If you tried to count on one hand the number of internationally acclaimed Japanese visual artists who have penetrated today’s upper patina of mainstream Western tastes, you probably wouldn’t even need all your culturally astute digits. What is certain is that your list would almost certainly begin with Tokyo native Takashi Murakami. Born in 1962,…

After taking over the reins of the Japanese National Rugby Union Team in January 2007, Head Coach John Kirwan declared that he wanted his players to play with so-called “Samurai Spirit” and become the “world’s fittest team.” Since setting those lofty goals, the team has played in two major tournaments; the Rugby World Cup in…

Kendo, which is translated as the “way of the sword” is a Japanese martial art that is very physically demanding, fast-paced and exciting to watch. Kendo has developed from traditional techniques known as kenjutsu and is one of the modern Japanese martial arts and although it may appear similar to fencing, kendo differs significantly as…

In 1965, the Dutch anthropologist Cornelius Ouwehand and his wife Shizuko, sailed to the remote Okinawan island of Hateruma to undertake research. The series of monochrome images they took of daily life, work and ritual on the island were eventually published under the simple title, ‘Hateruma.’ Their journey to the island in a small craft…

Toby, a likeably taciturn Londoner, is the translator for our interview with Nigo. He tells me I don’t need to take my shoes off when I enter the fashion impresario’s monolithic Setagaya atelier. Being quite soundly institutionalized into this Japanese habit, it feels quite counter-intuitive to leave them on. It just feels wrong wearing shoes…

SKATEBOARDS Traditionally, the skateboard has belonged to punks on the fringe and was relegated to a few skate parks and unwelcome in many public spaces. While surveys of North American teens rank skateboarding the third most popular sport, it does not even make the list in Japan. Even as the number of skate parks decrease…

Kyudo (the way of the bow) is considered by some to be the purest of all martial arts in that it is not only about shooting arrows, but also striving for spiritual development. The use of the bow and arrow in Japan dates back to the earliest people of the islands, the Jomon, hunter-gatherers who…

If one of the by-functions of gardens in general is to bring us into alignment with nature and our inner selves, this is something, which, though rarely stated, is implicitly understood in the Japanese garden. So too is the idea, however vaguely sensed, that gardens can be healing and regenerative. How is it possible though,…

The notion that existence is transient and temporal, and that everything in nature is in flux, is a theme often relayed in Japanese traditional art. Ikebana, the practice of flower arranging, is a perfect example of this, whereby branches, flowers, buds, and vases are used to create a three dimensional sculptural piece that submits to…

Shodo (the way of writing) or Japanese calligraphy is the art of writing beautifully and is practiced by children and enjoyed as a hobby among adults as well. Japanese writing was largely influenced by Chinese writing until the development of the unique hiragana and katakana, whereupon Japanese calligraphy developed into it’s own unique style. Prior…