Japan Travel Advice

I am really happy to announce that my latest project Japan Travel Advice has just been launched. This has been a labour of love for me the past year as I have planned the site and gathered the required material from my 10 years in Japan.

The site has lofty ambitions as can be witnessed by the Japan Travel Advice slogan “The Complete Japan Travel Guide”. We have aimed high and realize that in no way the current content is up to our desired goal. We have the basic structure for the site in place and will continue to build upon what is in place. Over the coming months we will continue to post new content on the specific destinations and attractions in Japan to build up the site and reach our goal of being the complete Japan travel guide.

I would love for you to visit the site and let me know what you think. You can do that by clicking on this link Japan Travel Advice

You can leave comments here below and we welcome all feedback from you about the site. We know that it is not perfect at this stage, but will strive to meet our goals and ambitions of being the complete travel guide.

You can also follow Japan Travel Advice on Social Media

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Wadaiko Japanese Drumming

Wadaiko (和太鼓) is a term used to describe a traditional style of Japanese drumming or drums. The name comes from the Japanese words “Wa” meaning Japanese and “Taiko” meaning drum. They are often played at Japanese festivals and events and require tremendous skill and endurance.

The sound of the drums is very dynamic and thunderous and can be felt deep down in your soul. The drummers traditionally wear a “happi” festival jacket when performing.

Performance at Olinda Hanami Day

Wadaiko Drum

Here is a video of a Wadaiko performance at the recent Olinda Hanami Day

The Premium KURO Burger

Burger King Japan is just about to release the Premium KURO Burger (黒バーガー) to celebrate their 5th come back anniversary in Japan. The limited edition Premium KURO Burger will hit the Burger King menu on Friday, September 28th.

The burger features a Whopper sized paprika flavoured beef patty, and is topped with tomato, onion, lettuce and pickles. The sauce features mayonnaise and a special dark ketchup coloured and flavoured with garlic and squid ink (いかすみ). The burger’s buns are also blackened with the use of bamboo charcoals (たけすみ).

The burger will be priced at 450 yen (AUD$5.50) for just the burger, or 790 yen (AUD$9.60) for a medium size set (Mセット).

If you purchase a Premium KURO Burger medium size set (Mセット) with a Coca Cola Zero for 790 yen (AUD$9.60) or a Premium KURO Burger and drink set for 670 yen (AUD$8.20) you can refill your Coca Cola Zero for free.

Visit the Burger King Japan website for more details

Premium KURO Burger

Tsukimi Burger 2012

My last post was about Tsukimi (月見) or moon viewing and I left a little teaser at the end about how I usually celebrate Tsukimi. Well here it is! I love to celebrate Tsukimi with the Tsukimi Burger.

September in Japan usually brings with it Autumn or Aki (秋) with cooler weather, beautiful fall leaves and Autumn food and drinks. One of my favourite Autumn foods in Japan during this time is the Tsukimi burger. When this starts appearing on The McDonald's menu I know for sure that Autumn has arrived in Japan. The burger is only available for a limited time during the Autumn and will be on the menu again from the 18th of September.


The Tsukimi Burger (月見バーガー) or moon watching burger is so called because the egg in the burger resembles the Autumn full moon. The egg yolk represents the full moon and the egg white the white sky. The Tsukimi Burger first made its appearance on the McDonald’s Japan menu in 1991 and has been a popular tradition every year. The burger contains a poached egg, a beef patty, bacon and a special sauce.

Traditional Tsukimi Burger

There are a couple of different versions including the traditional Tsukimi (月見バーガー), Tsukimi with Cheese (チーズ月見) and the Large Tsukimi Burger (大月見バーガー).

Tsukimi with Cheese & Large Tsukimi Burger

Visit the McDonald's Japan website for more information

Tsukimi - Moon Viewing

The Japanese custom of Tsukimi (月見), moon viewing is traditionally held in mid-September when the moon is at its best and most beautiful in Japan. This custom is celebrated throughout Japan and is believed to have originated in China and introduced to Japan during the Heian period (794-1192).

Japanese people usually celebrate Tsukimi by displaying autumn flowers and susuki (pampas grass) in a vase. They also offer dango (dumplings) and satoimo (taro potato) to the moon in an altar. People also enjoy looking at the moon and enjoying its beauty at this time of the year. With the clear autumn sky and crisp days and nights the moon appears especially beautiful.


You will find kind a lot of dishes around this time of the year featuring Tsukimi. One of my favourites is Tsukimi-udon, which is udon noodles in a hot soup topped with an egg, which resembles the moon.

Tsukimi Udon from Ivva

How do I usually celebrate Tsukimi? That will be in the next post, so stay tuned.

Burger King Japan Hot Jamaica

Burger King Japan has launched a new 2012 summer campaign called Hot Jamaica. The reason behind the campaign is to celebrate the 50th anniversary of independence for Jamaica.

The campaign features two types of burgers on the menu, which are the Angry J Chicken Burger, and the Angry J Whopper.

The Angry J Chicken Burger features grilled chicken, lettuce,and tomato, and is topped in a spicy Jamaican jerk sauce.

The Angry J Whopper features a beef patty, cheese, lettuce and tomato with the spicy Jamaican jerk sauce.







Burger King Japan

2012 Olinda Cherry Blossom Festival

Spring is upon us in Australia with warmer temperatures and the beautiful spring flowers and blooming cherry blossom trees. In Japan, spring is the time for hanami or cherry blossom viewing. The sakura or cherry blossom is Japan’s unofficial national flower and every March in Japan, thousands of cherry blossom trees come to life as they cover Japan, signifying the start of the annual Hanami season.

The National Rhododendron Gardens in Olinda in the Dandenong Ranges, Victoria pays homage to this ancient Japanese tradition with their own version of hanami, the Annual Hanami Cherry Blossom Festival with cherry blossom trees captivating the landscape. Enjoy the beauty of the blossoms along with the myriad of other plants such as azaleas, magnolias and rhododendrons.


This annual festival takes place on Sunday September 23rd 2012 and provides a fantastic opportunity to engage in a traditional Japanese event and celebrate the beauty of all things hanami. 

Event Information 

Website: http://www.experiencethedandenongs.com.au/national-rhododendron-gardens/

The National Rhododendron Gardens is located at

 
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