Sightseeing and People Watching in Tokyo

Japan’s historical and modern beauty never ceases to beguile visitors. But despite its picturesque sceneries and bucolic abundance, the real attraction of this island country is the Japanese people and their culture.

Virtu in Japan

Samurai Spirit

Tetsuro Shimaguchi, known for his samurai choreography and appearance in the Quentin Tarantino movie Kill Bill, is the founder of the sword performance group Kamui, as well as the creator of Kengido, a fusion of martial arts with performing arts that delivers the beauty of the samurai. Samurai are well-known warriors of feudal Japan, who fought for their clans and their country. However, Tetsuro believes samurai were artists more than warriors who followed a strong ethical code. If we define a samurai as an artist, rather than a warrior, what makes a strong samurai? What strength are they are pursuing? According to Tetsuro, the key is shingitai (心技体). Shingitai is a term often used in Japanese martial arts. Shin (心) stands for the mind or heart, gi (技) is skill and tai (体) means body. Combined, shingitai is the balance of the mind, skill and body — and you may notice that mind comes first in this word. Tetsuro is spreading the samurai ’s sense of respect to the next generation and to the world through his workshops. He also arranges photo shoots of people in samurai armor at Sengoku Photo Studio Samurai in Yoyogi, Tokyo. Nanami Chinatsu spoke with Tetsuro Shimaguchi to learn more about the samurai spirit.

Destined Encounter of Enishi in the Modern World

"Every encounter in our lives has meaning"

IN Japan, people sometimes say, “This is enishi,” or “This is en,” when they meet someone for the first time. Enishi, known casually as en, means “a destined encounter.” The word holds a great deal of significance for the people of Japan. They believe that if two people never cross paths in life, there is no enishi between them. Certain life events thus take on a new meaning, each with a different implication. For example, a man and a woman may meet and eventually marry — this would be one form of positive enishi. Even a criminal and a victim can possess enishi, but in the form of a tragedy. As if to further validate this idea, there is another famous saying in Japan that states, “It is the result of enishi in the former life that someone meets a person in this life.” In fact, at this moment thereare more than 7.3billion people living on Earth, but in our short life we could have intimate and close relationships with less than 100 of them.

Taking the Higher Road

The expectation for expansion in cities has grown as the construction of skyscrapers and roads have increased. Currently, roads in developed urban environments have two options: go underground or cut through areas above ground. There’s already an underground freeway in this particular area. So the new “road” had to be built above the established one in an intricate serpentine pattern. This photograph captures a small part of the urban scenery that discovers new and unpredictable architectural aesthetics. tj

Travel to Hokkaido

The northernmost of Japan’s four main islands, Hokkaido offers an unparalleled view of the country’s magnificent natural wonders. Many travelers and adventure seekers visit the island to witness its splendid landscape of mountains and trees. Hokkaido is a winter wonderland for snowboarders and a spring and summer escape for hikers to wander through its gorgeous greenery. Its powdery snow, rolling hills, fresh air, blue skies and fantastic food make Hokkaido a desirable destination for both Japanese and non-Japanese tourists.

Whole-Wheat Spaghetti with Edamame Pesto

This is a super healthy, quick and tasty pasta dressed with edamame pesto that you can give a try.

Reviving Diversity in The Republic of Georgia

ONE of the wonderful benefits of being a culinary ambassador for the U.S. Department of State is getting the chance to travel around the world to places I might never have imagined experiencing. I’m definitely attracted to that gypsy/nomadic-parts-from-the-unknown thing, where adventures and cuisines collide. His inclination for exploration was what attracted me to the life of a chef in the first place.

Sake & Wine Cultures in Japan

Sake vs. Wine: Genealogical Differences

SAKE is often referred to as “rice wine,” but that’s a misnomer for a beverage gaining in global popularity. There are vast differences between sake and wine, where sake is a unique Japanese alcoholic beverage, a stand-alone product in a category of its own.

Heores of the Himalayas

The Sherpa: Mountaineering and Trekking Guides

We hear stories about mountaineers achieving incredible feats and overcoming the most challenging circumstances. However, none of this would be possible if it were not for the Sherpas, the Himalayan people living on the borders of Nepal and Tibet with superior mountaineering and trekking skills. These silent heroes serve as guides working behind the scenes to make the ascents of the Himalayan mountains possible. While climbing one of the lower Himalayas, Island Peak, Ron John Ostlund sat down with his climbing team leader and senior Sherpa to find out more about these world-class mountaineers.

The Chaotic Contrasts of Kathmandu

KATHMANDU is a sprawling nightmare. A million people live within the city’s labyrinth streets. Buddhist and Hindu temples are peppered throughout the city, their crumbling ramparts propped up with timber and hastily constructed retaining walls. Ancient buildings lean threateningly to one side; the adjacent buildings are sometimes the only obstacle delaying their catastrophic collapse. Incredibly, people still live in these dilapidated structures. Some inhabitants squat, cooking their meager meals over open ames. Others wash themselves with buckets of water on crumbling second-storey balconies, unconcerned with the potential avalanche surrounding them.