Japanese Culture

Japanese Culture

Working with Water

Anchoring the Body in Seaweed FarmingAt first glance, these do not look like footwear.They are wooden frames tied to hea...
Japanese Culture

Not All Japanese Snow Is Powder

Subtitle: Climate Shapes the SoleWestern Japan: Walking on Wet SnowIn western Japan, snow is often wet and heavy.Tempera...
Japanese Culture

Wearing Rice and Wearing Lacquer: Footwear and Social Hierarchy in Ancient Japan

What did people wear on their feet in ancient Japan?For many overseas readers, the image is simple: straw sandals. Rough...
Japanese Culture

When Shoes Become Tools: The Straw Boots Used to Step on Hot Soybeans

Steam rises from freshly cooked soybeans.They are hot. Soft. Heavy.And someone must step into them.Not barefoot.Wearing ...
Japanese Culture

Walking on the Land: How Japanese People Made Footwear from What Grew Around Them

Modern shoes are industrial products.Rubber is synthesized, foam is engineered, leather is globally traded, and design i...
Japanese Culture

Waragutsu: Straw Boots for Snow and Survival

When Sandals Were Not EnoughIn much of Japan, straw sandals were sufficient for daily life. But in colder regions, espec...
Japanese Culture

Before Rubber: Straw Sandals in Traditional Japan — For People and Horses

Walking on Straw: Life Before Modern ShoesBefore rubber soles and leather boots became common, everyday life in Japan de...
Japanese Culture

The Well of Authority: Water at the Heart of Edo-period Governance

IntroductionIn many countries, a well is simply a source of water.In Japan, however, water often carries something more ...
Japanese Culture

Kanro Soy Sauce: A Traditional Taste from Yanai, Japan

Yanai is a small historic town in western Japan.It is known for its preserved streets and traditional culture.One of its...
Japanese Culture

From Wood to Sake

A quiet journey through traditional sake brewing1. Wood Before Steel(Tradition before efficiency)Long before stainless s...