Tag Archives: Japan

Book Announcement: Samurai: A Very Short Introduction

Posted on October 17, 2021 by Paula

Samurai: A Very Short Introduction Michael Wert The idea of the sword-wielding samurai, beholden to a strict ethical code and trained in deadly martial arts, dominates popular conceptions of the samurai. As early as the late seventeenth century, they were … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch

Posted on October 3, 2021 by Paula

Yamamba: In Search of the Japanese Mountain Witch Editors Linda C. Ehrlich Rebecca Copeland Alluring, nurturing, dangerous, and vulnerable the yamamba, or Japanese mountain witch, has intrigued audiences for centuries. What is it about the fusion of mountains with the … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Harvesting State Support: Institutional Change and Local Agency in Japanese Agriculture

Posted on September 12, 2021 by Paula

Harvesting State Support: Institutional Change and Local Agency in Japanese Agriculture   Hanno Jentzsch Agriculture has been among the toughest political battlegrounds in postwar Japan and represents an ideal case study in institutional stability and change. Inefficient land use and … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Yasukuni Fundamentalism: Japanese Religions and the Politics of Restoration

Posted on August 22, 2021 by Paula

Yasukuni Fundamentalism: Japanese Religions and the Politics of Restoration Mark R. Mullins Although religious fundamentalism is often thought to be confined to monotheistic “religions of the book,” this study examines the emergence of a fundamentalism rooted in the Shinto tradition … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Social Media Omamori

Posted on May 28, 2021 by Paula

Looking to protect yourself against bad vibes from internet trolls? Want some good luck in getting lots of retweets and likes? The capsule toy company Tama-kyu has created mock-ups of the common omamori, charms sold at Buddhist temples and Shinto … Continue reading →

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Resource: Radio Garden for Japanese listening

Posted on May 26, 2021 by Paula

Lifelong Japanese language learners are often looking for ways to integrate listening practice into their daily lives, whether it’s movies, podcasts, anime, TV shows, or other media we tend to download. One cool project, Radio Garden, offers another option: tuning … Continue reading →

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Fun Link Friday: Dinosaurs Found in Japan Identified as New Species

Posted on May 21, 2021 by Paula

Okay okay, in some ways this is old news, but it’s still fun! In 2004 a team of researchers working on Awaji Island (Hyogo Prefecture) found dinosaur bones, including a lower jaw, shoulder, and some other parts. Named “Yamatosaurus izanagii” … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Defining Shugendō: Critical Studies on Japanese Mountain Religion

Posted on May 16, 2021 by Paula

Defining Shugendo: Critical Studies on Japanese Mountain Religion Editor(s): Andrea Castiglioni, Fabio Rambelli, Carina Roth Defining Shugendo brings together leading international experts on Japanese mountain asceticism to discuss what has been an essential component of Japanese religions for more than a … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japan

Posted on May 9, 2021 by Paula

Maiko Masquerade: Crafting Geisha Girlhood in Japanby Jan Bardsley Maiko Masquerade explores Japanese representations of the maiko, or apprentice geisha, in films, manga, and other popular media as an icon of exemplary girlhood. Jan Bardsley traces how the maiko, long stigmatized … Continue reading →

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Book Announcement: Mobilizing Japanese Youth: The Cold War and the Making of the Sixties Generation

Posted on May 2, 2021 by Paula

Mobilizing Japanese Youth: The Cold War and the Making of the Sixties Generation Christopher Gerteis In Mobilizing Japanese Youth, Christopher Gerteis examines how non-state institutions in Japan—left-wing radicals and right-wing activists—attempted to mold the political consciousness of the nation’s first postwar generation, … Continue reading →

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