Do not think yourself The vanishing dew. Think instead Of the long-blooming Chrysanthemum flower. The Heian Court calendar was peppered...

The best among blossoms is the red plum, whether light or dark in colour. As for the cherry, the blossoms should be on slender branches,...

Murasaki Shikibu wearing juunihitoe. Lady butterfly perfumes her wings by floating over the orchid –Bashō I have long been fascinated by...

Chigo, Yasaka Shrine Influences and Beginnings When I was in my early twenties, and without much experience of travel, I arrived with my...

I love watching Japanese drama! It's a great way of improving Japanese listening skills while being entertained! My vocabulary has...

We had a fantastic time at our online JanuaryInJapan Bookclub this year - thank you so much to everyone who joined us! Our subject for...

It was almost three years to the day when we returned to Kyoto in November 2022. In the intervening time, when it was not possible to...

The Old Capital by Yasunari Kawabata The novel is set in Kyoto, a city of high art and the cultural soul of Japan since it became the...

Kobai (Red Plum Blossom) by Masao Ebina. Note the fine gold strings and pattern on the koto. Many of you know that I am an artist with...

Curious this day on which long ago they must have pledged their troth; like the River of Heaven's waves rising - this is sent out. This...

Here at Zusetsu, we're fascinated by the popular paper craft of Japan called origami. In this blog, not only do we want to have a try at...

We loved looking at this beautiful image of Murasaki Shikibu. What could the significance of the green and red colours in her juunihitoe...

We've enjoyed exploring Heian monogatari and Japanese folktales over the last few weeks, and we loved our fantastic JanuaryInJapan...

Netflix series The Future Diary It's nearing Valentines Day, and while love is in the air, what could be better than watching the new...

Kuzunoha by Yamakawa Shuuhou It’s January – the days are short and dark and the nights are long and cold. It’s a perfect time of year...

This week we've been looking at the traditional Japanese card game called karuta. It's a fascinating competitive sport in Japan, which...

We're thrilled to be able to introduce you to our new Zusetsu Furoshiki Handbook! It includes 16 different styles of furoshiki wrap, so...

Glorious Eikandou in the fall Autumn is a magnificent time of year to be in Kyoto. The air is cool, but the skies can be bright blue, and...

It's the 9th of September, and we're thinking of chrysanthemums today, as it's Kiku no Sekku in Japan: the Chrysanthemum Festival! The...

Two Tanabata Poems Don't look up by yourself at the sky where stars meet - the wind from the Milky Way blows cold. How I envy the...

What is Children’s Day? Children's Day (こどもの日, Kodomo no Hi) is a national holiday in Japan, which takes place every year on the 5th of...

Yukki's set of hina dolls that her parents bought for her when she was born :) Are you interested in Japanese festivals and traditions?...

A scene from Chapter 24 'Butterflies', The Tale of Genji, illustrated by Tosa Mitsuyoshi (1539–1613) and Choujirou, Kyoto National Museum...