In the early thirties, the Japanese believed that one’s blood type, was a great influence to one’s personality. This belief is still present today and in Japan, it is very common to be asked "What’s your blood type?"

The Merchant class in most societies, are regarded as a necessary asset for nation building, this wasn’t so for the Merchants in feudal Japan because money was held in low regard.

In the past, the traditional role of a woman in Japan, was one of treasured beauty, to be pampered and protected from all ills but did you know that some Japanese women, were warriors who flew into the face of danger and also played some major roles in Samurai battles?

Shinto is the indigenous religion of the people of Japan and it dates back to 200 BC.

In the movie The Last Samurai, Tom Cruise meets up with Katsumoto, who stands for the old traditional ways of life. In reality, the samurai who stood up to the emperor´s quest for modernization was Takamori Saigo.

In Shinto belief the Kami is ever present, being deities they can take whatever shape or form they desire, you would be surprised to discover that Shinto beliefs does not adhere to original sin.

Tomoe Gozen was a legendary female samurai in Japan, she fought bravely and was victorious in many battles, one of note is the Gempei War.

In this article, find out some bite-sized information on a very famous old Japanese fable. But that's not all – learn about the actual places in Japan where this legend was based on. Yup, they are tourist attractions...

You may have seen the widely acclaimed Japanese horror movie The Ring and its sequels, spinoffs, and other similar movies. Creepy as they are, you know they're fiction. But there's one ghost from urban legend that some Japanese people still believe exists – Hanako, she who haunts school toilets.

The Heian era in Japan was a time of exquisite art, poetry, and music. It was a time when Japan was rich in beauty and discovery.