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 his…
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The Fox Brothers and Old Tanuki’s Trick Chapter 6
“Wake up, Mitsu.” Kitsu’s voice cut through the darkness. Sunlight jabbed Mitsu’s eyes, and he groaned. His head ached. “What happened?” he asked. “What does it look like?” Kitsu said. “The humans captured us.” He tapped the irons bars of the cage with one of his tails. “What happened to Father?” Mitsu stumbled to his…
The Fox Brothers and Old Tanuki’s Trick Chapter 5
They traveled until mid-afternoon. Father allowed only a few short rests. By the time the fox brothers saw the village, their excitement had worn off, and exhaustion had taken its place. They stopped just inside the tree line and gazed at their first human village. Despite the sight, Mitsu couldn’t help but yawn. Wooden houses…
Sei Shonagon’s Pillow Book
Sei Shonagon’s Pillow Book offers a look at the Imperial court from around 993 to the end of 1000, when she served as a lady-in-waiting for Empress Teishi. We don’t know Sei Shonagon’s true name. The name passed down to us combines the first character (Sei) of her clan name, Kiyowara, and her role at…
Horimiya: Surprisingly Subtle
Horimiya appears to be a standard high-school rom-com, but it quickly shows how it is more. The series focuses on how people have hidden sides to their personalities that slowly reveal to those closest to them. The main characters Hori and Miyamura develop a relationship while discovering these layers. Hori is a popular, head of…
The Possible Impact of NFTs
NFTs, or nonfungible tokens, have appeared throughout the news cycle recently. NFTs use blockchain technology similar to Bitcoin to make a certificate of authenticity for a digital item or to make what amounts to a digital trading card. A certificate of authenticity NFT basically states you own an original or serial-numbered copy of a digital…