Culture
Martin Scorsese’s Soul-Searching “Silence”
“I’d really like to do Silence right now… it’s been on my mind since 1990… it’s going to be tricky […]
Culture
“The Maturity of Faith”: An Interview with Martin Scorsese
On the occasion of his acceptance of the Praemium Imperiale prize, awarded annually by the Japan Art Association with ho
Culture
Martial Arts, Movies, Manga and Anime | The Many Gateways to Japanese Sword Culture
In my youth, my introduction to Japanese swords (as with many other people) was via martial arts, […]
Culture
The Role of the Japanese Sword in Noh and Kyogen
Someone once said that studying the Japanese sword is one of the quickest ways to get a profound understanding [&helli
Culture
Historical Japanese Sword ‘Kotetsu Katana of Kondo Isami’ Discovered
After more than 250 years of rule, the Tokugawa government’s power had begun to wane. The Japanese people had [&hellip
Sports
The Japanese National Rugby Team: Samurai by Another Name
Rugby fever continues to grip Japan even though the World Cup finished several months ago. In 2020, […]
Culture
The British in Bakumatsu Japan: The Tozenji Incident
(First of 3 Parts) The Bakumatsu era and subsequent Meiji restoration was a turbulent time in Japan. It […]
Culture
A Search in Fukushima: Are Soma’s Warriors the Last Samurai?
Last of Three Parts Part 1: Samurai Spirit of Fukushima: The Shonentai Youth Corps of Nihonmatsu Castle Part [&helli
Culture
Do Japanese Art Swords Surrendered after WWII Constitute War Loot?
In recent times, there have been many cases of war loot being repatriated to the original owners, their […]
Travel
In Search of the Samurai Spirit of Fukushima: The Heroes of Aizu
Second of Three Parts Part 1: Samurai Spirit of Fukushima: The Shonentai Youth Corps of Nihonmatsu Castle [&hellip
Special Reports
Ushering in the Reiwa Era: The Importance of the Three Sacred Treasures
Recently, the current Emperor Heisei emerged from Ise shrine with the three sacred treasures of the Imperial regalia,
Travel
Samurai Spirit of Fukushima: The Shonentai Youth Corps of Nihonmatsu Castle
(First of 3 Parts) At the end of the Edo period (1600-1868), Japan was in turmoil. There had […]