Here is this month's poetry column from poet and translator Keiji Minato... The Minase Sangin Hyakuin by Sogi, Shohaku, and Socho 雪ながら山もとかすむ夕かな 宗祇 Yuki nagara yama-moto kasumu yube kana As it snows the base of the mountain is misty this evening (Sogi) 行く水とほく梅にほふ里 肖柏 Yuku mizu toku ume niou sato Far in the way the water goes a plum-blossom-smelling hamlet … [Read more...] about Three Poets at Minase
Plum Blossom at the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park
It was pretty chilly out yesterday morning and more than a few flakes of snow were falling, but worth it all the same. A small gaggle of photographers agreed with me too, clustering round the 梅 trees in the Imperial Palace Park in a thicket of tripods... Here are my pictures... … [Read more...] about Plum Blossom at the Kyoto Imperial Palace Park
Chocolatier Double Sept
Here's a little shop that could be useful to know about in the run-up to Valentine's Day. Chocolatier Double Sept opened up on Yanaginobanba Dori late last year. Walking by one night, tired and cold after a long evening's Christmas shopping, we were tempted inside by the promise of steaming cups of hot chocolate. Really, on these chilly, wintry nights, what could be … [Read more...] about Chocolatier Double Sept
Ryojin-hisho, Popular Songs in the Twelfth Century
Here’s this month’s poetry column from our friend Keiji Minato… Ryojin-hisho (『梁塵秘抄』), compiled by Go-Shirakawa-Joko (後白河上皇; the ex-emperor Go-Shirakawa) in the late 12th century, is an anthology of popular songs called “Imayo Kayo” (今様歌謡; directly translated it means “contemporary-style popular songs”) at that time. They were mainly performed by itinerant female dancers and … [Read more...] about Ryojin-hisho, Popular Songs in the Twelfth Century
The Legend of UrBANGUILD
Let me tell you a story, about a place called UrBANGUILD... It's a kind of fairytale, but that doesn't mean it isn't true. And it all began in another place. A place that I like to call cafe underpants. Once upon a time there was an honest carpenter named Jiro. One day, Jiro was hired by a man of property to design and build a cafe. Jiro was a very fine carpenter and … [Read more...] about The Legend of UrBANGUILD
