It’s almost Jūsanya, so we tried making moon-inspired pumpkin rice cake–with only three ingredients! As we mentioned in our last post, Jūgoya, “the Night of the 15th” or the moon…
Author: wafuuinthewest
October–What Happens and What to Eat
A conference of the gods at Izumo Taisha Shrine, the Night of the 13th, and the Seven Herbs of Autumn–October is here! Month Name–Kannazuki / Kamiarizuki The wafuu meigetsu ((和風名月,…
The World of Wadaiko: An Introduction
From Stanford to Switzerland, wadaiko drumming has spread across the globe. What is it, and where did it come from? A Brief History of Taiko Up to the Edo Period…
Origami: How to Keep Cool and Make a Paper Wind Chime
August is nearly over, and it’s still sweltering hot. Why not cool your space with a summery origami? Until recently, it was the humble senpūki (floor fan) that kept Japanese…
Mottainai! How to Make Corn Silk Tea
Corn silk in English, corn’s beard in Japanese–this one ingredient can make a powerful health tea. When Did Corn Come to Japan? Corn has been cultivated for food and used…
Bingata–A Cultural Treasure of Okinawa
We take our eyes off the Olympics to focus on bingata, (紅型) an 800-year old dyeing technique from Okinawa. Stick with us to hear from two bingata artisans who run…