Nagano’s an interesting place. It’s the fourth largest prefecture, with a population of just over two million. It’s landlocked and has the furthest point from the sea in Japan. And it’s bordered by more prefectures than anywhere else in the … Read the rest
Category: General (Page 25 of 25)
Izumo no okuni was the daughter of a blacksmith who started out as a miko (shrine maiden) at Izumo Shrine. She was known for her beauty and her skill at performing sacred dance (kagura). She was therefore chosen … Read the rest
Honeymoon period
On my recent visit to Izumo, where the kami of Japan are presently gathered, I took the opportunity to make a literary pilgrimage to the home of Lafcadio Hearn. Though not well-known abroad, he is treasured in Japan … Read the rest
Alan Watts professed not to be a guru. Well, guess what, Alan… you are a guru to me! Actually, you’re more like a kami, for you still talk to me once a week from beyond the grave, courtesy of ipod…… Read the rest
In prehistoric times immigrants flowed into Japan, sometimes in a trickle and sometimes in a flood. They came for the most part from Korea and China, the bulk flowing through the Korean peninsula which lay under Chinese influence. The result … Read the rest
Is Shinto a religion? it’s an intriguing question that cuts across the arbitrary categorisatiions of East and West.
It is often claimed that Shinto is not so much a religion as a part of Japanese life. For example, you will … Read the rest