Muza-chan (real name Lili), is a Romanian travel writer and photographer, living in Bucharest and frequently visiting Japan. She publishes daily photos from Japan, with insights and comments about the areas she visited. She also writes about Japan travel, culture and traditions and her hobbies include pop-culture, music and cuisine.
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- Japanese Ghost Story: The Impossible-to-count Bake Jizo
- May 16th, 2013Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Photography, Travel
- Rows of dozens of stone statues representing Jizo Bodhisattva can be found frequently in Japan, but during my travels across Japan I found a few of them really special. One example is the row of statues from the Kanmangafuchi Abyss in Nikko, a wonderfully beautiful p ... » Continue Reading
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- Hana Matsuri
- April 8th, 2013Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Events, Play, Travel
- On April 8th, Japan celebrates Buddha’s Birthday, Hana Matsuri (花祭り - The Flower Festival). According to Buddhist tradition, Prince Siddhartha Gautama (Sakyamuni Buddha), the son of King Suddohana and Queen Maya, was born on 8 April 566 B.C. in the garden of Lumbini, ... » Continue Reading
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- Sakura Tea
- March 28th, 2013Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Food & Dining, Travel
- These days the sakura have started to blossom in Japan. In the old days, the Japanese women use to gather sakura flowers (especially the sakura kanzan type) and preserve them in salt. From these flowers, kept fresh, a special tea was prepared, served at wedding cere ... » Continue Reading
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- 3 Old Japanese Sakura Stories
- March 15th, 2013Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Events, Play
- In Japan, the sakura will start blooming soon… but the snow that fell here a few days ago reminded me of several great Japanese stories about sakura miraculously blooming in winter. Photo by Muza-chan 1. Jiu-Roku-Zakura (The Sakura of the sixteenth day) In the Wa ... » Continue Reading
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- Hina Matsuri Traditional Dolls
- March 4th, 2013Category: Uncategorized
- One of the most beautiful celebrations in Japan takes place every 3rd of March: Hina Matsuri- the Doll Festival, a day when the families with girls are displaying a very special set of dolls, hina-ningyō, thus praying for their girl’s good health and happiness. As yo ... » Continue Reading
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- The Story of the Hidden Ginkgo from Tsurugaoka Hachimangu
- February 12th, 2013Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Play, Travel
- In order to reach the main building of the Tsurugaoka Hachimangu Shrine, you have to climb 61 steps. On the left side, it was impossible not to notice an impressive 1000-year old ginkgo tree, 30 meters tall, which remained in history because of an event that took p ... » Continue Reading
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- Romantic Places in Kyoto, Moon Crossing Bridge
- February 8th, 2013Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Photography, Travel
- If you visit Arashiyama, the area in western Kyoto famous for its bamboo groves, go to the nearby Togetsukyo Bridge, to admire the scenery of the green Mount Arashiyama. The first bridge here was about 200 meters upstream from the current location and it was a lo ... » Continue Reading
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- Traditional Japanese New Year Decoration, Kagami mochi
- January 4th, 2013Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Food & Dining, Play
- Kagami mochi 「鏡餅」 is a special traditional Japanese decoration for the New Year, usually displayed inside the house in the kamidana, for Toshigami, the god of the new year, to bring good luck and prosperity in the new year. Kagami mochi is made from two rice cakes (mo ... » Continue Reading
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- From Hotei to Santa Claus
- December 27th, 2012Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Travel
- Christmas celebrations started in Japan after the arrival of Saint Francis Xavier, in 1549, and this was also the beginning of all the Christmas-related celebrations, including Santa Claus (サンタさん Santa-san, or サンタクロース Santa Kurōsu in Japanese). But the success of the ... » Continue Reading
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- The Ring of Wisdom
- December 21st, 2012Category: Arts & Entertainment, Culture, Travel
- There are many places in Japan where the tradition says that if you perform some unusual act, you will get something in return. Probably the most famous such place is inside the Todaiji Temple from Nara, but I recently found something similar in Amanohashidate. An ol ... » Continue Reading
