Just Relaunched IROHASHOP!!
After a long hiatus we are now finally ready to announce the reopening of our IROHASHOP online store! As you will realize when you enter, we have completely cha...
Short trip to Oku-Noto, Ishikawa: Heike family descendants & Jizo
This autumn, my wife and daughter made a trip around Oku-noto, Ishikawa Prefecture. Until a few decades ago, Oku-Noto was a remote and somewhat mysterious area ...
Fun Bonsai workshop at Bonsai Village, Saitama
The vibrant and twisted trunk of a Goyomatsu (Japanese white pine) brings an invigorating freshness to the tips of each green leaf in the beautifully pruned fol...
On a sunny Autumn day – 1
On a sunny Autumn day, I made an impromptu visit to Gotokuji (豪徳寺) which is said to be the Birthplace of Manekineko (beckoning cat). During the Edo era, there w...
On a sunny Autumn day – 2
While I stared out the window on the train, I was quietly pondering that I never had time to visit Gotokuji even though I’ve been blessed by the Manekineko more...
Lucky Daruma in Takasaki City
Lucky Daruma in Takasaki City The 2004 Upper House election has been over recently here in Japan. Speaking of political elections in Japan, most of Japanese vis...