侍 (さむらい) - Samurai

侍 are without a doubt one of Japan's best known historical figures; the image of the proud warrior standing strong to his last breath is inseparable from almost any part of the nation's ancient history and culture. Like 忍者 (にんじゃ - ninja) though, it doesn't take long before the history ends and the fantasy begins. Let's try to keep the demons and magic swords to a minimum - the stories and legacies of some of Japan's most famous 侍 are amazing enough as they are.

Places to visit in Hyogo 9: 丹波 (たんば - Tamba)

The 丹波 region is an agricultural area north of 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) on the eastern border of 兵庫 (ひょうご - Hyogo). It's probably the last thing you would imagine when thinking of Japan - compared to the bigger cities it's sparsely populated and forgoes the skyscrapers for sprawling rice paddies, ancient farmhouses and verdant hills. Don't let the lack of billboards and plasma screens put you off though - 丹波 has a rich cultural heritage and the farmland isn't just for show; the area is famous for its handmade crafts and fresh produce. If you feel you need a change of pace from rush-rush 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka) and 東京 (とうきょう - Tokyo), 丹波 may be just what the doctor ordered.

お酒 (おさけ - osake) - Sake

お酒 or "rice wine" as it's sometimes mistakenly called, is a piece of Japanese culture and history that's been filling flasks and seasoning dishes for the better part of 2000 years. In fact, domestically it's known as 日本酒 (にほんしゅ - nihonshu) or "Japanese alcohol", which should give you some idea of its sway. With 2000 breweries currently operating in Japan and exporting internationally, the お酒 business appears to be booming - it now comes in as many varieties as wine or beer and can accompany cuisine from all over the world. It can be served hot in 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - winter), cold in 夏 (なつ - natsu - summer) or at room temperature in between; you won't be left wanting for choice if you want to experience お酒 for yourself.

Places to visit in Hyogo 8: 宝塚 (たからづか - Takarazuka)

宝塚 is a suburban city located a short distance north of 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) and 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka), on the eastern side of Hyogo. Its name, amusingly, means "treasure pile" and there are certainly shiny trinkets to be found there, thanks in part to a politician and businessman determined to make 宝塚 more than a sleepy commuter town. After several attempts, he finally struck gold with the creation of a musical theatre group now known as the 宝塚歌劇団 (たからづかかげきだん - takarazuka kagekidan - "Takarazuka Revue"). As a counterpoint to 歌舞伎 (かぶき - Kabuki), the 歌劇団 features an all-female cast and its flashy shows are still the city's most famous drawcard after nearly 100 years. I think that's our cue.

ゲームセンター (geemu sentaa) - Game centres

You don't have to go far to realise gaming is a big part of the melting pot of Japanese pop culture - it's where a lot of アニメ (anime), music and soon-to-be national obsessions cut their teeth. ゲームセンター or what we might call "arcades" may have a limited appeal at home but here they're for people of all ages. Some come for the cuteness, some are after more collectibles to hoard and others just have a high score or boss to beat. From prize games to sticker photos to things that can't even be categorised, there's something for everyone here - let's get ourselves some change and join the fun.

歌舞伎 (かぶき) - Kabuki

歌舞伎 is arguably Japan's most famous form of theatre, instantly recognisable by its all-male cast, elaborate makeup, over-the-top costumes and stylised drama. The word "歌舞伎" is made up of the three 漢字 (かんじ - kanji) for "sing", "dance" and "technique", which is a pretty good summary of what's involved. Modern 歌舞伎 often features comprehensive guides and headsets to help follow along with all the dramatic plot twists, but apart from that it's much as it was hundreds of years ago. With tragic stories of love, betrayal and death delivered with some of the most outrageous acting I've ever seen, I think we might have discovered Japan's first soap opera.

富士山 (ふじさん - fujisan) - Mount Fuji

At 3776m, 富士山 is the tallest of Japan's many mountains, a ponderously large active volcano that most people don't have much exposure to beyond the odd misty glimpse out the 新幹線 (しんかんせん - shinkansen) window. Nevertheless, its cultural impact is striking. Where "flower" means 桜 (さくら - sakura - cherry blossoms) to the Japanese, "mountain" means "富士山" - in fact, more than 135 smaller mountains in Japan have been named after it. It also has a starring role in endless books, poems, photographs, prints and paintings stretching back many hundreds of years - not to mention the back of the ¥1000 note - and I'd be very surprised if you weren't at least familiar with its shape. That's not enough for some people though - every year, tens of thousands of visitors get to know 富士山 personally during the July-August 登山 (とざん - tozan - mountain climbing) season. This time around, I was one of them.

芸者 (げいしゃ) - Geisha

芸者 have become a bit of a "thing" for people over the past few years, abruptly going from a shorthand symbol of Japanese culture to a talking point in book clubs and living rooms all over the world. As ubiquitous as they are in paintings and cute little pop culture references, the reality is that 芸者 are an endangered species and comparatively few people - Japanese or otherwise - ever get to see one in the flesh. As you might expect then, misunderstandings and half-truths abound. They're commonly thought of as hostesses, courtesans and concubines and while none of these are completely wrong in a historical sense, the devil is in the detail.

Places to visit in Hyogo 7: 甲子園球場 (こうしえんきゅうじょう - koshien kyuujou - Koshien Baseball Stadium)

甲子園球場 - often known simply as 甲子園 (Koshien) - lies between 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka) and 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe), in a smaller city called 西宮 (にしのみや - Nishinomiya). It's one of the most famous stops on the 阪神 (はんしん - Hanshin) train line and perhaps best known as the home of the 阪神タイガーズ (Hanshin Tigers), who were originally the official team of 大阪 but are now embraced region-wide as the charming underdogs of professional 野球 (yakyuu - baseball). Despite a hit-and-miss track record and what could be a full-blown curse from beyond the grave, the 阪神タイガーズ have some of the most outrageously dedicated fans in the country. It's time to have a bit of a look at the colourful history of 甲子園, starting with yellow and black.

Places to visit in Hyogo 6: 有馬温泉 (ありまおんせん - Arima Onsen)

有馬温泉 is a natural 温泉 (おんせん - onsen - hot spring) resort northeast of 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) on the opposite side of 六甲山 (ろっこうさん - rokkousan - The Rokko Mountains). It is the oldest 温泉 in Japan, dating back more than a thousand years and featuring prominently in the country's history; priests, feudal lords and even the occasional Emperor were known to enjoy having a soak there. Fortunately even we common folk can enjoy it these days - the only thing stopping you from stepping back into simpler times is the price of a ticket.

長崎 (ながさき) - Nagasaki

長崎 is unsurprisingly the capital of 長崎県 (ながさきけん - nagasakiken - Nagasaki Prefecture) and one of the largest cities in 九州 (きゅうしゅう - Kyushu), southwest of the main Japanese island of 本州 (ほんしゅう - Honshu). Throughout several hundred years of Japan's history, it served as a prominent port and trading post - one of the country's only windows to the world during its isolation. Unfortunately that's not the main claim to fame; as we all know, in 1945 長崎 became infamous as the second and last city to be struck by a nuclear warhead. Today, the bombing is just one dark chapter in the long and colourful history of 長崎 - let's open the book and start from the beginning.

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.

阪神淡路大震災 (Hanshin awaji daishinsai) - Hanshin Awaji Great Earthquake

The recent events in Japan with the 東北 (とうほく - Touhoku) 地震 (じしん - jishin - earthquake) come as another tragic reminder of the devastation that can be caused by natural disasters. Being one of the most 地震-prone countries in the world, Japan is shaken by hundreds of tremors every year and unfortunately, some are orders of magnitude worse than the usual cupboard-rattling shake. In the face of all the destruction, I think the resilience and ingenuity of the Japanese people is to be admired; early warning signals, 地震-resistant buildings and a rapid response to the crisis surely all played a part in minimising the losses. You don't need to look too far to see where all the experience came from - in 1995, the 阪神淡路大震災 became one of the most infamous chapters in the history of 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) and formed the basis for future 地震 response across Japan.

日本の四つの季節その4：冬 (にほんのよつのきせつそのよん：ふゆ） - The Four Seasons of Japan 4: Winter

冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter) is the first and last season of the Japanese year, its icy fingers officially taking hold in December and refusing to loosen until the start of 春 (はる - haru - Spring) in early April. Like 夏 (なつ - natsu - Summer), 冬 takes up more than its fair share of the year and it's just as uncomfortable, particularly for people used to living south of the Equator. Having said that, it can be extraordinarily beautiful, it plays host to one of the most spectacular festivals of the year and best of all, noone will notice your クリスマス (Christmas) kilos under that big coat. Grab your scarf and gloves, because it's cold out there.

お正月 (おしょうがつ - Oshougatsu) - New Year

A very belated あけましておめでとうございます (akemashite omedetou gozaimasu - Happy New Year) - and welcome to 2011! If you're like a lot of Australians, your クリスマス (kurisumasu - Christmas) probably completely overshadowed New Year and if you're like me, you rang in 2011 with a nice casual barbeque or something to that effect. お正月 goes a bit beyond grabbing a spare gas bottle and firing up the grill; it's steeped in tradition from the food to the festivities and needs to be planned far in advance. Let's have a look and see how it works on this side of the pond - before, during and after the countdown to midnight.

クリスマス (kurisumasu) - Christmas

Suddenly, it seems to be well and truly that time of year again; with an abrupt cold snap announcing the start of 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter), everyone seems to be following Rudolph's lead. Despite Japan not celebrating クリスマス to any great extent, decorations are up in the shops and a lot of people seem to be getting into the spirit with wreaths hung on their doors and twinkling lights strung up across their balconies. At first glance things seem much the same here as at home, but let's park the sleigh and have a proper look at exactly what the silly season is like in Japan; I bet my fake beard there'll be a few surprises in store.

お中元とお歳暮 (おちゅうげんとおせいぼ - ochuugen to oseibo) - Mid-year and end of year gifts

Japan has always had a strong gift-giving culture that predates recent imports like バレンタインデー (barentain de-) Valentine's Day and クリスマス (kurisumasu - Christmas); お中元 (おちゅうげん - ochuugen - mid-year gifts) and the corresponding お歳暮 (おせいぼ - oseibo - end of year gifts) have been traditions since feudal times. They're sometimes known as Summer and Winter gifts, due to the arrival of お中元 just before 夏休み (なつやすみ - natsu yasumi - Summer holidays) and お歳暮 just as 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter) starts to bite. Wondering why that big box has arrived at your door days after you'd be expecting any クリスマス presents? Wonder no more - 'tis the season for giving, in more ways than one!

Halloween post - お化け (おばけ - obake - Monsters/ghosts)

Halloween (ハロウィーン) is nearly upon us, which in Japan is as much of a big deal as it is in Australia (or perhaps even less). Like Valentine's Day, it's mostly a curiosity turned commercial holiday. Decorations and costumes have appeared in shops and jack-o'-lanterns and "trick or treat" signs have sprung up here and there, but apart from that it's all a bit of a non-issue. Don't think that means Japan doesn't have its fair share of scares, mind you - there's plenty of ghosts, demons and monsters to go around, ハロウィーン or no. So in the spirit of the scary season, let's find out what goes bump in Japan's night.

コンビニ (konbini) - Convenience stores

Like the ubiquitous 自動販売機 じどうはんばいき – jidouhanbaiki – vending machines), an extraordinary number of コンビニ dot Japan's landscape. While we may understand the basic concept of a convenience store or deli, a コンビニ is something else entirely, offering a range of services that go way beyond the humble choc milk and sausage roll. They’ve become an economic and social staple; by some counts there are more than forty thousand of them in the country and it doesn’t take long before you start feeling a few more wouldn’t hurt. They're also one of the only places you'll reliably find a rubbish bin!

学校の生活その5：体育祭 (がっこうのせいかつその5：たいいくさい - gakkou no seikatsu sono go: taiikusai) - School Lifestyle 5: Sports Festival

Another major school event on the Japanese calendar is the 体育祭, similar in some respects to the sports/athletics carnivals we have at home. Like comparing school fetes with the 文化祭 (ぶんかさい - bunkasai - culture festival) though, the difference is really in the scale and level of commitment. Students and teachers spend weeks beforehand rehearsing to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Aside from the intricacy involved and pride in the event itself, this may be because some of the events are very dangerous; others are just rather strange. The ones that tick both boxes are probably the most fun of all!