Kyoto Sento Imperial Palace: “Hidden Palace” Where an Abdicated Emperor Defied the Tokugawa ShogunateNew!!
Explore Kyoto’s Sento Imperial Palace — a hidden imperial garden built by Emperor Go-Mizunoo after his dramatic abdication from the Tokugawa shogunate.
Chion-in Temple and Honen's Buddhist Revolution in Medieval Japan
Discover how Honen transformed Japanese Buddhism through the practice of Senju Nembutsu and how Chion-in became the head temple of the Jodo sect under Tokugawa patronage.
Urakusai: Nobunaga's Brother and the Samurai Tea Master Who Created Jo-an
Who was Urakusai (有楽斎 / Oda Nagamasu), Oda Nobunaga’s brother and a samurai tea master? Discover the story behind Jo-an (如庵), a National Treasure tea room, and his philosophy. 書籍でさらに詳しく解説。
Bosen Tea Room – Kobori Enshu, Master of the Tea Ceremony and the Aesthetic of Kirei-Sabi
Discover Bosen Tea Room at Kohoan in Kyoto, designed by Kobori Enshu. This elegant tea room at Koho-an embodies the refined tea ceremony aesthetic of kirei-sabi
Raikyuji Temple Garden: Kobori Enshu and the Samurai Aesthetic of Kirei-Sabi
Who was Kobori Enshū, the samurai-era master behind kirei-sabi? Explore how his refined vision shaped Japan’s most iconic gardens, including Raikyuji, Katsura Imperial Villa, and the Sentō Imperial Palace, in Edo era.
Koisihikawa Korakuen, A Tranquil Oasis in Tokyo
Koishikawa Korakuen Garden is designed to resemble the scenery you would see on a journey from Edo to Kyoto. It includes a path through the Kiso region, a large pond modelled on Lake Biwa, the Ooi River, and Togetsukyo Bridge in Kyoto, and the mountain and rural scenery of the area around Kannondo Hall of […]
Battle of Sekigahara: How Tokugawa Ieyasu Won Japan in Just Six Hours
170,000 troops. Just six hours. How did Tokugawa Ieyasu win the Battle of Sekigahara so quickly? Uncover the hidden strategies and alliances behind his victory.
Kairakuen Garden, Three Thousand Plum Trees is Breathtaking
Kairakuen Garden Park is located in Mito city in Ibaraki Prefecture about one hour train journey from Tokyo to the east. It is one of the finest three parks in Japan, following Kenrokuen in Kanazawa and Korakuen in Okayama. In early spring, the light pink, red, and white colors of over one hundred different plum […]
Siege of Osaka: The Last of Toyotomi & Begining of Tokugawa Era
Toyotomi Hideyori, A Wise Man In 1598, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1536-1598, 豊臣秀吉), who had risen from a peasant to become the ruler of Japan as regent, passed away, leaving behind his five-year-old son, Hideyori (1593-1615, 豊臣秀頼). In 1600, the Battle of Sekigahara broke out between Ishida Mitsunari (1560-1600, 石田三成), a loyal vassal of the Toyotomi, and […]
Matsue Castle, Festival, and Tea Culture by Two Great Matsue Lords
Amid the chants of Horan Enya, around 100 boats, adorned with performers wearing colorfu,l splendid costumes, sail through rivers between Lake Shinji and Nakaumi Lagoon in Matsue, the capital of Shimane prefecture. The Horan-Enya Festival is one of three major Shinto boat rituals in Japan, alongside the Tenjin Festival of Osaka Tenmangu Shrine and the […]