It is a still night
Our lanterns burning softly
to remember you
Shoda’s Haiku
Author: yamatomagazine
History, pop culture and art combine in a journal dedicated to the spirit of Japan.
The Way Of The Warrior: Samurai And Comics
Japanese culture has been popular in the west for years, with anime being woven into the fabric of pop culture. Westerners also visit Japan to learn about the country’s history and the samurai are an important part of it.
The traditional view of samurai are noble, honourable warriors who dedicated their lives to a singular cause. It’s no surprise that samurai have been featured in comics.
But how are they portrayed? Do mainstream comics like Marvel and DC remain faithful to what samurai stood for? Let’s take a closer look.
Continue reading “The Way Of The Warrior: Samurai And Comics”
Oi You Haiku
Painting in the blood
Hokusai’s cherry blossom
Katsushika Oi
Sharaku’s Haiku
The flash in the pan?
Sharaku flaunts tradition
blaze your own trail now
The Kokoro Files: Giulia Maglio
The sake industry is filled with a passionate community of folks who love spreading the good word of nihonshu. Being a part of it has put me in touch with so many great people and it’s been a pleasure to chat to Giulia Maglio, AKA Jiji Sake.
Giulia is a sake sommelier, writer and podcast host dedicated to spreading the love of sake throughout Italy, Japan and beyond. In this interview, we talk about her experiences in Japan, her latest projects and where she sees the sake industry going.
Kiyochika’s Haiku
Western kosen-ga
Kiyochika who persevered
the last of his kind
Kunisada’s Haiku
Beautiful women,
Shadows of Yoshiwara
Kunisada’s light
Hiroshige’s Haiku
The life you lead is
coloured with experience
Hiroshige’s answer
Hokusai’s Haiku
Hokusai painting
nature in her purest forms
a gift to the world
Guest Post: Kuzunoha And The White Fox
It’s January – the days are short and dark and the nights are long and cold. It’s a perfect time of year for sitting around the fire, lighting candles and storytelling!
We’ve been enchanted by a traditional Japanese folktale from the Kyoto Heian era about a woman called Kuzunoha who is secretly a white fox. We’ve seen enchanting metamorphoses in Japanese stories before – we love The Chrysanthemum Spirit where the noble lady pines for the chrysanthemums in the palace garden so much that a nobleman appears who is the actual spirit of the flower.
Come with us as we take a closer look at Kuzunoha, to discover a little bit more about Japanese storytelling traditions, and also take a look at the symbolism of the fox in Japan.
Yamato Magazine 