful patterns, making them perfect to wear at Japan’s lively summer street festivals!

Yukatas can be worn by everyone: man, woman, adult, child - even tourists are encouraged to try them on!

27/04/2022

A glimpse of Japan’s famous capsule hotels!

20/04/2022

Sakura season ends in May, but there’s still time to enjoy cherry-blossom sweets! 🌸

Sakura mochi is a favorite around springtime - it’s a soft, gooey rice cake filled with adzuki sweet-bean paste, and often it’s presented wrapped in a cherry blossom leaf.

(And yes, the leaf is edible! 🍃 It’s often pickled in salt, so it has a nice savory flavor that contrasts well with the sugar of the adzuki beans.)

🌸🍡🌸🍡

05/04/2022

To eat, or not to eat?
That is the dilemma I face every time I see Japanese works of edible art. 😭

31/03/2022

The next course of the Hibana Podcast is served! Not only are we talking food in this episode - we’re taste-testing it as well! 😋

Join hosts Isaac and Abby as they dive into the average, everyday side of Japanese cuisine: grocery stores, bentos, and what the locals grab on the run from their favorite conbini!

Look for Hibana on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, and wherever else you get your favorite podcasts.

21/03/2022

Once again, Japan makes food so beautiful that I’d feel guilty about eating it 🍣

18/03/2022

❤️❤️❤️

15/03/2022

Itadakimasu! It’s time to talk Japan, its food, its restaurants, and everything in between!

Join hosts Issac and Abby as they reminisce about their favorite Japanese restaurants, the food they miss the most, the amazing fare in Japan’s famed convenience stores, and so much more!

Tune in to Hibana on Spotify, Apple Music, Google Play, and wherever else you get your podcasts!

10/03/2022

When Sakura season hits, the Japanese go BIG.

McDonald’s Japan x 🌸
For more sakura updates: http://instagram.com/rainbowholic 💖

09/03/2022

Happy 3/9 (“Sankyu”) Everyone!

09/03/2022

Oh. Well that’s not good. 😬

The Sessho-Seki rock, found in the Tochigi mountains near Tokyo, Japan, is said to house an evil nine-tailed fox and recently split into two almost equal parts

02/03/2022

The Japanese are always turning food into works of art!

23/02/2022

Furoshiki spotlight!

17/02/2022

Forget France - Japan’s the place you need to go if you’re into towers 🗼

Which one is your favorite? 🤩

16/02/2022

Plum blossoms, the under-appreciated sister to Japan’s cherry blossoms 🌸

Many visitors look forward to Japan’s cherry blossom season, but before sakura come ume, or Japanese plum blossoms.

These delicate flowers often show up weeks before sakura, and they’re the true first sign that spring is approaching.

Ume can range in color from a stark white to a dull pink to even a pinkish maroon shade, but no matter the variety, their beauty and sweet fragrance are a refreshing reminder that winter is at its end.

🌸🌸🌸

15/02/2022

Did you all get want you wanted for Valentines Day? 💕

10/02/2022

Wish you were here ✈️ wish we were there too 😅

It may be the midst of winter in some parts of the world, but the cold weather has us dreaming of Okinawa - “The Hawaii of Japan.”

Famous for its pristine beaches, amazing island cuisine, and incredible sea-life, Okinawa is a true paradise for those seeking warmer waters.

🌺 🦁 🌴

09/02/2022

In Japan, it’s all about the green… Green tea, that is! 🍵

From Starbucks to health drinks to sweets and desserts, Japan’s famous matcha tea has been making waves for the past few years now!

But matcha is more than simply green tea. Instead of being brewed from loose leaf or a tea bag, the leaves are ground into a powder that can be added to hot water. The drink is then whipped until it’s frothy, typically with a traditional Japanese chasen - a type of bamboo whisk used in tea ceremonies.

🌿🍵🍃

What’s your favorite way to consume matcha? Let us know in the comments below!

02/02/2022

Snacking always provides us with inspiration too 💡

Check out these awesome Japanese snacks turned into incredible art!

27/01/2022

10/10 for style, and taste 🍣

27/01/2022

If you’re cold, they’re cold. Bring them in the hot spring! ♨️

Japanese hot springs, or onsen, are the perfect place for a little relaxation - even the local wildlife seem to think so!

Its not uncommon to see monkeys slip into the warm water come winter time. They tend to be territorial though, so if they stop by for a visit, it’s best to give them their space.

🐵🐵🐵

26/01/2022

Ever heard “break a leg” before going on stage?

At Kyoto’s famous Kiyomizu Temple, it used to be a lot more common than you’d think!

A famous Japanese expression talks about “jumping from the stage at Kiyomizu.” It stems from an old belief that if you jumped off the temple’s wooden scaffolding and survived, your wish would be granted. ✨

Of course, visitors today are discouraged from attempting such stunts. Good thing the series of fountains at the bottom of the stage also have wish-granting abilities!

🙏🙏🙏

26/01/2022

Who believes that you’re never too old for Pokémon? 🙋🏻‍♀️🙋🏾‍♂️🙋🏼

12/01/2022

But does it come with a bath-bomb to make the water chicken broth flavored?? 🍜

日清杯麵做了套能讓你在浴缸裡「體驗泡麵風味」的泡澡玩具

06/01/2022

to our days sitting around a conveyor, waiting for fresh sushi! 🍣🤤

Kaitenzushi, or conveyor belt sushi restaurants, are an incredible way to sample Japanese cuisine for an affordable price.

Not only does every variety of sushi imaginable conveniently pass by your table to tempt you - each place setting also has a tablet computer that lets you order anything from ramen to tempura to even ice cream!

🍣 🍜 🍨

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