Japanese spirituality is complicated, and it is said that Japanese people nowadays get baptized at a Shinto shrine, marry in a Christian church, and have their funeral at a Buddhist temple. Many Japanese people would say that they do not really have a faith, and yet be involved in multiple religious groups.
Read MoreThe Japanese word "kominka" literally means "old house," and the term usually refers to houses built no later than the Second World War. It also usually refers to houses built using traditional Japanese architectural methods, often without using any nails and choosing the type of wood depending on its use.
Read MoreSumo is known to have dated back thousands of years, and the sport is even mentioned in Kojiki - the oldest known historic text in Japan (written in 712 A.D.). According to legend, sumo is said to originate from a time when two gods fought over the ownership of the Japanese islands.
Read MorePreviously we introduced Naoshima, an island teeming with art and creativity. This time we will introduce some other noteworthy places that are located near Naoshima; Takamatsu and the surrounding islands.
Read MoreKatsushika Hokusai (1760- 1849), most famously known for his series of Mt. Fuji prints, was a revolutionary artist of the late Edo period. At a time when interaction with other countries was strictly restricted, Hokusai incorporated not only various Japanese styles but Western styles to his works as well, and was recognized both domestically and internationally.
Read MoreIn recent times, people around the world are becoming more and more aware of the need to recycle and conserve energy to create a more sustainable society, but what if we told you there was a place in the world that already achieved this centuries ago and kept it going for more than 200 years?
Read MoreThe appreciation of beauty and its effortless integration into the daily rituals of life in Japan constitutes a history of ‘cultural addition’ as Japanese composer Ito Teijii points out. As such, the aesthetic concepts of wabi, sabi, and miyabi, explored below, have not only survived, but rather flourished over time.
Read MoreWhen dining at an izakaya in Japan, one is bound to notice the word shochu (pronounced show-chew) while glossing over the list of alcoholic beverages. Typically lesser known than the popular “sake” (which refers to nihonshu), shochu is a widely enjoyed versatile drink that is created through a fairly intricate brewing process.
Read MoreTea ceremony (called chadō or sadō) is one of Japan’s most enduring artistic traditions. Tea ceremony is a means to aesthetic appreciation and social interaction that has had a profound influence on other forms of Japanese art, cuisine and philosophy.
Read MoreKaiseki embodies the fundamental concepts in washoku, such as the attention to the seasons, and the emphasis on using natural local ingredients to create an eating experience that is not only delicious, but also demonstrates how preparation and execution of a meal can be an art form.
Read MoreWhile the term literally means "Japanese food," in reality the term refers to a much broader and important cultural concept. In 2013, washoku was actually added to UNESCO's list of intangible cultural heritages. The organization's explanation of washoku reveals why it is so much more than food, and why it deserves to be enshrined as an invaluable part of world culture.
Read MoreWhen asked to explain in simple terms who Kitaoji Rosanjin is, you’ll struggle to find words to summarize the numerous and varied artistic accomplishments of someone with such an illustrious career.
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