Children’s Day 2026 Hotel Activities | Matcha, Calligraphy & Origami Experience May 5th is Children’s Day — one of Japan’s most beloved national holidays. During Golden Week, hotels welcome many families with children. Why not offer something truly special this year? GreenTeaTokyo brings matcha, calligraphy, and origami workshops directly to your hotel. Our instructors arrive […]

Chimaki for Tango no Sekku: The Story Behind Japan’s Traditional Rice Dumpling May 5th is Children’s Day in Japan — a holiday marked by samurai helmets, carp streamers, and a special sweet: chimaki, the traditional Japanese rice dumpling. We recently received some beautiful chimaki from a wagashi (Japanese confectionery) artisan we work with. Wrapped in […]

Ohigan & Matcha | The Meaning of Botamochi, Ohagi, and Tea Ceremony Culture Ohigan is almost here. This season — centered around the spring equinox — is a time to visit family graves, tend to home altars, and quietly honor those who came before us. When botamochi appears in sweet shops and supermarkets, you know […]

In October 2022, something significant happened for Japanese food culture. Namagashi with a kamei (nerikiri/konashi) — fresh Japanese sweets bearing poetic seasonal names — were officially registered as Japan’s Intangible Cultural Heritage by the Agency for Cultural Affairs. Following washoku (Japanese cuisine) being inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, wagashi has now received formal […]

March 5, 2026: Japan’s Luckiest Day of the Year — The Deep Connection Between Tea Ceremony and Good Fortune Today, March 5, 2026, is an extraordinarily rare day in the Japanese calendar — four auspicious days overlap at once: Tenshanihi, Ichiryū Manbaibi, Tora no Hi, and Taian. Rather than just buying a lottery ticket, why […]