This article takes visitors on a day trip to an outdoor architectural park in Kawasaki featuring centuries-old traditional wooden houses from eastern Japan, as well as opportunities to experience some traditional crafts common in that time period. (Archived article first published in Japan Today.)
My latest Japan Today article explores an historic trading center in Kyushu that has preserved many of its Edo Period craft traditions, and gives visitors a chance to check them out! (Archived article, first published in Japan Today)
This article in All About Japan explains Japan's handicraft of homespun silk and how what was once the only silk fabric permitted to commoners has become a highly desirable luxury folk craft. (Archived article originally published in All About Japan)
This Japan Today article examines the delights of the onsen area in northwestern Miyagi Prefecture known as Naruko Onsen. There is a lot to do here, yet for many it is an "off the beaten path" destination. (Archived article published in Japan Today.)
This article, published in the March 2024 edition of Number 1 Shimbun, examines various programs in Oita Prefecture designed to reverse the prefecture's demographic decline. (Archived article from Number 1 Shimbun)
Augustus the Strong (1670-1733), Elector of Saxony and King of Poland, was an ambitious man who sought to surround himself in the trappings of wealth and power. Perhaps for this reason, he became an avid collector of porcelains from China and Japan, precious and rare in Europe at the end of the seventeenth century, a … Continue reading Zwinger: A Palace for Porcelains
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
I recently had the chance to learn about Nishinouchi Washi, which is a particularly durable form of handmade washi paper. I also learned about some of its particular uses, included turning into cloth for garments and making chochin paper lanterns. Read about it in this article in All About Japan.
You don't have to go very far in Okinawa before you encounter shisa, in pairs or alone. Sometimes whimsical, sometimes serious, they are found on roof tops and gatehouses of houses, on shelves inside shops and restaurants, pretty much everywhere you go. These little creatures are tasked with warding off evil and bringing luck. Although … Continue reading Shisa: Lucky Lion-dogs of Loo-choo
Not long ago I was commissioned to work on a major project to promote the island of Kyushu as a destination. I was asked to write fairly long pieces on each of several themes, largely to provide background information to spark interest. Those pieces, listed below, are now an information resource called the Kyushu Online … Continue reading Kyushu Online Media Center: Stories
In July I moderated a panel discussion at the Foreign Correspondents' Club on Japanese traditional crafts and their struggle to survive and be relevant in our modern world. My summary of that session is in the September issue of Number 1 Shimbun.
This article looks at the Miyagi coastal town of Minami Sanriku, badly damaged by the 2011 tsunami, but surviving and thriving with lots of interesting things for tourists to see and do. (Archived article – Originally published by Japan Today.)
Jigsaw Japan 