japan Archives

Learn the ninja way and meditate like a monk with an official Japanese live stream

October 4, 2021 by Andrew Leave a Comment

Discover Japan and the iconic Odawara Castle are running two sets of online experiences for visitors around the internet to take part in.

“Japanese Castle and Ninja Culture” and “Mindfulness Meditation with Japanese Monk” start in October and will carry on until March. Neither of the events is free.

Japanese Castle and Ninja Culture

You can find more about this event at the officially run Discover Japan site. That’s also how you can reserve your online spot.

Using Zoom, you’ll meet a ninja scholar and historian for a walk around tour of Odawara Castle. During the session, you’ll learn about the role the castle played in Ninja Culture, the techniques used hundreds of years ago and see some traditional tools.

The session is hosted by Hiroshi Jinkawa, a sensei with years of experience. You can book online.

Mindfulness Experience at Odawara Castle

This 90-minute online meditation takes place with a monk at the top of Odawara Castle, outside of the usual hours, so quiet there.

A chance to forget about your daily burdens, you will spend time together with Tomoni Iwayama, a priest from the Ganshuji Temple. You’ll be with people from different backgrounds and all walks of life, virtually.

With Iwayama’s teachings, you may be able to clear your mind and rediscover human potential. Sign-ups are open at Discover Japan.

In Pure Spirit

What do you think about this use of technology and tours of historic Japanese life? A clever way to support the Castle and its courses through a troubled period, or does it feel wrong?

Very weird: Monsterous Kappa rises from the river

January 9, 2015 by Andrew 2 Comments

A Kappa is a Japanese water goblin or demon. It’s name means River-child and a local would describe it as a Yokai.

This Kappa is at home in the pond at Tsujikawayama Park near Fukusaki in Hyogo Prefecture. The head of the beast is important; Kappa’s have power while their hairless patch is filled with water.

Some consider Kappa also to be cryptids. As a cryptid it means there might actually be river-creatures not yet documented by science, that fit the Kappa description, living in Japan.

In Pure Spirit

What Kappa myths and legends do you know? Share them in the comments below and discuss with other readers.

Tempted by a holiday in Japana? Sites like Kuoni offer package deals and Expedia has a range of Tokyo breaks.

(Via Rocket News 24)

Totally strange local traditions

January 3, 2015 by Andrew Leave a Comment

John Green, author of The Fault in Our Stars, and host of Mental Floss takes us through some 27 unbelievable local traditions.

Are you ready?

He begins with Cooper’s Hill cheese rolling, describing how the cheese wheel can hit speeds on 70 mph, and then moves on to really weird stuff.

How weird? We’ve got monkey buffet (for monkeys) in Thailand, the Pamplona running of the bulls, baby jumping, Japan’s Namahage Festival in which demons knock on doors and Le Tomatina.

In Pure Spirit

Which weird local traditions do you know about? Any you’d recommend?

If you’re interested in reading more about strange festivals and holidays then Car Rentals.co.uk has more on the Pamplona Bull Run and Low Cost Holidays has some insight on cheap holidays in Japan.

600 year old Japanese Tsunami warning stone

December 23, 2014 by Andrew Leave a Comment

Hundreds of these centuries-old Tsunami warning stones can be found on the Japanese coastline. The carvings warn readers to head up hills and move to the high ground after any earthquake because of the risk of Tsunami. Some of the carved warning stones have been placed at the high water marks to write down how bad it could be.

As important as these carved stones are I can’t but help to pause and note their beauty too. They look like something you might find in Middle Earth.

In Pure Spirit

Can you think of any other examples where ancient wisdom – like these stones – are as relevant today as they were hundreds of years ago?

I suppose one example might be those herbs which scientists now back as helpful? Sites like HerbsPro in the States, or Home Herbs in the UK along with the cooking centric Pukka Herbs come to mind.

(Via Austin Brown.)

Discover the most radioactive places on Earth

December 19, 2014 by Andrew Leave a Comment

The important difference between ionizing radiation and the sort of radiation you might get with your smartphone is brought to life in this strange tour video. Two sieverts of radiation will kill you. A banana has 0.1 microsieverts.

In order to compare normal radiation (and we can use bananas as comparison now) this brave team goes to some very strange, interesting and radioactive places.

In Pure Spirit

Would you ever suit up and go on a radioactive tour? Or would you much prefer to spend your summer holidays on a beach in the sun?

This TV ad for tires will give you a fright!

December 2, 2013 by Andrew Leave a Comment

Ready for a fright? Sit back, hold on tight and watch… this Japanese ad for tires.

Whether it’s car insurance, sites that compare car insurance, broken windscreens, tire repair or the dreaded M.O.T. this is big business in the UK and across the world. That’s why you get so many annoying TV ads. They don’t mind that they’re annoying you. They just demand that you remember them.

In Pure Spirit

Will you remember this ad from Autoway? What did you think? Good or too spooky?

The mysterious underwater pyramid of Yonaguni

January 19, 2012 by Andrew Leave a Comment

In 1987 a tour dive operator found a mysterous pyramid off the coast of Yonaguni-jima. Yonaguni is an island by Japan.

Not much is known about the underwater structure and the pyramid. Some people are quick to suggest that the remains are proof of Atlantis or perhaps Lemuria. Others suggested that another civilisation entirely is far more likely given the far Eastern location of Yonaguni.

However, as you suspect, plenty of people are certain these ruins cannot be the remains of a civilisation at all. One suggestion is that these are not even ruins at all but natural formations of rock.

In Pure Spirit

What are your theories about the Yonaguni underwater structure? Do you think this is a man-made pyramid or not?

Evil Japanese ghost prank

May 4, 2011 by Andrew Leave a Comment

You may well know that there are some rather cunning Japanese prank shows on TV with a really evil sense of humour. They’re not bothered about really scaring their targets; I mean really scaring them!

This ghost prank keeps on giving. There’s more to it than the initial set up and if you’ve seen any Japanese horror movies you’ll recognise the imagery.

In Pure Spirit

What did you think? Evil or fun? Would you wish this on your best friend for a wind up or your worse enemy for revenge?

UFOs clean the Osaka castle moat

August 24, 2009 by Andrew Leave a Comment

They look like crash landed UFOs but these 3.4 ton disks are actually robotic water cleaning devices.

Water cleaning UFO

The robot cleaners are fully solar powered and cool themselves down during the day by squirting water up from the moat and splashing themselves. During the night their surface is covered with LEDs that flash on and off.

One disk has been deployed in the moat of Osaka Castle and the other for Osaka’s Dontoburi canal. Sadly, the alien cleaners aren’t commercially available as they’re not cost effective. They’ve been bought to run along with the 2009 Osaka Aqua Metropolis festival.

In Pure Spirit

What do you think? Would you like to see large disks like this floating along the waterways in the United Kingdom or do you think they’re odd, expensive, out of place and we should have better methods of keeping our water clean?