The previous article on seppuku was met with a lot of responses, so I would like to write a follow-up. As mentioned, seppuku initially was not something one did to take responsibility for a mistake but was done in order...

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The Search for the Mysterious Sword "Kotetsu" By now, many are aware of Kondo Isami. The broad faced bull of a man with a sharp, piercing stare. He was the head of the Shinsengumi, a secret police force appointed by...

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A two-hour drive north of Kyoto City, Japan’s ancient capital, will bring you to the northern most part of Kyoto Prefecture which faces the Sea of Japan. Here, a small city known as Kyotango is nestled by the sea. Blessed...

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More Japanese expressions associated with Japanese swords For this entry, I would like to continue to introduce Japanese idioms related to the Japanese sword. Dotanba (A podium made of sand) During the Edo period, the execution place for criminals had...

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