Kenzaburo Oe, the Japanese Nobel-Prize-winning author, has passed away aged 88. His wealth of novels, short stories and critical essays tackle subjects ranging from militarism and nuclear disarmament to innocence and trauma. He was born in 1935 in Ose, a remote village in Japan. He was known for his stance against Japanese militaristic tendencies. He opposed […]
As unlikely as it sounds to a university student in Scotland, where young people seem to drink beer as much as they do water, the government of Japan wants young people to drink more. Yes – more. And they’re serious about it. Japan’s National Tax Agency (NTA) has introduced its “¡Sake Viva!” campaign which, in […]
For those disillusioned with the monotony of today’s viewing culture, dominated largely by the likes of binge-viewing, reality television, and seemingly endless murder documentaries, I bring good news. Netflix announced last month that they are going to stream 31 animated films from Studio Ghibli to an international audience, bringing a different breed of entertainment to […]
Relations between two East Asian giants have once again frozen with the arrival of winter. The main subject of this controversy: Japan’s inclusion of the ‘Rising Sun Flag’ in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics. Tensions arose after the South Korean Government requested to the International Olympic Committee that the flag be banned from Olympic venues. The […]
With the Rugby World Cup done and dusted it’s an apposite time to reflect on the highlights of the competition with a set of tournament awards. Best Team – Japan South Africa won the tournament and England were mightily impressive in beating the All Blacks but both lose out to the Brave Blossoms here. Not […]
Four Seasons in to the American reboot of Queer Eye and the Fab Five have reached out not only to a different country, but a different continent. They’re in Japan! Same context – our five wonderful guys go to help individuals to improve their lives. The show changes in some aspects as the group have […]
The Leith School of Art is currently exhibiting BP Portrait Award winner Owen Normand’s show entitled The Cut. All of Normand’s work tends to explore “the bittersweet awareness of impermanence”, inspired by concepts in Japanese aesthetics. Whilst Normand’s last exhibition, Moving On, was about Mono no aware, a concept which illustrates how something becomes more […]
The last decade of English World Cup rugby has seen much controversy and little consistency. 2011; England’s ‘antics’ and ‘off-field’ distractions took over Martin Johnson’s grasp of their World Cup. From ball swapping to inappropriate comments, England’s time spent south culminated in a £3,000 fine awarded to Manu Tuilagi for taking a disorderly dip in […]