Pop Culture and Japan

Cultural Displacement And Complex Identities: An Overview Of The Kamuni

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Japanese culture has had a big impact on me. Hell, it inspired the creation of Yamato Magazine and it’s been influential in crafting a world in which I’ve been able to publish my debut novella AT THE DEAD OF DUSK. Set within a dark western world called The Frontier, the novella follows an infamous witch hunter transporting a young woman across dangerous terrain.

When creating The Frontier, I dipped into my love of Japanese culture and created a group of people called kamuni. Much of the kamuni’s history has been inspired by the Ainu, the indigenous people of Japan who have their origins in Hokkaido. Read on to discover more about the kamuni.

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Japanese Cuisine

Diving Into The Wonderful World Of Japanese Snacks With A Sakura Co Box

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Japan is famous for having some of the most unique food in the world, which also extends to snacks and sweet treats. As someone with a massive savoury and sweet tooth, it was a lot of fun to dive into a Sakura Co box that housed a themed range of Japanese snacks and discover new surprises.

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Guest Posts

Guest Post: Hirst, Hockney, Ballard-Wyllie And The Timeless Charms Of Cherry Blossom

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By Eddie Saint-Jean

Two superstar artists, one aspiring contemporary artist divided on visual language but united by a shared appreciation of Japan’s national flower. The art world has suddenly gone all cherry blossom. And why not? Damien Hirst has gone from pickling sharks, and Swarovski crystal-studded skulls to painting blossoming flowers.

And not to be outdone, David Hockney’s cherry blossom efforts have also been in the news as he swaps paint for an iPad to capture the blossoming magic of spring at his Normandy retreat. London artist Denise Ballard-Wyllie claims she was there first, painting them since she was a child and this passion was rechannelled during a residency at Myddleton House Gardens in Enfield painting cherry blossoms and capturing the super-charged content of nature.

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Pop Culture and Japan

A Tale Of Two Artists: Studying The Artistry Of Hokusai And Hiroshige

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Ukiyo-e, aka Japanese woodblock prints, are among the most recognisable artforms in the world and there are several masters of the medium to be aware of. Perhaps none are more celebrated than Katsushika Hokusai and Utagawa Hiroshige, two men who redefined the genre with their breathtaking landscapes and vivid realism of nature.

Hokusai and Hiroshige are both responsible for shifting ukiyo-e from a style of personal portraits of courtesans and actors to the broader lens of landscapes and animals. 

While both artists covered similar motifs, their styles were wholly unique. In this article, we’ll dive deeper into the artistry of Hokusai and Hiroshige to see what set them apart.

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Poetry

Akogare

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The day I started drawing

I wanted to be like Hiroshige

who painted poetry in colours

carved landscapes from pigment

willed animals to exist by the force of his technique

I imagined what it must’ve been like

for him to travel 300 miles on the Tokaido Road

an artistic pilgrimage, chasing seasons

guided by the force of his vision

There’s only one Hiroshige

The same as there’s only one me

And that’s enough

Book Reviews

Ukiyo-E: The Art Of The Japanese Print Review: A Beautiful Book Filled With Exceptional Art And History

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Ukiyo-e The Art Of The Japanese Print book.

When it comes to Japanese art, ukiyo-e (pictures of the floating world) are arguably the best representation. Often produced as woodblock prints, ukiyo-e have captured the imagination of people all over the world, providing a romanticised version of Japan that’s connected to ‘The Floating World’ of pleasure palaces, geisha, samurai and kabuki actors during the Edo period.

Frederick Harris’ Ukiyo-E: The Art Of The Japanese Print may well be the definitive version of Japanese woodblock prints. Filled with beautiful artwork and commentary on the greatest Japanese artists of all time, the book is a must-read for anyone who’s interested in art history and Japanese culture.

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Guest Posts · Sake Reviews

Guest Post: Tamagawa Red Label Heirloom Yamahai Gennshu Junmai Review

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Browsing London Sake’s expansive range, it’s all too easy to get overwhelmed by choice. Sometimes, even for an experienced nihonshu connoisseur, the best approach is simply to choose a bottle with a beautifully, striking label and hope that the contents measure up. This tactic (which has generally served me well with both unfamiliar sake and craft beer purchases in the past) goes a way to explaining how I ended up in the possession of Tamagawa’s 2019 ‘Red Label’ Heirloom Yamahai Genshu.

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