Articles on Japan & Japanese Culture

Japanese Culture 日本の文化

Japan is a country of culture both traditional Japanese culture, epitomized by Zen stone gardens, ukiyo-e wood-block prints, Kabuki theater, Noh drama, tea ceremony and haiku poetry, and more modern culture represented by manga, anime, cosplay and video games.

Enjoy a range of articles on Japanese culture both traditional and contemporary:

A-Z: Japan - An A-Z listing of Japanese culture: From Anpanman to Zen.

Arashiyama - Kyoto riverside beauty spot.

Japanese Baseball

Baseball - Japanese Baseball.
-Japanese Baseball - An introduction
-A Day Out At The Kyujo - A visit to a Japanese ballpark.
-The Japan Leagues - Japan's Baseball Leagues & MLB.
-Japan / US Baseball - Japan and the Majors.
-Japan / US Baseball II - Japan and the Majors.
-Japan / US Baseball III - Japanese Baseball Players - Over There & Over Hyped
-Ichiro - Robert Whiting's new book on Ichiro
-Koshien - Japan's High School Baseball Tournament.
-Kokoyakyu: High School Baseball - A Review of Kenneth Eng's documentary.

Blood Types - Japanese Blood Types.

Books on Japan

Books on Japan: travel guides, fiction, history, society, art, manga.
-About Ai & From Where I'm Standing - by Court Merrigan.
-An Interview with David Mitchell - author of Cloud Atlas, Ghostwritten & Number 9 Dream.
-Daiko - by Matthew Walsh.
-Short Stories with a Japan theme

Cars

Japan on Wheels - The Japanese Car Experience
Interview with Simon Humphries - Toyota Car Designer
New Toyota Designs 2005 - at Tokyo Motor Show

Cartoons - mini Japanese language lessons - introducing Dozo & Domo by Harrison Wheeler

Clubbing in Japan - The club scene in Tokyo and Osaka: DJs, venues, music.

Cosplay - the fetish of costume play in Japan.

"Cute" Culture - Japan's Soft Power: The Culture of Cute

Disposable Chopsticks - Japan's ecological conundrum.

Dining in Kyoto - Eating al fresco by the Kamogawa River in the ancient capital.

Dowa - Japan's Outcastes

Drinking in Japan - Japan, the drinking culture: beer, sake and whisky.

Earth Embassy / Solar Cafe - Sustainable living on Mt. Fuji.

Expo

Expo 2005 - Aichi Expo 2005.
-Expo 2005 News - Event & Exhibition News.
-Getting To Expo 2005 - Travel details on getting to the Expo near Nagoya.
-New Zealand Pavilion - Interview with New Zealand's Trade & Enterprise's Mike Pattison.
-US Pavilion - A Preview of the American Pavilion.
Finance - Investing in Japan

Famous Japanese People & Foreign Residents Of Japan - Mishima, Kurosawa, and more

Game Centers - Loud Fun

Japanese Festivals

Japanese Festivals - Japan's festival (matsuri) calendar.
- Ako Festival - The 47 Ronin.
-Hina Matsuri - Doll festival.
-Hina Matsuri II - More on the Doll festival.
Hina Matsuri III - Awashima Shrine Doll Festival
Shichi Go San Festival - Children's Festival For 3, 5 and 7 Year-Olds
Sapporo Snow Festivals - Popular Ice Sculpture in February
Tanabata - Japan's summer Star Festival

Japanese Film - Movie Reviews of Japanese films and films about Japan.

Japanese Food

Japanese Food - Japanese food: an overview.
-Dining in Kyoto - Eating al fresco by the Kamogawa River in the ancient capital.
-Fugu - Fugu (blowfish): Japan's deadly delicacy.
-Izakaya - Japan's version of the pub.
-Okinawa Food & Cuisine - Food from the Ryukyu Islands of Okinawa.
-Rice - Japan's 21st Century Farmers.
-Sake: the secret of good sake.
-Seaweed - Essence and Accents from the Sea.
-Soy Sauce (shoyu) - The soy sauce breweries of Yuasa in Wakayama.
-Sushi - Sushi with attitude.
-Takoyaki - Osaka's iconic snack.
-What To Eat - Varieties of Japanese food and Japanese cuisine.

Gambling - Betting in Japan - horse-racing, Toto, pachinko, mahjong.

Japanese Gardens - Japan's famous gardens (Spanish).

Gay Japan

Gay Japan - The Gay Lesbian experience.
Gay Japan - An Overview of Homosexuality in Japan
Japan Gay Listing - Gay & Lesbian bars and clubs in Japan
Tokyo Gay Listing - Gay & Lesbian bars and clubs in the Tokyo area

Geisha - Geisha: Past, Present and Future.
Geisha Tours - Book a Geisha Tour in Kyoto.
Memoirs of a Geisha - movie review.

General Union - General Union for English teachers in Japan.

Gift giving in Japan - The culture of giving and receiving gifts.

Glossary - A glossary of Japanese words and phrases.

Haiku - Japan's popular short poems.

Japanese History

Japanese History
-History - Japan's history from Jomon to the present day.
-Kamikaze: 'On the Wings of Peace: An ex-kamikaze pilot creates a new world'.
-Emigration: Japanese Emigration to Hawaii and the Americas.
-Lafcadio Hearn: Japan's foreign literary giant of the early Meiji Period.
-Ee janai ka: Drunken revels in 1867.
-The Battle of Fushimi Toba: The decisive battle of the Boshin War 1868-69.

Hi-Tech - Japan: High Tech.

Ice Hockey - Japan has an established ice-hockey league.

Interviews - Regge Life, Joan Sinclair, a Kabuki star, and more.

Images of Japan - Japan through the lenses of top photographers.

Kabuki - Japan's traditional theater.
Interview with a kabuki actor- Japan Visitor talks to the kabuki actor Ebizo Ichikawa XI

Karaoke - A look at Japan's export phenomenon.

Koban - Japan's police box system.

Katsuouji Temple - Buddhist Temple famous for Daruma Dolls

Lacquerware - urushi (Japanese lacquerware): so famous worldwide that it was given the name 'japan'.

Language

Language - Studying & Teaching Japanese and English.
-Basic Japanese Language - Basic Japanese and useful phrases.
-Counting in Japanese: the Japanese numbering system explained.
-New Japanese Words - New Japanese words entering the language.

Links - Useful Japan links.

Japanese Music - CD Reviews.
Music Festivals - Fuji Rock, Summer Sonic, Earth Celebration.

Machiya - A look at the revivial of Kyoto's Townhouses.

Match-making - the world of omiai (meetings) and nakodo (go-betweens) in arranged marriages.

Weddings - Japanese wedding ceremonies.

Mobile phone (keitai) use in Japan - Japan is a world-leader in mobile phone innovation and use.

Japanese National Holidays - and important festivals.

Newspapers in Japan - World's biggest circulation.

Nikko - resting place of the Tokugawa

Ninomiya Chuhachi - Japan's aircraft pioneer.

Nishiki Market - Kyoto's Foodie Paradise.

Onsen

Onsen - Japan's hot-springs.
-Onsen nationwide - A guide to Japan's hot-springs.
-Arima Onsen - Hyogo Prefecture.
-Kyushu Onsen - Kyushu's hot springs.
-Yoshidaya Onsen Shimane - Advertise your onsen or ryokan like this.

Pachinko - Gamble with ball bearings.
Pachinko 2 - More on a national obsession.
Photo Essays - A regular look at events in Japan.

Podcast - the sounds of real Japan.

Relations - Japan/Korea relations.

Purikura - Print club craze

Religion
Japanese Gods
Temples & Shrines - Japan's Buddhist temples and Shinto shrines.
Nanzenji - one of Kyoto's most famous temples.
Muroji Temple - a jewel in the mountains of Nara prefecture.

Ryokan - Japanese guest houses.

Sake - the secret of finding good sake.

Sakurajima - active volcano.

Seaweed - Essence and Accents from the Sea.

Sento - Japan's public bath houses.

Seasons in Japan - A seasonal look at Japan.
-Japan in Spring - Cherry blossom (sakura).
Scuba diving in Japan - Where to go for scuba diving near Tokyo.

Shochu - Japan's favorite tipple.

Shodoshima - Japan's olive oil island.

Skiing in Japan - Japan's best mountain resorts.

Sounds of Japan - Sound samples.

Sumo - Sumo wrestling: Japan's national sport.
Sumo Images - Photographs of Japan's national sport.
Tattooing in Japan - Interview with an Osaka tattoo studio owner