School Ghost Stories - What's Cool in Japan - Archives - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
During the summer, ghost stories are shared by students at elementary and middle schools throughout Japan. Many of these stories use schools as the backdrop, and this sometimes causes a small panic to erupt in the classroom. School ghost stories have been around for quite some time, but they show no signs of falling out of fashion.

Ghosts - Monthly News - Archives - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan!
Summer in Japan, which is surrounded on all sides by the sea, isn't just hot. It is very humid, too. Down the years, a variety of ways have been thought up to help people cool down and get through the sticky heat. One unique method devised many years ago remains popular even among children today. How did people from a time when there were no electric fans or air conditioners cope with the summer heat? Haunted houses! Haunted houses are attractions where people disguised as ghosts or scary mechanized figures frighten the visitors who pass through the dark, twisting corridors.

Cranes - Monthly News - Archives - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
After the terrorist attacks in the United States on September 11, students in schools all over Japan are reaching out to support the children of New York City. This support often comes in the form of origami cranes that the students have worked hard to fold themselves.

O-toshidama - Monthly News - Archives - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Japanese kids receive special envelopes containing money at New Year. This article explains the custom of o-toshidama.

Lucky Charms for the Twenty-First Century | Lifestyle | Trends in Japan | Web Japan
Every New Year's holiday, millions of Japanese head to shrines or temples to pray for good fortune for the coming year. The shrine visits would not be complete without the purchase of a good-luck charm, called o-mamori in Japanese.

Canned Hot Drinks - Hi-tech - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
This article traces the history of hot canned drinks like coffee and green tea, which are popular in Japan and may soon become a common sight all over the world.

Greeting Cards - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Here you can download original Kids Web Japan images for use as greeting cards. They can either be attached to an e-mail message or printed out.

Culture - Explore Japan - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Japan has absorbed many ideas from other countries over the course of its history, including technology, customs, and forms of cultural expression, and has developed its unique culture while integrating these imports. The Japanese lifestyle today is a rich blend of Asian-influenced traditional culture and Western-influenced modern culture.

Shingo Mama - What's Cool in Japan - Archives - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
Recently, Japanese children have been greeting one another in the morning using the word "oh-ha!" The Japanese phrase for "good morning" is "ohayo gozaimasu." Among friends, this is shortened to "ohayo." By shortening this still further to "oh-ha," even little kids can say their morning greetings clearly and energetically.

Good Luck Charms - What's Cool in Japan - Archives - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
An ornament of a cat with a forepaw raised, a crystal figure in the shape of an owl, an earpick with a little, red Buddhist daruma doll attached--what do these things have in common? They're all good luck charms that Japanese kids want to have as they prepare for school entrance examinations.

Shogi - Monthly News - Archives - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
This news article features Ito Sae, a Japanese elementary school student who is training to be a professional shogi player. Shogi is a board game resembling chess. The article looks at the long road of practice and competition that lies ahead for Sae as she seeks to become the first female shogi player ever to gain entry to the professional ranks.

Fuku Warai - Virtual Culture - Kids Web Japan - Web Japan
New Year in Japan would not be complete without the game of fuku warai, which is a bit like pin-the-tail-on-the-donkey.">