Konnichiwa. Nihon e yōkoso.

During the Sui dynasty, the Chinese Imperial name for Japan was Nihon which literally means ‘sun origin’. It is because when it comes to direction, we all know that the sun rises on the east and Japan is on the east of China. So if you are in China, the sun literally rises from this country.

During the winter, most people just want to stay in front of their fire place and be cozy until the season ends, but for some, winter is time for adventures and food that you can only taste during this season. And so, if you’re not satisfied with how cold the weather is in your country, or you’re just brave to experience a very chilling 2°C-10°C weather, welcome to Japan.

If you really want to go outdoors and enjoy the feeling of snow and the cold breeze of air damping on your skin, you could go try winter sports. Hokkaido, a province in Japan, is well known for their ski resorts where you could get your adrenaline rush. Meanwhile, if you just want to walk around and take pictures while feeling the ideal powdery texture of snow, you could visit Sapporo (another province in Japan) as it transforms to a winter wonderland for the Snow Festival.

But if you want to feel at peace and relaxed, there are hot springs where you could take your time and feel the warm water flow on your skin. Along with this, Japan also offers Winter Specialties. Combinis (Konbini) opens up and offers hot and delicious oden, a healthy and filling snack made from soy-braised vegetables, meat, and tofu products. Hot pots and hot sake are also more enjoyable during this season.

Fukubukuro or lucky bags usually go on sale during this month. Fukubukuro is a Japanese New Year customs in which merchants fall in line to grab a bag filled with unknown random contents.

One more thing that you can enjoy in this country is kotatsu. Since Japan could be freezing cold during the winter season, kotatsu had been Japan’s solution. It is a low table with a thick quilt with a heater underneath the top that could make you feel warm while enjoying your food.

遅ればせながら、新年あけましておめでとうございます！🐶 ・ 昨年は多くの方のご協力により、かねてからの野望だった「モダンなコタツ」ブランド Folivoraを立ち上げることができました。 応援してくださった皆様に、心から感謝申し上げます。 ・ 2018年はアイテムを増やし、「モダンな床座」ブランドに進化させていきます！ 今後とも、応援よろしくお願いいたします！🙇 ・ #folivora #フォリヴォラ #フォリボラ #こたつ #コタツ #こたつ布団 #モダンコタツ #冬支度 #kotatsu #modernkotatsu #テーブル #リビング #interior #livingroom #table #mortar #suede

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There’s still a lot of things to enjoy when you visit Japan. Just make sure to prepare yourself for the very cold weather by bringing the right wardrobe, bring thick coats, gloves, boots and anything that could keep you warm while having the best time in Japan.