Here are a few tips you should be aware of before you travel to Japan.

No tipping

Tipping is not customary in Japan, so if you leave a tip in a restaurant they will probably refuse it, or worse, be offended.

Politeness

Japanese are known for being very polite, so make sure you use polite phrases with a smile on your face and you’ll have no problem fitting in.

Bowing

Japanese have many rules, most of which you’re not obliged to follow as a tourist. Bowing is one of the most important customs when greeting a person, so it would earn you a lot of extra points for being polite.

Shoes

In Japan, you can be asked to remove the shoes before you enter a restaurant in an office, so it would be practical to wear something you can take off easily.

Payments

Finding an ATM that accepts foreign cards can be hard, so it would be great if you brought your traveler’s cheques or debit cards with you, just in case you need them.

The post 5 Tips for the First-Timer Traveler to Japan appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Alice in a Labyrinth

If you’ve ever fantasized about dining in the strange world of Lewis Carroll, this is a place to do it. Everything from interior design to the food on the menu is a reference to his most popular novel in Alice in Wonderland, and it will make you feel like you went down the rabbit hole.

Vampire Café

If you’re in the mood to explore Tokyo’s dark side, Vampire Café is just the place. This Gothic establishment looks like the inside of Dracula’s home, and all the dishes are carefully crafted to give subtle nod to blood-hungry creatures of the night.

Kawaii Monster Café

If Vampire Café isn’t your thing, because you enjoy colorful, flashy and playful places, we’ve got you covered. Kawaii Monster Café feels like rainbow-tinted dream, and you won’t be able to resist the delicious treats on their menu.

The post 3 Quirky Cafés You Must Visit in Tokyo appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Muji is an interior design brand that offers smart solutions combined with modern design. Japanese homes are famous for their simplicity and. The most often used materials are wood and stone. Clean lines, minimalistic details, and harmony that connects the rooms are an absolute priority. You can see many real-life homes using Muji items under the hashtag #mujihouse.

Scroll down to see how beautiful Muji homes can look like. Would you decorate your home in Japanese minimalistic style? 

The post Muji House is the Japanese Alternative for IKEA appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

According to a 2016 report, Buenos Aires is the city with the most bookstores per capita (690 in total), among which are a few real gems. For example, bookstore El Ateneo Grand Splendid was voted the second most beautiful in the world in 2015 by The Guardian.

Tokio, Japan

The capital of Japan offers a surprisingly great number of bookstores selling used books. The city even have a whole district with used bookstores named Jimbocho, where you can find over 160 such stores.

Paris, France

It’s hard to find a city with a richer literature history than Paris. It’s the city where famous writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway spent their days and wrote some of their most famous pieces.

The post Cities Every Book Lover Should Visit appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Some claim that ikigai is the best lifestyle trend yet, so let’s see why.

Millions of Japanese are on a mission to find their ikigai – a reason to get up in the morning. It’s believed that ikigai, along with healthy food and plenty of moving, is the secret behind the length and quality of life in Okinawa.

In short, ikigai is the purpose of someone’s existence. Even though it’s pretty simple to explain it, finding your ikigai is one of the biggest challenges you will ever face. It involves answering four key questions:

• what you love
• what the world needs
• what earns you money
• what you’re good at

When you find that thing that is the answer to all of the above, you have found your ikigai, your purpose in this life.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnIvD6KA6y5/?tagged=ikigai

The post Forget About Hygge and Start Living Your Ikigai appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

The most expansive piece of meet in the world is the Matsusaka beef and it is actually a Japanese specialty. It can cost more than $500.

The Matsusaka beef is made of virgin cows with excellent pedigree who receive special treatment: they are fed beer and they even receive a message with Japanese sake. The process of feeding begins when they are only 7-8 months old and it can last up to 3 years.

Although Matsusaka beef can be eaten as a steak, there are 3 delicious ways of cooking the meat.

Shabu-Shabu

The Shabu-shabu was first served in Japan in the 20^th century. It is a thinly sliced meat and vegetables, mostly cabbage, boiled in water and consumed with sesame and ponzu, citrus-based vinegar.

Sukiyaki

This winter dish, commonly eaten on Japanese year-end parties, is a slowly simmered dish cooked in an iron pan. Sukiyaki contains thinly sliced beef, vegetables and other ingredients such as green onions, mushrooms, and grilled tofu. It is seasoned with the traditional warishita Japanese sauce, a mixture of salt, sugar and soy sauce, consumed with a raw egg.

Yakiniku

Yakiniku is the method of cooking the Matsasuka beef on at extremely high temperatures. When the crust changes its color that’s the perfect time to eat it.

The post Would You Try This $500 Steak? appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Natural Elements

Japanese love and respect nature. By bringing it to their homes, they make sure they are surrounded by it even when they are not leaving their houses.

Ofuro / Bath

For a true relaxation at your own home, consider adding a soaking tub to your bathroom. Traditional Japanese tubs come with some kind of bench seat. Ready for at-home spa?

Shoji / Screens

Japanese homes tend to be small so a traditional screen called shoji is often needed. They save space by sliding instead of opening as traditional doors.

Bamboo

Adding wooden elements to the home is one of the best ways to become one with nature. Bamboo is among the most popular types of wood Japanese use for decoration.

Minimal Design

Though the minimal design is a trend all around the world, it’s much more than that in Japan. Sometimes, homes are nearly completely stripped out of furniture. In other cases, it is clean, modern and, of course, made from natural materials.

The post 5 Ways to Give Your Home Japanese Vibe appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Here are a few tips you should be aware of before you travel to Japan.

No tipping

Tipping is not customary in Japan, so if you leave a tip in a restaurant they will probably refuse it, or worse, be offended.

Politeness

Japanese are known for being very polite, so make sure you use polite phrases with a smile on your face and you’ll have no problem fitting in.

Bowing

Japanese have many rules, most of which you’re not obliged to follow as a tourist. Bowing is one of the most important customs when greeting a person, so it would earn you a lot of extra points for being polite.

Shoes

In Japan, you can be asked to remove the shoes before you enter a restaurant in an office, so it would be practical to wear something you can take off easily.

Payments

Finding an ATM that accepts foreign cards can be hard, so it would be great if you brought your traveler’s cheques or debit cards with you, just in case you need them.

The post 5 Tips for the First-Timer Traveler to Japan appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Alice in a Labyrinth

If you’ve ever fantasized about dining in the strange world of Lewis Carroll, this is a place to do it. Everything from interior design to the food on the menu is a reference to his most popular novel in Alice in Wonderland, and it will make you feel like you went down the rabbit hole.

Vampire Café

If you’re in the mood to explore Tokyo’s dark side, Vampire Café is just the place. This Gothic establishment looks like the inside of Dracula’s home, and all the dishes are carefully crafted to give subtle nod to blood-hungry creatures of the night.

Kawaii Monster Café

If Vampire Café isn’t your thing, because you enjoy colorful, flashy and playful places, we’ve got you covered. Kawaii Monster Café feels like rainbow-tinted dream, and you won’t be able to resist the delicious treats on their menu.

The post 3 Quirky Cafés You Must Visit in Tokyo appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Muji is an interior design brand that offers smart solutions combined with modern design. Japanese homes are famous for their simplicity and. The most often used materials are wood and stone. Clean lines, minimalistic details, and harmony that connects the rooms are an absolute priority. You can see many real-life homes using Muji items under the hashtag #mujihouse.

Scroll down to see how beautiful Muji homes can look like. Would you decorate your home in Japanese minimalistic style? 

The post Muji House is the Japanese Alternative for IKEA appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Buenos Aires, Argentina

According to a 2016 report, Buenos Aires is the city with the most bookstores per capita (690 in total), among which are a few real gems. For example, bookstore El Ateneo Grand Splendid was voted the second most beautiful in the world in 2015 by The Guardian.

Tokio, Japan

The capital of Japan offers a surprisingly great number of bookstores selling used books. The city even have a whole district with used bookstores named Jimbocho, where you can find over 160 such stores.

Paris, France

It’s hard to find a city with a richer literature history than Paris. It’s the city where famous writers like F. Scott Fitzgerald and Ernest Hemingway spent their days and wrote some of their most famous pieces.

The post Cities Every Book Lover Should Visit appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Some claim that ikigai is the best lifestyle trend yet, so let’s see why.

Millions of Japanese are on a mission to find their ikigai – a reason to get up in the morning. It’s believed that ikigai, along with healthy food and plenty of moving, is the secret behind the length and quality of life in Okinawa.

In short, ikigai is the purpose of someone’s existence. Even though it’s pretty simple to explain it, finding your ikigai is one of the biggest challenges you will ever face. It involves answering four key questions:

• what you love
• what the world needs
• what earns you money
• what you’re good at

When you find that thing that is the answer to all of the above, you have found your ikigai, your purpose in this life.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BnIvD6KA6y5/?tagged=ikigai

The post Forget About Hygge and Start Living Your Ikigai appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

The most expansive piece of meet in the world is the Matsusaka beef and it is actually a Japanese specialty. It can cost more than $500.

The Matsusaka beef is made of virgin cows with excellent pedigree who receive special treatment: they are fed beer and they even receive a message with Japanese sake. The process of feeding begins when they are only 7-8 months old and it can last up to 3 years.

Although Matsusaka beef can be eaten as a steak, there are 3 delicious ways of cooking the meat.

Shabu-Shabu

The Shabu-shabu was first served in Japan in the 20^th century. It is a thinly sliced meat and vegetables, mostly cabbage, boiled in water and consumed with sesame and ponzu, citrus-based vinegar.

Sukiyaki

This winter dish, commonly eaten on Japanese year-end parties, is a slowly simmered dish cooked in an iron pan. Sukiyaki contains thinly sliced beef, vegetables and other ingredients such as green onions, mushrooms, and grilled tofu. It is seasoned with the traditional warishita Japanese sauce, a mixture of salt, sugar and soy sauce, consumed with a raw egg.

Yakiniku

Yakiniku is the method of cooking the Matsasuka beef on at extremely high temperatures. When the crust changes its color that’s the perfect time to eat it.

The post Would You Try This $500 Steak? appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.

Natural Elements

Japanese love and respect nature. By bringing it to their homes, they make sure they are surrounded by it even when they are not leaving their houses.

Ofuro / Bath

For a true relaxation at your own home, consider adding a soaking tub to your bathroom. Traditional Japanese tubs come with some kind of bench seat. Ready for at-home spa?

Shoji / Screens

Japanese homes tend to be small so a traditional screen called shoji is often needed. They save space by sliding instead of opening as traditional doors.

Bamboo

Adding wooden elements to the home is one of the best ways to become one with nature. Bamboo is among the most popular types of wood Japanese use for decoration.

Minimal Design

Though the minimal design is a trend all around the world, it’s much more than that in Japan. Sometimes, homes are nearly completely stripped out of furniture. In other cases, it is clean, modern and, of course, made from natural materials.

The post 5 Ways to Give Your Home Japanese Vibe appeared first on Beautiful Trends Today.