Tag: Japanese history

Japanese Fashion · Pop Culture and Japan

Celebrating Japan Week 2025 In Manchester

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Japan Week 2025 in Manchester is a historical event that further strengthens the ties between Manchester and Japan.

The city of Manchester and Japan have a special connection. This dates back to 1865 at the height of the Industrial Revolution, when a group of students from Satsuma came to Greater Manchester to investigate the booming cotton trade. The students visited manufacturers in the region of Oldham called the Platt Brothers and were so impressed by the machinery that they took it back with them. 

This was the start of a strong and fruitful working relationship. Over the next century and a half, Manchester would continue to build strong ties with Japan. A more recent example is Manchester mayor Andy Burnham being part of an initiative and UK delegation to Japan to establish further bonds of urban development and carbon remission. In fact, Manchester has become the sister city to Osaka and the two mirror each other in terms of aspirations, people and world views.

As a proud Manc, I’m excited to see my city’s connection with Japan continue to flourish. And as a celebration of this connection, Japan Week 2025 in Manchester is sure to be amazing. Taking place across the city from September 4th – September 9th, here are the events you’ll want to check out.

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Pop Culture and Japan

How Does The Silver Samurai Break The Mould Of The Traditional Samurai Image?

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Samurai are traditionally depicted as brave warriors who value honour and duty. They were known to serve their masters loyally, to lay down their lives and sacrifice everything in the pursuit of bushido. Marvel Comics has done a great job of emphasising Japanese culture, with the Silver Samurai representing a traditional image. The identity has been used by two characters, though it has been linked with dishonour, due to the original bearer of the identity, Kenuichio Harada, starting off as a villain. Over time, Harada looked to regain his honour.

Let’s look into the history of the Silver Samurai to see how his identity contrasts with conventional Japanese imagery.

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The Kokoro Files

The Kokoro Files: Kyoko Nagano

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The sake industry is filled with people who’re passionate about keeping Japan’s native drink alive domestically and overseas. Kyoko Nagano is one of those champions and works with small sake breweries all over Japan to spread the good word of nihonshu.

It was a pleasure to speak to Kyoko about her sake experiences and she’s got a lot of great information to share.

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Women Warriors

Women Warriors: Sei Shōnagon

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Throughout Japanese history, powerful women have been at the centre of the culture, constantly defying the odds and carving out a name to be remembered. From Tomoe Gozen to Masami Odate, Japanese women have picked up swords and thrown themselves into fights on their personal journeys to define who they are. 

Not every woman has needed to pick up a weapon. In the case of Sei Shōnagon, she created a legacy by picking up the pen. A writer, philosopher and courtly woman of intrigue, Shōnagon’s story is a fascinating tale of how to appreciate the small things in life.

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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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Pop Culture and Japan

Exploring The Current State Of The Sake Industry In 2021 And Beyond

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Domestically and internationally, sake has experienced a rise and fall across a period of several decades. Trends have come and gone, attitudes have shifted and a pandemic has caused a huge impact on how sake is sold, consumed and shared all over the world.

The Japan Sake and Shochu Makers Association (JSS) recently hosted an event that showed the current state of the sake industry and how it could evolve over the coming years.

Iin this article, we’ll look at the key takeaways from the event.

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Sake Reviews

Komachi Sakura Sake Review: Worship At The Altar Of Futsushu And Be Amazed

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Komachi sakura sake.

When it comes to versatility, sake is arguably the best drink to choose in terms of texture, flavour, food pairing and serving temperatures. And while I’ve enjoyed trying plenty of premium ginjo sake, there’s a whole world of other categories to drink my way through and a style I’ve been drawn to lately is futsushu.

As table sake, futsushu isn’t considered a premium grade of nihonshu, but that has nothing to do with its quality and if you’ve never tried futsushu then you’ll want to dive in with the incredible Komachi Sakura. 

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Pop Culture and Japan

Understanding The World Of The Geisha And Their Place In Japanese Culture

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A geisha walking in Kyoto.

In Japanese culture, few images are more enduring than the geisha. A romantic symbol of classical Japan, geisha are traditionally shown as enigmatic, elegant, powerful, sexual and even lonely figures who have become a shadow of their former selves in the modern day. 

Literature and popular culture has over romanticised geisha, though it’s also made it harder to determine what is fact and what is fiction. So, who are the geisha truly? What makes them stand apart in Japanese culture? What were their duties and how did they function in daily society?

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Pop Culture and Japan

Ghost Of Tsushima Review: The Samurai Game The World Has Been Waiting For

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In popular culture, samurai are often portrayed with a mixture of romanticism and chivalric honour. They are presented with a strict code of honour that’s thought of as heroic, but in reality, the life of a samurai was far more complex. The absolute devotion they had to their code could make them ruthless and cruel to the people they considered to be beneath them.

In many ways, a samurai was a walking contradiction. A warrior who was expected to draw their sword at a moment’s notice, but was also meant to compose haikus, arrange flowers and be the living embodiment of Japanese virtues. This complexity is on full display in Ghost of Tsushima, a game I’ve been waiting to play for a long time and that allowed my inner history geek to run free.

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