Aguyoshi is a very peculiar dance duo. You may have seen some of their intriguing, poetic, and funny videos on social media, especially on Twitter and Instagram. Formed by contemporary dancers Aisa Shirai and KEKE, the duo explores the streets of Japan (mainly in the wider Tokyo area), letting the places’ shapes and rhythms influence…
Inami, the Japanese Woodcarvers’ Town, and the Men Who Introduced It to the World
Inami is a town of 8,000 inhabitants located in Toyama Prefecture. With more than a hundred sculptors’ workshops, it is said to be the number one city for sculptors in Japan. After moving there in 2016, architect Tomotsugu Yamakawa decided to turn part of his recently refurbished house into an accommodation for visitors to use…
A European Artist Following the Traces of Kyoto’s Ghosts
As I explained in my previous interview, in Japan, summer is the season for ghosts. That is why this interview also deals with this spooky topic, as I talk with a young artist who made a series of art pieces about Kyoto’s ghosts. Michael Hirschbichler is a German-Austrian-Swiss artist and professor at the Academy of…
Humor in Japan: What It Is like to Perform Rakugo Comedy
Cyril Coppini is a French national who has been living in Japan for more than 20 years. His love for the Japanese language has led him to live in Japan, where he is working as a translator, now specializing in manga. However, his love for words has expanded into another form. Cyril is also a…
Yosakoi, A Japanese Dance For All
Have you ever heard of yosakoi? It is a Japanese dance performed in festivals all around Japan and in many other countries too. How did this dance originating from Kochi Prefecture (Shikoku island) manage to spread so far? The answer lies in its welcoming spirit and easy principles. On July 4, I was invited to…
Shinji Tsuchimochi: Drawing Tokyo’s Nostalgic Towns and Reviving Ukiyo-e
Maybe you do not know his name, but if you like Japan or cute illustrations, then you probably have already seen some of his works online. Shinji Tsuchimochi is a Tokyo-born illustrator who started drawing scenes of the Tokyo traditional districts as a way to express himself beside his main job—painting backgrounds for Japanese animation…
“Kay” – a Japanese Short Film Exploring Parent-Child Relationships
I recently had the pleasure to be invited to the screening of a Japanese short film titled “Kay”, directed by Hironori Kujiraoka. The screening should have taken place in April 2020 but was postponed to September because of the coronavirus. Meanwhile, it was shown and awarded at several international short film festivals. It received Best…
The Hidden Powers of Manekineko and Japanese Toys
Mrs. Iijima and Mr. Usuda are co-heads of Atelier Taik, a design company that does all kinds of design work with the exception of architecture. They are passionate about their jobs and often become fans of their clients’ products or services in the process. In 2012, they opened Atelier Gangu, a small shop selling and…
The Life-Changing Power of Butoh and Japanese Performing Arts
Midori Okuyama is a Japanese theater producer who has always been involved with the Japanese performing arts. One of her main works is producing Sankai Juku, the most famous butoh dance company. In this interview, she talks about Japanese arts and how it is received by foreign audiences, explains to us what butoh is about,…
Answering My Inner Calling – an Interview with Calligrapher Kaku
My First Encounter with Kaku The first time I met Kaku-san was during the fall of 2018. I was working on a project regarding tourism in the town of Takahama, in Fukui prefecture. I was told I was going to participate in a calligraphy workshop. My guide told me, “The calligrapher is very talented–he’s even…