Traditional Japanese Najio-Gampi-shi washi paper-making process in Japan.
Japanese Cultural Junkie
桜 Sakura: Beauty Alone Will Save Us
The cherry blossom season is in full bloom in most Japanese cities, and everybody is out because no more Covid restrictions for the first time in two years! This annual collective nature-gazing that reminds us of our connection to nature and eternal life is a celebration of beauty.
Nagasaki Kunchi 長崎くんち Dragon Dance Ja-Odori
Nagasaki Kunchi 長崎くんち Dragon Dance Ja-Odori rehearsal.
Lantern Festival at Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine
Video of a priest at Kasuga Taisha Shinto Shrine making a Hana Chochin, flower lantern, at the Chugen Mantoro lantern festival in Nara, Japan.
Bunraku 文楽 Puppets at Osaka Hoe-Kago Gyoretsu Parade 宝恵かご行列
https://youtu.be/TS6VGTZ5O2E Bunraku Puppets, 文楽, also known as Ningyō jōruri 人形浄瑠璃, are a form of traditional Japanese Puppet Theatre that began in Osaka in the 17th century. At the January 2019 Hoe-Kago Gyoretsu Parade in Osaka, 宝恵かご行列, I enjoyed a special performance for this annual celebration of abundance. The parade is part of the Ebisu Festival and … Continue reading Bunraku 文楽 Puppets at Osaka Hoe-Kago Gyoretsu Parade 宝恵かご行列
硯 Suzuri Inkstone Made from Kumano Kodō Rock
Cobblestone steps ascending to Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine. Along the steep, cobblestone steps of the Kumano Kodō toward Nachi Taisha Grand Shrine, you will find some souvenir shops, including a Shodo shop. Since I am a Shodo fanatic and love all things associated with it - washi paper, haiku and more, the one souvenir I … Continue reading 硯 Suzuri Inkstone Made from Kumano Kodō Rock
熊野古道, Kumano Kodō: Oyunohara 大斎原
The Oyunohara (大斎原) Otorii Gate, the largest of the Kumano Kodo sanzan. Before 1889, 熊野古道, Kumano Kodō pilgrims arriving at Kumano Hongu Taisha Shrine visited its original site of Oyunohara 大斎原, an island located at the fork of the Iwata River and the Otonashi River in Tanabe, Wakayama. Instead of Misogi, 禊 a Japanese Shinto practice of … Continue reading 熊野古道, Kumano Kodō: Oyunohara 大斎原
Zen and The Art of Swordsmanship for Covid-19
I am moving all day and not moving at all. I am like the moon underneath the waves that ever go on rolling and rocking.
Lafcadio in Japan Code – Seeking A Lost Spiritual Tradition Commemorative Exhibition Catalog Released 日本の文化
Japanese philosophy, mythology, and art lovers alike will fall in love with a unique new e-book Lafcadio in Japan Code - Seeking A Lost Spiritual Tradition. This Exhibition Catalog, doubling as a memory book of the April 22-25 Kyoto exhibition that commemorated the 170th anniversary of Lafcadio Hearn's birth, contains a plethora of art, photography, poetry and prose about Japanese culture from collaborators the world over.
Bringing Mindful Japanese Culture to Our American Home Part I – Food Presentation
How we bring the beauty of traditional Japanese lifestyle and mindfulness into our American home.
Sydney In Osaka 