Posted in nature, technology, history, travel and places, kyoto on Apr 28th, 2007 No Comments »
The Hozu River is the designation for the upstream section of the Katsura River, between the Hozu Bridge in Kameoka City and the Togetsu Bridge in Arashiyama. The river originates in the Tanba mountains and finally, south of Kyoto, flows into the Yodo River. It changes name three times, because the upper reaches above […]
Posted in internet, history, anime, news on Mar 19th, 2007 No Comments »
The Tokyo Anime Fair will start on Thursday in Tokyo Big Site and as a warming up Yomiuri.co.jp has published an interesting article about the state of the industry. One thing is that the domestic film boom of last year was fueled by anime. 100,000 visitors are expected, the public opening days are in the […]
Posted in culture, history, kyoto on Mar 6th, 2007 3 Comments »
Do you know the difference between the Three Sen Houses of Tea, the inheritors of the tradition of wabi-cha from Sen Rikyu?
When in 1591 Sen Rikyu was killed by Hideyoshi, his heirs dispersed to seek refuge in the provinces. Hideyoshi was however persuaded by his generals to restore the house of Sen Rikyu and […]
Posted in writing and poetry, history, travel and places, kyoto on Mar 5th, 2007 No Comments »
During my New Year visit (hatsumode) to the Shimogamo Shrine in Kyoto, I also walked into a sort of sub-shrine, that stands to the side at the beginning of the path leading to the main shrine. It is neglected by most people, for me it was also the first time to visit.
Aptly called Kawai Jinja, […]
Posted in writing and poetry, books, history on Feb 23rd, 2007 No Comments »
The great Japan scholar Donald Keene does not need an introduction to readers of this blog, as anyone even slightly interested in Japan is bound to have come across his many translations of Japanese literature, new ( for example, After the Banquet and Thirst for Love by Mishima) and traditional (Essays in Idleness, The Narrow […]
Posted in culture, history, travel and places, kyoto on Jan 9th, 2007 No Comments »
[Street lined with teahouses in Miyagawacho. Photo Ad Blankestijn]
Maiko are going along the teahouses in Miyagawacho, taking notes; they are probably preparing for Hatsuyori, New year’s greetings. Miyagawacho is one of the five hanamachi or geiko quarters in Kyoto. Although less famous than Gion or Pontocho, there are quite some traditional houses left. While the […]
Posted in writing and poetry, history, religion and philosophy, gardens, temples, kyoto on Dec 6th, 2006 No Comments »
One of Kyoto’s most magic places stands in the northwestern part of the city, hidden behind an unobtrusive gateway.
Fifty years ago still countryside, now this has squarely become part of the city. But Shisendo, the Hall of the Poetry Immortals, is in itself contained, a form shut off from its surroundings by tall trees, in […]
Posted in history, travel and places, religion and philosophy, temples on Nov 23rd, 2006 No Comments »
Asuka, in the southern part of the Nara basin, is the cradle of Japanese civilization. In Asuka the first Japanese capital was founded and here Japan was transformed from a loose alliance of clan lords to a state with a clear national consciousness.
Asuka contained magnificent palaces and courtly residences, as well as Japan’s first-ever Buddhist […]
Posted in history, museums on Nov 18th, 2006 No Comments »
The Shinjuku Historical Museum is one of the best of the many city museums about local history in Tokyo. It highlights Shinjuku’s past as a post town.
The displays (all on the basement floor) start with a short section about archeological materials excavated in the ward and another one about Shinjuku in the Middle Ages with […]
Posted in books, movies, history on Oct 12th, 2006 No Comments »
Why is swordsman Miyamoto Musashi so popular? We know almost nothing about him and what we know with any certainty is not very spectacular. Is it because he is the author of The Book of Five Rings? Or is it thanks to the novel by Yoshikawa Eiji and the films by Inagaki and other directors? […]
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