Japanese activities run the gamut from the traditional theater with a 600-year history to sporting events from 500 years ago that are followed with equal national enthusiasm in the modern day to meeting at the Hachiko statue at Tokyo’s Shibuya…
In the West, florists create flower arrangements that bring out patterns of color and showcase the blooms at their peak. The art has a long history and a certain amount of respect from those who enjoy flowers, but general appreciation…
In the West, comic books are typically thought of as “kids’ stuff” and the adults who enjoy them are usually thought of as adults who refuse to grow up—and not in a good way. Although some graphic novels have tackled…
In Japan, it is quite common to take a relaxing soak in a bath at the end of each day and it is a daily chore to scrub one’s tub to keep it clean and free from mold. Nowhere is…
The Japanese particle ni is one of the most frequently employed particles because it has so many different uses. There is no single English translation for the particle ni because much depends on the context in which the particle is…
Two men enter the 5-foot round platform and face the crowded arena. They clap their hands and then stomp their legs, driving evil spirits from the ring. Once finished, they retreat to opposite corners, each taking a ladleful of “power…
When the frost of winter finally recedes and the birds and bees start showing up to enjoy the warming air, flowers begin to bloom all over the country of Japan. To relax and take in the beauty of the rows…
Long before the Internet, television, and cinema, people had to go to the theater to see fantastic stories brought to life. The theater has been a nearly-universal attraction since the ancient Egyptians first put on a play performance of one…
The staple of a Japanese meal is rice, the most important domestic crop. While the Westerner might have bread, rice is served with nearly every traditional Japanese meal, from plain rice cooked in a specialized rice cooker to vinegared rice…
You and a row of people sit facing a winding conveyer belt, chopsticks in hand. A flap opens from the kitchen and you can see that yari ika you’ve had your eye on making its way around the corner—the kind…