To celebrate October (one of my favorite months), I will be posting Japanese folklore in their original English versions. You can find modernized versions of these and other stories in my compilation “Tales from Old Japan.” When the capital of Japan was the city of Kioto, and the mikado dwelt in it with all…
Author: Chris
The Appeal of Yashahime
Yashahime excited me when I saw it debut. Inuyasha was one of my first exposures to anime. I enjoyed its exploration of folklore and the characters. Yashahime continues this exploration. This time, the story delves into Chinese folklore and more obscure Japanese folklore. In the story, various demons from the eastern lands invade the western…
The Diary of Lady Murasaki
Murasaki Shikibu wasn’t her name. Like many female writers in history, we don’t know her real name. Murasaki, however, is a nickname derived from her greatest work The Tale of Genji. She lived during the Heian period, a cultural flowering period in Japan between 794-1192. She was a contemporary with Sei Shonagon and Akazome Emon, two of…
Miyamato Musashi’s “The Way to be Followed Alone” (Dokkodo)
Miyamato Musashi’s work “The Way to be Followed Alone,” or Dokkodo, is the samurai’s lesser known work next to The Book of Five Rings (Gorin no Sho). Musashi is a ronin, or masterless samurai, and considered to be the best samurai who lived. Musashi was born around 1584. His father was named Hirata Munisai, and his mother was called…
Tea Time with Sakuraco
I’m not a subscription box person, but when Sakuraco reached out to me with a demo offer, I thought I’d give it a try. Sakuraco is a company that mails monthly subscription boxes stuffed (and I do mean stuffed!) with goodies from Japan. The box I received was designed for a tea for two. I…
Hinamatsuri, an Anime Review
I rarely find a comedy anime that strikes me as funny. Most have amusing moments amid the tired, over-trod comedy tropes (nude jokes, breast jokes, and the like). but few strike me as funny. Hinamatsuri made me laugh quite often with its antics. Of course, the show has structural problems and over-uses some of its…