Nature & Animals Morning Glories(asagao) in the Meiji and Taisho Periods
A Familiar Flower That Brightened Summer Life in JapanOn summer mornings, morning glories bloom gracefully in gardens an...
Nature & Animals 
Home & Lifestyle Fireflies Beneath the Mosquito Netー A Small Family World on a Japanese Summer Night
One of my most vivid childhood memories is spending summer nights at my relatives' house in the countryside.As evening f...
Food & Drink The Summer When Japan First Tasted the Fizz
How Cider and Ramune Brought a New Kind of Joy to the Meiji EraDuring the Meiji era, Japanese people encountered a fasci...
Entertainment The Botan Dōrō (The Peony Lantern) Swaying in the Darkness — Why This Ghost Story Is So Beautiful
In Japan, ghost stories are traditionally told during the summer.Listening to tales that send a slight chill down your s...
Nature & Animals The Beauty of Viewing Goldfish from Above: Goldfish Appreciation and Japanese Aesthetics
Today, goldfish are often enjoyed in the same way as tropical fish, viewed from the side through a glass aquarium. Howev...
Home & Lifestyle A Time When Clothes Were Taken Apart to Be Washed
Today, we can wash our clothes easily with a washing machine. Modern detergents and appliances make laundry a simple par...
Food & Drink A Japanese Summer Tradition: Making Red Shiso Juice at Home
A Summer Drink That Captures the Colors of the SeasonFor generations, Japanese families have found many ways to make the...
Education & Childhood “Yokutte Yo”: A Meiji-Era Trendy Phrase Among Female Students
“Ah, yokutte yo.”When people hear this phrase today, many may imagine an elegant “ojou-sama” (young lady) character from...
Food & Drink Bento Boxes and the Birth of School Lunch in Meiji Japan
How children’s lunches reveal a changing societyWhen lunchtime came, children opened the lids of their bento boxes.Today...
Entertainment Kamishibai: Japan’s “Motionless Movie” Before Television
1. IntroductionWhen people hear the word kamishibai, they often think of children's entertainment. In reality, however, ...