The Kojiki (A Record of Ancient Matters) is not only a written document but celebrates the 'Age of the Gods' when the Japanese people formulated the believe that the Japanese paradise was created, ...
The Immortal Mountain and the Lake of the Lute | Fuji Yama and Biwa-ko
Of all the beautiful objects in “the land of the holy gods,” as the Japanese call their country, none are more beautiful than Fuji Mountain and Lake Biwa. This beautiful sacred mountain is a gracef...
Vintage Japanese Spiritually Inspired Kokeshi and Figures | “Creating Images to Nourish Thought”
Wooden lathe-turned Shinto, Buddhism and Zen Buddhist Kokeshi are treasured and revered because their sacred religious optimism through emphasized simplicity and the importance of the natural world...
Momotarō / The Boy and the Peach
This tale is supposedly taking place in the city of Okayama, where one can today taste very good peaches, and especially Kibi Dango, (Peach Dumplings), and where we are told there is a mysterious c...
The Spirit and Magic of Woodcraft in Japan / The Woodworker’s Companion
In Japan, nature, religion, and society are deeply intertwined. Nowhere is this more evident than in the mind of the woodworkers and lathe-turners, whose philosophical and spiritual beliefs are at ...
Tsuru / Japanese Mythology and Culture
Tsuru, (The Crane), has always been a strong symbol of success and good fortune in Japanese culture, and when folded into origami, it is believed that one’s “heart's desire” will come true. Tsuru...