Deeper Views
Dive further into Japanese culture.
Join our team of culture editors in exploring deeper connections between Japan’s art, culture, and history.
Latest
More than Matcha:
Understanding Japanese Tea
While matcha might catch the most attention these days, there’s a greater variety of Japanese tea to explore.
Your Guide to Autumn in Japan 2025
Seasonal Guide
Discover the best ways to travel Japan in autumn, from momiji maple views to hiking through Japan’s most iconic outdoor scenery.
Featured
The War on Geisha: Identity in the Face of Tradition
The complex struggle of geisha to preserve their traditional identity while adapting to the pressures of modernity, Western influence, and societal misconceptions.
More entries from
Deeper Views
The Rise of Japan’s Women of Letters
Contemporary Japanese women writers are reshaping both domestic and global literary landscapes through subversive, critically acclaimed works—reviving a historic female literary tradition that dates back to the Heian period.
Monogatari, The Meiji Years, and Japan's Oral Storytelling Tradition
For centuries, an oral tradition was so much more than entertainment. Read more about Japan's unbroken heritage of oral storytelling, from ancient times to modern scenes.
Ukiyo-e: Capturing the Fleeting World Through Print
Discover more about ukiyo-e, a Japanese art revealing not only artistic brilliance but also the values and social dynamics of their the Edo Period.
The 72 Micro-Seasons of Japan: When Nature Shapes Creation
Whether in the quiet contemplation of a bowl of tea, the delicate brushstroke of a seasonal painting, or the taste of a perfectly ripened ingredient, the spirit of Japan’s 72 micro-seasons endures.
Jazz, Coffee, Cats, and Feminism: Why Japanese Literature Has the West in its Thrall
Modern translations of Japanese literature - of cats, jazz, and ambient atmospheres - draw readers deeper into a place of both healing and of redefinition.
The Evolution of Wagasa Imagery in Modern Media
How wagasa have stood the test of time and transformed into a true cultural and artistic icon.
Seasons in Verse: The Poetic Significance of Wafu Getsumei in Haiku
Japan’s seasons flow like poetry, each moment captured in kigo—seasonal words in haiku. Discover how imagery captures the essence of each microseason.
Telling Tales with Ainu
The Ainu oral storytelling tradition plays a huge role in preserving the culture and history of the Ainu people through epic, mythic, and ritual tales, despite the language’s endangered status due to forced assimilation.
In Praise of Silence: Japan’s Ancient Relationship to the Absence of Noise
Japan's historical reverence for silence, casting an undeniable impact on art, culture, and communication within Japan, comes in contrast to a modern noise-filled environment.
Classical Words, Contemporary Feel: The Japanese Waka Poem
Japan’s timeless waka poetry continues to inspire modern creativity, blending classical elegance with contemporary expression.
