Origin of “Sato,” Japan’s No. 1 surname
by Philbert Ono, updated: June 17, 2023 “Sato” (佐藤) is Japan’s No. 1 most common family name with about 1.8 million people named “Sato.” This translates to 1.5 percent of…
Origin of “Suzuki,” Japan’s No. 2 surname
by Philbert Ono, updated June 14, 2023 “Suzuki” (鈴木) is Japan’s No. 2 most common family name, right behind “Sato.” The name’s meaning is very puzzling because the meaning of…
Japanese family names illustrated
by Philbert Ono, updated: June 13, 2023 Most of us don’t usually think about it, but many Japanese family names contain beautiful imagery reflecting Japan’s natural beauty, rural scenery, agrarian…
Hydrangea Festival in Gamagori, Aichi
Updated: June 5, 2023 Katahara Onsen Ajisai no Sato (形原温泉あじさいの里) is a beautiful hillside and hilltop hydrangea garden within a hot spring resort named Katahara Onsen in Gamagori, Aichi Prefecture,…
Musical: The Dream of John Manjiro
“The Dream of John Manjiro” or John Manjirō no Yume (ジョン万次郎の夢) is the title of a Japanese musical being staged in Japan nationwide from March 2023 to March 2024 by…
Tokyo Marathon 2023 best costumes
Welcome back Tokyo Marathon! It was finally held at full scale (38,000 runners) on March 5, 2023 for the first time since 2019. Runners from overseas also ran en masse…
Tour Enryakuji Temple’s massive renovations
Next to Kyoto, Enryakuji Temple (延暦寺) on Mt. Hiei (Hiei-zan 比叡山) in Otsu, Shiga Prefecture is now offering a rare look at its massive, 10-year renovation of its main temple…
Digital Gallery of Hōryūji Treasures at Tokyo National Museum
Updated: Feb. 18, 2023 Tokyo National Museum (東京国立博物館) in Ueno Park, Tokyo is one of Japan’s most prominent museums. Clustered in six museum buildings, one is the swank-looking Gallery of…
Japan’s cruise industry in 2022
First in a series of blog posts on luxury cruising, cruise ships, and cruise ports in Japan in 2022. In early summer 2022 when COVID-19 cases in Japan were relatively…
Japanese luxury cruise ships
Overview of Japan’s luxury cruise ships in 2022 by Philbert Ono, Updated: Sept. 25, 2023 On this page: In 2022, Japan’s three major cruise ships were (largest to smallest) Asuka…