More glimpses of unfamiliar Japan

The gardens continue to produce an abundance of tomatoes, both large, and cherry. Most of my neighbors trim their tomato plants to a single ...

These are 2 slightly different versions of the Tajkaro mask, one with a moustache, one without. He appears in the Iwato story, wherein Amate...

Yet another manhole cover from the village of Tsuma on Dogo, the largest of the Oki Islands. It shows freshwater salamander, known as sansho...

A Genealogy of 'Japanese' self-images. Eiji Oguma Trans Pacific Press ISBN 1-876843-04-7 435pp Of all the myths propagated about Jap...

Last night was one of my favorite matsuris. It was the Kids kagura matsuri in the nearby village of Ichiyama. We've been every year for ...

This short video was shot 2 weeks ago on the small island of Iwaishima. It shows the beginning of the Kannmai matsuri, as 2 rowboats, acc...

Monkey Raid Sitting at my computer yesterday I heard a rustle in the persimmon tree just outside the screen door. An adult monkey had jump...

The sun sets over a paddy of ripening rice. This photo was taken in my village while walking to Bon Odori.

Inari shrines are immediately recognizable by their "tunnels" of vermillion Torii. Inari is primarily the kami of rice harvest, bu...

Driving along Route 9 as it passes through the town of Nima one is struck by a strange site;- 6 glass and steel pyramids rising out of the h...