Japan Unveiled Late-Blooming Culture

Fig. Naoto Matsumura This is a schematic picture. For real image, the reader can visit: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LXOGtiMZXtM   After the nuclear accident, Naoto Matsumura, a resident of Fukushima, saved over 350 livestock and pets from starvation. Starting from the 10th year after the disaster, he has been striving to restore abandoned farmland. While many farmers gave up cultivating and leased their fields to solar power companies, he resumed rice farming on his own. Even seven years after the evacuation order was lifted, the town's population is about one-seventh of what it used to be. Most of the returning residents are elderly. To bring the taste of home to those who spend their days in solitude, Matsumura continues to fight alone. This story depicts a man steadfast in his beliefs as he faces numerous challenges. He recalls the time when he first saved the starving dogs. (translation by the author of this blog post). Around 1:20 “These animals had proba...

Japanese manhole covers often feature intricate and artistic designs that reflect local culture, history, and landmarks. Many municipalities in Japan install unique manhole covers. The ones below are some of the manhole covers in Kashiwa City, Chiba Prefecture. This city is where Riyoko Ikeda grew up [1]. She is a Japanese manga artist and singer who published the manga series "The Rose of Versailles". It's set in the period leading up to and during the French Revolution, and it intricately intertwines the lives of its main characters: Marie Antoinette, the Queen of France, and Oscar François de Jarjayes, a woman raised as a man to serve in the royal guard. The manga explores themes of gender, class struggle, and historical events, blending romance, drama, and political intrigue. It's praised for its detailed artwork and compelling storytelling, making it a classic in the world of shojo (girls) manga. The manhole covers are so beautiful that passersby might avoid s...

  Fig. Japanese carpentry without a single nail. ( Great Big Story ) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-u4T13guko&t=27s&ab_channel=GreatBigStory Takafumi Matsumoto is a Miya Daiku, a shrine and temple carpenter who works in Kamakura, Japan. Fig. Kamakura https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O-u4T13guko&t=27s&ab_channel=GreatBigStory Fig. Kamakura, South West of Tokyo Source: google earth modified by the author   Kamakura is located 50 km southwest of Tokyo and is abundant in natural beauty.  It was the capital of Japan from the early 12th century to the mid-13th century. It was the site of the first government established by samurai under Shogun Minamoto Yoritomo. The feudal system lasted about 800 years until the Meiji Restoration in 1868. Since Japanese shrines and temples are made of wood, they require restoration after a suitable number of years. For example, in wooden structures from 1,000 years ago, iron was hard to come by, so buildings were ...