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November 29, 2023
 

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Stephen Mansfield

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Stephen Mansfield
Photojournalist and author Stephen Mansfield's work has appeared in over 70 publications worldwide, on subjects ranging from conflict in the Middle East to cultural analysis, interviews and book reviews. A longtime Japan Times contributor, his latest book is "Japan's Master Gardens: Lessons in Space & Environment."
For Stephen Mansfield's latest contributions to The Japan Times, see below:
Japan Times
LIFE / Longform
May 29, 2023
In a Japanese garden, you’re never under the weather
As the rainy season approaches, the excess water is set to bring life to green spaces across the nation.
Japan Times
LIFE / Style & Design / Longform
May 2, 2022
Reworking utopia: Contemporary Japanese garden design
Modern gardens have moved away from seeking to mirror nature and instead function as mediums for self-expression.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Mar 20, 2022
Exploring the healthier aspects of salt in Okinawa
While common dietary advice says to watch our salt intakes, a company in Okinawa follows an old island line that says the best of the white stuff can be good for us.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Mar 13, 2022
Isabella Bird: Revisiting her intrepid journeys trekking the wilds of Japan
Geographer Kiyonori Kanasaka's extensive knowledge and commentary enrich the works of the 19th-century explorer.
Japan Times
LIFE / Food & Drink
Dec 4, 2021
Amid the pandemic, Ise’s ama divers keep the fires burning
Without the usual waves of tourists supporting their endeavors, the "ama" divers of the Ise Peninsula expand the scope of their operations.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Jul 11, 2021
‘Tea Life, Tea Mind’: Celebrating the simple act of serving tea
Green tea began in China as a medicinal brew, and grew in Japan into an aid to wakefulness and meditation for Zen monks. In time, the ceremony of its preparation became a mode of refinement for a social elite versed in introspection and aesthetics. In the modern age, however, few Japanese have the time or opportunity to sit through the elaborate protocols of tea ceremony.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Jul 11, 2021
‘Impressions of Japanese Architecture’: A sense of discovery toward the traditional arts
Ralph Adams Cramu2019s focus on traditional architecture, with design principles still relevant today, explains why his book u201cImpressions of Japanese Architecture,u201d first published in 1905, has stood the test of time.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Jul 4, 2021
‘Paradise in Plain Sight’: You don't need to look far for life lessons
In Karen Maezen Milleru2019s book, the Zen garden she restores to its former beauty becomes a metaphor for life.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle / Longform
Jun 28, 2021
Basics of bonsai: How miniature trees from Asia have transcended frontiers
Originating in India before spreading to China and Japan, bonsai art forms can now be found all over the world.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
May 30, 2021
Five nonfiction books about Japanese food to devour from cover to cover
In an age where the internet provides an abundance of information, to still be unaware of the varieties of Japanese cuisine could be seen as a form of self-exile from pleasure. While curating a list of the “best” nonfiction on the topic is certainly subjective, the following books, which offer immersive writing based on research and firsthand impressions and encounters, make for a nourishing reading experience.
Japan Times
LIFE / Lifestyle
Feb 13, 2021
How to truly define a Japanese garden
Japanese gardens come in many forms that are each interpreted differently, redefining what such spaces represent in the first place.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jan 2, 2021
‘Japanese Zen Gardens’: Unearthing the complexity of Kyoto’s gardens
Yoko Kawaguchiu2019s book shows readers how many of Japanu2019s gardens incorporate Buddhist principles in their designs to function as spaces for meditation and enlightenment.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / 2020 in review
Dec 19, 2020
Our critics’ favorite books published in 2020
As 2021 approaches, six Japan Times book reviewers look back on their top reads released in English this year.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Dec 5, 2020
‘Family Crests of Japan’: For the miniaturist who appreciates fine details
This comprehensive overview of Japanese family crests delves into the motifs and geometries that fill even the simplest designs with meaning.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Dec 5, 2020
‘36 Views of Mount Fuji’: Self-discovery through shifts in perspective
Cathy N. Davidsonu2019s memoir is a thoughtful and compelling account of a woman gaining a deeper understanding of herself and Japan through her travels.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Nov 21, 2020
A passion project that became a literary journey through Kyoto
u201cKyoto: A Literary Guide" was painstakingly collated by a group of friends whose dedication to studying the cityu2019s literary legacy spans 10 years.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Oct 17, 2020
Hans Brinckmann: Bearing witness to Japan’s postwar transformation
The Dutch writeru2019s follow-up to his 2005 memoir offers insight into Japanu2019s economic, political and cultural changes between 1950 to the present.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Aug 8, 2020
‘Diary of a Mad Old Man’: This quick read reveals the realities of lust
Junichiro Tanizakiu2019s final novel is a tragicomic tale about a man coming to terms with his ailing body and uncontrollable libido.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Aug 1, 2020
‘A Late Chrysanthemum’: A short story collection full of pathos and maturity
This anthology of short stories may tend toward the morally dubious, but itu2019s a solid introduction to literary masters of the 20th century.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Jul 4, 2020
Healing from the horrors of war in ‘The Garden of Evening Mists’
Tan Twan Engu2019s evocative novel about loss, art and memory was shortlisted for a Man Booker Prize in 2012.
Wasabi effective in improving memory of elderly: study
A research has found that hexaraphane — a component found in wasabi — helps improve the episodic and working memories of elderly people.
Japan is enticing for digital nomads, but visa hurdles remain
Akina Shu has visited around 50 countries as a speaker and ambassador on the digital nomad lifestyle since 2020.
How a dictionary came to spark outrage among the web’s otaku
Yoshiko Koide sits in a classroom at Nagoya College where she teaches a Japanese-language observation seminar.
Nature-focused theme park to open in Okinawa in 2025
A rendering of the new Junglia theme park scheduled to open in Okinawa in 2025
Bedbugs are spreading in South Korea and China. Is Japan next?
A bed bug in Paris in September
How a dictionary came to spark outrage among the web’s otaku
Yoshiko Koide sits in a classroom at Nagoya College where she teaches a Japanese-language observation seminar.
Japan is enticing for digital nomads, but visa hurdles remain
Akina Shu has visited around 50 countries as a speaker and ambassador on the digital nomad lifestyle since 2020.
Japan to start trial of over-the-counter sales of morning-after pills
Customers look at products on display outside a drug store in Tokyo on Friday. As part of a trial, 145 stores nationwide will be allowed to sell morning-after pills until the end of March.
Bedbugs are spreading in South Korea and China. Is Japan next?
A bed bug in Paris in September
Tasting the 'Zen of coffee' at speakeasy-esque Cokuun
Hidenori Izaki, one-time winner of the World Barista Championship, brings coffee to new heights at Cokuun.

Podcast

An official shot for this year’s lineup for NHK’s annual “Kohaku Uta Gassen.”
Things get warmer with Xi; Johnny’s get the cold shoulder

Longform

Yoshiko Koide sits in a classroom at Nagoya College where she teaches a Japanese-language observation seminar.
How a dictionary came to spark outrage among the web’s otaku
By Thu-Huong Ha and Yukana Inoue

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