The Koi Fish also referred to as Nishikigoi (錦鯉, literally “brocaded carp”) is a domestic variant of the wild Amur carp that symbolizes tenacity, endurance, bravery, and love all at once. Today, the Koi carp has became an iconic and meaningful symbol in Japan. As a result, it also plays a significant role in Japanese tattoos and Japanese art while also […]
Techwear (short for “technical wear”) refers to a type of clothing made from technical fabrics designed for water-resistance, breathability, windproof and comfort such as GORE-TEX, Primaloft nylon and Polartec fleece. Inspired by Japanese Fashion, futuristic movies, and video games like cyberpunk 2077, Techwear Fashion is also associated to Techwear Aesthetic, a specific type of aesthetic combining both Futuristic and Urban fashion aesthetics. Are […]
Shodō (書 道, “way of writing”) also called Shūji (習字) is the art of Japanese calligraphy inspired by Chinese calligraphy and introduced in Japan from China in the 6th century AD during the medieval Tang dynasty. The art of Japanese calligraphy is produced by writing with Sumi (墨, “inkstick”) and a fude (筆, “brush”) on paper, […]
In the Land of the Rising Sun, nature has a great place in Japanese culture; Plants, trees and flowers are almost sacred, and each month of the year is an opportunity to celebrate the blooming of a flower and its significance. To the extent that a whole symbolism language of flowers has been developed over the last […]
When people think about sports in Japan, most of them often think about Sumo, Karate, Aikido or any other type of martial art. But even though Japan has spent much of its history isolated from the rest of the world, however, the country quickly adopted a wide number of sports which were introduced when it opened itself to other […]
The Land of the Rising Sun is full of cultural and gastronomic treasures. Beyond the Japanese gastronomy and its well-known dishes such as sushi or ramen, Japan also owns delicious and sometimes unknown alcohols referred to as “sake”. Indeed, in Japan, most Japanese people use the term sake (酒, lit. Alcohol) as a generic term for any alcoholic beverages. […]
One thing is for sure, in Japan, the most symbolic garment you can find is definitely the Japanese Kimono in all its splendor. However, did you know that there are many different types of Kimono worn on different occasions and at different times in a Japanese person’s life? Why do you ask? Well, the reason […]
A Geisha (芸者, lit. “Person of art”), also known as Geiko (芸子) or Geigi (芸妓) depending of the region, is a Japanese woman who practices and masters the traditional Japanese arts such as dances, fanning, singing, playing instruments, ikebana (floral composition) and the art of conversation. The profession of Geisha, practiced at first by men called […]
During the Feodal Japan era, Japanese relied heavily on the universe of Yokai to explain multiple aspects of their daily lives. That is the main reason why these monsters, spirits and ghosts became so popular in various arts such as literature, theater or music. However none was as feared as the Hannya, the Japanese female monster. The Hannya (般若の面, […]
Since the influenza A pandemic in 2009, the world seems to have discovered the possible use of the sanitary masks 😷. In Japan, it is since 2011 that we have seen a huge increase of Japanese people wearing masks following a possible nuclear contamination related to the Fukushima power plant. Previously (especially in the 1990s) we heard that in Japan, mainly […]
