tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557Fri, 03 Apr 2026 00:57:22 +0000ArtswordsmanshipsamuraiMusashiMiyamoto Musashisumi-estrategyThe Samurai Mindhistoryink paintingMartial artsZensymbolismlearningGorin no Shosamurai artFushikihenKano schoolbookssamurai historyHasegawa TohakuMatsuura SeizanSakamoto RyomaVictor HarrisYamaoka Tesshumonkey reaching for the moonscreen paintingsswordBakumatsuHirayama ShiryuJoseishi KendanKano SansetsuKyotoMuqiNeo-ConfucianismShimada Bijutsukanaestheticskenjutsu swordsmanshipmoviessamurai generalstsubazengaAutumn leavesBook of Five RingsIto JakuchuKano EitokuKano TanyuSaigo TakamoriYagyu Jubeigibbonhard trainingkatakoshiraemomijisamurai arms and armoursumi-e dragonA Book of Five RingsBukodenBushu DenraikiGanryuHeigenHikita BungoroHokusaiHosokawa tadaokiIchiro OzawaIkedayaInoue TakehikoIshida MitsunariKaiho YushoKuroda JosuiMaruyama OkyoMokkeiNagasawa RosetsuNeko no MyojutsuNijo CastleOmori SogenOtake RisukeRat's headRoald KnutsenSanada YukimuraSekigaharaShinkage ryuTakahashi DeishuTakuanToda SeigenUtagawa KuniyoshiYagyu MunenoriYagyu RenyasaiYagyu SekishusaiZen and the SwordZen artbusiness strategycalligraphydragoniaijutsukiaikokorokumadenamako tsubapoliticsregional strategysamurai bookssamurai symbolssojutsuspearspirit forgingyari10 ox herding pictures1930s mystery1940 Tokyo Olympic Games35 Articles of StrategyA life in ArmsAiden O’ReillyAkuzawa MinoruAlexander BennetAlexander BennettAme AgaruAutumn LightningBada ShanrenBai JuyiBakinBankei YotakuBashoBattle of MikatagaharaBattle of Nagashino researchBattle of the Twelve AnimalsBukko KokushiC.J. HellmanChe RongChiba SanoChina SadakichiChinese paintingChinese strategyChris GouldDaibosatsu TogeDaisho-reki calendarDate MasamuneDave LowryDeath of a SamuraiDemon SlayerDonn Draeger lettersDuel at Hannyazaka HeightsE.J. HarrisonEisei-Bunko CollectionElephant and WhaleEric ShahanFallen BlossomFazangFoujita TsuguharuFuden RyuFuruta OribeGohattoGolden SpringGotō SadayukiGuo ZhongshuGyozoHakukyoiHareHeita TanenagaHidenHino AkiraHirayama KozoHiroyuki SanadaHojo TokimuneHojo UjiyasuHojo YasutokiHokushin Itto ryuHokushin Ittō-ryūHotei riding a bullHozo-inI-chingIchikawa RaizoIchikukaiIchimeiIshikawa IdayuuIwasa MatabeiJapanese aestheticsJapanese dragon paintingJapanese historical fictionJapanese horse sizeJapanese kerriaJapanese snake paintingsJapanese spearJapanese swordsJapanese swordsmanshipJapanese swordsmenJapanese symbolismJapanese tiger paintingsJuniruikassenKagemushaKaito YushoKakunKan'ei Miyamoto Musashi DenKaneieKano MitsunobuKano SanrakuKano Sanraku emaKano TanshinKasshi YawaKasuga Gongen E-MakiKatakiuchi GanryujimaKatayama HisayasuKato IsaoKato KiyomasaKato YasuokiKatsushika HokusaiKendo WorldKenjutsuronKennen-jiKensetsuKiai-Jutsu Sakkatsu JizaiKidomaruKimetsu no YaibaKiso horseKiyokawa HachiroKogan GengeiKojikiKokoro no KatachiKomagawa Kaishin RyuKondo IsamiKono YoshinoriKozoKozure OkamiKumamoto Prefectural MuseumKumashiro HikotarōKuniyoshiKuroda KanbeiKuroda NagamasaKuroda TetsuzanKuroda YasumasaKyoto ButokudenLa Mente del SamuraiLeonard FoujitaLiang KaiLin ChongLin ChungLone Wolf and CubMaitreya BodhisattvaMangiarottiMaruyama KenjiMasayoshi SonMatsuda HidenobuMatsuo BasshoMatsura SeizanMiroku BosatsuMiura HarumaMiyamoto Musashi filmsMiyamoto Musashi portraitMiyamoto Musashi storiesMiyamoto Musashi's dragon paintingMugai RyuMugaku SogenMusashi's bokkenMuso Jikiden Eishin ryuMutsu no Kami YoshiyukiNadiNagaoka NaoyukiNakahara NantenboNakamura KinnosukeNakanoshima Kosetsu MuseumNakazato KaizanNambu horseNanzen-ji templeNew Year AnimalsNishimura GounNobumasa KawamotoNoguchi TetsuyaNyoirin KannonOda NobunagaOishi KuranosukeOlympicsOta DokanOtsuka YoshitoshiPrincess OsakabeR. KnutsenRashomonRediscovering Budo from a Swordsman's PerspectiveRediscovering Budo: from a Swordsmans’s PerspectiveRise of the RoninSAnada MasyukiSakkatsu JizaiSamurai High SchoolSamurai SoulSanada MaruSanada NobushigeSanada NobuyukiSanjo BridgeSasaki KojiroScroll of the Mongol InvasionSego-donSekigahara (2017)Sekiguchi YataroSen no RikyuSenkiSesshuSesson ShukeiSeven SamuraiShi-keShiba inuShiboku gaShih ChinShih JinShimada ToranosukeShingyoto RyuShinkyu-ryuShinsengumiShinsengumiswordShinto shrineShirakura DengoemonShosho RyuShubunShumpukanSoma DaisakuSt. Regis HotelSuikodenSuio RyuSumitomo CollectionTSKSRTaira TadamoriTaira no YorimoriTakamura KounTakarazukaTakashi MiikeTakeda ShingenTeaTengu GeijutsuronTenshin Shoden Katori Shinto RyuThe Art of a Zen MasterThe BetrayalThe Book of Five RingsThe Demon's Sermon on the Martial ArtsThe Fighting Spirit of JapanThe Last SamuraiThe Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s TailThe Mysterious Skills of the Old CatThe Sword of DoomThe Tale of GenjiThe Tiger's GateThe Water MarginThe Year of the ratTokugawa IeyasuTokyo NoirToyota MasakataToyotomi HideyoshiTsuki no ShoTsukigata RyunosukeTsukue RyunosukeTsukuhara BokudenTwo swords: an Illustrated Tale of BraveryUchida TomoUemura ShoenUesugi KenshinUesugi Kenshin Family PreceptsUlfulsUtagawa YoshitoraVagabondVagabond sumi-eWang MoWatanabe ShoteiWilliam ReedWilliam de LangeYagyu JyubeiYagyu Shinkage ryuYagyu tsubaYamada JirokichiYamaguchi AkiraYamamoto KansukeYamauchi-haYan ZhenqingYear of the SnakeYoshitoshiYukiyo-eYunmenZen calligraphyZuiganjiarmoured combatbasicsbead treebear's claw rakebell misogiboarbokkenbokutobudo risubugeibujutsubullbull's neckcatfish and gourdchadochanoyudragon and tiger paintingduelflower symbolismfroggibbon paintinggoathanikadahiganbanahyoshiiaiinoshishiinuoumonokakubutsu-chichikarashishikenjutsukikiaijutsukodachikoyokyudolions roarmamangamanjushagemilitary divinationminomisogimonkeymountain rosemousenamazu tsubanantennatureorganising knowledgeotonashi no kamaeoxox's neckpoetryprince kaneakirarabbitratred leaves cutred maplesred spider lilyryu-hasakurasamurai and flowerssamurai helmetsamurai horse lawsamurai law enforcementsamurai legendssamurai pastimessamurai strategysamurai symbolismsamurai tourismsamurai trainingsamurai weaponssasumatasaya no uchiseigansekireisekirei nakusekirei no osendansheepshishishorin-zushort swordshuai chiao paintingshugyoshuitsu mutekisoccersodegaramisquirrel and grapesstraw raincoatsumi-e tigersword mountingstameshi giritantotanto-chokunyutea ceremonytengutoshiyatranslationtsubamekaeshitsukubowabi-chawabi-sabiwagtailwakizashiwater symbolism in swordsmanshipxinyi poemyamabukiyawarajutsuyijingyoko ichimonjiSumi-e, strategy and swordsmanship - inspired by the arts of Miyamoto Musashihttp://ichijoji.blogspot.com/noreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)Blogger138125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-605692804311581216Tue, 24 Mar 2026 08:38:00 +00002026-04-02T17:57:22.122-07:00E.J. HarrisonKakunkiaiKiai-Jutsu Sakkatsu JizaikiaijutsuKozure OkamiKumashiro HikotarōLone Wolf and CubSakkatsu JizaiTakeda ShingenThe Fighting Spirit of JapanUesugi Kenshin Family PreceptsFrom Jujutsu ken bo zukai hiketsu (1887), one of a number of publications dating from the beginning of the Meiji era, aiming to explain martial arts and related disciplines to a general audience. I have no parents; I make the heavens and the earth my parents. I have no home; I make saika tanden my home. I have no divine power; I make honesty my divine power.Thus begins a series of http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2026/03/rinki-ohen-adaptability-to-all.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-7838262109147431896Mon, 23 Feb 2026 12:23:00 +00002026-02-23T05:04:57.100-08:00bugeibujutsukataorganising knowledgeryu-haShinto shrineIt's well into 2026 now, but the catalyst for this rather freewheeling essay was something that is particularly noticeable around the end of the year, when everything is thoroughly swept and tidied in preparation for the New Year holiday – the aesthetic of neatness and simplicity. You can almost feel it as you walk along the streets, even in some of the downtown areas. It is also there http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2026/02/simplicity-in-chaos-aesthetic-of-kata.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-3506185599666788883Wed, 28 Jan 2026 11:10:00 +00002026-01-28T19:12:15.915-08:00Ame AgarubokkenbokutoGohattoHiroyuki SanadaMugai RyuOtake RisukeThe Last SamuraiIt's a little dark, but you get the idea – a practice fight with bokuto from the film GohattoI’m not a collector – these days, space is at a premium, so I rigorously avoid stimulating any such instinct I may still have, but the other day I chanced upon something that was rather nice, and a steal for the price.I found it in a junk shop – Japanese antique shops tend to be rather pricey, but cheaperhttp://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2026/01/when-is-sword-not-sword-when-its-bokuto.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-3927501832716020117Wed, 31 Dec 2025 12:29:00 +00002025-12-31T04:29:12.376-08:00Battle of Nagashino researchJapanese horse sizeKagemushaKano Sanraku emaKiso horseNambu horsesamurai horse law Kano Sanraku (his signature is there in the bottom left corner) - a votive plaque (ema)Horses were, of course, a huge part of the life of the bushi. After all, samurai were, from an early period, mounted warriors. there is so much horse lore associated with them that it is a specialist subject, and one that I am not really qualified to say much about - the few times I went riding were long,http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2025/12/happy-new-year-2026-year-of-horse-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-2197897427530782171Thu, 20 Nov 2025 08:18:00 +00002025-11-20T00:18:33.760-08:00Eric ShahanKan'ei Miyamoto Musashi DenMiyamoto MusashiPrincess Osakabesamurai artsamurai legendsSekiguchi YatarotenguTwo swords: an Illustrated Tale of BraveryUtagawa KuniyoshiThere are plenty of questions (and, indeed, legends) surrounding Musashi’s life – where was he born? What, if anything, did he study as a child? Did he fight in the Battle of Sekigahara? Why is there no real record of Sasaki Kojiro? – to name just a few. However, in the fiction of the Edo period, he had another career – slayer of monstrous beasts.These stories are clearly fictional (unlike his http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2025/11/miyamoto-musashi-yokai-fighter-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-4081722657536914892Wed, 08 Oct 2025 08:46:00 +00002025-10-20T02:32:36.731-07:00Duel at Hannyazaka HeightsHozo-inMartial artsMiyamoto Musashi filmsMiyamoto Musashi storiesNakamura KinnosukeswordsmanshipUchida TomoA dynamic illustration of Musashi by Noriyoshi OhraiYou read enough on a subject, and sooner or later you come to find yourself going round in circles. These days, it seems almost everything you read about Musashi online seems to be rehashing the same information. And don’t get me started on the rash of ‘new translations’ of Gorin no Sho which seem to be blatant copies of the classic translation http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2025/10/a-musashi-miscellany-assorted-stories.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-2219359073717194293Thu, 24 Jul 2025 06:48:00 +00002025-07-23T23:48:55.614-07:00Gorin no ShoMiyamoto MusashiRashomonSeven Samuraiwater symbolism in swordsmanshipTravellers sheltering from the rain‘This endless rain’ wrote Ki no Tsurayuki in the 10th century in a poem about the rainy season. This is a sentiment shared by many in Japan at this time of year, although as that season, exceptionally short this year, ended more than two weeks ago, perhaps less so than usual. Nevertheless, I seem to have been dodging sudden downpours ever since – what is known http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2025/07/early-summer-rains-water-and-weather-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-2677233910499466218Tue, 20 May 2025 10:18:00 +00002025-05-29T01:45:49.695-07:00C.J. HellmanFallen BlossomFuden RyuHirayama KozoHirayama ShiryuKensetsukodachiSekigahara (2017)short swordSoma DaisakuTaira Tadamoritantotanto-chokunyuToda Seigenwakizashi Still from the movie Sekigahara (2017) – good use of a short sword.The katana is, perhaps, the sword most closely associated with the samurai, but it is worth remembering that the short sword was a consistent part of the equipment of the bushi class throughout their history, and the exclusive right to bear two swords became a defining privilege of that class during the Tokugawa period. It http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2025/05/short-swords-tanto-chokunyu-getting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-3475042649857032156Sun, 16 Mar 2025 06:11:00 +00002025-03-15T23:11:48.666-07:00Alexander Bennetarmoured combatChris GouldJapanese spearsamuraiShosho RyuyariyawarajutsuI try not to spend too much time scrolling through online feeds, but like most of us, I suspect, I often find myself doing it more than I would like, especially these days, when the the news seems to propel us from one disaster to the next. Sometimes, however, something a bit more interesting crops up. In this case, it was courtesy of NHK World, and was a combination of a broadcast TV http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2025/03/decoding-armored-combat-nhk-way.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-6879102203134627440Mon, 10 Feb 2025 07:32:00 +00002025-02-09T23:32:57.074-08:00Daibosatsu TogeKiyokawa HachiroNakazato KaizanRise of the RoninShimada ToranosukeTakahashi DeishuThe Sword of DoomTsukigata RyunosukeTsukue Ryunosuke The snow yesterday (not so common these days, and comparatively light compared to much of the rest of the country) reminded me of this classic scene from the film, The Sword of Doom, one of the several versions of the multi-volume novel by Nakazato Kaizan, Daibosatsu Toge – Great Buddha Pass, but arguably the best. (The others do have their good points, though).  The sword master, http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2025/02/duel-in-snow-sword-of-doom.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-6683352611904665859Wed, 01 Jan 2025 03:50:00 +00002024-12-31T19:50:52.335-08:00Heita TanenagaJapanese snake paintingsKatsushika HokusaiKidomaruUtagawa KuniyoshiYear of the SnakeYukiyo-e So an old year leaves and a new one comes around. And in Japan that means the start of a new animal year according to the Chinese zodiac (yes, from January 1st, which might not be quite in line with the Chinese world, but is a tradition that has been going for the last 150 years or so). This year, 2025, is the Year of the Snake.In Japan, like many other cultures, snakes tend not to be http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2024/12/after-dragon-enter-snake-japanese-new.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-2559868153523975259Wed, 11 Dec 2024 12:01:00 +00002024-12-11T04:01:16.589-08:00Ichikawa Raizokumadesamurai law enforcementsasumatasodegaramiThe Betrayaltsukubo A real antique kumade - this one was more than  260cm longWe looked at the military rake (kumade) last month, so now it’s time to see how it fared after the long centuries of war came to an end. Perhaps it was its utility that doomed it in the field of war – It didn’t have much mystique or status as a weapon, did not seem particularly attached to any social or military group (unlike http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2024/12/the-military-rake-in-times-of-peace.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-4154166879902994433Fri, 25 Oct 2024 05:19:00 +00002024-10-24T22:19:32.214-07:00bear's claw rakeIwasa MatabeiKasuga Gongen E-MakikumadeMatsuda Hidenobusamurai weaponsScroll of the Mongol InvasionSekigaharaTaira no YorimoriFrom the Scroll of the Mongol Invasion (Mōko Shūrai Ekotoba) - a fine example of a kumade in the centre.Today, seeing the leaves beginning to turn to the gold of autumn, I was reminded of that perennial garden chore, raking leaves. It made me think of a reference I came across regarding a certain Matsuda Hidenobu, a warrior of some note who fought at the battle of Sekigahara (1600) during which http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2024/10/the-rakes-progress-from-battlefield-to.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-4110432865448837474Thu, 30 May 2024 11:54:00 +00002024-08-07T09:09:15.126-07:00Aiden O’ReillykataOtake RisukeTenshin Shoden Katori Shinto RyuTSKSRThe late Otake Risuke, master of the Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryū Tenshin Shoden Katori Shinto Ryū is one of the oldest extant schools of martial arts in Japan, with an unbroken lineage from late medieval times, blessed (until recently) with an open and charismatic shihan (not sōke as I wrote previously) who oversaw the teaching and passing on of his skills and knowledge to the nexthttp://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2024/05/unlocking-secrets-of-tenshin-shoden.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-1733202353092919147Fri, 26 Apr 2024 11:36:00 +00002024-05-30T04:54:53.841-07:001930s mysteryGolden SpringJapanese historical fictionThe Tiger's GateTokyo Noir                                                    FREE novella available here: Golden SpringIt has taken me long enough, but finally I have my 1930's mystery novel, The Tiger’s Gate available on http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2024/04/golden-spring.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-7188006509078937607Sat, 16 Mar 2024 10:34:00 +00002024-03-16T03:34:10.535-07:00Akuzawa MinoruiaijutsukatakenjutsuKomagawa Kaishin RyuKono YoshinoriKuroda TetsuzanKuroda Yasumasa Kuroda demonstrating battojutsu (screen shot from budojapan.com)Tributes to Kuroda Tetsuzan, master of the Komagawa Kaishin Ryu kenjutsu (as well as related schools of iaijutsu and jujutsu) have been slowly appearing online, marking the passing earlier this month of a martial artist of rare skill, who had polished and refined his skills, passed down through his family, into something quite http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2024/03/passing-of-master-kuroda-tetsuzan-1950.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-90025189083232184Sun, 31 Dec 2023 14:18:00 +00002023-12-31T06:18:26.377-08:00Japanese dragon paintingKaiho YushoKano TanyuKennen-jiMiyamoto Musashi's dragon paintingsamurai artShiboku gasumi-eClose up of the cover of the book on Musashi's ink painting (I've only ever seen one). Another year draws to a close and the Year of the Dragon begins here in Japan (yes – it is a somewhat odd combination of the Chinese lunar New Year that begins a couple of months later, and the western New Year).The imperial connections of the dragon in China are well-known; in Japan there was a strong http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2023/12/musashis-dragon-painting.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-1059843747198706089Sun, 17 Dec 2023 07:23:00 +00002023-12-20T02:39:32.364-08:00Autumn leavesJapanese aestheticsKano Eitokukoyomomijisamurai pastimessamurai tourismThe Tale of GenjiDetail of a pair of screens showing the 4 seasons © The Trustees of the British Museum  The last of the leaves of the cherry trees have dropped, the light is sharper, and the chill of winter is here. Even so, traces of autumn remain - drifts of yellow leaves below the ginkgo trees and the deep crimson of the maple leaves serve as reminders of the passing season. Traditionally, http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2023/12/the-last-maple-leaves.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-658829390172623022Tue, 21 Nov 2023 11:46:00 +00002023-11-21T03:46:46.070-08:00Autumn LightningKyoto Butokudenotonashi no kamaeswordsmanshiptameshi giriyoko ichimonjiIchikawa Raizo playing the blind swordsman in the filmDaibosatsu Toge: Ryu no Maki. His character (who wasblinded at the end of the first film in the series) was famousfor his otonashi no kamae (lit. noiseless kamae)The days shorten, the leaves turn red, the scent of kinmokusei fills the air and in the evening the crickets chirp mournfully. As the autumn kicks in, it is not only the sights, but http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2023/11/sound-principles-sound-and-awareness-in.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-6530550964876271796Mon, 10 Jul 2023 11:38:00 +00002025-10-15T21:51:06.196-07:00Gorin no ShoJoseishi KendanKasshi YawaMatsura SeizanMiyamoto MusashiOmori Sogensamurai trainingThe Art of a Zen MasterThe Samurai MindAll study and no (sword)play... what is a bushi to do?It is sometimes tempting to think of the practice and training of martial arts in pre-modern times in monolithic terms, as if there was an ideal model, perhaps followed by a master in retreat at some secluded temple or shrine. On closer inspection, this seems unlikely as social conditions and the role of the warrior changed as the times http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2023/07/everyday-training-samurai-way.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-5985942597021626813Tue, 11 Apr 2023 10:04:00 +00002023-04-11T03:08:52.733-07:00Bashoflower symbolismfrogJapanese kerriaminomountain roseOta Dokanprince kaneakirasamurai and flowersstraw raincoatyamabukiDetail from a print by Chikanobu showing Ota Dokan Only a week ago, the cherry blossom was blooming and Kyoto was awash with frothy white and pale pink blossom and the happy faces of tourists and residents alike. The term ‘sakura fubuki’ refers to a flurry of cherry blossom falling in the breeze, a little storm of cherry blossom petals, though it could almost as well refer to the mass of http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2023/04/sakura-fubuki-flurry-of-blossom-and.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-2871414333841086550Wed, 08 Mar 2023 09:52:00 +00002023-03-08T01:52:22.783-08:00Japanese swordsNakanoshima Kosetsu Museumsword mountingsThe Men Who Tread on the Tiger’s Tail"It's very cool" – yes, it certainly was!Of the multitude of art museums in Japan, many of the best are based on the collections of industrial magnates who made their fortunes during Japan’s period of modernization in the second half of the 19th century. These include the Mitsui Museum (Tokyo), Sen Oku Haku Kokan (Kyoto and Tokyo), Nomura Museum (Kyoto), Foujita Museum (Osaka) and Kosetsu Museum http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2023/03/small-is-beautiful-sword-mountings-at.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-9129759641170664222Fri, 03 Feb 2023 11:03:00 +00002023-02-03T03:55:52.636-08:00Nakahara NantenboTakahashi DeishuYamaoka TesshuZen and the SwordZen artZen calligraphyOne of the distinctive sights of winter in Japan, and particularly in Kyoto, are the bright red berries of the nanten bush (Nandina). They are often planted just by the front door of houses and are used in the New Year decorations known as kadomatsu that can be seen outside businesses, department stores and some larger residences during the New Year period and sometimes as http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2023/02/the-nanten-staff-take-that.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-1869919054979013831Sat, 31 Dec 2022 13:22:00 +00002022-12-31T05:22:00.477-08:00Daisho-reki calendarHareKojikiNagasawa RosetsunantenNishimura Gounrabbitsamurai helmetsamurai symbolismUesugi Kenshin Edo period netsuke: Hare with Loquats © The Trustees of the British MuseumFor those used to the Chinese Lunar New Year (which begins some time in late January or early February), it might seem strange that I habitually start the year with the animal of the coming year. In Japan, the Gregorian calendar was adopted at the end of 1872, with the 3rd day of the old 12th month becoming the 1st ofhttp://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2022/12/happy-new-year-2023-year-of-hare-or.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3682939514101632557.post-5122725426438710987Tue, 18 Oct 2022 10:26:00 +00002022-10-18T03:26:08.155-07:00Battle of MikatagaharaMaitreya BodhisattvaMasayoshi SonMiroku BosatsuNyoirin KannonTokugawa IeyasuMasayoshi Son apologises for stock losses August 2022It's not often that a billionaire CEO references a work of art in an important speech to his investors, but Masayoshi Son, CEO of Softbank, did just that in August when he apologised for the loss of some 6 billion yen's worth of value from his company. The painting he referenced was the Portrait of Tokugawa Ieyasu painted after the battle of http://ichijoji.blogspot.com/2022/10/mikatagahara-masayoshi-son-and-ieyasus.htmlnoreply@blogger.com (Chris Hellman)0