One Hundred Years of Ukiyo-e at Toshidama Gallery By toshidama Japanese woodblock prints had been fairly commonplace on the Edo scene by the turn of the nineteenth century. What we now term the ‘classical school’; that is, the artists that were satellites of Moronobu, Utamaru, Haronobu and Masanobu, were becoming old and the work – it [...]
Japanese art and Tosa School: Tosa Mitsunobu and power dynamics Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Tosa school of art will always leave a lasting impression on the art of Japan and highlight the richness of culture in this country. This applies to the natural beauty of this art form and the connection with [...]
Japanese art and culture: Hokusai and the soul of Mount Fuji Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Katsushika Hokusai is one of the most internationally famous Japanese artists of all time. He was born in 1760 and died in 1849 and throughout his life he refused to abide by stratification because he was a free [...]
Bonsai Trees in Japanese Prints – Small is Beautiful By toshidama I suppose that if you were to ask most people about traditional Japanese culture, they would talk about geishas and samurai, sushi, kimonos and bonsai trees. It’s likely though that few people would know much about the bonsai tree and probably would not have seen one. [...]
Ogawa Kazumasa: photos of women in the late 19th and early 20th century in Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The photography of Ogawa Kazumasa in this article is based on images of Japanese ladies in the late nineteenth century and early twentieth century. In each image you will find nothing revolutionary nor will you find [...]
Japanese art and Nishikawa Sukenobu: Imperial city of Kyoto, women and politics Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Nishikawa Sukenobu was born in 1671 and until his death in the middle of the eighteenth century, this stunning artist opened up aspects of the role of women in Japanese society. Also, with Sukenobu being based in [...]
Japanese culture and tradition: hanabi taikai Rhiannon Thomas Modern Tokyo Times In July and August, fireworks light up the skies of Japan almost every night. Firework festivals, known in Japanese as hanabi taikai, are some of the most popular events on the Japanese calendar, and while Westerners might associate the summer months with lazy days [...]
Japanese art and Bunjinga (Nanga): the influence of China and Korea in the Edo period Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Bunjinga school of thought ran deep within the literati of Japan during the Edo period. Bunjin (literati) artists trace their artistic roots to the literati of China during the Song Dynasty (960-1267). However, [...]
Japan and the Green Tea Ceremony in history Olivier LeCourt and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese green tea ceremony is internationally famous because of the many angles to this rich cultural tradition. In historical terms this ceremony dates back to the ninth century and once the spiritual angle became associated then new dimensions [...]
Japanese art and Ando Hiroshige: landscapes to erotic art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Ando Hiroshige is deemed to be one of the finest artists to bless the country of Japan and his art influenced famous artists like Van Gogh. Hiroshige leaves a lasting impression because of the work he produced. However, the other [...]
Obon in Japanese culture: honoring the spirits of ancestors Rhiannon Thomas Modern Tokyo Times Obon is a traditional Buddhist festival in Japan to honor the spirits of ancestors. Although it is not an official holiday in Japan, Obon is a popular time for family reunions, when people return home to visit and clean their ancestors’ [...]
Japan tourism and amazing Wakayama: Tanabe City Kumano Tourist Bureau Walter Sebastian and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Wakayama Prefecture (http://www.tb-kumano.jp/en/index.html) is blessed with an extremely stunning landscape. On top of this is the rich cultural history of the region and the religious dimension is unbelievable. In truth, this part of Japan is not [...]
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