Now and then on my blog I will do a post about the worst of the worst–serial killers. When trying to come up with a premise for this week’s post, I stumbled across the strange and macabre story of Issei Sagawa, a cannibal and minor celebrity. Yes, you read that right: a cannibal and a…
Year: 2012
Shinto
Shinto is the native spiritual system of Japan that we see in various anime and other shows. Also known as kami-no-michi, Shinto is associated with shrines dedicated to various purposes such as war memorials, harvest festivals, love, and others. This article gives a quick overview of Shinto. Many Japanese practice Shinto rituals and also practice…
Taijin Kyofusho–“The Disorder of Fear”
Recently, I came across an article about a culture bound syndrome called Grisis Siknis, the “crazy sickness” of the Miskito people of Nicaragua. This got me wondering if there were any culture bound syndromes specific to Japan. The interesting thing about these type of psychiatric disturbances is that in a very real sense they sum…
Jiro Dreams of Sushi
Jiro Dreams of Sushi is a documentary about an 85 year old living Japanese treasure, Jiro Ono. Jiro elevates sushi into an art. Yet despite his accomplishments he still strives for perfection. His sushi restaurant, Sukiyabashi Jiro, has a Michelin Guide 3 star rating. The best there is.The restaurant is also the first of its…
Anime Stereotypes: The Snooty Girl
We love to hate ’em. They come from a family with more money than the entire nation of Japan. Usually blonde, they are stuck up, prissy, and yet deep down pretty sweet girls. The Snooty Girl is another shorthand staple in high school anime. They are often the main source of headache for the protagonist….
The Gashadokuro
Japan is home to some very strange spirits, to say the least. Not long ago I did a post about an odd breed of spirit that exclusively haunt Japan’s bathrooms. Last night I was poking around, looking for more Japanese ghouls and goblins when I came across the Gashadokuro (also known as the Odokuro). While…