June.11

The Art of ‘Rakugo’, Sit-Down Comedy by Pen

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June.17

The Art of ‘Rakugo’, Sit-Down Comedy by Pen

June.17

Rakugo, which literally translates as ‘art of fallen words’, is making a comeback on Japanese stages. Dating b…

June.15

The Tenacious Quest to Find the World’s Best Rice by Taste

June.15

The World’s Best Rice comes in a sturdy, gold-embossed box containing six slender packages. Sold for ¥10,800 f…

June.13

Tohl Narita, an Iconic ‘Tokusatsu’ Visual Artist by Pen

June.13

One of the most important artists in the history of tokusatsu (video productions using special effects) was To…

June.11

Kimono Style: The John C. Weber Collection by Apollo

June.11

Kimono Style at Metropolitan Museum of Art (7 June­–20 February) features a selection of more than 60 kimonos …

May.31

COMME des GARÇONS, Deconstructed Fashion by Rei Kawakubo – by Pen

May.31

Generally associated with the image of the little red heart with black eyes, the brand COMME des GARÇONS, shor…

May.29

Japan Craft 21 Newsletter – May 2022

May.29

Revitalizing crafts for the 21st Century NEWSLETTER, Spring 2022 Journalist Richard Varner interviews Steve Be…

May.27

‘The Mingei Spirit in Japan’, the Revival of Traditional Folk Art by Pen

May.27

  In his book published in 2008, L’Esprit Mingei au Japon (‘The Mingei Spirit in Japan’), general curator…

May.25

Elizabeth Andoh: A Taste of Culture – Earthy GOBŌ

May.25

Gobō (burdock root; Arctium lappa) most likely arrived in Japan from the Asian mainland in the 10th century AD…

May.23

‘Tokyo Godfathers’, in Search of Redemption by Pen

May.23

  Gin, an alcoholic with his life in ruins, Hana, a transgender woman and Miyuki, a teenage runaway, play…

May.21

Japan Perfected the Mortar and Pestle With the Suribachi and Surikogi by Eater

May.21

The ridges in a suribachi, a Japanese mortar, help crush ingredients without bruising them, keep ingredients i…