What inspired Murayama, who owned a "hostess" club in Ginza, to leave Tokyo's nightlife and enter the world of Shinto to serve the gods and her...
Recent vandalism at Japan's shrines and temples highlights stresses from tourism and poor cultural education while famous sites seek ways to keep public access.
"Unoha," a Noh play banned for three centuries until the 1990s, was staged at Cape Udozaki, where its story about the birth of Emperor Jimmu's father...
The akagome rice ritual helps preserve a resilient, ancient grain in Tsushima and the ceremony has been recognized as an Intangible Folk Cultural Heritage.
Who doesn't enjoy watching the sumotori performing their high-stomping warmup before a match? But there is far more to the stomp, and sumo, than meets the...
Sugawara no Michizane was an eminent poet of the Heian period. His love of plum blossoms has been passed down over a millennium to the children...
If you visit the Ume Matsuri at Mito Shrine between February 11- March 19 this year, you will be greeted by six charming, kimono-clad Plum Blossom...
The position of women in the Gion Matsuri tradition has changed over the centuries, but the fact is that the Gion Matsuri could never be staged...
"Think of the Yamaboko Junko as a giant, serpentine magnet circulating through the festival zone drawing ekijin spirits of disease into the yama and hoko.”
“I have made it my life’s mission to tell the world, starting with Japan, what a beautiful country this is, and what a rich and inspiring...
August 15 — Despite sweltering weather, thousands of people flocked to the Yasukuni Shrine to commemorate peace and pay respect to those who died in past...
From ancient times, horses, especially white horses, were highly revered in Japan, and it was believed that sometimes kami arrived on horseback.
