In 2007, a stray calico cat named Tama was made station master of Kishi station in Wakayama after financial problems forced all staff on the line to be eliminated. Their goal was for her to boost ridership on the line and promote tourism. Today, the station has been renovated to look like a cat, there is a cafe and gift shop themed around Tama, and three trains decorated with images of cats. So we can safely say mission accomplished.
The island of Tsushima became world-famous thanks to the game, Ghost of Tsushima. Like the title, there is in fact a ghost on the island, the Tsushima Leopard cat. They are rarely seen as they are active at night and keeps their distance from humans. They might soon be ghosts in a more literal sense soon as car collisions and loss of habitat have made Tsushima leopard cats critically endangered.
Kochi prefecture is located on the island of Shikoku and is known for many things such as its friendly locals, Sake, and Kastuo Tatataki(lightly broiled Skipjack Tuna). From the title, you shouldn`t be surprised to hear me say it is also famous for its breeds of chickens. There are 38 heritage breeds chickens in Japan and 8 of them come from Kochi Prefecture. Kochi not only has a large number of varieties but they are unique in their abilities, appearance, and even taste.
Did you know the Fortune Cookie is actually Japanese not Chinese? Learn about this and other suprising things with Japanese origins!
In Kasaoka city in Okayama prefecture, you can visit the only Horseshoe Crab Museum in the world! Go way off the typical tourist map and see a strange and one of a kind museum devoted to an animal that could only get a prize in a beauty contest if it was playing a game of Monopoly.
Visit the city of Chōfu ,Tokyo and see and eat with Yokai(monsters). Here you can find many statues and a café based on the characters from GeGeGe no Kitarō.
The Chugoku region of Japan is home to diverse ecosystems witch hosts a wild variety of wildlife. I will show you the best spots to see animals in each prefecture.
You may think how can eating be different in Japan, doesn't everyone eat? Food is one of the major ways, culture can be expressed in countries around the world. Things like history, religion, and the availability of foodstuffs affect what people eat. Buddhism in Japan led to a 1, 200-year government ban on meat consumption with fish being the major exception. Buddhism believes humans can be reincarnated into animals and shuns the killing of any life. There was also a practical reason for the ban, Japan is a mountainous country and there is very little land available for agriculture. Livestock farming is not only labor-intensive but takes up valuable land space. Fish and rice were a better source of protein. White rice is a major staple of Japanese cuisine, usually accompany a meal. Miso soup is also a common sight at dinner tables. Nowadays, there is a large increase in meat consumption with pork and chicken being the most popular. Bread is also more widely eaten in modern times. But seafood and rice are still a standard part of Japanese cuisine. Religion and cultural factors in Japan not just impacted what people but how people eat. Many modern taboos and customs regarding food can be traced back to Buddhism and the ”the customer is god" attitude in Japan. The Japanese proverb " The customer is god" is related to the Japanese concept of "Omotenashi", which means to show good hospitality and look after your guests. You can see "Omotenashi" in the excellent service you will receive at restaurants.
Today, I will talk about Kamba Falls and its resident monkey population in Maniwa city, Okayama. There are a few places in Japan famous for Japanese Macaques but I chose Kamba falls because it is less intrusive and more sustainable than other spots. It is also not well known to foreign tourists yet so it is not overcrowded like Arashiyama (famous for its bamboo forest and troop of monkeys)or Joshinetsu-Kogen National Park(this a park where monkeys bath in hot springs). There are about 160 monkeys in Kamba falls that can be often seen hanging around the walkway to the waterfall. They come down from the mountains in search of food. The monkeys are not stressed or aggressive as the park is not usually overcrowded and visitors are forbidden to feed them
Takachiho is a must for those interested in Japanese mythology. The story of the Sun Goddess, Amaterasu shutting herself in cave and causing the world to go dark takes place here.There is also a beautiful gorge , a unique form of traditional dance that takes all night, and you can visit some places that were featured in the myth. I even got to meet a god here.