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Doro-e refers to a genre of Japanese folk paintings: it is a group of works, likely to be produced from the mid-eighteenth to the nineteenth century, that emerged during a time when some of the techniques of European paintings, such as vanishing point, perspective, and mirror image were being incorporated into traditional Japanese paintings. Indeed, doro-e paintings played an important role in familiarising the Japanese public with these new techniques. However, the process of painting doro-e including materials and painting techniques used has not been interpreted, and the definition of doro-e remains elusive. This article begins by exploring Kamigata doro-e, particularly megane-e (vue d'optique), which was painted in the initial period of doro-e works. Materials analysis indicates the use of smalt, which is not often found in traditional Japanese paintings. Indigo was also used to depict landscapes, indicating that traditional blue dye was still the preferred colour for European-influenced paintings during the Edo period (1603–1868). This study also discusses the application of gold-coloured outlines identified as brass. A diversity of colourants and techniques was used in doro-e, a fact that is not reflected in the current definition regarding doro-e, and is discussed in this article. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front cover: Ebisu (the god of fortune) is delighted to have obtained a mouse with a panda pattern through crossbreeding. In Japan, selective breeding of plants and animals became popular during the Edo period, and the method for producing mice with various patterns, including panda patterns, was described in Chin‐Gan‐Sodate‐Gusa (1787). These fancy mice were likely exported to Europe and crossbred, and about 7% of the genome of the C57BL/6J strain is derived from the Japanese mouse subspecies Mus musculus molossinus. This cover illustration was created in reference to the meeting report published in the July 2024 issue of this journal (Abe et al. (2024) Genes Cells 29(7): 525‐531, DOI: 10.1111/gtc.13131). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wild relatives of cultivars are crucial sources of genetic variation for further enhancement, yet they face potential threats due to contemporary environmental changes. Iris ensata var. spontanea, a wild progenitor of the Japanese iris cultivars (I. ensata var. ensata), is extensively cultivated in Japanese gardens, is distributed across mesic meadows and wetlands in Japan and East Asia. This species is currently threatened owing to habitat loss linked to land use alterations. We assessed genetic diversity and phylogenetic relationships in 32 wild accessions and the 14 principal Edo Group of Japanese iris cultivars, originally bred during the Edo period (1600–1868). In the phylogenetic tree, the cultivars formed a cluster with low inbreeding coefficients, suggesting a singular origin and interbreeding between the genetically distinct accessions. Conversely, wild accessions exhibited greater overall genetic diversity and higher inbreeding coefficients than cultivars, indicating frequent inbreeding within divergent natural populations. Our findings highlight the distinct genetic reservoirs of both wild accessions and Edo cultivars, although the former may face inbreeding challenges. Urgent conservation action is needed to ensure the genetic diversity of wild populations as natural resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

One notable characteristic of the Iwakura Mission was, in Tanaka Akira's words, its historical and cultural "continuity in discontinuity." While its leaders were mostly from the aristocracy and the powerful Satsuma and Chōshū domains with little experience in the West, the secretaries who assisted them were former Tokugawa retainers that were experts in foreign affairs. The ryūgakusei , or overseas students, who were in the United States or Europe prior to the mission's arrival and joined them on site, were another group that exemplified the "continuity." Reform-minded daimyo and the progressive members of the Tokugawa regime had dispatched many to the West during the Tokugawa period with the very purpose to become useful servants to assist Japan's quick and successful modernization. Once recruited to the mission, these ryūgakusei served as guides, interpreters, and investigators, collecting and compiling information on various institutions and policies in the respective countries. The knowledge, experience, and linguistic skills they had acquired and the network they created while abroad were vital in facilitating the Iwakura Mission and the new Meiji government's subsequent effort of modernization. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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The Naoshima Onna Bunraku, an all-female bunraku troupe on the island of Naoshima in Japan's Seto Inland Sea, has revitalized a puppetry tradition dating back to the Edo period (1603–1868). This article examines how the Naoshima Onna Bunraku negotiates the pull of its local, community-oriented past and its global present as a folk performing art on an island now known for art tourism as the site of the Setouchi Triennale. I trace Naoshima's puppetry networks from the Seto Inland Sea that nurtured their ancestors to new networks that extend globally to reveal the dynamic flows that animate and sustain puppetry on Naoshima. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are produced by incomplete combustion of biomass and fossil fuel, yet PAHs have been rarely analyzed in coastal sediment cores as a tracer for human activities before industrialization. The aim of this study was to assess if the historical trend of PAHs can be related to past human activities. To this end, we have determined the concentrations of PAHs in a 9 m-long sediment core from Osaka Bay, which records history of the last 2400 years. The concentration of PAHs before the beginning of the 17th century CE, the beginning of the peaceful Edo period, was consistently low (<100 ng g−1) and mainly comprised of smoke-derived PAHs reflecting the natural background. A relative higher abundance of 4−6 ring PAHs from the early 17th century CE and a higher PAH concentration from the early 18th century CE until approximately 1800 CE agreed with a population increase, Cu smelting activities and increasing combustion of charcoal. The constant PAH concentration until the late 19th century CE overlapped with a decline in the population in the Osaka area. An increasing PAH concentration from the late 19th century CE marked the beginning of industrialization in the Modern age. The peak in PAH concentration in 1945 CE was likely caused by burning of wooden structures due to air raids on Osaka City. A second peak around 1980 CE indicated the introduction of cleaner energies. We conclude that PAHs in coastal sediment cores can be used to reconstruct past human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the challenges and complexities of defining the terms "religion" and "esotericism" in the context of academic research. It highlights the lack of consensus among scholars and the motivations behind defining these terms. The authors argue that instead of seeking rigid definitions, it is more fruitful to explore the historical and cultural entanglements of these concepts. They emphasize the importance of context-dependent fluidity in understanding these terms and suggest that confusion can provide valuable insights. [Extracted from the article]

The English East India Company's (EIC) enterprise in Japan (1613–1623) is widely recognized as a failure. Scholars of the English-speaking world have emphasized the lack of vendible commodities, the EIC traders' mismanagement, and Japanese hostility towards Christianity. Nevertheless, these narratives often overlook the political and strategic interests of Japan, in the era of political uncertainty after the long warring-states period. This paper re-examines the EIC traders' records against recent studies on Japanese politics. The careful observations of political movements surrounding the Siege of Osaka (1614–1615) reveal how the EIC traders were involved in the dynamics of Japanese history. Within the framework of mercantile connections supported by "mutual benefits," the present study demonstrates how the EIC gradually faced difficulties as the Japanese interests shifted, thus arguing that not only European overseas activity but also the active endeavor of the Asian counterparts significantly influenced global interactions of the early seventeenth century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

John Lie's recent publication explores the economic, political, and social changes in Japan since the bursting of the economic bubble, focusing on the values and practices of earlier eras that have resurfaced in the age of limits. The author argues that these values, such as the artisanal ethos and ordinary pleasures of everyday life, may offer a more sustainable future in the face of rising inequality and environmental devastation. The book examines different historical regimes in Japan and their potential influence on the country's future. It also discusses the resurgence of ordinary virtues and the artisanal ethos in contemporary Japan, using examples such as sushi-making and traditional bathing practices. The author suggests that these practices can provide lessons for a more sustainable society. [Extracted from the article]

Nikkō Tōshōgū, a mausoleum and place of worship for the deified spirit of the first Tokugawa shogun, Tokugawa Ieyasu (1542-1616), is famous for its sacred spatial sites, sumptuous architectural and sculptural decorations, and political and religious significance for the Tokugawa shogunate. Interestingly, the shrine holds several ritual objects sent by Joseon kings in the 17th century and still displays a large Joseon bell engraved with the writings of Joseon officials (sent in 1643) in front of the Yōmeimon, the entrance to the inner shrine complex. More significantly, Japan requested that these specific items be sent from Joseon, and that they be presented as voluntary gifts. This article aims to examine the uniqueness inherent in the Joseon gifts on display at Nikkō Tōshōgū and the conflicts of interest surrounding them. With a thorough analysis of this gift-giving process--during which both countries, operating from disparate perspectives and driven by their respective needs and interests, engaged in and navigated constant deliberations and negotiations--this article suggests that these gifts, while seemingly a peaceful gesture, actually conceal a complex and contentious history and are a result of both countries' fierce and desperate struggle to address their practical needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper focuses on three Far East cabinets that have ended up in Sweden for various reasons and on various routes. Some specific characteristics have been analysed using various scientific methods: sectional microscopy, wood taxonomy, X–ray fluorescence microscopy, pyrolysis-gas chromatography-mass spectrometry, strontium isotope ratio measurement, and radiocarbon dating. The results show that the cabinets contain wood from species endemic to Japan, namely asunaro (Thujopsis dolabrata) and hinoki (Chamaecyparis obtuse). They are coated with urushi sap derived from Toxicodendron vernicifluum trees, in two cases confirmed to be harvested in China, and one case probably blended with sap exuded from Toxicodendron succedanea harvested in North Vietnam. Their black appearance is due to a soot pigment typical of many products from the early Edo period or older. The data obtained with scientific methods, unavailable in the past, improve knowledge about these cabinets. Such new information should be made available to scholars and the general public. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

For the first time in Lithuanian historiography, this article discusses two museum pieces preserved in the Lithuanian National Museum of Art and the National Museum of Lithuania, referenced as "head covering - kaptūras" (LNDM TA 639) and "Vilnius University rector's toga" (LNM IM 82). The research aims to identify, rediscover, and attribute a long-forgotten and underappreciated treasure of Lithuanian cultural heritage - the so-called Petrus Skarga's toga. Specifically, the research revealed that only two parts of the academic outfit have survived: a biretta and a cape with a hood. Additionally, the article presents a new attribution of an oriental-pattern silk cloak, previously referred to as the "Vilnius University rector's toga" in the 1950s-1960s, discussing it within the broader context of the Japanism style. The fate of the ceremonial academic attire (a toga, a hooded cape, and a biretta) of Petrus Skarga (Petrus Scarga, Piotr Skarga Powęski, 1536-1612), the first rector of Vilnius University (1579-1582), after the university's closure in 1832 and the location of its storage has not been closely explored until now. The analysis of the collected data suggests that Skarga's academic attire was not removed from Vilnius but was kept as a relic in the Treasury of the Vilnius Archcathedral. It is likely that the attire was transferred elsewhere in 1842, when the Vilnius Academy of Medicine and Surgery was closed and the sceptre taken to St. Petersburg. However, it is also possible that the attire entered the Treasury of the Vilnius Archcathedral earlier, following the university's closure in 1832. In 1919, after the opening of the Polish Stephen Bathory University in Vilnius, interest in Skarga's academic attire as a symbol of the history of the old Vilnius University increased significantly. Between the wars, exhibitions of historical and cultural significance were organized at the Vilnius University Library, where the attire was displayed (1919, 1929, 1936). In 1919 and 1929, Skarga's biretta was lent from the Vilnius Society of Friends of Science (TPN) for exhibitions, while the toga was lent from the Treasury of the Vilnius Archcathedral in 1929 and 1936. Since 1919, Skarga's biretta was identified as TPN property. It is likely that it is the same biretta that the National Museum of Lithuania (IM 93) may have inherited from TPN. Comparing the iconography of interwar photographs and tapestries in the Treasury of the Vilnius Archcathedral, it was noted that the display of Skarga's academic attire in a glass window was recorded next to the Flemish verdure tapestry "Juno and Iris" from Ovid's "Metamorphoses" series, dating from the second half of the 17th century (BPM BT 1849). The photo was likely taken in the 1910s-1930s. It was established that in 1953, during the transfer of items from the Treasury of the Vilnius Archcathedral to the collections of the Vilnius State Art Museum (now the Lithuanian National Museum of Art), a hooded cape entered the museum along with the liturgical vestments. Research indicates that this cape (TA 639) is a surviving part of Skarga's ceremonial academic attire, likely dating back to the late 16th century. The trimming of the edges of the folding hood, fastened at the front of the cape, is notable for its artistic expression. Currently, Skarga's biretta is stored in the National Museum of Lithuania, the hooded cape is in the collections of the Lithuanian National Museum of Art, and the current location of the toga remains unidentified. The advanced hypothesis about the origin of the silk cloak (IM 82) from the collections of the National Museum of Lithuania has been confirmed: it is a garment of an aristocratic lady, a luxurious buttoned, lined, silk-fringed cloak designed to be worn over a formal visiting dress with a tournure. It was created in a style influenced by Japanism around 1875-1885 by an unknown fashion house in France, presumably in Paris. The garment was made from the silk fabric of a former luxury Japanese kimono, specifically a formal outer untied kimono (uchikake), dating from the latter half of the 18th century to the first half of the 19th century. The fabric design, featuring alternating geometric patterns, flower bouquets, and fan motifs, was intended exclusively for the ceremonial clothing of high-ranking samurai family ladies during the late Edo period (1615-1868). The fashion of Japanism did not bypass the cultural and artistic life of Vilnius or Lithuanian estates. This elegant and luxurious cloak, with its delicate colours, professionally modelled construction from individual pieces of kimono fabric, and high artistic craftsmanship, is one of the most impressive examples of late 19th-century Japanism-style clothing in Lithuania. It is likely that the National Museum of Lithuania inherited the silk cloak from the collections of the TPN museum, which included some pieces of exotic oriental clothing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In eighteenth- and early nineteenth-century Edo, firefighters were cultural icons in the life of the city. A dense forest of wooden buildings, Japan's new capital was notorious for its fierce blazes. The hikeshi ('firefighters') became instantly recognizable for their striking full-body tattoos and ornately painted jackets, which they would flaunt to the watching crowds after extinguishing a blaze. This unique bodily adornment came to symbolize their manly bravery and the hikeshi were soon popular protagonists in the emerging world of kabuki theatre; multiple ukiyo-e (prints of Edo's entertainment district) document kabuki actors in their guise. In this article, I illuminate the interactions between the cultural phenomena of Edo – renowned for its print and theatre industries – as they shaped, and were shaped by, the dress and bodies of its firefighters. Through a survey of surviving hikeshi uniforms, I demonstrate visual and material connections between the hikeshi's ornamented skin, their garments and a series of illustrations by Utagawa Kuniyoshi for the 1827 edition of the epic poem, 'Water Margin', about a band of mythically strong bandits. I therefore reframe uniform as an expressive piece of menswear through which the hikeshi participated in an invented masculinity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Front cover: This is an ornamental tool called an 'inro' used to carry medicines in the Edo period. On the surface of this inro, the structure of N1‐methyl‐pseudouridine (N1mΨ), the key to the development of the mRNA vaccine against COVID‐19, is schematically depicted with plum buds (oxygen atoms) and branches, using the maki‐e lacquer decoration technique. Coronavirus particles are depicted on the toggle ('netsuke') used to secure the inro to the obi of the kimono. Perhaps one day, wherever we travel, we will enjoy our journey without fear of unknown viruses by swallowing a pill taken from our portable pill case like this inro. Designed by TRAIS Co., Ltd. (Kobe, Japan). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the exhibition "Iris van Herpen: Sculpting the Senses" at the Musée des Arts Décoratifs in Paris. The exhibition showcases the work of Dutch designer Iris van Herpen, who is known for her innovative use of technology in fashion design. The exhibition explores themes such as anatomy, astronomy, and the natural world, and features a range of dynamic and visually striking designs. The exhibition also includes collaborations with contemporary artists and displays the designer's pieces alongside other exhibits to provide context and insight into her work. Overall, the exhibition highlights van Herpen's position at the forefront of the intersection between fashion, art, and science. [Extracted from the article]

The International Association for Analytical Psychology has awarded its Mercurius Prize for films that embody the spirit of Jungian psychology to the documentary film "Ripples of Physis," produced by Sanae Kawai. The film explores the centuries-old karakami practice of art paper printing in Kyoto, Japan, and the way naturally occurring patterns can capture and express life energy. The film was shown at a conference in Strasbourg, France, and had its first American showing at a private event in San Francisco. The film's director, Ayako Mogi, discusses the process of achieving natural design and the skill of the master artisan, Kenkichi Senda. The film is described as an alchemical journey of transformation and a way to draw closer to the beauty and miracles of nature. [Extracted from the article]

The article discusses the book "Au tribunal du repentir: La proscription du catholicisme en Chine (1724–1860)" by Pierre-Emmanuel Roux, which explores the legal responses towards Christianity in late imperial China. The author argues that the Qing court's response to Christianity remained moderate and cautious, contrary to what missionary and colonial discourses have claimed. The book also examines the regional dynamics and the evolving response of the Qing court to Christianity over time. The article praises the book's accessible writing style and its cross-regional approach, while suggesting that a review of the historical period preceding the eighteenth century would enhance the argument. Overall, the book is recommended for researchers interested in modern China, Chinese Christianity, and legal studies in East Asia. [Extracted from the article]

Although the domestic dog's origin is still unclear, this lineage is believed to have been domesticated from an extinct population of gray wolves, which is expected to be more closely related to dogs than to other populations of gray wolves. Here, we sequence the whole genomes of nine Japanese wolves (7.5–100x: Edo to Meiji periods) and 11 modern Japanese dogs and analyze them together with those from other populations of dogs and wolves. A phylogenomic tree shows that, among the gray wolves, Japanese wolves are closest to the dog, suggesting that the ancestor of dogs is closely related to the ancestor of the Japanese wolf. Based on phylogenetic and geographic relationships, the dog lineage has most likely originated in East Asia, where it diverged from a common ancestor with the Japanese wolf. Since East Eurasian dogs possess Japanese wolf ancestry, we estimate an introgression event from the ancestor of the Japanese wolf to the ancestor of the East Eurasian dog that occurred before the dog's arrival in the Japanese archipelago. The evolutionary origin of the domestic dog is uncertain. Here, the authors sequence the whole genomes of 9 extinct Japanese wolves and 11 modern Japanese dogs, applying a phylogenetic analysis to show that dogs may have originated in East Asia from a common ancestor with the Japanese wolf. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the mid-seventeenth century, the Chosŏn Korean (1392–1910) court ran a smuggling enterprise in Japan, using both formal diplomatic agents and private merchants to import military contraband. This royal enterprise caused the largest documented criminal investigation in early modern Japan, complicating diplomatic relations with both the Tokugawa shogunate (1603–1868) and the daimyos of its Tsushima domain. By examining this history of "contraband diplomacy," this article intervenes in the study of early modern diplomacy and imperialism. Contrary to scholarly portrayals of East Asian polities as isolationist and uninterested in trade, it shows Korean kings and officials aggressively pursuing commerce. If previously misunderstood as "self-organized," their efforts reveal a different aspect of state formation in the global early modern period. Without becoming imperial or mercantilist, some institutions, such as those of Chosŏn and Tsushima, spearheaded international criminal activities, and others—like the shogunate—exercised growing administrative intent and capacity to stymie them. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In a faraway apple orchard in Sannohe, a small town in Japan's Aomori Prefecture, a zushi miniature wooden shrine at the Nose Kannon Hall caught the media's attention with its unique adornment—the karuta playing cards with European-inspired abstract designs in bold red and black colors that were used during the early modern period for pastime and gambling. Because of this decoration, the Nose Kannon Hall is known by locals as the Karuta Hall, and the zushi that enshrines the Buddhist deity Bodhisattva Shō-Kanzeon is also believed to be the home of bakuchi no kamisama "the kami deity of gambling". Little is known about the nature of devotion to this bakuchi no kamisama or how the playing cards that were used for frivolous games came to be sacralized as items worthy to be used as decoration of a Buddhist shrine. This article considers the slippage between prayer and play in the regional Buddhist devotion by focusing on the Nose Kannon Hall, which presided at a key intersection along the northern trade route where the local community and outside visitors, such as pilgrims and traders, converged, especially during the Edo period (1603–1868). Marshaling historical records, televised interviews, and images provided by the town officials and guardian family of Nose Kannon Hall, I argue that the use of karuta playing cards on the miniature shrine at Nose Kannon Hall epitomizes a kind of localized early modern Shinto–Buddhist syncretism at the margins of the urban culture that is simultaneously devotional and tongue-in-cheek sacrilegious in a quintessentially Edo-esque way. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In 2023, the Japanese migration to Brazil completed 115 years. However, the first time Japanese people arrived in Brazil and left a testimony of their experience was about two centuries ago. Their reports were registered in a historical document, handwritten during the Edo period when Japan was adopting a closed-door policy. The episode of their visit to Brazil is only a small part of the odyssey of these four Japanese sailors who departed from Ishinomiya to Tokyo at the end of the 18th century, but unexpectedly traveled around the globe. After a storm, they were adrift for six months until shipwrecking on the Aleutian Islands; from the Russian Aleutian Islands, they crossed the whole of Russia and boarded, in Saint Petersburg, on the first Russian expedition to circumnavigate the world. Their only stop in South America was at Santa Catarina Island, southern Brazil, and this is the first analysis of this episode from an ethnobiological perspective. Their reports described both the forest environment and the plants they observed and included at least 23 taxa of plants, mostly cultivated. These descriptions of plants and the environment are in contrast with other reports from the same period and to the current environment found in Santa Catarina Island, inspiring reflections on the construction of Brazil's image in Japan before the 20th century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In early modern Japan, the Buddhist monopoly on death-related rituals eventually triggered a movement for the development of Shintō funerals. Based on an analysis of ritual texts produced by several Shintō groups—Yoshida Shintō, Yoshikawa Shintō, Suika Shintō, and Kokugaku Shintō—this study delineates how each group adopted and localized Confucian discourses to establish Shintō funerals during the Edo period. While there were Buddhist overtones in the practices of Yoshida Shintō, clergy from the other three groups frequently borrowed from Confucian rituals in their construction of Shintō-style funerals. Attempting to revive ancient Japanese funerary rites, scholars created Shintō versions of Confucian-style spirit tablets and justified Confucian rituals by invoking the practices of the kami. This study provides a deeper understanding of the history of Shintō funerals, and the inherent Shintōization of Confucian practices therein, while also exploring the relationship between Buddhist, Confucian, and Shintō thought in Edo-period Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using the relational identity perspective of critical constructivism, it is proposed that Japan's national identity (i.e., the state narrative) has been a political construction made by decision-making leaders, and has been established on selectively replicating foreign entities, with the aim of providing order and legitimation to the authorities while pursuing a distinctive nationalist narrative. In the Edo period with China, in the imperial era with the West, and in the post-war phase with the United States; It is observed that there continually exists a teacher o "civilized center" (Hua) who exerts great influence over the country, and that Japanese leaders seek to selectively replicate, while maintaining a particular notion of national identity. The great temporal extension of the research is defended, arguing the nature of the objective as well as the importance of a broad and different view other than modern State-centrism in International Relations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article proposes a reinterpretation of the meaning and function of the basic sociospatial unit of the early modern Japanese city, the chō. It argues that chō is best understood not as a fixed unit of space but as a conception that could expand, change, and even move. Takanawa-chō, a peripheral area south of Edo, was transformed into the gateway to the city by its association with the transportation industry. The dynamic movement of this particular “flowing chō” not only reflected but also drove the socioeconomic transformation of the city throughout the Tokugawa period and into the early Meiji era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the appearance of Buddha, texts and images depicting his life have circulated across Eurasia, serving as significant mediums for disseminating Buddhist ideology. Japan has historically been influenced by the canon of Chinese Buddhism while concurrently striving to promote the indigenization of Buddhism. This endeavor reached its peak during the Edo period, notably exemplified in the Shaka goichidaiki zue, illustrated by the world-renowned artist Hokusai Katsushika. Originating from Buddhist believers, it presents an adaptation based on the socio-historical context of pre-modern Japan, particularly manifesting evident shifts in emphasizing royal authority, the salvation of females, and ethical relationships. Entering the Meiji era, this pre-modern illustrated manuscript underwent repeated printing, playing an important role in the modernization of Buddhism. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the transition from the Edo period to the Meiji Restoration, Ise Jingū (Ise Grand Shrine) underwent significant changes due to Westernization and modernization, culminating in the Jingū reformation of 1871. However, in the latter part of the Meiji era, there was a resurgence of interest in restoring ancient rituals and preserving the shrine's core principles. This paper focuses on the pivotal 1889 vicennial renewal at Ise Jingū to understand how shrine priests sustained ritual continuity amidst modernization. Specifically, it examines the sacred music (mikagura) and the kagura secret song (hikyoku) introduced during this ceremony. Mikanagi Kiyonao's writings provide valuable insights into the origins and influences of linguistic and ritual elements. As the 63rd Shikinen Sengū reconstruction ritual approaches in 2033, this paper offers insights into Ise Jingū's resilience. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study explores three pictorial maps produced in the mid-Meiji period (1868-1912) featuring Ōiso and the relationship between these maps and the rise of Ōiso as a modern resort. Ōiso was a town located on the highway Tōkaidō connecting Edo (or Tokyo after 1868) and Kyoto. It became a modern seaside resort after the late 1880s. Previous studies on visual and cartographic representations of towns and cities in Japan, for example, Kindai nihon no shikakuteki keiken [Visual experiences of modern Japan] (Nakanishi and Sekido 2008), have already narrowed the analytical focus and shifted away from the metropolises to provincial cities and hot spring towns. However, some questions, such as the social functions of these materials, remain unexplored. This study analyzes three maps and argues that these maps highlight Ōiso as an attractive place, particularly by featuring its villa residents from the high society. Visually, they resemble the conventional meisho zue [pictures of famous places] developed in the Edo period (1603-1867) and share with other city/town maps produced in the Meiji period in showing preferences for bird's-eye views and emphasizing symbols of modernity such as railroads and electricity. The depiction of villa clusters is a remarkable feature of the three maps. However, rather than encouraging actual visits to the villas, the mapmakers - the local shop owners and administrators - achieved in producing these maps as souvenirs and creating a public desire for the lifestyle of high society. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

"Faith in Mount Fuji: The Rise of Independent Religion in Early Modern Japan" by Janine Anderson Sawada explores the rise of independent religions in Japan, focusing on the Fujikō lay confraternities and their practices centered around Mount Fuji. The book delves into the life and teachings of Jikigyō Miroku, a merchant-turned-ascetic who developed a distinctive teaching adopted by many followers. Sawada's research highlights the agency of marginalized ascetics in their historical context and their role as political actors. While the content is primarily valuable to specialists of Japanese religion, the introduction provides a must-read overview of the construction of religion as a category. [Extracted from the article]

An archaeological sample of organic residue in a noble wooden vessel excavated from the tomb of Japanese Samurai named Tsunamune Date who was buried in 1711 was analyzed using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FT-IR) and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry. The lipid extracts of plant nuts and vegetable oils were also measured as references to investigate source materials of the organic residue. The FT-IR spectrum suggests the occurrence of fatty acids in the sample, and the profile was similar to the result of IR analysis at the excavation event in 1983. This implies that the major components in the organic residue have not deteriorated, even though it has been stored at room temperature nearly 40 years. The fatty acids and their degradation products, dicarboxylic acids, were detected in the organic residue, implying that plant oil may be included in the sample. In addition, three diterpenes, pimaric acid, dehydroabietic acid, and abietic acid, and another four compounds derived from rosin were clearly identified. This result suggests that the sample analyzed here may be a mixture of lipid extracts of wax and lacquer tree nuts and rosin. Based on the ancient documents in the Edo periods (seventeenth-nineteenth centuries) in Japan, it was surmised that Tsunamune Date used the organic residues as either medical ointment or hairstyling foam in his life. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article analyzes the content and production networks of the book "Morokoshi meisho zue" in Osaka and Kyoto, Japan and considers the social and political implications of the cultural and aesthetic fascination with Qing China in late Tokugawa Japan. It offers information on the bibliography of Chinese imperial books on which "Morokoshi meisho zue" was based, its reproduction and interpretation. It reviews the Chinese poetry in the book and the influence of cultural climate on its content.

Hiroyuki Suzuki's book, "Antiquarians of Nineteenth-Century Japan: The Archaeology of Things in the Late Tokugawa and Early Meiji Periods," has been edited and translated into English by Maki Fukuoka. The book explores the world of antiquarianism in Japan from the late 1850s to the early 1880s, a time of significant political and cultural change. Suzuki examines the collecting, study, and display of objects during this period, shedding light on the relationship between Japan's antiquarians and the imperial government. The book offers a comprehensive and engaging analysis of the role of objects in nineteenth-century Japan, with a focus on exhibition practices and the changing frameworks of knowledge. [Extracted from the article]

The 2023 Japanese Rare Book Workshop on Edo Printed Books took place at the Library of Congress in Washington DC from August 9 to 11, 2023. Led by Professor Takahiro Sasaki, the workshop aimed to enhance participants' understanding of Edo period printed books and improve accessibility for research and teaching. Attendees included librarians, curators, and scholars from various North American institutions. The program featured lectures, visits to library divisions, and the viewing of rare materials. A post-workshop survey revealed that most participants found the sessions informative and useful, although some wished for more time to explore certain exhibits due to the tight schedule. Overall, participants appreciated the lectures, the hospitality of the hosting institutions, and the opportunity to connect with others in the field. The workshop organizers and participants expressed gratitude to those who made the event possible. [Extracted from the article]

This paper advocates using museum collections for archaeological research by offering a new approach to generate questions on the sociocultural lives of ancient people. I define "diaspora" collections as historical and archaeological artifacts excavated in a homeland site but currently stored in museums that are outside the homeland country. Of particular importance in this approach is the identification of artifacts' diagnostic traits, including material composition, morphology, and symbolic decoration, that are to be linked to the "original" data in their homeland. Diaspora collections-based research necessitates provenience studies, as well as direct observation of both the diaspora collection and its original data. It also takes advantage of the recent development of various digital and remote technologies. A case study to show this methodology comes from dedicatory lanterns currently stored outside Japan that were part of the shogun (Tokugawa) family's graveyards in modern Tokyo during the 18th and 19th centuries a.d. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines how the use of color in the Japanese urban landscape has changed over time and what the future holds. The colors of contemporary Japanese cities are not beautiful, but it is said that they were harmonious and beautiful in the Edo period (1603–1868). In the 1850s, as the country opened up to the outside world, Western‐style architecture was introduced and emerged side by side with Japanese architecture. As economic growth took precedence in the 20th century, there was a lack of awareness of the city's public ownership and the appearance of buildings. The attempt to achieve industrial standards and rapid urbanization were also cited as reasons for the absence of harmony in the built environment. Additionally, many outdoor advertisements appeared. The lack of effective regulations on outdoor advertising is one factor that has heavily affected the contemporary Japanese cityscape. The "Landscape Act," which went into effect in 2004, aims to regulate landscape color use in present‐day Japan. This law allows local governments to enact regulations for urban landscape color use primarily by setting the upper limit for color saturation in terms of Munsell Chroma. It is questionable whether this will really lead to the creation of more unique cityscapes. Training in color in architecture, urban objects, and infrastructure should be compulsory as part of civic education, and more time should be devoted to the subject of color in architects' educational programs to create beautiful cities in the future. Students of architecture need time to think about the idea that the exterior of a building is part of the urban landscape, to consider the importance of color, and to study color harmony. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The early Tokugawa period witnessed the establishment of anti-Christian policy as a significant agenda. In 1647, Sessō Sōsai, a Zen monk, undertook the task of delivering sermons in Nagasaki, aiming to convert the local population to Buddhism. Following his preaching, Sessō authored two anti-Christian texts, with the second text reflecting a pronounced influence from Chinese Buddhist anti-Christian discourse. This article seeks to explore the correlation between Sessō's anti-Christian writings and his engagement with the Chinese Buddhist community in Nagasaki. By delving into the analysis of personal networks, this study illustrates Sessō's familiarity with the evolution of Buddhism in China and his incorporation of ideas from the Chinese Buddhist anti-Christian movement during his time. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though largely neglected, the placenta plays a critical role in reproduction, both physiologically and symbolically. Focusing on the Tokugawa period, where narratives on reproduction by male authorities in the fields of medicine, morality, and politics became prominent, this article argues that the placenta functioned as a depository of imagination, based on patriarchal desires, anxieties, and concerns. In childrearing manuals and obstetrical texts, prior to birth the placenta was depicted as what delivered nutrients to the fetus while protecting the fetus from toxins derived from the mother, revealing the ambivalent views on the maternal body. During the postpartum period, the placenta was used to address wishes for the child's career success and his or her obedience to the family patriarch, as well as concerns over female promiscuity. In short, the placenta operated as a discursive apparatus for control of the female body and for the soothing of anxiety surrounding maintenance of the patriarchal order. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Though many scholars have understood Tokugawa Japan's encounter with Christianity (1549-1650) to have ended in failure, an analysis of the period's religious literature demonstrates the considerable extent to which missionaries engaged with Japanese culture. This article examines several Kirishitan (Japanese Christian) texts printed between 1590 and 1620, devoting particular attention to the theological and philosophical terminology they employed. While sometimes borrowing directly from Latin and Portuguese, the new Catholic lexicon also drew from pre existing Japanese vocabulary in the context of Buddhist and Neo-Confucian spirituality. Along with the education reforms introduced by the accommodationist Jesuit Alessandro Valignano, projects of Catholicism in translation complicate the picture of defeat and mutual misunderstanding that are often thought to characterize Japan's Christian Century. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]