Is the Emperor of Japan mocking the West? When the Imperial family appears at events wearing formal Western wear, does this represent cultural appropriation? This question occurred to me while discussing the Kimono kerfuffle at the Boston Museum of Fine Arts. A second question would be why the change in dress? Did any country and […]
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Shodo & An Empty Mind
In 1985 I met Kobara Ranseki Sensei, an extraordinary master of Japanese calligraphy, with skill in ink painting as well. He was the founder of the Ranseki Sho Juku system of traditional calligraphic art and the co-founder of the Kokusai Shodo Bunka Koryu Kyokai, an international shodo association headquartered in the Tokyo area. Kobara Sensei […]
An Introduction to the Art of Etegami
In recent years, the popular Japanese art form known as etegami (e= image; tegami= letter) has captured the interest and imagination of artists all over the world. The simplest English definition of etegami may well be “Japanese postcard art.” But that phrase hardly does justice to the “the way” of etegami, and I’m happy to […]
Beauty from Brokenness-The Nozomi Project
On 11 March 2011, a powerful earthquake hit eastern Japan, triggering tsunami waves which caused massive amounts of destruction and death in the region. Five years later, the restoration process is still painstakingly ongoing. New construction sites constantly spring up around towns in the region, promising buildings and bridges which are more sturdy and safe. […]