Japan records a new daily Covid-19 high: 415 new cases in Osaka Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In the last week, Japan is reaching new daily coronavirus (Covid-19) highs with regularity. Hence, many cities including Hokkaido, Osaka, Sapporo, Tokyo, and others, have also reached new daily infection highs. Prime Minister Yoshihide…
Typhoon Chan-hom threatens to hit swathes of eastern and western Japan Kanako Mita and Chika Mori Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese Meteorological Agency is warning that Typhoon Chan-hom is approaching more outlying areas of Japan. This relates to eastern and western areas of Japan after passing through southern areas. At the moment, Typhoon Chan-hom is…
Japan art and Watanabe Shikō (1683-1755): Fusion of ideas Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Information about the artist Watanabe Shikō (1683-1755) is relatively sketchy. However, it is known that he was gifted from an early age. Similarly, he was born in the cultural city of Kyoto during the Edo Period. Little is known about…
Japan art and Sukenobu (1671-1750): Women from all walks of life Modern Tokyo Times Lee Jay Walker Nishikawa Sukenobu (1671-1750) was based in the cultural city of Kyoto and he became famous for his own distinctive artistic style. Thus his rich depictions of women appealed greatly to kimono makers. However, while the imperial city of…
Increasing serious Covid-19 cases in Osaka and Tokyo Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The number of serious coronavirus (Covid-19) cases in Osaka and Tokyo are on the rise once more. Hence, the local governments of Osaka and Tokyo need to step up the protection of the most vulnerable. In truth, the…
Covid-19 in Japan is increasing in many prefectures: Folly of encouraging tourism Sawako Utsumi and Chika Mori Modern Tokyo Times Since coronavirus (Covid-19) entered Japan in the middle of January, the majority of the country escaped the crisis. Hence, 34 out of the 47 prefectures escaped the worst of events. Indeed, some prefectures recorded no…
Covid-19 daily infections in Japan just below 1,000: Aichi, Gifu, Kyoto, and Okinawa Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan for new infections is worse in July than at any other time. This statistic is grim because the first known coronavirus case was in the middle of…
Japan Covid-19: Worrying signs in Aichi, Chiba, Fukuoka, Kanagawa, Osaka, Saitama, and Tokyo Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The optimism of low new coronavirus (Covid19) cases between early May and the middle of June is now fading in Japan. Instead, major cities including Tokyo and Osaka have enabled the nightlife angle…
Japan tourism and Nara: The legacy of Buddhism and high culture thrives Tomoko Hara and Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times The delightful city of Nara is the birthplace of Japanese high culture and today this angle shines brightly. Hence, domestic and international tourists flock to this amazing part of Japan. Indeed, the region of Kansai…
Japan to experiment with Covid-19 antibody testing in Miyagi, Osaka, and Tokyo Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan will focus on coronavirus (Covid-19) antibody testing in June. The regions of Miyagi, Osaka, and Tokyo have been chosen because Miyagi prefecture escaped largely unscathed. However, Tokyo witnessed the highest…
Japan state of emergency lifted in Kyoto, Osaka, and Hyogo Kanako Mita and Chika Mori Modern Tokyo Times The government of Japan lifted the state of emergency on Hyogo, Kyoto, and Osaka. Hence, 42 out of 47 prefectures in Japan are now free from government restraints. In truth, the death tolls in the ultra-modern Asian…
Covid-19 infections drop in Osaka and Tokyo: Scaremongering over in Japan? Kanako Mita and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The coronavirus (Covid-19) crisis in Japan is gradually relenting to the point where the country can focus on the next stage. Hence, no new reported coronavirus cases on Sunday in Osaka. Similarly, Tokyo only witnessed…
Medical workers in Osaka prefecture account for 9 percent of all coronavirus cases Sawako Utsumi and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In the prefecture of Osaka, it is known that just over 9 percent of all coronavirus cases are related to medical workers. Of course, it isn’t surprising that the environs of Osaka have…
State of Emergency in Japan to include Osaka, Tokyo, and five more prefectures Kanako Itamae and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe will declare a state of emergency after a recent spate of coronavirus (Covid-19) cases. Abe, extremely concerned about the economic angle, finally relented to growing pressure. Hence, the coronavirus…
Japanese Art and Poetry of Yosa Buson: A bat flits in moonlight Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The poetic skills of Yosa Buson (1716-1784) are extremely legendary inside Japan despite the passages of time. Indeed, despite some notable art pieces by Buson, it is his words belonging to the world of haiku that stand…
Typhoon Jebi kills at least 6 people in Japan with fears that the death toll will rise Kanako Itamae and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times One of the strongest typhoons to hit Japan in 25 years is known to have killed at least six people. The fear is that Typhoon Jebi will account for…
Three people die after 6.1-Magnitude Earthquake hits Osaka Chika Mori and Kanako Itamae Modern Tokyo Times A 6.1-magnitude earthquake hit Osaka just before 8 am this morning in Japan. Hence, the earthquake struck while adults and children were preparing for a busy day ahead. Sadly, three people perished, including a young 9-year-old-girl. Osaka – and…
Art of Japan and Nishikawa Sukenobu: From the Empress to Prostitutes Modern Tokyo Times Lee Jay Walker The Japanese artist Nishikawa Sukenobu (1671-1750) was based in the cultural city of Kyoto and he created a distinctive style. Indeed, his rich depictions of women appealed greatly to kimono makers. However, while the imperial city of Kyoto…
Japan Tourism and Stunning Wakayama: Ticking Clock of Buddhism in Koyasan and Negoro-Ji Noriko Watanabe and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times If visitors to Japan have time to connect with spirituality, then Koyasan and Negoro-ji are charming places to visit in Wakayama, where living Buddhism is still ticking strongly. Indeed, the prefecture of Wakayama…
Japanese Art and Narashige Koide: Nudes, Portraiture and Still Life Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yoga (Western-style) portraiture art and expressions of still life by Narashige Koide remain deeply embedded when thinking about this artist. Koide continued to develop through his relatively short life because he died at the age of 43. Near the…
Kamisaka Sekka and Japanese Art: Rimpa and Culture despite Rapid Historical Changes Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times If you view the sublime simplicity of art by Kamisaka Sekka (1866-1942) then it is difficult to image the enormous convulsions that hit Japan in this period. Indeed, the lifespan of this amazing artist witnessed many revolutionary…
Wakayama Tourism, Buddhism and Negoro-ji: Japanese History, Religion and Culture Tomoko Hara and Sarah Deschamps Modern Tokyo Times Japan is blessed with amazing nature and the historical and cultural reality of this unique nation means that you have so many stunning places to visit. Wakayama prefecture is located in the Kansai region and throughout this…
Osaka and Tokyo Fashion Vibes: Impact of Spain Hiroshi Saito and Jay Doggett Modern Tokyo Times Japan is internationally famous for luxury fashion and being accessible to a whole array of fashion trends. Mega cities like Tokyo, Osaka, Kobe and Nagoya, and many others, are blessed with many buzzing fashion districts. The fashion angle from…
Wakayama Tourism and Kukai: Koyasan, the Richness of Buddhism and Old Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Kansai region is extremely diverse because you have countless places to visit and enjoy the uniqueness of Japan in this amazing prefecture. Therefore, it is nigh impossible to pick one special gem because you have so…
Narashige Koide and Art of Japan: Portraiture Art, Still Life and Vibrant Nudes Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yoga (Western-style) portraiture art and expressions of still life by Narashige Koide remain deeply embedded when thinking about this artist. Koide continued to develop through his relatively short life because he died at the age of…
Sublime Japanese Artist Yasui Sotaro: Environment of Kyoto to Western Style Portraiture Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The sublime Japanese artist Yasui Sotaro (1888-1955) lived during a time of momentous changes. He witnessed the dynamics of a new Japan that emerged after the Meiji Restoration of 1868 that erased much of the Edo era.…
Ike No Taiga and Japan Art: Rich Legacy of China and Shattering the Myths of the Edo Period Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japanese art is very distinctive and contrasts greatly with classical European art. This notably applies to religious differences, environmental factors, culture, limited social interaction between both artistic poles – and other…
Oda Nobunaga and Cultural Impact in pre-Edo Period: Kano Eitoku Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In modern Japan the importance of Oda Nobunaga (1534-1582) and his legacy remains extremely strong even today. After all, he laid the foundation stone for the future centralized Japan despite certain limitations during the Tokugawa period. However, often the…
Japanese Folklore and Famous Ghost Story: Botan Doro (The Peony Lantern) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The time is hundreds of years ago in old Japan when the forces of Buddhism and Shintoism were strong. Therefore, the supernatural and the real world were often connected and in the dead of night, where shadows went…
Japanese Art and Samurai Taira no Tadamori Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Taira no Tadamori (1096-1153) is depicted in a prestigious way in Japanese art because this notable samurai was widely respected during his lifetime. Tadamori also played a very important role in the consolidation of the Taira samurai clan within the Imperial Court.…
Kamisaka Sekka and Art of Japan: Changing Sands and Rimpa Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Kamisaka Sekka (1866-1942) lived in a very dramatic period in the history of Japan. He was too young to remember the ending of the Edo Period because the Meiji Restoration occurred in 1868. Despite this, art in…
Tensho Shubun and Impact of China: Zen Buddhist Priest in 15th Century Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Artists in old Japan highlight the power and influence of China. At the same time, the uniqueness of Japanese culture also shines through because of specific elements that existed and influenced artists. In modern Japan…
