Throughout Taiwan you will find a collection of more than 5,000 incredible temples. Some are small, with one simple room, while others are large complexes with several, multi-level buildings.

Taiwan hosts three main types of temple: the Taoist, the Buddhist, and the Confucius. Each reflects the religious beliefs of the unique group it represents. There are, however, a few temples that are both Taoist and Buddhist. During the time period when Japan occupied Taiwan, those with Taoist beliefs were often persecuted. Because Taoism was so important to the culture, many Taoists used to go to Buddhist temples to pray. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia |

Chopsticks got a boost in popularity when the philosopher Confucius disdained the use of knives when eating.  “The honorable and upright man keeps well away from both the slaughterhouse and the kitchen. And he allows no knives on his table.” Another ancient practice, in which chefs  chopped ingredients to allow faster cooking time and less use of scarce fuel, led not only to the non-necessity of knives at the dinner table, but also the practicality of chopsticks when picking up bite-sized portions of food. Thus, the use of these pairs of long sticks in dining spread throughout China, Taiwan, Japan, Korea, Thailand and Vietnam.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia, Food, Guides |

We already know that each Asian country has its own set of incredibly diverse social customs and traditions. These traditions stem not only throughout their daily lives but to special events as well. One of the most important, of course, is the union of two individuals in marriage. Wedding customs in Asian countries are distinct and in most cases very beautiful. Join us as we explore the traditions celebrated on Asian wedding days.

7. Wedding Traditions in Japan

Image Credit: gwaar

While those in the west tend to lean towards the traditional white wedding gown, women in Japan lean towards beautifully colored silk kimonos instead. They are often embroidered with purple iris flowers because in Japan the color purple represents love. The wedding ceremony itself is traditionally either Shinto or Buddhist. During a Shinto ceremony the earth’s natural spirits are asked to bless the newlyweds. During a Buddhist ceremony two strings of beautiful beads are woven together to symbolize the union of two into one. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia |

There’s not a reason in the world why you should visit Asia, or any other country, and find yourself in a hotel with nothing but terrible service. You should be greeted with a smile, treated like royalty, and given undivided attention throughout the duration of your stay.

While some hotels are better than others in this regard, you’ll find that others simply stand out from the crowd. We’ve taken it upon ourselves to put together a list of some of the most popular Asian hotels, ranked in terms of service. Consider adding one of these to your next itinerary. Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia |

Indian food is quite popular outside the subcontinent. Several  cities all over the world now have Indian restaurants that serve Indian food which is almost as good if not better than the Indian food that is found in India itself. Given this wide ranging popularity of Indian food, it is rather surprising that  Indian sweets haven’t managed to secure the  kind of widespread appeal that dishes like ‘chicken tikka masala’ and ‘tandoori naan’ (the most ordered dishes in Indian restaurants anywhere) seem to enjoy.

One of the reasons for this according to me, is  that the quality and taste of these sweets  is very different outside the borders of the Indian subcontinent. Perhaps these differences stem from the ingredients which are used in the preparation of these sweets. Most Indian sweets are made with ample amounts of milk, ghee (clarified butter) and sugar. These ingredients though widely available outside India, have subtle differences in taste and texture which perhaps contribute to the differences that arise in the finished product as well.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia, Food, India |

Asia possesses a staggering historical collection of architectural wonders that rivals its European counterparts in many ways. Angkor Wat in Cambodia is one such edifice, a religious complex as monumental as the monuments of Imperial Rome. Less known is the Buddhist temple complex in Indonesia known as Borobudur, an assemblage of 2,672 relief panels and 504 Buddha statues that was built in the eighth and ninth century. Borobudur is comprised of six square platforms topped by three circular terraces. At the summit sits a massive central stupa, the largest Buddhist stupa in the world, on a lotus-shaped base that is half a meter thick. The 3 levels of the stupa form a microcosm of the entire universe, with the lower levels representing man’s world of desire controlled by negative impulses (Kamadhatu), the middle levels showing man’s control over these negative impulses and use of positive impulses (Rupadhatu), and the highest level, which depicts man unbound by worldly desires (Arupadhatu). Borobudur also symbolize the 10 levels of a Boddhisattva’s life which he/she must develop in order to attain Buddha-hood.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia |

As a major harbor city in South Korea, Incheon is blessed with beautiful beaches and numerous nearby islands available for visits. It is especially accessible from Seoul due to its proximity with the capital and the fact that the subway systems of both cities are linked. All of this gives visitors to the city plenty of things to do, from island-hopping to
heritage tours.

• Enjoy the cherry blossoms in Jayu Park: Jayu (freedom) is the first western-style park in the country, surveyed by a Russian named Sabatin back in 1888. It is made famous by the statue of Gen. Douglas MacArthur, as well as the 100th anniversary bronze tower commemorating the amity between South Korea and the US. During springtime around April, Jayu is covered in cherry blossoms, which is celebrated with military parades, a wedding festival, and other activities. Near the park is the country’s first modern meteorological observatory, built by the Japanese in aid of the Russo-Japanese War. If you stay in the park until dusk, you can enjoy the sea which gains a reddish tint at sunset.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia, Korea, Things to do |

In the early late 19^th- and early 20^th centuries it wasn’t common to find female travelers scouring the earth in search of new territories, or in an attempt to uncover undiscovered landmarks. Although the existence of these brave women wasn’t necessarily celebrated, there’s no doubt that each of them made a significant impact on the development and discovery of Asia’s history. They risked not only their lives but their social statuses as well, in order to chart unknown territories.

In honor of Women’s History Month, just passed in March, we’ve decided to pay tribute to five of these incredible women. They are, in no particular order:

5. Isabella Bird

Image Credit: japanonfoot

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia |

Easter is one of the major religious events of Roman Catholicism and other Christian groups. It celebrates the resurrection of Jesus Christ after being dead for 3 days as a result of his crucifixion; it also marks the end of Lent, a season of prayer, fasting, and penance. In the west, symbols like chocolate eggs and Easter bunnies proliferate during this time of year, and families wear new clothes when they attend church and decorate the house with new items to represent a new beginning. Easter is known as a movable feast: it does not fall under a fixed date but is rather determined by a lunisolar calendar in the Christian liturgical year.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia, Events |

There are dozens of incredible tourist attractions throughout Japan, South Korea, and China. While many are historic, some are simply entertaining and others are designed to give visitors some of the most breathtaking views of Asia possible.

We’ve compiled a list of some of Asia’s most popular tourist attractions, as decided by the number of visitors each receives over the course of the calendar year. You might be surprised to see some of America’s favorite outposts on the list along with some of Asia’s most renowned historic attractions.

Read the rest of this entry »

Posted in Asia |