The Smile From Japan Journal
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....
The Art of Matcha: Why a Traditional Tea Set Ma...
A Brief History of Matcha Matcha's story begins over 800 years ago, when Zen Buddhist monks brought powdered green tea from China to Japan as part of their meditation practice....
The Art of Matcha: Why a Traditional Tea Set Ma...
A Brief History of Matcha Matcha's story begins over 800 years ago, when Zen Buddhist monks brought powdered green tea from China to Japan as part of their meditation practice....
September in Japan — From Lingering Summer Heat...
Even as September begins, Japan often still experiences intense heat, known as "zansho," or lingering summer warmth. Yet the breeze in the mornings and evenings starts to carry a...
September in Japan — From Lingering Summer Heat...
Even as September begins, Japan often still experiences intense heat, known as "zansho," or lingering summer warmth. Yet the breeze in the mornings and evenings starts to carry a...
Japanese Family Crests of 9 Legendary Samurai W...
Warlords, Ninjas & the Crests They Left Behind: A (Slightly Biased) Guide to Sengoku Japan Japan's Sengoku period — the "Age of Warring States" — produced some of the most...
Japanese Family Crests of 9 Legendary Samurai W...
Warlords, Ninjas & the Crests They Left Behind: A (Slightly Biased) Guide to Sengoku Japan Japan's Sengoku period — the "Age of Warring States" — produced some of the most...
Spirits, Ghosts & Yokai: The Creatures of Japan...
August 2026 In Japan, summer is the season of the supernatural. When the heat rises and the cicadas scream and the nights grow thick and still, something else stirs too....
Spirits, Ghosts & Yokai: The Creatures of Japan...
August 2026 In Japan, summer is the season of the supernatural. When the heat rises and the cicadas scream and the nights grow thick and still, something else stirs too....