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During the 1998 Winter Olympic Games, The White Ring hosted figure skating and short-track speed skating. Today, the venue continues to house an ice-skating rink, open to the public. Since Nagano hos...

Aqua Wing Arena functioned as Stadium B for ice hocking games in 1998, in conjunction with Big Hat / Stadium A. Today, the Aqua Wing Arena is home to water sports facilities – a popular destination o...

Spring is always a big event in Japan, with Japanese traveling the country to see the best cherry blossoms. One of the best cherry blossom spots is the Takato Castle Park, a park which lays on the ru...

Japanese calligraphy or ‘shodo’ is an ancient practice which retains its importance as one of the most popular fine arts in the country. Literally meaning ‘way of writing’, shodo embodies the virtues...

Known throughout the world, the seemingly simple craft of ‘origami’ (paper-folding) is a great activity for visitors of all ages. From the first simple folds of paper, this ageless craft transcends t...

Gift-giving plays an essential role in Japanese culture as a sign of appreciation and respect. The presentation of gifts can be considered tantamount in importance to the gift itself, a cultural prop...

Tea ceremonies or ‘Sado’ in Japanese, offer a respite from the pace of modern life and provide time to relax and relish the sanctity of each moment and movement in life. Originally introduced from Ch...

Though a commonplace material today, paper was long considered a cherished item in Japan. Known as ‘kami’ in Japanese, the word is phonetically the same as the term for ‘god’, underscoring the revere...

Less than 5-minutes walk from the centre of the town’s Tourist Information Center, Matsushiro Castle Park is open all year round but at its most spectacular in spring, when the many cherry blossom tr...