Get a Kick Out of Japan – Finding Martial Arts in Nagoya
Jun 29, 2021 By Bert Wishart
Whether you have just a passing interest or have studied for years, something is amazing about learning a martial art in the land of its conception, as well as giving you the skills necessary to improve in the sport; doing so also provides an unparalleled insight into the background, culture,...[ Click to read more ]
Alive and Rocking – See Local Music at Hiroshima’s Great Live Houses
Feb 26, 2021 By Bert Wishart
With just a cursory look at Japanese television, you would be forgiven for believing that Japan's music industry was an endless parade of identikit Johnny's boy bands or sprawling AKB-48 affiliated girl groups. Not that there is anything wrong with this homogenous J-Pop, per se, but there has to be more...[ Click to read more ]
Alive and Rocking – See Local Music at Nagoya’s Great Live Houses
By Bert Wishart
By way of a cursory look on Japanese television, you would be forgiven for believing that Japan's music industry was an endless parade of identikit Johnny's boy bands or sprawling AKB-48 affiliated girl groups. There is nothing wrong with this homogenous J-Pop, per se, but there has to be more to...[ Click to read more ]
Kyo-yuzen Workshops in Kyoto
Feb 18, 2021 By Justin Hanus
Kyo-yuzen dates back to the Edo period when Miyazaki Yuzen (a fan painter from Kyoto) developed the dyeing technique to paint designs onto kimonos. Today, you can learn the technique yourself at one of the several Kyo-yuzen workshops in the city, all of which are run by expert artisans. Whether...[ Click to read more ]
Go Potty at the Tokoname-yaki Pottery Festival
Sep 24, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Aichi is Japan's modern-day hub of automotive manufacture. Long before that, about 800 years before Mr. Toyoda's Type G Automatic Loom, Aichi was a hub for pottery. During the Heian Period (794-1185), Japan had 'Six Ancient Kilns' of ceramics production, two in Aichi: one at Seto, and the other -...[ Click to read more ]
Onomichi – Temples, Ramen and Cats Galore at Hiroshima’s Seaside Jewel
Aug 31, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Flanked to the north by steep hillsides and to the south by the rolling Seto Inland Sea, the city of Onomichi is quaint, picturesque and full of history. It makes for a beautiful day trip without even leaving Hiroshima Prefecture. Thanks to a charming refusal to regenerate and modernize, the...[ Click to read more ]
Getting to Know You: Nagoya’s Global Gate and Sasashima
Aug 24, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Nagoya has blown up in recent years. This expansion is no more evident than in the areas around Nagoya Station, where it seems like everywhere you look, a new skyscraper is springing up. There is, however, perhaps no area more improved or better renovated than Sasashima. Though its name conjures...[ Click to read more ]
Great Literature Set in Kansai
Aug 20, 2020 By Justin Hanus
Japan has a rich history when it comes to literature, both in terms of producing great writers and being the inspirational setting for some excellent works of fiction. Although Tokyo has been the dominant Japanese location when it comes to literature and storytelling, Kansai has provided a vivid backdrop for...[ Click to read more ]
Practicing Shibori in Kyoto
Jun 17, 2020 By Justin Hanus
Although most people associate tie-dye with 60s hippie fashion, it’s also a traditional art in Japan. However, shibori is quite different from Western tie-dye. For one thing, pieces are often far more detailed. For another, it has a much longer history. Shibori dates back to at least the 8th century,...[ Click to read more ]
Nagoya Goes Pop – Finding Nagoya in Popular Culture
Jun 10, 2020 By Bert Wishart
Judging by any popular culture you may come across, you could be fooled into thinking that Japan is separated into two camps: the sprawling, futuristic metropolis of Tokyo, and the nondescript, unnamed countryside of the samurai. However, you may be surprised to discover that Aichi Prefecture (as well as neighboring...[ Click to read more ]
