This article in Japan Today introduces the Gallery of Horyuji Treasures at the Tokyo National Museum, a little known gallery with lots to offer, including a new digital gallery. (Archived article published in Japan Today.)
Category: Japan World Heritage
A tale of two temples: The historical competition between Enryaku-ji and Mii-dera
This article in Japan Today explores an odd rivalry between two ancient Buddhist temples in the Kansai region. (Archived article in Japan Today.)
Silken Threads Tie Japan and France
Japan has been producing silk since around the third century, raising silkworms for the raw silk threads and then weaving those threads into cloth. Although it is not now regarded as a major silk producer, even as recently as a century ago, Japan was the world’s largest producer/exporter of raw silk, exporting predominately to the … Continue reading Silken Threads Tie Japan and France
Bunraku: narrative stories with human dimension
Although it's been too many years for me to remember the story itself, I still remember the first time I saw Bunraku performed, some forty years ago. I was enchanted by the movements of the dolls and the handlers who manipulated them, not to mention the narration, the music, the costuming and the staging. Bunraku … Continue reading Bunraku: narrative stories with human dimension
A Career Woman’s Trip to Tomioka
I was recently invited to join a group of career women on a trip to Tomioka in Gunma, combining sightseeing, skin care seminars and time for telecommuting. I'd like to share a few highlights, some of which may also be interesting to men. First one may ask, why would career women have any special interest … Continue reading A Career Woman’s Trip to Tomioka
Dragon Quest: Hunting for Dragons in the Mountains of Nikko
This article provides a different perspective on the splendid beauty of the Nikko area and a different way to see the sights of Nikko. (Archived article – Originally published by Japan Today.)
Expanded exhibits at the Tomioka Silk Mill
Gunma's Tomioka Silk Mill is a testament to Japan's rapid industrialization in the latter half of the 19th century. Opened in 1872, it was Japan’s first complete industrial factory system of production and was built with the assistance of various French advisors. The mill ceased operation in 1987, but, thanks to its historical significance, it … Continue reading Expanded exhibits at the Tomioka Silk Mill
Takayama-sha: developing the art and science of sericulture
Gunma Prefecture, some 100 kilometers north of Tokyo, has centuries of history as a silk producing area in Japan. One particular sign that you're in an area where silkworms were once raised are the rooftops of old farm houses, that have one or more raised sections along the ridgepole of the roof, a structure that … Continue reading Takayama-sha: developing the art and science of sericulture
A Goto Island of Quarantine: the perfect place to hide
Since everyone is thinking quarantine, isolation and hiding away these days, I thought it might be appropriate for this month's travel article to be about a place in where such things happened in the past. Enjoy this as "armchair travel" now, and perhaps get there yourself sometime in the future. (Archived article originally published by … Continue reading A Goto Island of Quarantine: the perfect place to hide
Sakitsu: a remote Amakusa port where Christians once concealed themselves
On the west coast of Shimoshima, the largest of the Amakusa Islands of Kyushu, is a large bay known as Yokaku Bay. Because of its location on the East China Sea, the bay, and particularly the town of Sakitsu in a small, but deep, harbor on the north shore, has a centuries-long history as a … Continue reading Sakitsu: a remote Amakusa port where Christians once concealed themselves
Sengan-en and Shuseikan: Exploring samurai values and industrialization
This article introduces a fascinating historical site in Kagoshima. The site is an interesting blend of the lifestyle of samurai lords and some of Japan's earliest attempts at industrialization. Learn more in this article. (Archived article originally published by Japan Today.)
Gunkanjima: an abandoned coal mining town like no other
Students of Japan's modern industrial history may have heard of Gunkanjima. Fans of James Bond movies may recognize it as villain Raoul Silva's abandoned island hideout in Skyfall. Whatever it is, it sure is different! Gunkanjima's real name is Hashima. Coal was discovered on Hashima, a rocky outcrop some 4.5 kilometers west of Nagasaki Peninsula, … Continue reading Gunkanjima: an abandoned coal mining town like no other
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