This Saturday (3 March) is Girls’ Day or Dolls’ Festival (Hinamatsuri) in Japan. As you might expect, this day is an occasion to pray for the health and happiness of girls in Japan. Like a lot of Japanese festivals, Hinamatsuri has an interesting history and practices, so let’s take a look… Traditionally, people display dolls … Continue reading
It’s that time of the year again when I report back from the films I caught at the Japan Foundation Touring Film Programme (JFTFP), which is now in its 15th year! In case it wasn’t obvious, I’m a big fan of Japanese cinema and JFTFP is a very fixed date in my calendar. The screenings … Continue reading
It’s Valentine’s Day next week, which means it’s high time I posted a blog about how Japan does Valentine’s Day! Valentine’s Day really kicked off in Japan in the 1950s but is arguably just as commercialised as it is in the west. Traditionally, it was very unusual and even taboo for women to confess their … Continue reading
I’ve been meaning to blog about Okinawa for a long time, so am kicking of 2018’s travel section with one of the main cluster of islands in this tropical part of Japan! Okinawa is the southernmost prefecture of Japan and famed for its subtropical climate and the longevity of its inhabitants. It consists of a … Continue reading
Earlier this week, I reviewed Michael Booth’s latest book, ‘The Meaning of Rice: and Other Tales from the Belly of Japan’. If eating your way around Japan sounds like your idea of heaven, and if you’re genuinely interested in learning more the Japanese food industry and its history, I highly recommend it. To give you … Continue reading
Back in 2015, I reviewed Michael Booth’s ‘Sushi and Beyond: What the Japanese Know about Cooking’ and interviewed the author himself. Booth has a lot of people’s dream jobs – he’s a best-selling author and journalist who writes predominantly about travel and food. ‘The Meaning of Rice: and Other Tales from the Belly of Japan’ … Continue reading
It’s that time again when I round up my favourite things that found their way onto Sophie’s Japan Blog this year! I think 2017 surpassed 2016 both in terms of blog activity and general madness in the world… I’d like to say a big thank you to you lovely readers, sponsors and collaborators! Below are … Continue reading
If you fancy a trip to Manchester (the best city!) you should put the Doki Doki Manchester Japanese Festival in your calendar on 11th November. This celebration of both modern and traditional Japanese culture has been running for a few years at the Sugden Sports Centre and should be in your radar if you like … Continue reading
It’s film festival season in London and the latest programme soon to be hitting screens is the London East Asia Film Festival (LEAFF) 19-29 October. Now in its third year, LEAFF’s vision is to bring a much wider, eclectic, and diverse programme of films from over 10 countries to show the richness and diversity of … Continue reading
The years leading up to the end of the Edo period, in which foreign invaders piled pressure upon pressure on Japan until the country was forced to open its doors to the world again, is a particularly interesting period in the country’s history. Generally, this tumultuous period in the country’s history is often told from … Continue reading
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