Ikebana Explained
It is believed that for the first time the idea that flowers could be used as decoration came to Japan along with Buddhism, about one and a half thousand years ago. But about 1,500 years ago is too approximate, and art as significant to Japan as ikebana could not have been left without its founding father. And without a grandfather and…
Sake Explained
I have no idea how it happened, but I still didn’t tell you anything about sake. Even though I should have brought it right after geisha – few things in Japanese culture are surrounded by as many misconceptions as these two. For example, sake is not rice vodka and not even rice wine, although it does taste a bit like…
Tokaido Explained
Once upon a time I had a grand dream to walk along the Tokaido Road, to embrace the spirit of 17th-18th-century Japan, to experience the life of a wanderer. A wonderful dream, but an unfulfillable one. Because the old Tokaido Road has been long gone. And I was well aware of that. But fuelled by advertising campaigns and photos of…
Ukiyo-e Explained
This time I’ll look deep into the history of Japanese soy sauce, walk you through the process of making traditional Japanese shoyu and tell you all you need to know to pick the perfect bottle.
Perry in Japan Explained
Hi guys! The time has come for my first collaboration with a fellow podcaster. Please welcome Garret McCorkle from the “No Country for History” podcast. And we have a great topic to discuss. In 1853 Commodore Perry came to the shores of Japan and “opened” it to the world. Or did he? Let’s see what actually happened when four black…
Yokai Explained
We all love something cooling during the summer heat. And what can be more refreshing than a spooky story that makes you shiver? But sorry, I can’t handle scary stories. They are, well, scary. Japanese people, on the other hand, are really good at making and retelling them. So this time let me introduce you to the Japanese monsters –…
Nabe Hotpot Explained
Nabe hot pot cuisine is an essential part of winter in Japan. Seafood, meat, mushrooms, tofu, vegetables, rice cakes and many other ingredients find their way into thick clay nabe pots in homes and restaurants all around the country. Nabe is one of 3 Japanese dishes I, a very lazy cook, make at home. That’s like an ultimate sales point:…
Shoyu Explained
You can make a ton of different sauces out of soy. And they will all be called a… soy sauce in English. Even though they come from different countries and are made in rather distinct ways. But since this podcast is about Japanese culture, the only sauce I’m going to talk about is shoyu – the Japanese soy sauce. This…