Cultural Footprint

Love or Hate – Japan’s Mysterious Tattoo Culture

Me Time Japan Team | November 25, 2021

Many curious people outside of Japan ask us about the some of the stigmas surrounding Japanese people having tattoos. They first ask, “Why can’t Japanese people with tattoos seem to buy life insurance?” and secondly they ask, “Why are people with tattoos frequently not allowed in Japanese public baths?“. At first glance there seems to be a definite negative bias and discrimination towards those with tattoos. However, while some view tattoos as an art form, the Japanese government, on the other hand, does not. “Why can’t many Japanese people with tattoos buy life insurance?” The first reason is that there is a long-held belief that tattoos represent the Japanese criminal syndicates …

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Why Japanese Curry is so Popular in Japan: Its Unique Origins

Me Time Japan Team | November 6, 2021

When people think of Japanese food, many of us typically imagine sushi, soba, ramen, and yakitori. However, the fact is that Japan is actually the world’s second largest curry-loving country —of course, India is number one, based on the annual consumption of curry powder in the world. In Japanese, curry is called karē raisu, which means curry over rice. According to a survey by S&B FOODS, a Japanese company that produces and sells curry and spices, the average Japanese individual eats more than 80 servings of curry per year, or roughly once a week. There are many specialty curry restaurants in Japan, and curry is also very frequently prepared at home. …

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Cultural Footprint Life Style Me Time Guide

Minimalism Stories You Should Read in Your Lifetime

Me Time Japan Team | October 22, 2021

Autumn is a great time to expand your artistic horizons and interests, whether it’s arts, movies, theatrical performances, classical music, or jazz. We think one of the easiest and convenient things to do by ourselves every fall is to read. In Japan, there is a saying, “Autumn is the season for reading.” We considered it to be the best season for deepening our knowledge. We will introduce you to recommended Japanese pieces of literature which will enhance your life. While the most recognizable Japanese author is Haruki Murakami, a younger generation of writers is making its mark. In recent years, many contemporary Japanese works of literature have been translated into …

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Cultural Footprint Me Time Guide

Looking for Good Health in Ancient Japanese Culture

Me Time Japan Team | October 2, 2021

In Japanese ancient times, it was believed that epidemics were caused by invisible beings such as “plague deities”. The imagined pestilence deities looked like demons or yokai (妖怪, Japanese monsters) and would haunt people or enter their homes to make them sick. To avoid contracting the plague, it is necessary to drive away these plague deities and ultimately keep them away completely, so a variety of charms, banners, curses, and rituals were established for this purpose. During the Edo period (1600-1868), there were many books, novels, ukiyo-e woodblock prints, and Kyoka poems (狂歌, which contain social satire, irony, and humor) written on the theme of epidemics. This fact shows that …

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Cultural Footprint Life Style

To Inspire You from the Archaic Spirituality of Japan, Wisdom as a Way of Life

Me Time Japan Team | September 24, 2021

Fireworks, which are known as Hanabi, and festivals, which are known as Matsuri, are two of the most popular summer traditions in Japan. However, not many people know that their origins lie in the spiritual practice of exorcism. Fireworks originally were used to console the souls of the deceased and to ward off bad spirits. The most famous annual fireworks festival in Tokyo, the Sumida River Fireworks Festival, dates back to 1733. It was held in memory of the victims of starvation due to extreme food shortages the previous year. The Japanese ruler, Shogun Yoshimune Tokugawa, held a Water God festival at the Sumida River to bring consolation to the people. …

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Cultural Footprint Me Time Guide

The Japanese Rituals : A Guide for Lucky Charms & Modern Lifestyle

Me Time Japan Team | August 7, 2021

Around the world, there are many unique traditional lucky charms sacred to our hearts. There’s no proof or evidence of the talismans’ power, but we appreciate those things that protect us and bring happiness. The cultural symbols enchant us and are always picked up as souvenirs when we travel to Japan. Many Japanese lucky charms were created during the Edo period(1603-1868). They are still in production and made by hand. It is always nice to have your favorite lucky charm as we are living through very uncertain times. Featured images above, from Left to right, Miharukoma (horses), store name Deco yashiki daikokuya, Fukushima prefecture. Shishi-odori (The lion dance), Odajima mingeikan, …

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Cultural Footprint Me Time Guide

Not Only Amabie: Guide to Japanese Ancient Lucky Charms Enriching Your Life

Me Time Japan Team | July 20, 2021

The half-fish, half-human creature known as Amabie began appearing on social media in Japan last year and went viral. Many Japanese cartoonists have adapted the creature in their own styles, sharing the images to spread hope and positivity amid the face of the coronavirus. Many people say that Japanese people have no religious affiliation, but since ancient times, we have deep-rooted beliefs in folklore. There are a numerous variety of lucky charms all over the country, which create sources of comfort, inspiration, and motivation. In 1822 during the Edo period (1603-1868), there was a cholera epidemic in Osaka. During that time a medicine merchant in the town of Shudo handed out pills …

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Cultural Footprint Japanese Diaspora

Venerable African Samurai Yasuke to Help the Great Unifier of Japan

Me Time Japan Team | June 11, 2021

Yasuke is a samurai anime series that has been available on Netflix since last month. The story takes place in the middle of the Warring States period (1467–1615), based on actual events of a man from Africa who plays an active role as a samurai. Yasuke trained and was under the command of Nobunaga Oda, who was the most powerful warlord of the day. The Yasuke story tells us something more important than history, which tells us about the importance of Bias-Free communication. In July 1581, the Italian missionary Gnecchi-Soldo Organtino visited Nobunaga in Kyoto, accompanied by an African man that one of them later named Yasuke. Luís Fróis(1532 – …

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Cultural Footprint

The Original Source Behind ‘Demon Slayer’ – The Unknown Life of A Charcoal Artisan

Me Time Japan Team | May 20, 2021

What is the original story behind the worldwide hit manga & animation, Demon Slayer: Kimetsu no Yaiba? The author makes no mention of what sources inspired her. According to one of our team members, who is an anime otaku, a graphic designer, and also an university educator, one of the inspirations of Demon Slayer is derived from an episode from the book, Yama No Jinsei, A Life in the Mountains by Kunio Yanagida. The author is one of Japan’s leading folklorists, and the book was published in 1926. The story is about a man of about fifty years old who was a Sumiyaki, which is a charcoal-burner/maker in the mountains of Nishi-mino, Gifu prefecture. Sumiyaki …

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