忍者 (にんじゃ) - Ninja

忍者, or 忍び (しのび - shinobi) as they are sometimes known, hardly need any introduction - they would have to be among the strongest associations people have with Japan. It's easy to see why - for as long as there's been a medium for them, these shadowy figures have been prowling our screens, books, comics, video games and imaginations. They can be faceless assassins, figures of fun or anti-heroes standing alone in the face of corruption. Invariably they're skilled fighters, but sometimes they border on being full-blown superheroes or magicians as well. The question is how much of 忍者 folklore is true and how much is pure fantasy; it might be the facts that surprise you most of all.

花見 (はなみ - hanami) - Cherry blossom viewing

The grey, gloomy skies of 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter) have finally disappeared and with them, the last remnants of 2010. As you know, 春 (はる - haru - Spring) is an "out with the old, in with the new" time of year; offices across the country are busily cleaning and reorganising and students are nervously getting ready for their next step towards graduation and a new life. Whatever's on the cards for the new fiscal year though, most people will take the time to enjoy a good 花見 party or two; as you watch them sitting beneath the pale pink 桜 (さくら - sakura - cherry blossoms) and the pale blue sky, you might wonder if they're stressed about 2011 at all. We've spoken about the concept a bit before, but let's have a closer look at some of the most popular 花見 spots in 兵庫 (ひょうご - Hyogo) and see if our worries melt away as quickly.