Category: Nonfiction

When Someone You Loved Dies

On grief.

METROPOLIS  

A philosophical and evocative piece on cities.

Uncle Goldfish

The author describes and writes of an old friend, a retired gangster.

Insight on a Rainy Day

The author writes of her relationship with the Heart Sutra.

Gods of Useless Things

The author writes about adventures in collecting sodai gomi in his town.

What Japan’s 1,150-year-old Gion Festival can teach us about sustainability

Challenges with sustainability and the Gion Festival.

Spirit of Shizen: Seasons of the Seto Inland Sea

A poignant description of life on Shiraishi Island.

Encountering Japan in India

A significant trip to India.

Kamisaka Sekka and the Renewal of Rinpa

A beautifully illustrated piece on the Rinpa school of Japanese painting.

Home away from home

Photos and text on a Japanese garden in Kaiserslautern.

Unsung Flora

On cherry blossoms and wild grasses; both are beautiful.

Things Japanese, found in translation

A grateful reflection on the gift of translation as the author cannot read the original works..

Phantom Kyoto

The author awaits the moment he can return to Kyoto.

Glimpses of David Bowie in Kyoto

A detailed account of David Bowie in Kyoto.

Crawling Curmudgeonly along Hiei’s Eastern Hills

Taylor's on the move again hiking and wandering through temples.

Book Review: The Widow, The Priest, and the Octopus Hunter, by Amy Chavez

A review of a book that tells the story of an aging island community.

Yin-yang, symbolism and the Gion Festival

A short piece on the history of the yin yang symbol and Gion Matsuri.

Winter Wonderings of Body and Mind

It's cold out there. More whimsical and wise poetry from Ed.

Electronic musician Hajime Fukuma: An appreciation

A piece on the life and music of the late Hajime Fukuma.

Serendipity and ‘A Kyoto Romance’

The author describes her friendship with artist Teruhide Kato and his artwork.

Shinrin-yoku in Squirrel’s Forest

A short piece on the grove as a refuge for both humans and squirrels.

Edward Bramwell Clarke in Kyoto

A biographical sketch of a British professor in Kyoto.

Masterpiece: Gardens as Art

A thoughtful piece on the aesthetics of Japanese gardens.

Memoirs of a Japanese Nurse pt 3

Hajimeko Takeda’s Notes by a Japanese Nurse Sent to France or Women Soldiers Dispatched to Europe: the Japanese Red Cross Relief Corps and the First World War.