Category Archives: culture

Fun Link Friday: Far Outliers

Posted on April 28, 2017 by Travis

The blog Far Outliers describes itself as “Exploring migrants, exiles, expatriates, and out-of-the-way peoples, places, and times, mostly in the Asia-Pacific region.” Posts on the blog range widely, covering lots of really interesting and, indeed, “far outlying” topics, from a … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Ritualized Writing: Buddhist Practice and Scriptural Cultures in Ancient Japan

Posted on April 23, 2017 by Paula

Ritualized Writing: Buddhist Practice and Scriptural Cultures in Ancient Japan Kuroda Studies in East Asian Buddhism University of Hawaii Press, 2017 Author: Bryan D. Lowe Ritualized Writing takes readers into the fascinating world of Japanese Buddhist manuscript cultures. Using archival sources … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Happiness and the Good Life in Japan

Posted on April 16, 2017 by Paula

Manzenreiter, W. and Holthus, B. eds. 2017. Happiness and the Good Life in Japan. London/New York. Routledge. About the book:  Contemporary Japan is in a state of transition, caused by the forces of globalization that are derailing its ailing economy, … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: 100 Years of Japanese Animation

Posted on April 14, 2017 by Paula

This has been making it around the internet in the last couple weeks, so perhaps everyone has already come across it, but the Smithsonian and a number of other outlets have reported on the fantastic Japanese Animated Film Classics (日本アニメーション映画クラシック) site. This project, … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Gathering for Tea in Modern Japan

Posted on April 9, 2017 by Travis

Gathering for Tea in Modern Japan: Class, Culture and Consumption in the Meiji Period Taka Oshikiri From Bloomsbury Publishing: By examining chanoyu – the custom of consuming matcha tea – in the Meiji period, Gathering for Tea in Modern Japan … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Japan’s Railway Pointing System

Posted on April 7, 2017 by Paula

If you’ve ever been in Japan and aren’t a train buff, you might wonder what’s up with the neatly dressed railway workers with white gloves, standing at various points of the platform and calling out to one another, pointing to … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Kyoto University Graduation Cosplay

Posted on March 31, 2017 by Travis

It’s graduation season here in Japan, and here at the University of Tokyo, I’ve been seeing people day after day walking around in graduation robes, beautiful kimono, or slick suits, taking selfies or family photos in front of the iconic … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: The Tales of Ise [new translation]

Posted on March 26, 2017 by Paula

The Tales of Ise Translated by Peter MacMillan One of the three seminal works of Japanese literature, this beautiful collection of poems and tales offers an unparalleled insight into ancient Japan. Along with the Tale of Genji and One Hundred … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Ama, traditional Japanese women divers

Posted on March 10, 2017 by Paula

This week has highlighted the contributions of women as the International Women’s Day Strike took place on Wednesday, so this week our Fun Link Friday will highlight some amazing ladies who hold an important place in traditional Japanese practices. Messy … Continue reading →

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Call for Applicants: International Noh Institute Summer Program 2017

Posted on March 6, 2017 by Paula

The INI – International Noh Institute is now accepting applications for its 2017 Summer Intensive Program (September 4 – 14 2017). Participants will take part in an intensive training period, during which they will study Noh chant and dance at the INI headquarters in Kyoto with … Continue reading →

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