Ukiyo-e Museum, located next to Harajuku Station in Tokyo (see the Harajuku map in chapter 11).

In Japan, people ask what your blood group is in the most unexpected situations.

against all those who use violence to defend their ideals, territory, or ideology,

manga foster the values of friendship, perseverance, and achievement, values that originated in bushido

KARESANSUI DRY GARDENS Dry gardens (Japanese rock gardens)— karesansui in Japanese—are characteristic of Zen Buddhism. Their simplicity and harmony make them ideal for meditation.

Sanja Matsuri (at Asakusa Shrine, next to Asakusa Station): third weekend of May – Kanda Matsuri (at Kanda Shrine, next to Kanda Station): closest weekend to May 15 – Sanno Matsuri (at Hie Shrine, next to Nagatacho Station): June

shakuhachi music, ikebana flower arrangement with its asymmetric

Nowadays, you hardly ever see monks practicing takuhatsu. In Kyoto, they are found on the bridges; in Tokyo, they are usually in Ueno and in some more traditional neighborhoods; and in Nara, you can see them near the temples, but not inside.

Today there is only one artist left in the world who still produces handcrafted karakuri. His name is Shobei Tamaya IX,