Photo: Benjamine Scalvenzi. So much more than just a flower, so much more than just the iconic cherry blossoms of Japan, and a phenomenon you HAVE to see if you’re planning a hike through the Japanese countryside. Once a year, Japan has an almost tangible festive atmosphere, spanning from the first day of Cherry Blossom […]
New Year is known as oshogatsu and is the most important holiday in Japan. Although in recent years Xmas is celebrated, once Dec 25th has passed all Xmas decorations are taken down overnight, to be replaced by traditional ones made of bamboo and pine branches. All duties are supposed to be finished before the end […]
The true story of the 47 Ronin (masterless samurai) is one of the most famous in Japan. It is a tale adapted into countless kabuki plays, bunraku puppet shows, woodblock prints, and later films and television shows. Fictionalized versions of the story are known as Chushingura, and continue to be very popular to this day. […]
