Step back in time to Nara, Japan’s captivating first permanent capital (710-794 CE). Just a short train ride from Kyoto or Osaka, this serene city offers a unique blend of ancient history and natural ...

Bowing is an ancient custom in Japan, considered a sign of respect. The common practice has deep roots in Japanese culture, ...

Neighboring countries often share cultural and historical roots. Take, for example, the case of an ancient statue both Japan and South Korea claim is theirs. NPR's Anthony Kuhn reports on the case and ...

DNA from ancient feces can offer archaeologists new clues about the life and health of Japanese people who lived thousands of years ago, according to a new study. DNA from ancient feces can offer ...

Revered for guiding, the three-legged crow god surely had my back. In rural mountainous Japan, I hoofed up the steep Kumano Kodo trail, retracing ancient footsteps of emperors, shoguns, and nobles who ...

The current exhibition at the Polasek Museum has roots that stretch back a millennium or more. But I promise I will condense the story of the fascinating art of nihon shishu so you can read it over a ...

A living relic of history stands in a quiet corner of a Japanese seaside town, its thick gnarled branches stretching skyward as if whispering secrets to the breeze. The sacred camphor tree at Kinomiya ...