August 26th. From 2009 onwards, I am able to tell you what I was doing on this day every year. Every summer, for those twenty-four hours, I'm sixteen again and wondering how life can be so cruel. In my hometown, the summer after high school is all about exam results, first jobs in beach shops, firework displays,... Continue Reading →
Tsukumogami: Japan’s Household Spirits
Imagine going to boil some water, but your kettle transforms into a raccoon and runs away. Or turning a light on, to find your paper lampshade grinning at you and waggling a long tongue. You might have a spirit problem, but these are no ordinary poltergeists. Meet the tsukumogami. Tsukumogami (付喪神) is the collective name given to a type of... Continue Reading →