hanko
Hanko (はんこ) A hanko, or personal seal used as a legal method of identification in Japan. The engraving of seals is an art in itself, the best seals being carved from ivory and the poorest from rubber with various gradations of quality in between. A careful observer can tell what a seal is made of […]
Kumade and Engi-Kumade
Kumade and Engi-Kumade Kumade as a Farm Tool Kumade is used for a variety of purposes, such as collecting dead leaves, raking hay, and softening and leveling the soil. Modern rakes have teeth made of steel, plastic, or other materials, but in the past, some rakes were made of wood or cast iron. The handle […]
Mikoshi
Mikoshi (Mikoshi 神輿) A mikoshi, or portable shrine, is a temporary house for the spirit of the deity for whom the festival is being held and is carried on the shoulders of a group of men and sometimes women. Wherever the mikoshi is carried, a sacred purifying force is believed to cleanse the area, radiating […]
Koto
Koto 琴（こと） The sound of the koto, a thirteen stringed zither or harp, is to many people the sound of Japan. Japan’s most popular traditional musical instrument, it is widely played even today. Two meters in length, it is made of hollowed-out paulownia wood. First brought to Japan from China in the eleventh century, the […]
Sakazuki and Tokkuri
Sakazuki and Tokkuri Tokkuri, a ceramic bottle used for heating and serving sake (Japanese rice wine), and matching sakazuki (also called ochoko), a cup for drinking sake, were started to be produced in Bizen, Okayama Prefecture in the Kamakura period (1192-1333). Bizen ware is known for its rustic simplicity and refined elegance and has retained […]
Montsuki Hakama
Montsuki （紋付き もんつき）and Hakama （袴 はかま） A montsuki is garment bearing a family crest or (a kimono with one's family crest on it). Considered formal wear, montsuki were traditionally worn to weddings, official meetings, and other special occasions, though they are rarely seen today. The family crests which appear on these montsuki, however, originated in […]
Undokai
Undokai 運動会 Undokai is a term referring to a field day held every year by schools, companies and other organizations. It is usually held in the fall, often around Sports‐Health Day (the second Monday of October). There are various races and competitive events such as tug‐of‐war. Other events are just for fun, so everyone can […]
Akachochin
Akachochin 赤ちょうちん Akachochin, literally “red lantern,” is a typical Japanese‐style cheap drinking place. At the entrance is often hung a signature red lantern, which has become synonymous with taverns. In Japanese business, the secret to getting along well with others is to drink and communicate with people in the same company, which is called "nomi-nication" […]
Engawa
Engawa (縁側 えんがわ) An engawa is a wooden‐floored porch along the outside of tatami rooms. It is separated from the rooms by shoji (sliding paper doors). It connects the house to the garden and provides a place to chat with family or neighbors. An increasing number of offices are incorporating the concept of engawa in […]