MAGAZINE
Min’yō as a Regional Treasure — Reviving the Hometowns of Song Through Global Tourism
Min'yō, the traditional folk songs once sung naturally during rice planting, fishing, child-rearing, and village festivals, were born from everyday life and passed down across generations. But with Japan’s rapid postwar modernization, these songs gradually faded from...
WASONG Beside WASHOKU? — A New Era for Exporting Japanese Sound Culture
In 2013, WASHOKU—traditional Japanese cuisine—was inscribed on UNESCO’s Intangible Cultural Heritage list, drawing global attention. With its emphasis on seasonal presentation, subtle umami flavors, and deep ties to annual traditions, WASHOKU has come to be...
Showa Melodies and the Japanese Soul: Nostalgia Reimagined Around the World
Somewhere in the background, a nostalgic melody begins to play. Songs that once echoed across Japan during the Showa era—kayōkyoku, folk, and enka—are now being rediscovered by young music lovers and scholars around the world. This resurgence goes beyond simply...
Reviving Lost Songs: Min’yō Revival and Its Resonance in Global Culture
Once woven naturally into daily life in Japan’s rural farming and fishing villages, min'yō—traditional Japanese folk songs—were once the voices of everyday life. Songs sung to match the rhythm of rice planting, prayers chanted before setting out to sea, lullabies...
Festivals That Shape Community — How Local Traditions Strengthen Social Bonds in Japan
On summer nights in Japan, the sound of drums fills the air, children in yukata peek into food stalls, and men carry portable shrines with spirited chants. Lanterns glow in shrine courtyards as neighbors gather, smiling and reconnecting. This is the essence of a...
Celebrating Childhood on Life’s “Hare Days” — Japanese Rituals as a Living Story
Shichi-Go-San, Hatsuzekku, entrance ceremonies, Omiyamairi—in Japanese life, a child’s growth is celebrated through a series of special occasions known as hare no hi, or “days of brightness.” In contrast to the ordinary flow of daily life (ke), hare represents moments...
Removing Shoes Indoors — The Invisible Boundary of the “Clean Zone”
In Japanese homes, the practice of removing shoes before entering is more than a practical habit—it represents a symbolic boundary between cleanliness and impurity. While this custom often surprises foreign visitors and prompts the question, “Why?”, it is deeply...
“To Adorn, to Pray, to Receive” — The Aesthetic Spirit of Japanese Seasonal Rituals
Beyond marking seasons or preserving tradition, Japan’s annual rituals embody a deep and quiet aesthetic. At their heart are three gestures: to adorn the space in preparation, to pray with hands folded toward the unseen, and to receive the blessings of nature through...
The Rhythms of Time in the Japanese Calendar — Seasonal Rituals Rooted in Daily Life
While most of us use the Western Gregorian calendar in daily life, Japan also has another: the Wareki, or traditional calendar, rooted in nature’s rhythms. Divided not just into four seasons but into 24 solar terms like Risshun (Beginning of Spring), Keichitsu...
Savoring Japan’s Seasons Through the Senses — How Traditional Rituals Nurture Connection
In spring, the scent of blossoms; in summer, the song of insects; in autumn, the colors of turning leaves; in winter, the warmth of hot water in the hands—Japan’s seasons are not simply changes in temperature, but immersive experiences felt through all five senses....
“Living Edo” Exhibition in London — The Western Fascination with Japan’s Everyday Aesthetics
In the spring of 2025, the Victoria and Albert Museum in London hosted a special exhibition titled “Living Edo: Everyday Beauty and Wisdom.” Far from the typical focus on samurai or ukiyo-e, the exhibition turned its gaze to the lives of ordinary people in Edo...
Closer Than Remote? Why Edo’s “Wellside Gatherings” Still Resonate Today
In Edo Japan, the neighborhood well was more than a source of water—it was the heart of community life. Around it, people naturally gathered, exchanging stories and sharing daily life between household chores. This casual form of interaction, known as idobata kaigi or...
A Culture of Savoring Time — Why International Travelers Are Captivated by Edo-Style Teahouse Experiences
Just off the bustling tourist routes, a quiet side street leads to a hidden retreat. Stepping through a traditional noren curtain, visitors enter a space of low ceilings, tatami floors, gently steaming teacups—and a slower, more mindful flow of time. These...
Quiet Yet Rich — How “Edo Serenity” Offers Healing to the Modern City
In today’s cities, we live amid an overwhelming flood of noise—car horns, smartphone alerts, the hum of machines. Yet increasingly, a noise-weary world is turning its attention to a culture of quiet that once thrived in Edo-period Japan. Life in Edo was remarkably...
Hibachi, Andon, and the Well: The World Rediscovers the Charm of Japan’s Forgotten Tools
Today’s homes are filled with appliances that heat, light, and provide water at the touch of a button. And yet, across Europe and Asia, designers and lifestyle enthusiasts are turning their eyes to tools from a very different time—hibachi braziers, andon paper...