During my recent interview with Sathi, she mentioned kotodama as one of the Japanese concepts she tried to integrate into her everyday life. She summed it up as follows: “When you say good things, good things will happen.” This made me want to know more and do further research on this concept. Here is what I found….
Namahage: Should You Really Be Afraid Of These Japanese Demons?
Yoshitaka Kobayashi (far right on the picture above) is the creator of Namahage Satokagura. They are a group whose performances mix traditional drums, dance, and embodying traditional Japanese spirits. They perform in Japan, but also have made appearances in other countries such as France and Taiwan. In this interview, Mr. Kobayashi tells us about keeping…
‘Becoming Like the Sky’: an Encounter with a Street Monk in Ginza
In Tokyo, Buddhist priests chanting sutras in the streets, with their traditional robes and straw hats, have become an exotic sight not only to foreign tourists but to Tokyoites too. Mr. Mochizuki has been practicing takuhatsu (religious mendicancy and sutra chanting) in the streets of Ginza for nine years.I had the opportunity to interview him…