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The Sento – Shadows of a Fading Culture

Walk through an older neighborhood in any Japanese city, and you may notice a tall, aging chimney rising from the back of a narrow alley. That is a sento — a communal bathhouse. In the era before private bathrooms were common, people came here every day, sharing the same warm air and drifting steam.

Boat Race — The New Face of Japan’s Once-Gritty “Kyōtei”

If you’ve found your way to this page out of curiosity about Japan’s boat races, it seems only fair to offer a basic overview first. Known originally as kyōtei (競艇) since its inception in the 1950s, Japan’s boat racing is a longstanding form of government-sanctioned gambling.

Night Picnic in Yoyogi Park – Quiet, Strange, and Beautiful

Die Welt ist tief – und tiefer als der Tag gedacht hat. “The world is deep—and deeper than the day had ever thought.” – Nietzsche, Thus Spoke Zarathustra

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Recent Posts

  • The Sento – Shadows of a Fading Culture
  • Boat Race — The New Face of Japan’s Once-Gritty “Kyōtei”
  • Where Did the Yakuza Go? – Japan’s Mafia That’s Hiding in Plain Sight
  • Crows Aren’t Real – Japan’s Spy Bird Urban Legend
  • Kisaragi Station – A Japanese Urban Legend Born Online

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