Minakata: Japan's pioneer of ecology
In an old black-and-white photograph on show at the National Museum of Nature and Science, Tokyo, Minakata Kumagusu — with a shaved head and dressed only in a waistcloth — stands by a huge tree, arms crossed in seeming defiance. He could easily be ...
Showa's not giving up without a fight
The government has decided that the 31st year of Heisei will end with the abdication of Emperor Akihito 120 days into 2019, on April 30. Then on May 1, Crown Prince Naruhito will become emperor and a new nengō (name of the period of ...
The enduring mystique of the Showa Era
For many Japanese, life is divided into two distinctly historical time lines: before and after the Showa Era.
Japan's magazines get misty-eyed over Showa Era brothels
Commencing with the death of Emperor Taisho on Christmas Day, 1926, the Showa Era ran for 62 years and two weeks, ending with the death of Emperor Hirohito (posthumously referred to as Emperor Showa) at the age of 87 on Jan. 7, 1989. Thanks to ...
Government mulls new titles for incoming and departing emperors, say sources
The government is considering giving Emperor Akihito the title of “joko,” an abbreviation of “daijo tenno,” meaning retired sovereign, should he abdicate.
Imperial abdication talk poses question of Japan's next era
As the news reverberated throughout Japan earlier this month that Emperor Akihito intended to relinquish his throne while alive — in the first such move in about 200 years — the nation was struck by one of the biggest implications of his exit: the ...
Publisher Takarajima-sha bets on shock therapy to revive its fortunes
With the temporary demise of its flagship publication, Takarajima looks to Showa nostalgia and shock ads in a bid to stay relevant.
The recently completed 61-volume record of the life of Emperor Hirohito shows him hopelessly ambivalent about how to end Word War II as he sought "another brilliant military gain" for Japan so that it would have diplomatic clout in negotiating a settlement.
'Changes in Lifestyle: Showa Era Food and Kitchens'
Every year, the Akashi City Museum of Culture presents a "Changes of Lifestyle" exhibition showcasing aspects of life during the Showa Era (1926-1989). Designed to teach children and teenagers about recent history as well as help them visualize the life of their parents, grandparents ...
The Imperial Household Agency is scheduled to finish compiling an official record of the life of Emperor Hirohito in late March for submission to Emperor Akihito as soon as the following month, an official said. The agency intends to release the entire record of the ...
Kagoshima volcano erupts, warplanes fly over Tokyo, exhibit shows Okamoto's bold side, Emperor dies
A terrible eruption on Sakurajima, an island in Kagoshima Bay having an active volcano, occurred yesterday at 10 a.m. Up to that time, since the night of the 10th, more than 70 earthquakes had been experienced in Kagoshima. With thundering sounds, the eruption was ...
Pearl Harbor: The Day of Infamy that won't go away
Dec. 8 (Japan time) is the 72nd anniversary of Pearl Harbor, the infamous attack launched by Imperial Japanese forces against the United States that continues to reverberate in the popular imagination. Certainly, the 2,402 deaths made this raid unforgettable. So too the sunken and savaged ...
