The previous article on seppuku was met with a lot of responses, so I would like to write a follow-up. As mentioned, seppuku initially was not something one did to take responsibility for a mistake, but was done in order to follow a deceased master to death or to kill Read More
Seppuku was a practice only if you were samurai, and it was considered a method in which one died with honor.
But why did the samurai, in the name of “dying an honorable death” choose such a method?
A 5 working day week has become the norm in Japan, but the concept of a “day off” is a something that was only introduced into Japan in the Meiji era. Up until the Edo period, there was no concept of a “week”, and therefore no “days off”. In other Read More
Japanese food is surged in popularity worldwide and is loved for its healthiness. The Japanese food or washoku that we eat now has gone through many changes, yet still keeps some traditional elements. But what about in historical times, when they did not have all the foodstuff we have today? Read More
The Setta (literally meaning “snow sandals”) are a kind of traditional Japanese footwear which were traditionally made with weaved bamboo sheath that was insulated and waterproofed by gluing leather to the sole and lastly metal rivets were attached to the heel for durability. Even in Japan, the opportunities to wear Read More
We have written a number of entries about how the katana appears in many Japanese idioms, these received a wonderful response from everyone. Therefore, we decided to take things a little broader, focusing not only on the sword but on the “samurai” as we explore more idiomatic expressions. Some of Read More
There is a Japanese idiom that directly translates as “win and tighten the thongs of one’s helmet”. When you win a fight and take of your helmet in relief, an enemy might attack you unexpectedly. Even after you win, you should not let your guard down but apply extra caution. Read More
Japanese Armor, or katchū (甲冑; armor and helmet), can largely be categorized into two categories depending on in which period it was made: ō-yoroi (大鎧; great armor) and tōsei-gusoku (当世具足; modern armor) armors. The ō-yoroi first appears during the middle and late Heian period (794~1185), becoming more widespread during the Read More
The Samue (作務衣) was originally a type of work clothes for Zen Buddhist priests in Japan and was something that they would wear when they were cleaning, cutting firewood, working the fields and do other daily tasks around the temple. Since it originally was a type of working garment, it Read More
