February 26, 2008

US Fan Site Helps Prop up Ailing Anime Industry

Roland Kelts' latest column on Japan's anime industry points out an interesting development in these bleak times: A fan site - namely Crunchyroll.com - went legit this year. Read more

Japan Car: Designs for the Crowded Globe, Kimono as Art: The Landscapes of Itchiku Kubota,
Mochitsuki Workshops, Noh: Pathos Behind the Mask, 2009 JET PROGRAM Read more
Fish Stories by Taichi Kimura

The Best in the World

Japan has plenty of exotic seafood we can't find in the Pacific Northwest, but when it comes to salmon, Seattle has it all. Read more

A Little Chin Music by Bruce Rutledge

An Understated Gem of a Book

Donald Keene's memoirs have an understated eloquence that befit the modest, witty and knowledgeable professor. Read more

A Centuries-Old Tradition Faces a Global Challenge

The exquisite painting technique known as maki-e is used to make some of the most beautiful and painstakingly detailed dishes, trays, lacquer boxes, furniture and pens that the world has ever seen. But is the art dying out? Read more

Family Style by Takumi Ono

Becoming Parents

If your face turns meaner during pregnancy, does that mean you are going to have a boy? Read more

Off the Beaten Track: Festivals

Danjiri

The danjiri is a type of wooden float found in Kansai and western Japan for Shinto festivals. The danjiri festivals began in the Edo Period (1603-1867), but some historians say the floats were in use before that. Read more

Infusion Tips

An Eye for Antiques

Jay Greggs and Kyoko Maeda have filled a Seattle warehouse with exquisite Japanese antiques for a 10-day market that begins May 1. Get in line for a one-of-a-kind shopping experience. Read more

Faces of Japan

Yoshida Brothers

Ryoichiro and Kenichi play the tsugaru shamisen like rock stars. They're out to show the world the very special sounds of this ancient instrument. Read more