I love "road books" — novels whose plot mostly rests on a pair or a troupe of travelers making their way down some famous road. Adventures abound, stories are shared, and the journey becomes more important than the final destination. One of my favorites, which I have picked up again after many years, is the […]
Shank’s Mare: Hoofing It Down the Tokaido Road Read More »
Well, I am always surprised to find my name popping up in unexpected places…and usually not because I am an author so much as my Japanese name draws attention. I was named after my mother's best friend in college, and it has served me well. Especially considering that the BBC News Magazine thought it intriguing
The Company I Keep Read More »
As a knitter and a weaver, I was so struck by how much handwork there was involving knotting, netting, and the interlacing of reeds, braided threads, slivers of metal, and leather in the making of the various armor plates covering the chest, back, top of the hips and arms. While relatively light to wear compared
Samurai Armor: The Textile Quality of the Woven, Knotted, and Tied Armor Plates. Read More »
Among the more celebrated Japanese tricksters are the Tengu. These peculiar half-human, half-bird (sometimes hawk-like, sometimes more vulture) creatures are famous for their love of sake and their abilities with the sword. In fact, part of their mythology is that the tengu created the unique Japanese style of kendo, and were responsible for teaching it
Drunken Tengu: Masters of the Sword and Drink Read More »
I love this project by illustrator Jed Henry to take contemporary, iconic video game figures and render them in the traditional Ukiyo-e style of woodblock prints. They are beautiful — combining the exquisite technique of Japanese printmaking and modern fantasy images. The worlds are not so far apart according to Henry — who notes the
Ukiyo-e Heroes by Jed Henry and Dave Bull Read More »
love calligraphy that serves to do more than to write words — but rather, playfully suggests visual puns and curious designs. Letters can be either re-constructed to resemble an object (and a sentiment suggested by the object) as in the lovely piece of Arabic calligraphy below creating a coffee pot out of the Arabic phrase,
Really, I think the Japanese are hands down the best illustrators of weird and wonderful monsters. Pink Tentacle — one of my favorite sites for all things Japanese-bizarre — continues to offer smashing posts on Monster Scrolls from the 18th and 19th century. Many of the monsters are not just part of traditional folk lore, but more urban myths created
Japanese Monster Scrolls: Something to Creep Out Almost Everyone Read More »
