Spiritual Heritage Passed Down From The Ancient Jomon Period

trail lights at dusk

The Meyasubako (目安箱, suggestion box) was installed in front of the Tokugawa Shogunate’s Council of Ministers (評定所) in 1721. The Meyasubako, which was set up by the eighth shogun, Yoshimune (吉宗, 1716-1745), as one of the Kyoho Reforms (享保の改革), allowed anyone, except…

The Significance Of Living On A Journey

man and camels on desert

Oases are places where water miraculously springs up and greenery spreads across the vast, dry desert, which is a harsh environment for any living thing. Just the arrangement of the letters, the sound and resonance of the word “ou-éi-si-s” somehow…

Cultural Inheritance Through An Ecological Perspective

serene snow landscape with footprints at sunset

In period dramas set in the Edo period (1603-1868), the standard job of ronin (浪人 or 牢人, masterless samurai) is, above all, reupholstering umbrellas. Many people have probably seen the scene where a ronin brushes glue onto a bamboo frame and…

Exploring Post-War Societal Construction Through Godzilla

Godzilla is a kaiju. Godzilla is a gigantic creature that spits destructive rays, is unfazed by the barrage of high-tech weaponry, and marches forward while mercilessly destroying even the most sturdy modern urban buildings and infrastructure in its path. Although…

Translate »