Castle Towns

At the time of the Meiji Restoration, in 1868, some 250 castle towns (jokamachi) formed the core of a well developed urban network in Japan. Although constructed primarily as defended... Read more...
Landslides

The mountains in Japan are very steep and the rocks unstable due to weathering. Landslides are common whenever there are heavy rains. Many rural villages have established themselves along the... Read more...
Namiki

The idea of planting trees along the roadside to provide shade for travelers had occurred to the Chinese when they developed their highway system more than 2000 years ago. Almost... Read more...
Kyoto Development Issues

Kyoto holds a unique position in Japan as the ancient, imperial capital and the cultural center of the nation. It was because of these reasons that the Japan specialists who... Read more...
The Shinkansen

The Shinkansen is commonly known outside Japan as the 'bullet train' but the word actually means 'new trunk line'. It is a high-speed passenger train system which now stretches from... Read more...
Pilgrimage

The idea of making a pilgrimage to visit religious places is present in nearly every culture and religion. In Japan, it is typical of both major religions, Buddhism and Shinto... Read more...
The Ashita Honjin

Although only a small town, Ashita boasts the oldest surviving honjin on the Nakasendo. It has also been owned by the same family since its' original construction in the late... Read more...
Omote-ura - Public and Private Faces

Omote (the public face) and ura (the private face) are twin concepts that are applied to almost any aspect of Japan or life in Japan. Omote refers to the image... Read more...

Shimazaki Toson and Novels

Toson’s Life and Work

Shimazaki Toson (1872-1943) is one of many literary figures with connections to the Nakasendo, but Toson is the one with the closest and longest association. Toson was born and raised in Magome and he wrote about Magome, Kiso-Fukushima (where he had relatives by marriage), and the Nakasendo at length in his autobiographical novels. Toson was… [Read more]

The Novel in Japan

The novel in Japan is both very old and completely modern. Novels in a nearly modern sense were being written in the 10th and 11th century. The most famous novel from this era is The Tale of Genji (Genji Monogatari) written by Murasaki Shikibu, a lady at the imperial court. Genji provides the reader with… [Read more]

Emperor Heisei
Heisei is the reign name of the present emperor who succeeded his father on 7 January 1989. In 1956, he became particularly famous for marrying a commoner, someone from outside the Imperial court nobility. It was a popular match, partly because the couple played tennis in Karuizawa, an old post-town on the Nakasendo and a modern resort area, and generally behaved in ‘democratic’ and ‘modern’ ways which were catchwords of the time. The emperor and his family have maintained an openness to the public. They reflect strongly the middle class ideals of many Japanese.

Castle Towns

Landslides

Namiki

Kyoto Development Issues

The Shinkansen

Pilgrimage

The Ashita Honjin

Omote-ura - Public and Private Faces

Toson’s Life and Work

The Novel in Japan

Sumo Wrestling

The Novel in Japan

Chinese Influence

The Early Road System

Toiya/Tonya (shipping agent)

Shimazaki Toson and Novels

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