The Smile From Japan Journal
Halloween in Japan: How Japan Made the Spookies...
Japan did not invent Halloween. But Japan may have perfected it. Every October, something extraordinary happens in cities across the country. Department stores fill with orange and black. Convenience...
Halloween in Japan: How Japan Made the Spookies...
Japan did not invent Halloween. But Japan may have perfected it. Every October, something extraordinary happens in cities across the country. Department stores fill with orange and black. Convenience...
Pokémon, Chiikawa & the World of Japanese Chara...
Walk into any convenience store in Japan and you will see them. On the snack packaging. On the stationery. On the phone cases, the tote bags, the umbrellas, the...
Pokémon, Chiikawa & the World of Japanese Chara...
Walk into any convenience store in Japan and you will see them. On the snack packaging. On the stationery. On the phone cases, the tote bags, the umbrellas, the...
Shinto: The Ancient Spirit of Japan and the Rel...
Before there were temples, there were trees. Before there were shrines, there were mountains and rivers and the feeling — urgent, wordless — that something alive and powerful was present...
Shinto: The Ancient Spirit of Japan and the Rel...
Before there were temples, there were trees. Before there were shrines, there were mountains and rivers and the feeling — urgent, wordless — that something alive and powerful was present...
Temples vs Shrines: How to Tell Them Apart and ...
2026 You are standing at the entrance to something ancient. Stone lanterns line the path ahead. There is the smell of incense in the air, the sound of a bell...
Temples vs Shrines: How to Tell Them Apart and ...
2026 You are standing at the entrance to something ancient. Stone lanterns line the path ahead. There is the smell of incense in the air, the sound of a bell...
Goshuin: Japan's Temple Stamps and the Art of C...
2026 There is a particular kind of quiet joy in walking up to a temple window and handing over a small book. The monk or shrine maiden takes it without...
Goshuin: Japan's Temple Stamps and the Art of C...
2026 There is a particular kind of quiet joy in walking up to a temple window and handing over a small book. The monk or shrine maiden takes it without...
Sumo: Japan's Ancient Sport and the Sacred Art ...
Two men stand facing each other in a circle of clay. They are enormous — and yet they move with surprising grace, settling into a crouch, eyes locked, breath steadying....
Sumo: Japan's Ancient Sport and the Sacred Art ...
Two men stand facing each other in a circle of clay. They are enormous — and yet they move with surprising grace, settling into a crouch, eyes locked, breath steadying....