A life-affirming collection of Japanese writing and poetry from the 11th Century AD. Written by aristocratic ladies in waiting to the empress of Japan they reflect the preoccupations, passions and obsessions of women born long long ago.
Tag Archives: japanese history
Netsuke & Gashapon toys Ancient Japanese treasures and modern collectibles
Netsuke are uniquely Japanese and sublime in their beauty. They are tiny objects carved of ivory, ceramic, wood, tortoise-shell, gold or many other materials. They tell the story of the culture of Japan during the old Edo period and before. Netsuke featured fishermen and farmers, who rubbed shoulders with scholars, samurai warriors, royalty and evenContinue reading “Netsuke & Gashapon toys Ancient Japanese treasures and modern collectibles”
Japan’s 72 gossamer-light and poetic microseasons
The traditional seasons in Japan are marked out by impercetibly small changes in nature across 72 miniature seasons in a year, each lasting 5 days and reflecting the fleeting, impermanent and diaphanous beauty of nature and all of its wonders. There are 24 divisions or sekki in the calendar that are split into 72 kōContinue reading “Japan’s 72 gossamer-light and poetic microseasons”
Hanako the 226 year old koi
Hanako means flower girl in Japanese. Hanako lived the majority of her life in the pure spring waters of a pond at the foot of Mt Ontake near Oppara. It’s believed that the purity and relative isolation of the pond contributed to her longevity. Hanako lived through the English colonising of both Australia and NewContinue reading “Hanako the 226 year old koi”
Book Review Rental Person Who Does Nothing by Shoji Morimoto
One man’s quiet resistance and fascinating real-world study of human beings and the connections they forge with each other. This highly amusing and entertaining book tells the story of Late-Stage Capitalism from within a series of vignettes. #Capitalism #Biography #Social #Psychology #Experiment #Politics #Relationships #Emotions #Tokyo #Culture #Japan
Travel: Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens
In the Koishikawa Korakuen Gardens is an Edo era (Tokyo) garden of hushed quiet contemplation amidst the bombastic, rushing and striving modern world
Ancient Word of the Day: Sansai
Sansai. n. ‘mountain vegetables’ from Japanese. Sansai grow wild in marshlands, and grasslands, or in the forest. Japanese people have been gathering wild food to cook with since ancient times. In fact, wild plants or Sansai have helped Japanese when food has been scarce because of drought or some other natural disaster. When food wasContinue reading “Ancient Word of the Day: Sansai”
Book Review – South of the Border, West of the Sun by Haruki Murakami
Big in scope, the story weaves through the life of Hajime, from being a young teenager to being a successful middle-class man, owner of several high-end bars in Tokyo. Hajime recalls with relish, (and we relive) his obsessive romantic fantasies. I will leave it there in terms of the plot to avoid any spoilers.
Comforting Thought A frog in a well never knows the vast ocean
There is an ancient Taoist expression that ‘A frog in a well never knows the vast ocean’. This is a reminder to be humble and to accept the world as being vast, with our own knowledge of it limited. We must never assume to have the answers to everything, but instead be humble students.
Travel: Oeshiki Festival of Light, Ikegami Tokyo
Oeskiki is an annual buddhist festival held on the 13th of October that commemorates the death of Nichiren in 1282. He was a revered buddhist teacher who lived during the Kamakura period, about 700 years ago. Although celebrated throughout Japan, the main Oeshiki festival is held at Ikegami Honmonji Temple located in the Ota ward in suburban Tokyo – the location where Nichiren died.
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