From Kool-Aid to Green Tea: Tales of My Cult Childhood
Introduction I was typing about Shinto’s history, reflecting how its noble origin has shaped Japanese culture since ancient times. Then a distant memory bubbled up: I was 5 or 6, standing…
Ancestral Healing | Blog | Culture | History
Shinto: Mother Nature as Temple for People’s Heart and Soul
Introduction I was born and raised as the third generation of my family in a Buddhist-religious institution in Japan, and during my childhood I wasn’t allowed to go into the old…
The Real Meaning of Wabi Sabi: Not What You Think
Introduction Questions like “what is Wabi Sabi?” or “that’s just so Wabi Sabi, right?” came my way a few times from my American friends and familes during the last 20 years…
Reverence Brewed: History and Spirit of Japanese Tea Ceremony
Introduction In the soft light of dawn, fragrant spring flowers fill the air with their intoxicating aroma. Songbirds happily sing as they bask in the sun rays shining through the maple…
Recovering Japan’s Stolen Identity: Broken Pottery and Golden Seams
Hidden truth about self-hatred culture in Japan Self sabotage, self hate, self punishment and self erasing are the things that I have personally struggled in my life for years…in shadow. Many…
From Rejection to Restoration: My 20-year Rambling Journey Home to Japan
Hey there, dear friends. My name is Nori. Twenty years ago, I fled my motherland Japan as an angry 19-year-old, determined never to look back. Now, I’m finally ready to return…