Noh Theatre in Kyushu — An Ancient Art Form You Can Still See Today
The first time I watched a Noh performance, I did not understand a single word. The language was archaic Japanese, […]
Culture & History
Temples, shrines, festivals, and traditions
Hakata Ningyo — The 400-Year-Old Dolls of Fukuoka
I bought my first Hakata doll from an old man in a workshop behind Kushida Shrine. He had been making
Nagasaki Kunchi — The 400-Year-Old Festival You Have Never Heard Of
The dragon was 20 metres long and it was coming straight at me. About forty men in white happi coats
Aso Shrine — 2,000 Years at the Foot of an Active Volcano
I visited Aso Shrine two years after the 2016 Kumamoto earthquake brought down its tower gate. Half the shrine was
Visiting Kokura Castle — A Shinkansen Stopover Worth Making
Most people pass through Kokura without stopping. It’s a Shinkansen station on the way to somewhere else — Fukuoka, Hiroshima,
Visiting Oura Cathedral in Nagasaki — Japan’s Oldest Church and the Hidden Christians
I didn’t expect to feel much at Oura Cathedral. Another old church in another port city — I’ve seen plenty.