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Ninja Trick Knife

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

Ninja – what won’t they think of next for their bag of tricks that they use to entertain and kill people with? While in Kyoto, a crafty ninja shows me his trick knife.

Plum Blossoms, Green Tea, and Pretty Geisha – Ume Matsuri in Kyoto

Thursday, March 3rd, 2011

To celebrate plum blossoms and Tenjin-sama, the god of learning, a festival is held at Kitano Tenmangu Shrine in Kyoto where geisha serve visitors matcha green tea.

Since it was my birthday I thought I would have tea with those geisha as one does.

Kitano Tenmangu Shrine is a beautiful shrine especially during Plum Blossom season and when the geisha come but it hides a dark past of political manipulation, fear, guilt, and the need for appeasement of a vengeful spirit.

Setsubun 2009 – Japanese Devils, Celebs, Samurai, and Sumo

Tuesday, April 14th, 2009
Setsubun is an old Japanese tradition going back to the Heian Period (794-1192) where Japanese drive bad luck or evil out of their homes by throwing ... [Continue reading this entry]

Modern Deadly Arts of the Samurai

Friday, April 10th, 2009
The samurai were Japan's elite warrior class of long ago - masters of many deadly weapons and stern possessors of martial fighting skills. In Tokyo's modern mecca of electronics and anime, Akihabara, the samurai have re-emerged as masters of a new ... [Continue reading this entry]

Tokyo Youtube Hanami Gathering

Friday, April 10th, 2009
The 2nd Annual Tokyo Youtube Hanami Party was held Sunday March 29th in Yoyogi Park. A number of Youtubers located in Tokyo and elsewhere gathered in Yoyogi Park - the park next to the Goth Maids and the dancing Rockabilly ... [Continue reading this entry]

Samurai Dave’s 2008 In Review – Travels, Events, and Festivals

Tuesday, January 13th, 2009
2008 was a busy year for this wayward wanderer though I didn't travel much abroad due to the high fuel surcharge. I did however travel a fair bit around Japan going to a number of festivals. This is a photo ... [Continue reading this entry]

A Bit of Christmas in Japan

Friday, December 26th, 2008
Although Christmas is not an official holiday in Japan, it is observed in other ways. On Christmas Eve and Christmas, one can find lines of Japanese standing ... [Continue reading this entry]

Fire on the Mountain – Mt. Kurama Fire Festival of Kyoto

Saturday, December 13th, 2008
Mt. Kurama in northern Kyoto comes alive with the fires of hundreds of torches some of them over 15 feet long requiring 4-5 men to carry them. It's a very old tradition going back to the late 8th Century. The ... [Continue reading this entry]

A Japanese Beer Trilogy

Thursday, August 21st, 2008
Here’s a trilogy of videos on Japanese beer - one on beer vending machines in Kyoto, another one on a draft beer vending machine in Tokyo, and a final one on historical beers - beers with labels of famous people ... [Continue reading this entry]

Artistic Chaos!!! The Tokyo Design Festa

Sunday, July 27th, 2008
http://samuraidave.wordpress.com/2008/07/02/artistic-chaos-the-tokyo-design-festa/ The Tokyo Design Festa is a semi-annual event where artists, craftsmen, performers, musicians, film-makers, and what-not gather from all over the world to exhibit their creations. It's a weekend of artistic chaos! It's up for votes on Current TV: [Continue reading this entry]