HISTORY
The Last Samurai Vendetta: The Revenge of Usui Rokuro
In 1873, the newly-minted Meiji government banned the age-old practice of kataki-uchi: blood revenge. Seven years later, the son of a murdered…
tradition
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HISTORY
ENTERTAINMENT
Bankara: Meiji Japan’s Anti-Fashion Movement
As the era of the samurai ended and Japan rushed towards modernization, a rough-scrabble fashion movement called the Bankara rose in opposition.
HISTORY
Kadomatsu in Sendai: An Old-School Japanese New Year
You may have heard of kadomatsu, Japan's traditional New Year decoration. But did you know of this old-school variation from the Edo…
FOOD
Osechi Ryori: History, Meanings, and How to Prepare
Osechi ryori is Japan's traditional New Year's cuisine. How did this tradition begin, and what do all the different foods symbolize?
HISTORY
Stronger than the Wave: Five Southern Tohoku Folk Traditions
The Tohoku region's endured a lot over the past 200 years. How five rich folk traditions capture the durability and diversity of…
HISTORY
Banei Racing: Hokkaido’s Stubborn Settler Sport of Strength and Spirit
Hokkaido's fascinating Banei Racing, where massive draft horses pull weighted sleighs up slopes, is an intriguing remnant of a colonial history.
ENTERTAINMENT
Kwaidan: A Filmic Venture into Uncanny Japan
Eerie and beautiful, Kwaidan is the perfect introduction to the classic ghost stories of Japan. Further revelations await those who look deeper…
LIVING IN JAPAN
Appreciating the Moon in Japan, Land of the Rising Sun
Although Japan is the land of the rising sun, with its indigenous religion centering around the sun goddess, we cannot overlook the…