[Page of 10] Culture | TATE: The Diary of a Japanese Man

2021-03-21

I can empathize with that difficult and sacred Noh play called, Okina

My favorite Noh play is “Okina”. There are at least 250 Noh plays today. Usually, Noh plays have a story and meaning based on old Japanese history or legend, but Okina does not have these characteristics. It is clearly different from other Noh plays. Okina is like a ceremony that prays for peace, a huge harvest, and the prosperity of...

Culture

2021-01-16

“Noh” suggests to me various Japanese virtues

Though Noh is a traditional Japanese play that has been performed for over 600 years, it is unpopular among the majority of Japanese people, or most of them have never seen Noh. Unfortunately, traditional Japanese culture seems to be incompatible with modern Japan, and Noh seems to be no exception. However, I sometimes go to see Noh, and I believe...

Culture

2020-12-27

The night of the winter solstice is a special time

The night of the winter solstice is a special time for Japanese people. The winter solstice is the shortest day in the year, and people in old times set it as a turning point of the year aside from New Year’s Eve. Some customs relating to the winter solstice began out of a desire for a long and healthy life....

Culture

2020-09-21

What should we Japanese be proud of with regard to the tea ceremony?

I often drink matcha with my favorite tea bowl at home. I prepare matcha by using bamboo whisk known as ”Chasen”. And then I drink it by sitting seiza style on a tatami mat. Matcha makes me feel relaxed, and it’s an enriching time for me. I believe that drinking matcha is conducive to good health, body, and mind. By...

Culture

2020-08-15

The Japanese sense of beauty is closely linked to the four seasons

We Japanese are losing the sense of season in exchange for modernization. It appears that many people are indifferent to the change of seasons. One day, I got on the bus. When the bus entered a forest, the beautiful fresh green of early summer came into my sight. I was fascinated by this scenery, but other passengers were obsessed with...

Culture

Category: Culture

I can empathize with that difficult and sacred Noh play called, Okina

“Noh” suggests to me various Japanese virtues

The night of the winter solstice is a special time

What should we Japanese be proud of with regard to the tea ceremony?

The Japanese sense of beauty is closely linked to the four seasons