110 years ago, a subscriber to the San Francisco Call wrote in to the paper with a seemingly simple question: ‘What is the Shinto religion of the Japanese’? From the forced opening of Japan in 1854 to the present day, the nature of Shinto has gripped the West. Western scholars were eager to discover an …
What connects rotting fish, ninja hand postures, and American race riots? That’s right: sushi! Though it’s exploded in popularity in the last few decades, this iconic food has a long and fascinating history. In fact, the image of ‘sushi’ that’s almost certainly in your mind right now is only around a century old; a fraction …
KYOTO Explore the thousand-year history of Japan’s greatest city When you think of Japan, what comes to mind? Perhaps it is the arts—calligraphy, painted scrolls, woodblock prints, or even anime. Or maybe you picture noble men in samurai armour and painted women in rich kimonos. You might think of the intricate tea ceremony, the Kabuki …