Column February 23: The Emperor’s Birthday — and the Japan of 1960, where Shodō (Japanese calligraphy) preserves a kind of quie
February 23 is the Emperor’s BirthdayIn Japan, February 23 is a national holiday celebrating His Maj...
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Column Cat Day in Japan (Feb 22): A Single Character, a Lucky Cat, and the Quiet Power of Shodo Japanese Calligraphy
February 22 is widely known in Japan as Cat Day (Neko no Hi). The date “2-2-2” can be read as nyan-n...
Column When Did Valentine’s Day Start in Japan?
How Japan “Accepts—and Redesigns—Events (for Better and for Worse)” (Japanese culture / Japan and cu...
Column Oni (鬼) in Japanese Calligraphy: Why I Choose This Kanji
Why I stopped treating Oni as “just a villain”In Japan, Oni often appears as the one you drive away—...