Sitting on the top floor of the University of Nebraska-Lincoln’s Jackie Gaughan Multicultural Center, the Kawasaki Reading Room is a culture and resource center dedicated to all things Japanese. A cultural connection between Japan and the American Great Plains feels unlikely, but in fact, the Kawasaki Reading Room is a busy little space that is … Continue reading Kawasaki Reading Room: A Japanese Culture Center for Nebraska
Month: August 2022
Suizenji Garden: one of the finest of Japan’s feudal samurai strolling gardens
This travel article for Japan Today visits Suizenji Jojuen, a traditional samurai strolling garden of the feudal age and an absolute must-see for visitors to Kumamoto. (Archived article in Japan Today.)
Seattle Japanese Garden: a place where samurai could stroll
Step through the wooden gate of Seattle's Japanese Garden and you may think you have been instantly transported to Japan. This garden, opened in 1960 but conceptualized five decades earlier, is well-established with trees and shrubs that thrive in both the climate of Japan and Seattle's climate. It symbolizes the close relationship between two nations … Continue reading Seattle Japanese Garden: a place where samurai could stroll
A Garden of Japanese Icons in Nebraska
At first blush, one might think a Japanese garden in a little valley near the Missouri River in the middle of America to be incongruous. Yet, armed with knowledge of the sister city relationship between Omaha and Shizuoka and standing back to admire the physical situation of the garden, it all makes perfect sense. Omaha, … Continue reading A Garden of Japanese Icons in Nebraska
Hitachino Nest: The Happiness of Beer on a Hot Summer Day
Craft beers have proliferated in Japan since the deregulation of beer production in the mid-1990s. One of the early leaders in micro-brewing is Kiuchi Brewery, an Ibaraki brewery that started making sake in 1823 and first produced beer in 1996. Kiuchi Brewery's beer is branded Hitachino Nest, with a cute little owl on the label. … Continue reading Hitachino Nest: The Happiness of Beer on a Hot Summer Day