Christopher Kincaid's Blog, page 47

Winter Haiku Collection

As the heat of summer wears on, winter haiku gives us a chance to think on cold days and all the pleasures of winter. Hot tea. Hot chocolate. Blankets. This collection of haiku includes Basho, Buson, Issa, and a few others. It’s far from exhaustive. Haiku is a style of poetry that requires plain language […]

Cherry blossom Maruyama Park at Kyoto

The Reasons I Dislike Social Media as an Author and Blogger

This article will be a little ranty. As an author and an anime/Japanese culture blogger, there’s pressure to have a social media presence. While JP has a Facebook page and I have Tumblr and Twitter accounts, I abhor social media. Now you’d think a guy who enjoys writing would enjoy writing on these systems, but […]

Minatogawa Shinkaichi Kobe

What is a NEET?

Anime and manga fans are often accused of being NEETs. In Internet parlance: neck-beards, otaku, slacker, hobo. But what is a NEET? NEET is an acronym for an English (as in British, the acronym started in the UK) expression: Not in Education, Employment, or Training. The acronym started in July 1999 in the report “Bridging the Gap,” a report that focused on social exclusion  (Batini, 2017). The typical media image of a NEET is an …
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The Ikebana, or Flower Arrangement, One of the Aesthetic Arts of Japan

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Cat Idols in Japan

The Angry Cat isn’t the only famous cat on the Internet. Cats have overtaken dogs as the most popular pet in Japan within the last few years (Yamamura, 2016). Each year, Yokohama features Neko-Break, an exhibition of cat-themed photography and merchandise. As Japan often does, there’s a market for cat-otaku. Otaku, in the Japanese sense of the word, involves any extreme interest. Otaku can be interested in model trains, cats, dogs, and, of course, anime. …
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Kusatsu, Meibutsu tateba

A Brief History of Japanese Paper Fans

Paper fans symbolize Japan, right up there with giant robots, sushi, geisha, and kimono. While a humble part of fashion and summer, the fan has a history of its own. Japan isn’t unique in having fans. It’s the most convenient way to cool off, after all. A leaf or anything flexible can become a fan, but fans also served as part of ceremonies and as symbols of power. Egyptian Pharaohs owned large ceremonial fans as …
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History of Japanese Paper Fans

Paper fans symbolize Japan, right up there with giant robots, sushi, geisha, and kimono. While a humble part of fashion and summer, the fan has a history of its own. Japan isn’t unique in having fans. It’s the most convenient way to cool off, after all. A leaf or anything flexible can become a fan, […]