The footsteps of death followed the Japanese poet Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The life of the Japanese poet Masaoka Shiki (1867-1902) was short and blighted by ill health from a very early age. Hence, the words that flowed from Shiki were naturally impacted by the shadow of death. However,…
Japanese photos of the late nineteenth-century: Ogawa Kazumasa and lovely flowers Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Ogawa Kazumasa (1860-1929) was born during the final period of the Edo era in Japan. Hence, the modernizing dynamics that followed during the Meiji period that began in 1868 impacted greatly on Kazumasa. This includes learning photography techniques…
Tokyo gardens and tourism: Rikugien Garden in Komagome Chika Mori and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times If you are a Tokyoite or one of the countless numbers of tourists visiting Tokyo, then it is important to enjoy gardens and other areas related to quiet contemplation. Hence, the garden of Rikugien is one of several…
Tokyo tourism: The delightful Kiyosumi Garden in Tokyo Sawako Utsumi Modern Tokyo Times Tokyo is a mega-metropolis that is home to vast numbers of people and growing numbers of international tourists visit the capital city of Japan. Hence, having such a high population and vast numbers of skyscrapers, then gardens and open spaces play a…
Fountains Abbey in Yorkshire through Japanese eyes: Buddhism, Christianity, and Shintoism Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The contemporary Japanese artist, Sawako Utsumi, who hails from Northern Japan, once more creates a lovely art piece. Spiritually, her background is based on Shintoism and tinged with Buddhism based on the cultural legacy. Yet, in general, the…
Japanese contemporary artist and L.S. Lowry: A new light and different cultural perspectives Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sawako Utsumi hails from northern Japan and she is a contemporary Japanese artist, who equally adores art from the distant past. True to the nature of Utsumi, her art focuses on the rich traditions of old…
Contemporary Japan artist inspired by the Dutch master Hendrick Avercamp Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The contemporary Japanese artist Sawako Utsumi is once more focusing on the world of Dutch art. This time it is Hendrick Avercamp (1585-1634), unlike past art pieces that focused on Esaias van de Velde (1587-1630) and Aert van der…
Art of Japan and the two paths of Buddhism and Shintoism: Faith in the snow without Abraham Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The latest art piece by Sawako Utsumi, a contemporary Japanese artist who hails from Northern Japan, utilizes the snowy landscape by highlighting the respective strengths of Buddhism and Shintoism despite terrible adversity.…
Contemporary Japanese artist inspired by Alfred Sisley: Japanese eyes and cultural warning Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Alfred Sisley painted many adorable landscapes through the medium of impressionism. Yet, to many individuals with limited knowledge of art, his name remains relatively unknown in comparison with other impressionist artists. However, this doesn’t distract…
Contemporary Japanese Art and Shintoism: The spirit of Sawako Utsumi and the Kano School Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sawako Utsumi is a contemporary Japanese artist who hails from the land of the rising sun. In this art article, the emphasis is on the individualism of Utsumi who is paying utmost respect to two…
Japan art and Kanzan Shimomura: Famous son of Wakayama and his early artistic life in Tokyo Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Kanzan Shimomura (1873 to 1930) is a famous son of Wakayama and just like this part of Japan is rich in culture and faith, Kanzan also had a spiritual and cultural…
Tokyo Fashion News: Changing Dynamics of Ginza Fashion Sarah Deschamps and Sawako Uchida Modern Tokyo Times Tokyo is blessed with countless fashion districts that cater to different age groups and economic pockets. Equally, you have exquisite shopping malls and walking areas that bless districts including Aoyama, Ginza, Omotesando, and Yurakucho. However, what is noticeable about…
Folklore of Japan and Onset of Abandonment: Death and love Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Japanese folklore focuses on an array of subjects, from the beauty of light to areas of extreme darkness. The subject area involving oyasute (the abandonment of a parent – or relative) and ubasute (the abandonment of an elderly female…
Japanese art and Kawamura Kiyoo (1852-1934): Changing times but sublime continuity Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist Kawamura Kiyoo (1852-1934) created many amazing pieces of art during a period of rapid political change. He was born in the old world of the Edo Period (1603-1868) and he witnessed the modernization of the…
Ito Shinsui opened up the “old mirror” of Japanese art Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Ito Shinsui (1898-1972) is one of the greatest twentieth-century artists to emanate from Japan. Despite his early adorable landscapes, Shinsui is extremely famous because of his art related to depicting beautiful ladies (bijin-ga). In other words, Shinsui, just like…
Katsukawa Shunshō and Japanese Art (1726-1793): Major Influence in the Edo Period Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese artist called Katsukawa Shunshō isn’t particularly famous outside of Japan. Indeed, even in Japan, he is hardly among the first individuals to think about when focusing on artists during the Edo Period. Yet, Shunshō’s…
Japan Artist and the Frailty of Life: Yuzo Saeki and his one-sided love affair with France Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Yuzo Saeki is one of the most intriguing artists to have left the shores of the land of the rising sun. Sadly, his time on this earth was extremely limited because he perished…
Tokyo Garden and the Fusion of Faiths and Ideas: Chinzan-so Kanako Itamae and Michel Lebon Modern Tokyo News The history of Chinzan-so (Chinzanso) is fascinating because you have many historic remains, therefore, you feel like you are entering a different world that is far from modern Tokyo. This applies to the pre-Meiji period and the…
Tokyo Assembly Election to set Political Ripples: LDP Defeat to Increase Pressure on PM Abe Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Prime Minister Shinzo Abe of the ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) now firmly understands that many Japanese nationals are becoming increasingly disillusioned with the status quo. Of course, the election only…
Mavis the Magic Dog: Sakura the Squirrel and the Terrible Storm (Magic, Nature, Shinto, and Japanese culture) Tomoko Hara and Kanako Itamae Modern Tokyo Times The second book of the series about Mavis the Dog and the Japanese boy called Ryo is a real gem. This is based on the natural adventure of this children…
Animation of Japan and Timeless Classic: Princess Mononoke Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese anime film Princess Mononoke is a timeless classic. Indeed, aspects of the Muromachi period (approximately 1336 to 1573) become visual despite the film being based on fiction. This notably applies to Japanese folklore and the demise…
Japanese High Culture and Tea Ceremony: Historical to Formal Settings James Jomo, Kanako Itamae, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese green tea ceremony was first documented in the ninth century but elements emerged in the eighth century according to some historians. Not surprisingly, major modifications and deeper meanings – in a cultural…
Homage to the Dutch Artist Aert Van Der Neer by Modern Japanese Artist Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The artist Aert van der Neer (1603-1677) belongs to the Dutch Golden Age of art but sadly his life was blighted by poverty. It is difficult to imagine the real world that engulfed Dutch artists in…
Yukio Mishima: The Ultimate Ubermensch and the Last Great Japanese Author Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The genius of Yukio Mishima remains vivid today, just like it did yesterday. Indeed, unlike the authors of the modern world where passion is often a mere afterthought – or a planned narrative – the words of Mishima…
Sendai Artist Inspired by Maurice Utrillo: Yuzo Saeki and Inner Passion Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The French artist Maurice Utrillo (1883-1955), just like the British artist L.S. Lowry (1887-1976), are two of the most predominant artists to hail from France and the United Kingdom in the twentieth century. Of course, internationally, Utrillo is…
Utrillo and Contemporary Japanese Artist: Notre-Dame de Clignantcourt from Fresh Eyes Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Notre-Dame de Clignantcourt in the life of Maurice Utrillo (1883-1955) wasn’t a particular historical and famous Christian church in Paris. However, this Catholic place of worship certainly hit a right chord with Utrillo because he painted this scene,…
Eishōsai Chōki and Stunning Art of Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Edo Period in Japan enabled a plethora of Japanese woodblock artists to materialize. Astonishingly, in comparison with Christian and Muslim-dominated parts of the world in the same period, many explicit realities became incorporated within the world of ukiyo-e. At the same…
Art of Japan and Influence of France: Oka Shikanosuke and his Admiration of Henri Rousseau Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The dynamics of art in Japan from the Meiji Restoration of 1868 altered the artistic landscape of this nation forever. Ukiyo-e managed to survive for a set period because early Meiji artists of this…
Japanese Animation and Timeless Classic: Princess Mononoke Sawako Uchida and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese anime film Princess Mononoke is a timeless classic. Indeed, aspects of the Muromachi period (approximately 1336 to 1573) become visual despite the film being based on fiction. This notably applies to Japanese folklore and the demise of…
Art of Japan and Rinzai Buddhism: Buddhist Contemplation of Sengai Gibon to Artistic Outreach Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sengai Gibon (1750-1837) is a famous individual in Japanese art and history. This is based on his art, spirituality, and unique approach to life. He belongs to the Rinzai School of Buddhism and true to…
Japan and the Spirituality of Mountain Art: Buddhism, Shintoism, and Reflections Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Mount Fuji in Japan is a national symbol that signifies many things to respective individuals. Yet, irrespective of the ideas generated, it is clear that national identity and spirituality predominate. Therefore, the mystery of mountains in Japan –…
Ghost in the Shell, from Classic Japanese Animation to a de-Japanized American Version Kanako Itamae, Hiroshi Saito, and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Ghost in the Shell is internationally recognized for being a classic and iconic Japanese animation film based on the future. It remains to be widely respected to a new generation of…
