2018

The meaning of the frog and old pond haiku poem by Matsuo Basho

The fact of the most famous haiku poem in Japan. The most famous haiku poem of the most famous haiku poet in Japan.   古池や 蛙飛び込む 水の音 The old pond A frog leaps in. Sound of the water.   It’s a very simple poem. Matsuo Basho (1644-1694) composed it at a haiku gathering in 1686 when he […]

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Check the woodblock prints of Kawase Hasui with posters on Amazon

Outstanding woodblock artist Kawase Hasui   Kawase Hasui (1883-1957) is an ukiyo-e artist, woodblock printmaker in Taisho and Showa Period in Japan. His real name is Kawase Bunjiro.   He was one of the artists who established Shin-hanga (new ukiyo-e woodblock prints) including Yoshida Hiroshi, Ito Shinsui, Takahashi Shotei, and Tsuchiya Koitsu. They worked artistic

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Utagawa Hiroshige’s “Hakone, the view of Ashinoko Lake” landscape ukiyo-e print

“Hakone, the view of Ashinoko Lake” from Fifty-Three Stages on the Tokaido   It is a masterpiece Utagawa Hiroshige (1797-1858)‘s artworks painted by a combination of various colors and unusual shapes of Mt Hakone. The ancient Japanese people called Hakone Pass as “The most precipitous in the country, the abyssal ravine”.   Hiroshige drew the overflowing

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the entrance of Ise shrine

Introduction of Shinto shrine (jinja) in Japan

    Shrines in Japan deify various Shinto gods. Because Shinto have Yaoyorozu-no Kami(八百万の神, eight million gods) which means myriad gods. In other words, it is polytheism. Not only the gods from the myth, such as Kojiki(古事記), but also the nature and personal belongings.   Originally, the religion started from the nature worship in ancient time. People

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Learn about ukiyo-e woodblock! Definition, history, famous artists and prints

What is a “ukiyo-e”? An introduction to Japanese woodblock printing Ukiyo-e  (pronounciation:uː.ˈki.oʊ.ˌeɪ, uːˌkiːjəʊˈeɪ. 浮世絵 in kanji) is essential field in Japanese art . The art never developed without the common people of the Edo Period.   Sponsored Links   It is said that the beginning of the ukiyo-e, the Japanese art of woodblock printings, is the pictures of Kyoto

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Imari ware (Arita ware) for classic Japanese style tea cups

Japanese yunomi style tea cup of Arita (Imari)-yaki ceramic on Amazon <p style=”text-align: center;”><a title=”Sencha Tea Cup utw448-1-694 [3.8 x 3.4 inch 5.1floz] Japanece ceramic Imari Aya Kon pumping tableware” href=”https://www.amazon.com/utw448-1-694-5-1floz-Japanece-ceramic-tableware/dp/B00T8RPIIK?SubscriptionId=AKIAJRKC6WE3NL42JJSQ&amp;tag=hachihachi-20&amp;linkCode=xm2&amp;camp=2025&amp;creative=165953&amp;creativeASIN=B00T8RPIIK” target=”_blank” rel=”noopener noreferrer”><img src=”https://images-na.ssl-images-amazon.com/images/I/41KYCEtjCFL.jpg” alt=”Sencha Tea Cup utw448-1-694 [3.8 x 3.4 inch 5.1floz] Japanece ceramic Imari Aya Kon pumping tableware” width=”500″ height=”500″ /></a></p> Imari-yaki

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