If you’ve watched enough anime (or pretty much any historical anime), you’ve most likely encountered the name Shinsengumi. They were a pivotal group in Japanese history and as such remain a popular subject of fiction and cultural fascination. But do you actually know who the Shinsengumi were?
Tag: Japanese Culture
I Just Wanna Talk About Tsukumogami
It’s what it says on the can folks.. It’s been a while since I took the time to write about Yokai and I just got a hankering for it all the sudden. I ould use this topic as an exploration of the traditions and cultures of a specific group and community within pop cultural texts…
I know nothing of Japanese class structure
I like to think of myself as not entirely uncultured but there is always going to be a bit of a culture clash when I watch anime. I think that’s true for a lot of western viewers. The social reality we live in as well as the history, traditions and beliefs we grew up with…
Anime propaganda Psycho-Pass and Cool Japan
A little while ago I read an article that said that China was trying to ban all Japanese animation. This proved unpopular and not particularly sustainable. Of course, young Chinese kids watch anime legally or not, online, and the effort to police that is substantial. However, the initiative still does exist and to some degree…
Even Superstitions are Scarier in Japan
Awww yeah! It’s that time of year again. The time when I post another silly “scarier in Japan” post! I actually really enjoy writing these. It’s tricky coming up with new ones by now but I think I hit the jackpot with superstitions. Japan has some really fun ones! If you are curious about the…
Haunted Houses in Japan
Today, let’s talk a bit about haunted houses in Japan. There are two types of haunted houses in Japan. The historical types where supposed murders or tragedies happened, and rumours spread. There are a lot of those in the US as well. Not that many in my neck of the woods. I think it’s because…
The spookiest celebration in Japan is O-Bon
This is kind of a silly title, I know. I couldn’t come up with anything good that explained this post. See, I know that Halloween is a fairly recent occurrence in Japan and they don’t have many traditions around it, so I wondered if there was anything typically Japanese that was similar to North American…
I’m dreaming of a Shiro Christmas – The Significance of White in Anime
This is the second blogmas I’m spending with you all. The second time we get to sit down together and just chat over the holidays about nothing and everything. I really appreciate it. It makes the snowy season just a tad bit warmer. It really is a comforting exercise for me to just sit down…
Christmas Cake Tradition and Recipe
I’m taking a little Christmas vacation so I’m using the opportunity to repost some of my older Christmas posts. I hope you still enjoy them. This said, who doesn’t love cake? Aaaahhh Christmas cake. For most of us in the Western world, this means the dense, molasses filled, door stomp like substance also known as…
In Case You wanted to Dress as a Sexy Catgirl/boy : Do Cat Ears Really Make You Cuter?
Choosing the perfect Halloween costume is one of the most important decisions you are going to make. So in order to help you all out just a little, I have decided to republish this very serious and important post! I hope it will make your decision just a little easier at least! What I am…
How Japanese Culture Changed the Anime Tomboy
According to Google, all the ladies in that header gif are in fact anime tomboys! You guys know what a tomboy is, right? I feel like it’s a character archetype that’s lost a ton of popularity in the past few years but when I was younger it was super common in American and European media….
Oh My Kami – Which Shrine should you Visit This New Year
I really like this post so I decided to report it this year. Next year I’ll update my shrine list! So a couple of days ago I did a post on Japanese Christmas tradition as a thinly veiled excuse to eat nothing but cake for a couple of days. That was a good decision. My…
Japan’s Fried Chicken Christmas Tradition
Many years ago, I taught you all how to bring a little Japanese touch to your Christmas celebration by baking your very own traditional Japanese Christmas Cake. This year, I figure it’s finally time to cover the rest of the meal. You can’t just eat cake, even if it is Christmas. Your tummy is gonna…
Halloween Candy in Japan
think the first question any normal person asks themselves when faced with the prospect of travelling to a marvellous place they have always wanted to visit is: What yummy food can I expect to ingest??? So naturally, if you are ever going to spend Halloween in Japan, you should really know about the candy!
Even Urban Legends are Scarier in Japan 2!
Every year I do an Even X is Scarier in Japan post during October: Even Urban Legends are Scarier in Japan Even Creepypastas Are Scarier in Japan Even Monsters are Scarier in Japan These are fun little posts in which I explore creepy Japanese fiction in all forms and share it with you. Because it’s…