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July 05, 2025
 

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ZEN

Japan's success isn't rooted in mystical Eastern wisdom; it's driven by practical public policies, social standards and education, not secret life hacks.
COMMENTARY
Dec 10, 2024
Two words for current ‘ancient Japanese wisdom’: think again
Japan's success isn't rooted in mystical Eastern wisdom; it's driven by practical public policies, social standards, and education, not secret life hacks.
A statue of Santoku Taneda stands at Hofu Station in Hofu, Yamagata Prefecture, where the Zen monk was born in 1882.
JAPAN / History / The Living Past
Jun 14, 2024
The joy of Zen — Part 2: Poetry
Ryokan and Santoka lived in different times, connected by a knack for words but polar opposites when it came to the monk's life they both chose.
A monk practices "zazen" (seated meditation), a practice that the monk Dogen said would help one cast aside the world in service of the Way.
JAPAN / History / The Living Past
May 17, 2024
The joy of Zen — Part 1: Prose
The writings of the monks Eisai and Dogen sought to determine the proper way to live on this Earth, in harmony with the Way.
The wedded rocks of Meoto Iwa in Mie Prefecture.
JAPAN / History
Aug 20, 2023
Good and evil defined by God … or gods
Much of our understanding of good and evil can be traced to definitions created by religion. Which religion (and definition) depends on where you live.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Apr 6, 2023
'Mister Timeless Blyth' traces the indelible influences of Zen and poetry
Alan Spence's new novel, which was nearly 10 years in the making, follows the life of R.H. Blyth, a British scholar who helped bring Japanese poetry to the West.
JAPAN / History / THE LIVING PAST
Jul 17, 2022
Daisetz T. Suzuki: Zen enlightenment is not an idea, it’s an experience
Japanese Zen master Daisetz T. Suzuki gets philosophical with an eminent British historian of Japan.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Mar 27, 2022
‘Don't Worry’: Take a breather from the corporate grind with Zen lessons
Shunmyo Masuno's book of compassionate teachings addresses those who find it difficult to relieve stress, specifically the people caught up in the busyness of corporate life.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / 20 QUESTIONS
May 24, 2021
Marc Davies: ‘To write beautifully is to solve a fundamental problem of art’
Nationally acclaimed calligrapher Marc Davies has been practicing shodu014d since 1996, achieving the rank of Master Instructor in 2019. Here, he shares his take on the art form.
Japan Times
JAPAN
Mar 6, 2021
Online funerals and Zen apps keep Japan’s Buddhist temples afloat
As the pandemic forces institutions around the world to change the way they do things, new endeavors are some of the ways that Buddhist groups in Japan are trying to survive.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
Dec 24, 2020
Making way for a new kind of Christmas
Writer William Lang's previous Christmases were all about excess — the more presents and food, the better. But this year, he's celebrating the holidays with a minimalist approach.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Oct 24, 2020
Unclutter your mind with ‘Zen Wisdom for the Anxious’
Ryuunji temple's head priest, Shinsuke Hosokawa, offers encouragement and friendly advice with 52 Zen sayings and simple English explanations.
CULTURE / Books
Feb 15, 2020
'Introduction to Zen Training': Sogen Omori's road map to enlightenment
An introduction to Zen practice, by one of Japan's leading practitioners.
CULTURE / Books / RECENTLY PUBLISHED BOOKS ABOUT JAPAN
Dec 14, 2019
'Zen in Japanese Culture': An astute explainer of Japan's spiritual aesthetics
With 'Zen in Japanese Culture,' Gavin Blair deftly sidesteps superficial how-tos and Orientalism to deliver a in-depth explainer that leaves readers wanting to dig even deeper.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Apr 13, 2019
'Zen: The Art of Simple Living': Habits, ideas and hints for living a happy life
'Zen: The Art of Simple Living' is a profoundly beautiful work, easy to read, encouraging deep thought and reflection, but most importantly, acting as a practical guide to Zen action.
Japan Times
JAPAN / Society / Regional voices: Chubu
Feb 4, 2019
Zen Buddhist priest touched by kindness in Nepal offers shelter to those seeking refuge in Japan
One day in January, in a quiet Zen temple on a hill in Nagoya's Tenpaku Ward, a priest offered a Nigerian visitor okaki (rice crackers).
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Voices / FOREIGN AGENDA
May 23, 2018
Zen and the art of Premier League dominance: Buddhist philosophy links Manchester United, Arsenal and Japan
Can the success of Alex Ferguson's 'kids' and Arsene Wenger's 'Invincibles' be linked to Buddhist philosophy? It's worth a try.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books
Dec 30, 2017
This no garden variety book on Zen practice
The over-application of the term Zen to describe everything from interior design to restaurant menus pored over by celebrities and fashionistas to the expression a "Zen moment" can be tiresome.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Books / ESSENTIAL READING FOR JAPANOPHILES
Oct 28, 2017
'Opening the Hand of Thought: Foundations of Zen Buddhist Practice': Learning the art of zazen meditation
Good books on Zen urge you to put them down and start meditating, but the best ones make you actually want to.
Japan Times
COMMUNITY / Our Lives / WHY DID YOU LEAVE JAPAN?
Aug 5, 2017
Zen monk Seigaku: A life with less can be so much more
Japanese monk Seigaku lives a Zen life with as little money as possible in Berlin.
Japan Times
LIFE / Travel
Apr 14, 2017
Among the monks: Dipping a toe in Zen at Shinshoji Temple
When was the last time you sat in silence, without fretting about the things you ought to be doing or gazing at a screen of any kind? When was the last time you didn't think anything at all?
A prophesied disaster (likely) won’t strike Japan this weekend
A viral manga prediction of a July 5 disaster has gripped Japan with anxiety and triggered an economic impact, but experts warn that while such dates are unreliable, the threat of a massive earthquake remains real. 
Magnitude 5.5 earthquake jars Tokara Islands amid flurry of seismic activity
A strong quake struck off the Tokara Islands on Thursday afternoon, with the island chain having recorded around 1,000 earthquakes since a burst of seismic activity first began on June 21.
Japan to require flight passengers to keep power banks within sight
The transport ministry has announced new regulations requiring flight passengers to keep power banks within sight to mitigate fire risks while on board planes.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Residents of Tokara Islands begin evacuation as seismic swarm continues
Details about evacuations from Akuseki Island, located in the Tokara island chain in Kagoshima Prefecture, is seen written on a whiteboard in the city of Kagoshima on Thursday.
Ghibli’s Isao Takahata exhibit shows how beloved anime is made
“The man who planted Japanese animation” exhibition includes a variety of sketches, drawings and animation cels from Isao Takahata films such as color design for characters by Michiyo Yasuda from "Grave of the Fireflies."
Flag football facing challenges and opportunities ahead
Japan’s women’s flag football team at the 2025 International Bowl in Los Angeles in June. The sport is enjoying continued growth in the country.
From Hokusai’s Great Wave, shinkansen to One Piece: a cultural treasure box for Lego Japan
Michael Ebbesen, general manager of Lego Japan, says Lego bricks based on Japanese culture have a rich global appeal and are sellable around the world.
With farmed fish, RelationFish swims against the tide in fine dining
Chef Hideaki Matsuo (middle) and the staff of Oseto Suisan Fisheries prepare to check on their sustainably farmed fish.
As Southeast Asia heats up, a Japanese cooling giant sees a major opportunity
An employee of Daikin Cambodia explains the use of different tools during an air conditioner installation training session in Phnom Penh. Daikin is one of Japan’s oldest air conditioning companies, but as Japan’s population falls, the firm is keying in on overseas growth.

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