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December is upon us! Next year's calendars have started adorning shelves in many Japanese stores, signaling the approach of the New Year. But 2016 is not over yet - in fact, you could say that the most exciting finale has just begun. Japan really comes alive this month, and you still have time to join in on the festivities!

In any culture, there exist myths about granting wishes. Rub a magic lamp. Pray to a shooting star. Toss a coin into a wishing well. At one point, they become a shared belief among people around the world, and Japan is no exception. For example, sometimes, when you travel around Japan, you will come across ponds, natural or otherwise. And then...

Have you heard of Oden? It is probably not among the first three things that come to mind when asked to name Japanese food (for me, they would be sushi, tempura, and ramen). But oden is awesome! One can say it's THE Japanese winter dish. Obtainable almost in every convenience store, oden is highly popular because it is warm and fulfilling, and...

  Happy birthday to our Emperor! Today is the 83rd birthday of Emperor Akihito. As the custom goes, the Emperor appeared on the palace balcony in the morning of December 23 and gave us his address. More than 33,000 people visited the palace this morning, which was a record high throughout the Heisei Era.