While the city of Yokohama is a relatively recent phenomenon, the immediate area is a treasure chest of historical sites. These include the Otsuka and Saikachido sites dating from the Yayoi Period (300BC – 300AD), and Kamakura, the capital during the Kamakura Shogunate (1192 – 1333), which has a plethora of ancient temples and historical [...]
Archive for December, 2007
Yokohama—from a fishing village to a global city in 150 years
Posted in Japan, Travel, history, tagged base for foreigners, Commodore Perry, history, Japan, Travel, Yokohama on December 22, 2007 | 1 Comment »
Shunga—From titillation to high art
Posted in Books, Japan, Sexuality, Shunga, tagged ancient erotica, erotica, eroticism, Hokusai, Japan, Japanese women, octopus, prostitution, sex, Sexuality, Shunga, woodblock print on December 19, 2007 | 8 Comments »
The Japanese have never been shy or squeamish about sex. Modern Japanese have an ambivalent attitude toward the subject: on the one hand they feign shock and horror at the mention of sex; on the other hand pornography — soft and hardcore — is ubiquitous, and sexual establishments offering extensive menus are found throughout the [...]
