Hiroko Matsuyama
‘Mu’ Kamon Kamon, Japanese family crests, were first painted on palanquins, clothing, and camp curtains to mark the family name. The kamon on camp curtains and other items was clearly structured and easily...
Where to Buy Best Matcha? 5 Established Matcha Stores in Japan
Where to buy best matcha, you wonder? I assume you must be a lover. So am I. There are not a few Japanese tea stores in Tokyo and Kyoto, where you can buy matcha, but not many stores have English speaking clerks. The...
Kamon the Avant-garde: Interview with Japanese Family Crest Artisans
Kamon: There’s a thousand-year tradition that the Japanese pass their family crests from generation to generation. The family crest is called “Kamon” in Japanese and can be seen everywhere in Japan...
Onryo: Japanese Grudge Spirit and Ghost Stories
creepy doll look scary in high contrast Onryo – Japanese spirits of grudge or ghosts, now popular thanks to films such as The Ring, The Grudge, or Dark Water. Is an Onryo only female with pitch-black long hair...
Shinto Beliefs: 5 Core Values of Japanese Indigenous Religion
The wedded rocks (Meoto Iwa) in Ise, Japan on sunset. The larger of the two rocks represent the husband and the smaller one represents the wife. Shinto beliefs – there is no sacred scripture to read on and follow...
Satoyama: Japanese Mindscape of Nature as Ideal Ecosystem
Shirakawa-go, Gifu Prefecture, where the original scenery of Japan remains. It is also listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site. Satoyama is Japanese Mindscape of nature. Everyone has its own Mindscape of their hometown...
Japanese Patterns: Traditional Motifs and Designs
Japanese Patterns and Designs Full of Dynamic Interpretation of Nature Japanese Patterns – The simplified beauty of nature is seen on fabrics, crafts, and many other places in Japan. Some patterns and designs have...
Changing Role of Miko in Japanese Culture Over Time
Young Miko at a Shinto shrine in Tokyo on a clear morning in Spring. A Miko is a shrine maiden or a supplementary priestess trained to perform sacred tasks in Japan. Miko are Japanese female shamans who have long been...
Japanese Family Crest: List of the Lineage Symbols
Japanese Family Crest – it is only for the Royal Family and the nobles in the western world, the family crest. However, in Japan, every family has its own crest which is called Kamon in Japanese. Its design is...
