Ever since coming to Japan I have wanted to see Kagura, which means "entertaining the gods." It relates the myths of Japan, utilizing sacred Japanese dance and music dedicated to Shinto gods. This year Western Shimane Prefecture's Iwami Kagura Naniwa opened a Kagura theatre in Osaka. My daughter was in town, so we went as a … Continue reading Japan’s Living Mythic Tradition Comes Alive at Iwami Kagura Naniwa in Osaka
It’s a new era, and just as Sen no Rikyū shook up the tea ceremony in the 16th century, WANOBI - Beautiful Japan Foundation seeks to showcase tea-related traditions and Japanese artisans with a modern interpretation at the Takenaka Carpentry Tool Museum in Kobe June 29 - July 28, 2019.
It's plum-blossom time in Japan. My history-buff, Classics major son is visiting us for Spring break, so we wandered around to view some late blooming sites, including Osaka Castle Park. A big secret to view some gorgeous plum blossoms without the massive crowds is to head to the Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses in … Continue reading Open-Air Museum of Old Japanese Farmhouses in Osaka
It's nothing short of a miracle. I can speak Japanese. At least broken Japanese, spewing out a lot of basic verbs and nouns to get the message across (mostly) or ask directions, put a friend in a cab to the Kansai Airport, direct a cab driver to my apartment or tell him when he's at … Continue reading I’m Speaking Japanese! I Really Think So!
Halloween in Japan has been growing a lot. This year I noticed far more Jack'o'lanterns and Western style Halloween decorations than last year. As if it were a orchestrated event, as just about every store or restaurant had some kind of Halloween theme or promotion. Fun! I was excited to take a friend who is … Continue reading Halloween at Universal Studios Japan – Good Kawaii Fun! In Photographs
I love language. Having been denied fluency in the Dutch language from my late Dutch father, who spoke only English to us kids growing up, I was envious of my European cousins who spoke several languages and perfect English. Determined to be a polyglot, I took four years of French in high school and received … Continue reading We Are Learning Japanese, We Really Think So!
