Business Focus: How to approach the Japanese market

Here we are again with the column dedicated to the Business Focus and today we are talking about how to approach the Japanese market. Starting from start-ups up to large companies, very often we tend to forget to approach and target the Japanese public and this is a mistake from the beginning. Why eliminate a slice of the market that represents the third world power in terms of consumers?

How to approach the Japanese market

Autore: Erika 

As we mentioned earlier, the Japanese market represents the third largest slice of the world by consumer level. Instead, did you know that social media platforms, even the biggest ones, consider the Japanese market as the second largest market in the world? This is because China, which would occupy the second place, has blocked many foreign companies and corporate policies, causing the focus to shift to Japan.

However, very often companies make the mistake of excluding Japan from their marketing strategies. This is because the Japanese market is also one of the most difficult to approach. In reality, you just need to be able to adapt to their mentality and ways.

The obstacles of the Japanese market

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One of the biggest problems that Western companies find when approaching the Japanese market is primarily the language barrier. In fact, the average Japanese customer prefers to use their own language for both private relations and business exchanges. In fact, according to EF, Japan ranks 55th in the chart table in terms of knowledge of English.

If we add to this the fact that Japan is a country that is very attached to tradition and also to its customs and traditions, the approach to this market becomes even more difficult. However, this should not stop us, but rather stimulate us to find a way to reach this market. So, what kind of marketing strategies and tactics could we adopt? How to deal with this situation?

Digital is the solution

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The strategy is actually not that complicated, digital and new media are our solution. If we're talking about startups in fact, often the available budget is limited and splitting this on different platforms to have more presence could actually be counterproductive. Better to focus your savings on digital. Over the years of working with Japanese companies and people, we've tried many different ways to promote companies. So here are our tips on where to focus.

Facebook & Instagram ads

In the past, we've already addressed how new digital media, and social media in particular, can help us set our company sailing internationally. In particular, the ads feature of Facebook and Instagram is one of the best tools to target specific users. Both start-ups and established companies should take advantage of this tool to be able to reach their audience.

The two social media platforms obviously have different demographics, with Facebook reaching a more adult audience in Japan and Instagram reaching a younger audience. By combining the two platforms and using them to promote your company, you can reach a wider audience. Obviously, before embarking on a promotional operation, it is important to study your mission and your target audience to be able to reach the right niche audience on the right social.

Twitter ads

One of the most successful social networks in Japan is definitely Twitter. Twitter has more monthly active users (45 million) than any other social media platform such as Instagram (33 million) and even Facebook (26 million) in Japan.

Twitter is a bit of a "controversial" platform, you either love it or hate it. However, when used for business it can become a really powerful and effective media as much as Facebook, especially when it comes to ads. In some cases, depending on the industry, it could even outperform Facebook. Twitter also reaches a very young audience and many Japanese companies have used Twitter ads not only to increase their brand awareness but also to increase their profit organically. If you want to reach the young audience in Japan, Twitter could be the solution for you.

Influencer Marketing

And finally we come here, to Influencer Marketing, what we believe to be the strategy that works best internationally today. In today's world, we are all bombarded by the myriad of advertisements, focusing on influencer partnerships could become a positive thing.

However, influencer marketing can be a double-edged sword. The first step to pay attention to and that will determine the success of a good campaign is the correct choice of the influencer with whom to collaborate. In this case it becomes even more important to be able to find the right influencer who is in line with your image and who has an audience in line with your target.

Obviously, being able to collaborate with big names like Chiara Ferragni or Naomi Watanabe is really difficult, however, there is a category that should not be underestimated: micro-influencers. They have limited followers compared to the others, but they also have a higher engagement rate. These could not only be loyal customers or brand advocates but also be able to bring the audience to your niche.

Investing in marketing is always a great choice and startups that may not have an infinite budget can narrow down their strategy to something targeted and functional. The Japanese market may seem strange but it has the potential to be the springboard for your company. Absolutely not to be ignored.

Business Focus: Content Strategy, everything you need to know before you start

We continue our column on Business Focus talking about Content Strategy. Last time we talked about Native Advertising which is closely related to content marketing. So today, let's go and see what to do before jumping into the fray!

Content Strategy, how to lay the foundation for a solid campaign

Author: Erika 

Probably some of you have already heard of Content Marketing, after all it is one of those types of promotion that is going for the most along with Native Advertising. However, a campaign cannot work separately from a more comprehensive and long-lasting strategy.

"Having a precise and structured content strategy is key to creating winning digital campaigns."

This is not only one of our mantras, but it should be that of every company that decides to approach (even for the first time) digital marketing. In fact, there is no content marketing without content strategy, or at least not one that works profitably.
So it's extremely important to study and understand how we can leverage a winning strategy for our business, whatever it may be.

What are Content Marketing and Content Strategy

Content Strategy

First of all, let's understand what it actually is.

Content marketing is the creation and distribution of useful and valuable content. All this aimed at a well-defined target audience in order to attract and acquire potential customers and make them take profitable actions.

The content strategy instead deals with the more "theoretical and strategic" aspects. In the strategy we must in fact include all sides related to the planning and management of content throughout its life cycle. This includes not only the creation and publication of the content, but also a careful analysis. In fact, we're talking about a study that involves aligning content with a company's goals, content development, production, measurement and even archiving. This entire phase precedes the implementation of the content itself.

Content strategy is what lies upstream, everything that defines and regulates the practical development process. In fact, the figure of the content strategist does not deal with the production of content, but focuses the attention to the planning of the same. This is the person responsible for deciding not only when content should be published but above all why it should be produced. In fact, each content is a single brick that goes to lay the foundation for the success of the whole communication strategy. It is therefore important to have a well-defined project, studied and that can be analyzed in every step.

Content Strategy: What you need to know before you start

We've said that content strategy is ultimately nothing more than a strategy that envisions a company's business goals and then uses content as the primary means to achieve those goals.

Content can be of various types but one of the important focuses that these have in common is the intelligent use of stories and creative writing, in any form, but we’ll talk more on that in another article.

Content marketing, even in Japan, focuses on a variety of content that can range from a blog post to a confirmation page. The task of these productions is to build a connection of trust between a company's products or services and its target audience. This becomes more fundamental in Japan, where gaining the trust of the customer means everything and has much more weight than in other countries. In fact, as we've mentioned in the past, the Japanese people are basically a traditionalist nation that doesn't like change. In fact, once the target audience trusts and relies on a specific company, they never leave it again.

But this is just the beginning of the Content Strategy concept, so let's take a more specific look at what is involved in a good strategy.

Content strategy: The Vision

Content Strategy

When we decide to approach something, if we want this thing to be successful, the fundamental basis is to have a clear vision of what this is all about.

Defining the goals, objectives, what we hope to accomplish and how we hope to accomplish it are the first steps toward writing a good business plan. This starts with a vision of what we want the company to be in three to five years, and then creating an action plan to achieve that vision. This is the foundation of a good strategy.

In addition to making a list of all these things, it is equally important to measure with milestones and goals that are solid enough to challenge ourselves but at the same time flexible and adaptable to any situation. And in this regard, this pandemic has certainly taught us very quickly that everything is mutable and everything can change in a matter of very few days. Hence precisely the importance of having stable and precise goals, but at the same time flexible and adaptable to any occasion. This will allow you to have things well clear and under control, and to start your journey from a stronger position.

This is all part of content strategy. Dealing with the vision, the pros and cons of how and why a piece of content will be created, managed, archived or updated.
At the end of the day, content strategy boils down to writing and planning content with specific goals and objectives in mind. Nothing we're going to share should be disconnected from everything else in the content and business goals. That's really where vision and purpose come into play.

Planning for success

Whatever project you're working on, whether it's personal or for a client, if you want to grow your content it becomes a matter of visibility. Inevitably we will find ourselves fighting for the top spot on google or finding our audience on social. To do this though, it means we need a strategy or otherwise a plan of action.

By now we know what we want to achieve with the content that we are going to create. The correct question to ask ourselves now is "how can we achieve it? In what way?" So let's talk about the method.

Surely the first step is to have an edge over the competition, but we can't all be Chiara Ferragni and be first in the field. So how can we do that? The answer is to have a solid and smart content marketing plan in place.

Getting discovered is one if not THE big ask in recent years and at the root of it all is always interpersonal relationships. Getting our friends and their friends to read and share is the first step toward expanding our audience. This could be the beginning of our strategy.
However, in order for this to work, we need to find the exact target of not only our audience but also our content. To get to this point we need to take a close look at what has already been done and how it is working, so let's talk about analytics.

Here's another important word in all strategies and, more generally, in all work: analysis.

Content review is indeed one of the most important steps in developing our strategy but it's not the strategy itself. Doing a careful review of all the content that has already been shared, even by our competitors, will help us better understand what can work and what can't. Next, we can go deep into analyzing our own content and repurposing it to see what might be more successful.

Thinking strategically really comes down to asking good and right questions at each step of the process.

Give the right purpose to your content

Content Strategy

In today's world, where our smartphones and dashboards are crowded (or rather overcrowded) with all kinds of content, it becomes really important to carefully select what we are going to share. Throwing any kind of photo or video into the ether just to create presence no longer makes sense. It's much better to invest time and energy in creating content that has a chance and a clear purpose.
Let's remember that we want our content to be successful, to reach our audience and to make us gain something, be it brand awareness or other kind of profit. So why waste content before it has a chance?

The audience is now used to receiving endless content input and we want to make sure ours succeeds. We want to make sure that our content reaches our audience and leaves a good impression. We already know that Japanese audiences are not easy to impress. So, how can we achieve this? Simple, by planning our content and thinking strategically.

The key is always to have a strategy before creating any content. We should not just push out content for the sake of it, but rather think about its quality as well, and fit it into a specific time frame.

So, before we jump into the content creation fray we need to ask ourselves the right questions. What do we want to achieve? How does this new content fit in with the content we already have or are thinking about planning? What is the big picture of our content?

These are all fundamental questions to answer before we begin our production. Let's not forget that we have a specific purpose, whatever that may be, and that purpose needs to be well defined. For example, are you creating content to increase brand awareness or generate leads? There are many purposes, but the important thing is to be clear about what they are so you can plan the right strategy.

Give your content a purpose and you'll give your audience a reason to read, watch a video, like or re-share. The audience is not a flock of people but a living, intelligent organism, capable of understanding exactly where a piece of content is coming from and why we are publishing it. This is even more valuable with Japanese audiences who are increasingly attentive and selective in their search for content.

If we're creating a piece of content for a reason and planning it in advance as part of our strategy, the audience will notice. Similarly, if we were to do the opposite and throw things out randomly, without a specific strategy behind it, the audience will notice it too.

That's why purpose is so important.

Here’s the bottom line

Creating an effective content strategy that manages to connect with an audience and inspire them to action can seem really complicated. However, as we've come to realize, it's the foundation of any successful marketing campaign. Creating content that has a purpose, that is part of a larger vision and that connects us with our audience is the foundation of any good communication strategy.

It's not always a skill or resource that we find within all companies, which is why there are realities like ours that take care of following this whole part even on behalf of third parties. We take care of creating this model, producing the content and maintaining the work done and then repeating it. Our efforts are put into creating a strategy that will allow your potential audience to discover you. This makes it easier for you to focus on other aspects of your work, or just relax without having to think about it!

The power of social media: TikTok and the Japanese pop star

We continue with our Business Focus column and today we are discussing the TikTok and Miki Matsubara case. Do you already know what we are talking about?

We've said many times before how social media is a powerhouse for businesses and individuals alike, and in this year's pandemic we've had confirmation of that. Even those who did not believe in the digital revolution have now had to change their minds.

How TikTok resurrected a Japanese pop star hit song

Author: Erika 

In these months of quarantine and forced isolation, we have seen an increase in creativity on social media. A clear example of this is the rapid rise of TikTok, the favourite social media of young people, which has seen the number of users constantly growing to become the second most downloaded app in 2020.

From pranks to animals to the now famous dance videos, many TikTokers have launched trends that still accompany our days. But today the power of TikTok doesn't just stop with its trends. The case of Miki Matsubara and how a video shared on this social managed to revive one of his hits from 1979 has caused a stir.

In December, users of the platform resurrected the song 'Mayonaka no Door: Stay With Me', which made Matsubara a star in Japan back in 1979. More than 40 years later, the song is still catchy and joyful enough to become the perfect soundtrack to TikTok videos featuring Japanese mothers;

"I did the TikTok when my mum was doing things around the house," one user tells The Japan Times via email. This clip reached more than 1.5 million likes and views in a very short time, propelling "Mayonaka no Door" to the top of Spotify's Global Viral 50 chart for three weeks.


I’m asking her to sing this next karaoke night 👸🏻 #japan #japanese #おかあさま #fyp

♬ 真夜中のドア/Stay With Me - Miki Matsubara

Unfortunately, Matsubara died in 2004 and was unable to enjoy the revival. However, the song's composer, 71-year-old Tetsuji Hayashi, tells the Japan Times that this new hit "seems very strange... it was so long ago".

Music and social media

But is it really that strange? Let's start with the fact that when a song is good, it's still good even after forty years, but let's also think about how much power social media has gained these days. Unfortunately, much of the Japanese music industry still seems to operate as if it were 1979, thus giving little importance to the digital and social media world. The Matsubara case is a case in point.

TikTok Mayonaka no Door

Singer-songwriter Tetsuji Hayashi says new technologies are rewriting the rules of how a song becomes a hit, "it could be from another country or another generation". It's been a few months now, but the 'Mayonaka no Door' case shows how the interaction between Japanese artists and international listeners has changed over the last few decades. International social media also allows a new generation to fall in love with an artist who might previously have been discarded from playlists simply because of her or his nationality. With the rise of K-pop and the unstoppable BTS, social media sites such as TikTok are also increasingly trending Japanese songs.

The power of TikTok


Based on recent statistics, TikTok users spend more than 850 minutes per month on the app, more than 14 hours per month. If we look at the data from October 2019 to March 2020, we can see a significant increase in the amount of time the average user spends on the app, also due to the lockdown.

This social media has spread like wildfire globally, particularly in Asian nations, becoming an entertainment outlet thanks in part to its search based on hashtags. In fact, as of June 2020, the most popular categories on TikTok all have over a billion views. If we go on to count lip-synching and dance videos, we arrive at a total of over 150 billion views.

2020 was marked by lockdowns, and it was during this time that people jumped on new media in search of entertainment and an outlet for their creativity. In fact, TikTok took second place on the list of most downloaded iPhone apps, surpassed only by Zoom for obvious reasons. TikTok even surpassed the downloads of Facebook, Messenger, Gmail, Netflix, YouTube and Instagram, across all app stores, making it the most popular app globally in 2020.

Moreover, in a world like the digital marketing one, we know how important the engagement rate of a social media is. Recent data show that engagement rate varies at different follower levels for Instagram, YouTube and other social media. However, at all follower levels, TikTok has a considerably higher rate than other platforms. In fact, Upfluence analysed that micro-influencers have an engagement rate of 17.96% on TikTok, compared to 3.86% on Instagram and 1.63% on YouTube. While mega-influencers have an engagement rate of 4.96% on TikTok, 1.21% on Instagram and 0.37% on YouTube.

The figures speak for themselves and in 2021 we can only expect a steady rise of this social network and who knows, maybe we can rediscover some other Japanese hits! Do you already have any idea on what the next music trend for TikTokers might be in 2021?

Ema tablets and the temples of Japan



Ema 絵馬 Japanese wooden votive tablets

Guest Author: Flavia





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The themes depicted can range from the following:

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Why the horse?





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E-ma: the origins of the tablets





tavolette ema

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Ema as 'living objects'




ema wood

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Wooden tablets as an art form




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The Ema language: symbolism



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Ema language: forms and words





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Kogaeshi and Mabiki Ema, a special case




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Mukasari Ema, another particular case




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People's desires






The incineration of the tablets




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When does this ritual take place?


Nothing rains from the sky!



Hiroshima, a prefecture waiting to be discovered

Japan Italy Bridge promotes Japan and creates a real bridge between Japan and Italy and today we focus on Hiroshima. The Japan National Tourism Organization promotes tourism and this month focuses on Hiroshima prefecture. Let's give a more in-depth look.


Hiroshima, a prefecture waiting to be discovered

Author: SaiKaiAngel



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The city of Hiroshima was founded in 1589, during the feudal period Sengoku by the Japanese daimyō Mōri Terumoto who made it the capital of his feud. After the battle of Sekigahara for territorial possessions, Terumoto had to surrender Hiroshima to the winner Tokugawa Ieyasu, who decided to have it administered by the daimyō Fukushima Masanori.

In 1871 the city became the capital of the homonymous prefecture and an important commercial and naval centre of Japan. At the end of the 19th century, Hiroshima witnessed further industrialization, which culminated with the war facilities erected during the Russian -Japanese war of 1904, and became Mazda's headquarters in 1920. In 1938 it became part of the broader war scenario of the Second World War. Unfortunately, on August 6, 1945, at 8:16 and 8 seconds, the bomb called Little Boy exploded at 576 meters, with a power equal to 12,500 tons of TNT. The nuclear explosion killed about 260,000 people and injured more than 160,000 in the months immediately following due to radiation.

The Territory


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The centre lies on the harbour bay towards the sea of Aki-nada and the territory is hilly. Hiroshima has many islands such as Etajima-Nomi and Itsukushima and, inland, the territory becomes rockier with the Gosasou and Shiraki mountains as a road to the Ota River.

As JNTO also explains and assures, you can explore Japan in absolute safety! Visit Hiroshima without fear and in complete peace of mind, you will always be guaranteed the right distance, temperature detection in shops and places of interest, protection such as the mask. Do not risk anything, as the first interest of the person and the tourist there is always safety in every place.

Take advantage to visit this beautiful prefecture that gives us not only great emotions but also enchanting places that you will remember forever. Despite the tragedy caused by the explosion of the atomic bomb, Hiroshima had doubled its pre-war population in 1974 and was considered the "peace capital" of the world. Hiroshima is home to important attractions to visit absolutely, let's see them in detail.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park


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Symbol of the need for eternal peace, it commemorates the numerous victims of the first nuclear attack and is located right in the epicentre of the explosion. Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park boasts many important monuments, museums related to the events of that day and its consequences. In addition to the beautiful gardens with their cherry blossoms, we find the Peace Memorial Museum, the Memorial Cenotaph, the Flame of Peace, and the Atom Bomb Dome with the ruins of the old Chamber of Industry and Commerce. A very interesting place is the Children's Peace Monument and the Monument to the victims of the Atom Bomb.

Shukkei-en Garden


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The Shukkei-en Garden is a wonderful garden on the banks of the river Ōta. A space of peace and quiet desired by Asano Nagaakira in 1620. This garden was once the home of Emperor Meiji, and after the damage caused by the explosion in 1945, they literally flourished again in 1951 in all their beauty. The gardens opened to the public after being donated to the city in 1940 and, despite the heavy damage caused by the 1945 nuclear attack, the gardens reopened in all their former glory in 1951. Bridges, paths, a true landscape of calm and relaxation pampered by the sound of streams that draw from the river Ōta.

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum


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The exhibitions focused on the explosion of the atomic bomb of the Peace Memorial Museum are very hard and very painful and are exhibited together with exhibitions that extol world peace. This museum is one of the sites that cannot be missed during your trip to Japan, both to experience the rebirth of a prefecture and to pay homage to those who lost their lives during the terrible bombing.

Hiroshima Castle

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The Castle of Hiroshima (Rijō), also known as Carp Castle, was the residence of Fukushima Masanori and then passed into the possession of the famous Asano Nagaakira in 1619. In the castle and in particular, in the tower, there is a museum about the history of the castle with images of Hiroshima. In the castle, we can also find three trees that survived the atomic bomb and a bunker used for radio transmissions after the explosion.

Itsukushima island sanctuary


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Miyajima, the Sanctuary Island, is famous for the sanctuary of Itsukushima, dedicated to the princesses Ichikishimahime, Tagorihime and Tagitsu-hime, daughters of the wind god Susanoo. The buildings with the high tide, seem to float magically on the water because they are located on a bay supported by stilts. The show is not to be missed, a feast of colours, red wooden structures and white walls. Honden (Main Hall), Heiden (the offering hall). Haiden (the prayer hall), Senjokaku (the Hall of a Thousand Carpets) and Takabutai used for the Bugaku and Kagura dances are the places you cannot miss during your visit to Hiroshima.

Memorial Cathedral for World Peace


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The Memorial Cathedral is one of the largest churches in Asia, built in 1954 by German Jesuit priest Hugo Lassalle from a design by Japanese architect Murano Tohgo. The Memorial Cathedral has four bells in the 46-meter tower, an organ provided by the city of Cologne and the bronze doors of Düsseldorf.

The Mitaki-dera temple

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One of the most beautiful temples in Hiroshima is Mitaki-dera. Built in 809 and rebuilt after the war, it is also famous for its beautiful gardens, which in autumn give a fiery red show to visitors. Also known as the Temple of the Three Falls for its location at the foot of Mount Mitaki, the temple is famous for its red lacquer pagoda, Tahoto and waterfalls.

Fudoin Temple

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Another beautiful place to visit is the Temple of Fudoin, the architecture of the Muromachi period between the 14th and 16th century with a large main hall containing a carved statue designated as a national treasure.

Hiroshima museums

The city of Hiroshima and the whole prefecture are also famous for the many museums in the area. Below are the ones that we believe are unmissable on your trip to Hiroshima.

Hiroshima Prefectural Art Museum (Hiroshima Kenritsu Bijutsukan)


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This Museum, opened in 1968, focuses on local artists with collections related to the atomic bombardment and a children's gallery.

Hiroshima Museum of Art

The Hiroshima Museum of Art consists of eight world-class art galleries. We can find the collection of paintings by European masters such as Monet, Renoir, Degas, Maillol and Picasso together with leading Japanese artists such as Ryohei Koiso and Yuzo Saeki.

Hiroshima City Asa Zoological Park


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Opened in 1971, the Asa Zoological Park is about 124 hectares large and is home to 170 species of animals, like minor pandas, Japanese giant salamanders, lions, giraffes and rhinos. A place to distract yourself from the other important places in Hiroshima and to entertain the mind, not only for children but also for adults!

Food and beverage

Obviously, with such an interesting trip, we can't forget to eat and drink and that's why Hiroshima gives us unique experiences here too! Not to be forgotten are five famous Sakaguras from Hiroshima thanks to which we can enjoy exceptional sake. Read carefully here for a unique experience in the Japanese tradition.

Honshu ichi - Brasserie UmedaCo., Ltd.

Category】Junmai Ginjo
【Ingredients】Rice, Koji rice (Senbon Nishiki / Hiroshima product)
【Polishing ratio】60%
【Alcohol content】 16.8 °
【Glucose density】 1.8
【Sake Gradation】 +5
【Aroma】Sweet fruity aroma
【Pairing】Fish in general, chicken, sweets with strong flavour such as cheesecake
A Junmai Ginjo Sake produced by Hiroshima Prefecture, preparing "Senbon Nishiki" rice with Hiroshima Ginjo yeast. It is characterized by the fruity aroma of Ginjo sake, slightly sweet taste. It can be enjoyed with fish and cheese dishes.

‘Zoka’ - Kamoizumi Shuzo Co., Ltd. 創業 1912年 founded in 1912
【Ingredients】Rice, Koji, Water (Rice: Yamadanishiki/100% Higashiroshima )
【Polishing ratio】65%
【Alcohol content】16°
【Glucose density】2.0%
【Sake Gradation】±0
【Aroma】Sweet chestnut, with a strong smell of rice and wheat.
【Pairing】Boiled tofu, sweet with citrus fruits, marinated food.
Junmai Daiginjo is made from "Yamada Nishiki" sake rice grown in a field located about 6 km north of the brewery, using Saijo underground water and the Hiroshima Mori technique. The delicate aroma and sweetness of the transparent and gentle rice harmonize perfectly with the fresh acidity. You can enjoy it cooled with a thin cup or glass of wine. Sake certified with Saijo JAPAN brand)

Itteki Nyukon - KamotsuruCo., Ltd.

【Category】Junmai Ginjoshu
【Ingredients】Rice, Koji rice(100% Hiroshima rice)
【Polishing ratio】60%
【Alcohol Gradation】15 - 16 °
【Glucose density】1.0
【Sake Gradation】+3
【Pairing】Sauté of chicken, Gelée of white peaches
This sake has as first material the rice suitable for its preparation. A slightly dry Junmai Ginjo sake that goes well with foods with the right acidity, good both cold and hot.

Sempuku Shinriki 【Nickname】Filled with happiness - Brasserie MiyakeCo., Ltd. Sempuku Shinriki

【Category】Saké Daiginjo
【Ingredients】Rice, Koji (Shinriki) rice
【Polishing ratio】 85%
【Alcohol content】 19.0 °
【Glucose density】 1.2
【Sake Gradation】 +5
【Aroma】Mature aroma, almond
【Pairing】Sukiyaki, Steak, Cheese, Chocolate
Kamiriki rice, which is the origin of Chifuku, is 85% processed and is close to the processing speed of rice from the Meiji and Taisho eras. A bottle full of feelings for the preparation of sake, especially suitable for people who particularly care about Japanese sake.

Night Emperor - Fuji Shuzo

【Ingredients】Rice, Hattan Nishiki Koji, Water
【Polishing ratio】65%
【Alcohol content】 15 °
【Glucose density】N/A
【Aroma】Moscato, walnuts
【Sake Gradation】 +9
【Pairing】Tartare, Lemon Grilled Chicken
Night Emperor is a mixed Hachitan Nishiki based liqueur produced in Hiroshima Prefecture. This versatile liqueur is easy to combine with any dish. Soft taste that takes advantage of the characteristics of fresh water preparation and keeps the alcohol content low while maintaining the taste of koji and rice. Good tasted both cold and hot.

We have given you some examples and information that will surely push you to live the Hiroshima experience, but there is even more! Hiroshima prefecture is a treasure chest full of treasures just waiting to be explored by you! What are you waiting for? We at Japan Italy Bridge do not make us repeat it twice, it will be a joy both for the eyes and for the palate and the heart and soul. We will all come out of it enriched!

Okinawa and The case of the over centenarians



Okinawa 沖縄 The case of the over centenarians

Guest Author: Flavia



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Okinawa: blue zone, paradise of longevity


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Identikit of the Japanese "tropics"



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The ORCLS researchers' studies


And here are the risk factors:

  • Hyperglycemia (with risk of diabetes)
  • Hypertension (with risk of heart attack or stroke)
  • Excessive alcohol consumption
  • Being overweight
  • Low gripping force in the hands
  • Smoking
  • Only for men: don't be married!


Not only Okinawa DNA


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#1 Traditional diet




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Okinawa Okinawa

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"Eating like a rainbow"


What about meat?


#2 Motor and mental activity


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#3 Interior and exterior attitude



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#4 Interpersonal relationships and social life


#5 Spirituality


Nature and environment



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The power of the Okinawa lifestyle



Jidai Matsuri

The Jidai Matsuri ( 時代祭り, literally "The Festival of Historical Epochs"), celebrated in Kyoto on October 22 of each year. This festival represents a magnificent opportunity to experience over a thousand years of Japanese feudal history as direct spectators in a single day.

Jidai Matsuri, the Festival of Historical Epochs

Guest Author: Myriam

Jidai Matsuri

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The origins

This festivity has its roots in the oldest history of Japan and recalls, through an impressive historical costume parade, the events and characters that have marked the life of the city since its foundation. It has been held since 794 by Emperor Kanmu (桓武天皇, Kanmu Tennō) until the transfer of the capital to Edo in 1868 by the decision of Emperor Mitsuhito.

Since its creation under the name of Heian Kyo (平安京, "capital of tranquillity and peace"), Kyoto has remained the capital of Japan almost uninterruptedly for over a thousand years. With the end of the Tokugawa Shogunate and the beginning of the Meiji Era, the entire imperial court was transferred to Edo, which became Tokyo (東京, literally "eastern capital").

In 1895 on the occasion of the 1100th anniversary of its foundation, the governments of the city and the prefecture of Kyoto established the Jidai Matsuri with the intention of restoring lustre to the ancient capital. Along with this, the aim was to honour the memory of the emperors Kanmu and Komei through the construction of the majestic Heian shrine.

A thousand years of history on the road

Jidai Matsuri

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Since then, on October 22 of each year, Jidai Matsuri brings back to life the splendour of feudal Japan. This allows residents and tourists to relive the life of the ancient capital for a few hours. Today, the main attraction of the festival is the Jidai Gyoretsu. It is a historical parade in which over two thousand participants take part, dressed in period costumes or in costumes meticulously reproduced by the craftsmen of Kyoto.

At the head of the parade are the mikoshi (portable sanctuaries) dedicated to the Kanmu and Komei emperors and the festival's honorary commissioners, on horse-drawn carriages in the style of the mid-19th century and from there the parade unfolds in reverse chronological order, from the Meiji Era to the Heian period, through about twenty thematic groups, which make it possible to rediscover, era after era, the characters who contributed to the history of the city, from simple peasants and soldiers to prestigious historical figures, such as the unifiers of the country Oda Nobunaga, Toyotomi Hideyoshi and Tokugawa Ieyasu, or figures of religious or cultural importance, such as Murasaki Shikibu, author of the famous "Genji Monogatari". The figures are accompanied by the music of drums and flutes, which together with the over 12,000 historical artefacts used, allow spectators to immerse themselves completely in the atmosphere of past eras.

Jidai Matsuri

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The long procession leaves at 12.00 noon from Kyoto Gosho, the imperial palace. It then winds for hours through the streets of the city centre, touching the most evocative and significant places. We see it passing by Oike and the Okazaki district, finally reaching the Heian Sanctuary. Here the Festival ends with the ceremonies foreseen by the Shinto rite.

Nada no Kenka Matsuri

From October 14th to 15th of each year, in the Matubata Hachiman Shrine (松原八幡神社) in the city of Shirahama in Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, the Nada no Kenka Matsuri (灘のけんか祭り) one of the biggest autumn festivals in Japan is held.

Nada no Kenka Matsuri, Fighting for blessings

Author: Sara

Nada no Kenka

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The term "kenka"(けんか) contained in the name of the Festival means "to fight", for this reason, in the current language, it is defined as "the Festival of the fight" in which the Kami (the gods) will bless the winner of the fight with a good harvest. Given the impetuousness with which it takes place, only high school boys and men up to the age of 45 can participate in the event according to Shinto tradition. In addition, participants must belong to 7 specific villages: Higashiyama (東山), Kiba (木場), Matsubara (松原), Yaka (八家), Mega (妻鹿), Usazaki (宇佐崎), Nakamura (中村).

October 14: The Eve "Yoi-Miya" (宵宮)

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At 11:00 am everything is ready for the "Neri-dashi" parade (練りだし). The 7 Yatai (small sacred floats) from the 7 villages go to the Matubata Hachiman Shrine to receive the divine blessing, "Miya-Iri" (宮入). Here the Yatai compete in the first competition called "Neri-Awase" (練り合わせ), competing against each other. A sort of "preparation" because the real "fight" will take place the next day and will be even more difficult. At this point, the "Shishimai" takes place: a dragon dance in front of the elementary school of Shirahama.

October 15: Hon-Miya the heavy Yatai clash

Nada no Kenka

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The main event of the Festival starts at 5:00 am. The lion of the village of Matsubara (松原の獅子) celebrates the dragon dance at the Sanctuary to worship the gods. Afterwards, the ceremony moves to the ocean where the participants of the villages eliminate their impurities of the spirit by bathing in cold water (Osogi 禊). At this point, the Miya-Iri (opening ceremony) at the Matubata Hachiman Shrine is started with the blessing of the gods. At last, the thinking confrontation begins: the first are the 3 Mikoshi (the least expensive portable sanctuaries of the Yatai) of the village in charge of hosting the festival (every year the place changes alternating between the 7 villages).

The first Mikoshi (一の丸) is very heavy and is carried by men over 36 years old. The second (二の丸) is a bit lighter and is carried by men between 26 and 35 years old. The third Mikoshi (三の丸) is very light and is worn by men under 25 years old.

They fight each other twice (神輿合わせ, mikoshi-awase): first in front of the main building of the Sanctuary, then in the battlefield at the foot of Mount O-Tabi-Yama (御旅山). At the end of this clash, it is the Yatai's turn on the battlefield (Neri-awase 練り合わせ).

Nada no Kenka

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The excited cries of spectators and participants make the event particularly lively and full of passion. At the end of the battle, the 3 Mikoshi and 7 Yatai are taken to the top of the mountain where prayers are said. the Nada no Kenka Matsuri ends with the descent from the mountain which will take place in the same order in which the villages have climbed.