Japan

Japan spent two and a half centuries mostly closed, then opened at gunpoint in 1853 and rebuilt itself twice in a hundred years, once into an empire, and once, after that empire ended in firebombing and two atomic weapons, into the second-largest economy on earth. What survived all of it, and what the country is now best known for, is a culture of extraordinary specificity: a print of a wave that changed European painting, a shrine torn down and rebuilt every twenty years, a knife folded from smelted sand, a fish sliced by a man who has done nothing else for sixty years. And then the modern export, Godzilla and Kurosawa, Mario and Pokémon, Totoro and Akira, ramen and city pop and Comme des Garçons, which reached further than anything the empire ever took. This archive follows the culture first: the animation, the food, the crafts, the films, the music, the clothes, the games and the rituals. It also tells the twentieth century straight, including the parts still argued over, because an archive that leaves those out is not an archive of Japan.

A chronological documentary of 990 moments spanning 1100–2026 on Loreline.

Curated by Olivier · last updated 2026-08-22

1. 1100 - Seated Buddha (lotus pedestal). Sculpture, 1100s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
2. 1291 - The Bodhisattva Jizō. Statue, 1291, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
3. 1300 - Cosmetics Box with Chrysanthemums. Lacquer, early 1300s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
4. 1300 - Armor (Yoroi) of Ashikaga Takauji (1305–1358), a second example by Unknown. Armor (<i>Yoroi</i>), early 14th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
5. 1300 - Cosmetics Box with Chrysanthemums (base), a second example by Unknown. Lacquer, early 1300s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
6. 1300 - Armor (Yoroi) of Ashikaga Takauji (1305–1358). Armor (<i>Yoroi</i>), early, mid-14th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
7. 1300 - Cosmetics Box with Chrysanthemums (lid), a third example by Unknown. Lacquer, early 1300s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
8. 1325 - Helmet of Ashikaga Takauji (1305–1358). Helmet, mid-14th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
9. 1336 - Votive Hanging with Image of Kannon (Kannon Kakebotoke). Sculpture, mid- to late 1300s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
10. 1350 - Sword Guard (Tsuba), a second example by Unknown. Sword guard (Tsuba), late 14th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
11. 1400 - Sake Vessel (Heishi) with Butterflies. Sake vessel, 15th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
12. 1401 - Blades and Mountings for a Pair of Swords (Daishō). ), sword (katana) blade, dated 1440; short sword (wakizashi) blade, 15th century; mountings, late 18th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
13. 1501 - Armor (Gusoku), a third example by Saotome Ietada. Armor (<i>Gusoku</i>), 16th and 18th centuries, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
14. 1501 - Arrowhead (Yanone). Arrowhead (<i>Yanone</i>), 16th, 19th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
15. 1501 - Helmet (Zukinnari Kabuto). Helmet (<i>Zukinnari kabuto</i>), 16th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
16. 1501 - Armor (Gusoku). Armor (<i>Gusoku</i>), 16th and 18th centuries, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
17. 1520 - Women on a Bridge Tossing Fans into a River. Screen, early 17th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
18. 1525 - Water Container (Mizusashi) with Riverscape. Ceramic, late 1500s, early 1600s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
19. 1550 - Sword Guard (Tsuba), example 5 by Kyōsukashi School. Sword guard (Tsuba), late 16th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
20. 1550 - “An Imperial Excursion” (Miyuki), “A Boat Cast Adrift” (Ukifune), and “The Barrier Gate” (. Screens, mid-16th, early 17th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
21. 1550 - Armor (Nimai-Dō Gusoku) with Box. Armor (<i>Nimai-Dō Gusoku</i>) with box, late 16th, early 17th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
22. 1573 - Selections from the Collection of Japanese Poems from Ancient and Modern Times (Kokin waka. Calligraphy, 1600s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
23. 1573 - Portrait of a Warrior. Hanging scroll, late 16th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
24. 1580 - Peafowl and Phoenixes. Painting, late 1500s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
25. 1590 - Mask (Ho-ate) with Gorget. 1615–1868, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
26. 1590 - Sword Guard (Tsuba), a third example by Hirata School. Sword guard (Tsuba), ca. 1615–1868, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
27. 1595 - Tea Bowl. Ceramic, c. 1600, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
28. 1600 - Robe (Kosode) with Shells and Sea Grasses. Kosode, early 17th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
29. 1600 - Selections from the New Collection of Japanese Poems from Ancient and Modern Times (Shinko. Calligraphy, early 1600s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
30. 1600 - Batō (Horse-Headed) Kannon (base). Sculpture, 1600s, 1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
31. 1600 - Tea Bowl, a second example by Unknown. Ceramic, 1600s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
32. 1600 - Bol à thé de type tenmoku (tenmoku chawan), M.C. 3158. Mino ware. Auteur(s): Seto-Mino (région de production céramique) Date de production: Entre 1600 et 1700 Datation en siècle: 17e siècle Type(s) d'objet(s): Céramique, Japon Dénomination(s): Bol à thé Matériaux et techniques: Grès, Glaçure = Couverte Lieu(x) d'exécution / réalisation: Mino (région his
33. 1600 - Royal Visit to Ōhara, from The Tale of the Heike. Screens, first half of the 17th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
34. 1600 - Willows and Bridge. Screens, early 17th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
35. 1600 - Mounting for a Slung Sword (Itomaki-tachi Koshirae) with Storage Box. Mounting for a slung sword (<i>Itomaki-tachi Koshirae</i>) with storage box, ca. 1615–1868; storage box, ca. 1932, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
36. 1601 - Helmet in the Shape of a Crouching Rabbit. 17th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
37. 1601 - Armor (Gusoku), example 4 by Yukinoshita Sadaiyé. Armor (<i>Gusoku</i>), 17th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
38. 1601 - Suzu. 17th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
39. 1601 - 虫尽金具大小拵 Blade and Mounting for a Sword (Katana). Blade and mounting for a sword (<i>Katana</i>), blade, 17th century; mounting, early 19th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
40. 1620 - Amusements at Higashiyama in Kyoto. Screens, early 1620s, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
41. 1634 - Dish with Buddhist Monk-Poet Hanshan. Dish, mid-17th century, China (for Japanese market), Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
42. 1645 - Ceremonial Arrowhead (Yanone). Ceremonial arrowhead (<i>Yanone</i>), dated 1645, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
43. 1645 - Ceremonial Arrowhead (Yanone), a third example by Umetada Motoshige. Ceremonial arrowhead (<i>Yanone</i>), dated 1645, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
44. 1645 - Ceremonial Arrowhead (Yanone), a second example by Umetada Motoshige. Ceremonial arrowhead (<i>Yanone</i>), dated 1645, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
45. 1650 - Book of Painted Kosode Patterns. Kosode design book, second half 17th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
46. 1650 - Helmet (Hoshi Kabuto) and Mask with Gorget. Helmet (<i>Hoshi Kabuto</i>) and mask with gorget, late 17th or early 18th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
47. 1650 - Chrysanthemum crane Tsuba, 17th century (CH 18341891). Tsuba. This Kyo-sukashi (Kyoto openwork) style tsuba takes the form of a tsuru maru (crane circle). At the center is the nakago-ana, an opening through which the sword passes, with traces of sekigane (plugs added to fit the tsuba to a sword) made of shakudo (a soft copper and gold alloy). The surrou
48. 1650 - Album of Miscellaneous Subjects, Colophon. Painting, early 1650s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
49. 1650 - Blade and Mounting for a Short Sword (Wakizashi). ), blade, late 17th century; mounting, 19th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
50. 1655 - Calligraphy in Semi-Cursive Style (xing-caoshu). Calligraphy, c. 1660–1709, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
51. 1667 - Sake Bottle (Tokkuri) with Chinese Character Meaning “Treasure”. Wine bottle, late 17th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
52. 1667 - Teapot in Melon Shape. Teapot, late 17th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
53. 1670 - Figure of a Standing Beauty. Figure, ca. 1670–90, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
54. 1670 - Dish with Cherry Blossoms and Textile Curtains. Dish, ca. 1670–90, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
55. 1675 - Dish with Brocade. Ceramic, late 1600s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
56. 1675 - Nō Costume (Nuihaku) with Blossoming Trees and Flowers. Garment, 1675–99, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
57. 1680 - Small Dish (Kozara) with Three Jars. Dish, 1680–90s, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
58. 1688 - Dish with Ginkgo Leaves. Ceramic, late 1600s, early 1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
59. 1695 - Square Dish with Design of Plovers over Waves. Ceramic, c. 1700, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
60. 1700 - Sake Bottle (Tokkuri) with Flowers and Grasses. Sake bottle, early 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
61. 1700 - Fragment. 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
62. 1700 - Handscroll of Ten Homoerotic (Nanshoku) Scenes. Handscroll, early 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
63. 1700 - Samurai and Wakashu (Male Youth). Hanging scroll, early 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
64. 1700 - Case (Inrō ) with Design of a Gourd Vine. Inrō, 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
65. 1700 - Three Courtesans with a Client. Print, 1700, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
66. 1700 - Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (right screen), a second example by Watanabe Shikō. Painting, early to mid-1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
67. 1700 - Flowers and Trees of the Four Seasons (left screen). Painting, early to mid-1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
68. 1700 - Case (Inrō) with Design of Bean Vine. Inrō, 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
69. 1700 - Case (Inrō) with Design of Grasshopper on Stalk of Flowering Lily. Inrō, 18th, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
70. 1701 - Arrowhead (Yanone), a second example by Kanabo Masatsugu. Arrowhead (<i>Yanone</i>), 18th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
71. 1701 - Armor (Gusoku), a second example by Bamen Tomotsugu. Armor (<i>Gusoku</i>), 18th century, Japanese, Toyohara, Echizen province, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
72. 1701 - Armor (Gusoku) with Box, a second example by Neo Masanobu 根尾正信. Armor (<i>Gusoku</i>) with box, 19th century; helmet bowl, early 18th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
73. 1701 - Sword Guard (Tsuba), example 4 by Omori Hidenaga. Sword guard (Tsuba), 18th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
74. 1710 - Eight Views of the Xiao and Xiang Rivers. Painting, 1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
75. 1710 - Entertainment Scene. Painting, c. 1710–53, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
76. 1710 - Plate with Japanese court woman and birds. Plate, 1710–30, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
77. 1715 - Chrysanthemums by a Stream. Painting, c. 1715–30 or later, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
78. 1715 - Chrysanthemums by a Stream, a second example by Ogata Kōrin. Painting, c. 1715–30 or later, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
79. 1715 - Chrysanthemums by a Stream, a third example by Ogata Kōrin. Painting, c. 1715–30 or after, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
80. 1716 - Order Book of Kosode Patterns (Chūmon no hiinagata/Hiinagata chūmon chō). Illustrated book, 1716, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
81. 1725 - Sword (Peidao) with Scabbard. 1750–1800, blade, Japanese; mounting, Chinese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
82. 1734 - Plate Depicting Lady with a Parasol. Plate, ca. 1734–37, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
83. 1734 - Dish Depicting Lady with a Parasol. Dish, ca. 1734–37, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
84. 1735 - Thirty-Six Poetic Immortals. Painting, mid 1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
85. 1736 - Courtesan on Parade. Hanging scroll, late 1730s, early 1740s, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
86. 1740 - Perspective View of the Interior of the Nakamura Theater with Ichikawa Ebizo II as Yanone. Print, 1740, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
87. 1740 - Bamboo and Rocks in Clearing Skies. Painting, mid-1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
88. 1750 - Spring and Autumn Farming, a third example by Kō Sūkoku. Painting, 1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
89. 1750 - Spring and Autumn Farming (Spring). Painting, 1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
90. 1750 - Spring and Autumn Farming (Autumn), a second example by Kō Sūkoku. Painting, 1700s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
91. 1750 - Ryūryūkyo Shinsai: a woodblock print, about 1750. Print, 1750–1835, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
92. 1750 - Saya Inrō with Bamboo Grove (exterior) and Rooster with Hen (interior). Inrō, second half of the 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
93. 1750 - Inrō with Grapevine. Inrō, second half of the 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
94. 1751 - Book of Kosode Patterns (Hiinagata Ise no umi) 雛形伊勢乃海. Illustrated book, 1751, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
95. 1756 - Chōbunsai Eishi: a woodblock print, about 1756, a second example. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
96. 1756 - Chōbunsai Eishi: a woodblock print, about 1756. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
97. 1760 - Kosode Patterns, Fuji of the Capital (Hiinagata Miyako no Fuji). Illustrated book, 1760, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
98. 1763 - The Ninth Ichimura Uzaemon as a Samurai Warrior. Woodblock print (nishiki-e), ca. 1773, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
99. 1771 - Case (Inrō) with Design of Clamshells and Fireflies. Inrō, late 18th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
100. 1775 - Basket Dish. Ceramic, late 1700s, early 1800s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
101. 1775 - Waves. Painting, late 1700s-early 1800s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
102. 1780 - Scenes from Essays in Idleness. Painting, late 1700s, early 1800s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
103. 1785 - Seventy-Two Peaks Under the Blue Sky with Mount Furong. Painting, 1785, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
104. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786, example 6. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
105. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786, a third example. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
106. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786, example 9. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
107. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786, example 7. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
108. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786, example 5. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
109. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786, a second example. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
110. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786, example 4. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
111. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
112. 1786 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1786, example 8. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
113. 1790 - Court Ladies Making Dolls. Print, 1790s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
114. 1791 - Katsushika Hokusai: a woodblock print, about 1791. Print, ca. 1801, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
115. 1792 - Utamaro-Bijin-e-1792. Utamaro woodblock print bijin. Kitagawa Utamaro: Three bijin, 1792. Print, 39x26 cm.
116. 1793 - Kitagawa Utamaro - Toji san bijin (Three Beauties of the Present Day)From Bijin-ga (Pictur. Utamaro woodblock print bijin. ​寛政三美人：富本豊ひな（上）、難波屋おきた（右）、高島屋おひさ（左）
117. 1793 - Utamaro1. Utamaro woodblock print bijin. "Three known beauties (寛政三美人)" ( Tôji san bijin ), ukiyo-e by Utamaro
118. 1794 - Sharaku (1794) Sanogawa Ichimatsu III as Onnayo of Gion and Ichikawa Tomieimon as Kanisaka. Sharaku actor print kabuki. Ukiyo-e print by Tōshūsai Sharaku of kabuki actors Sanogawa Ichimatsu III in the role of the courtesan Onnayo of Gion and Ichikawa Tomieimon in the role of Kanisaka Tōma, 1794 (20th-century Adachi reprint)
119. 1794 - Sharaku - Sawamura Sojurō III. Sharaku actor print kabuki. Ukiyo-e portrait of the kabuki actor Sawamura Sojurō III by Tōshūsai Sharaku, 1794 (20th-century Adachi reprint)
120. 1794 - The actor Otani Oniji II as Yakko Edobei - Sharaku - TNM. Sharaku actor print kabuki. Part of the series "Portraits of actors at three theaters in Edo". This print depicts the actor Otani Oniji II as Yakko Edobei. This is a first period print and designated collectively together with 26 other prints from the series as Important Cultural Property of Japan.
121. 1796 - Party on the Pleasure Boat Kawaichimaru. Print, c. 1796–97, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
122. 1796 - Cherry Blossoms in the Wind. Print, late 1790s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
123. 1796 - Brooklyn Museum - A Kyoto Geisha - Yamaguchi Soken. maiko geisha Kyoto photograph.
124. 1797 - Shiraito Waterfall at Hakone. Painting, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
125. 1797 - Sumo Wrestlers Inariyama and Matsuozaki. Print, ca. 1807, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
126. 1797 - Mandarin Ducks in a Spring Landscape: Program for a Jururui Performance. Woodblock print, ca. 1807, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
127. 1797 - River Gorge in Snow. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
128. 1797 - Blue Bird. Print, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
129. 1797 - Evening Snow. Woodblock print, 1797–1861, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
130. 1800 - Sake Cup with Gourd-Shaped Sake Bottles and Sake Cups. Sake cup, first half 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
131. 1800 - Inrō with Tanabata Story of the Weaver and the Herdboy. Inrō, active first half of the19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
132. 1800 - Case (Inrō) with Design of Fisherman, Boat, Reeds, and Stone Basket Breakwaters. Inrō, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
133. 1800 - Connoisseur’s Album of Edo-Period Silk Fragments. Book of silk fragments, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
134. 1800 - Sumo Wrestling. Painting, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
135. 1800 - Case (Inrō) with Design of Old Man and Woman (Jo and Uba) and Pine Trees (from Noh Play "T. Inrō, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
136. 1800 - Paulownias and Chrysanthemums. Painting, early 1800s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
137. 1800 - Courtesan Reading a Letter. Painting, early 1800s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
138. 1800 - Japan, Edo period (1615-1868) or Meiji period (1868-1912), 19th century - Sash (Obi) - 192. Japanese textile obi silk Edo period.
139. 1800 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1800, a third example. Print, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
140. 1800 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1800. Print, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
141. 1800 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1800, example 4. Print, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
142. 1800 - Utagawa Kunisada: a woodblock print, about 1800, a second example. Print, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
143. 1800 - Case (Inrō) with Design of Sheaves of Rice in Boats. Inrō, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
144. 1800 - Inrō with Peacocks and Flowers. Inrō, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
145. 1800 - Netsuke of Snail on a Box. Netsuke, 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
146. 1800 - Netsuke of Seated Puppy with Short Curled Tail. Netsuke, first half of the 19th century, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
147. 1801 - Blade and Mounting for a Sword (Katana), a second example by Naotane Taikei. Blade and mounting for a sword (Katana), blade, dated 1839; mounting, 19th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
148. 1801 - 唐草図鐔 Sword Guard (Tsuba). Sword guard (<i>Tsuba</i>), 19th century, Japanese, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
149. 1804 - Beauty in Snow. Hanging scroll, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
150. 1810 - Spring Rain Collection (Harusame shū), vol. 3: Mountain Dove and Peach Flowers. Woodblock print, ca. 1820, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
151. 1811 - Sumo Wrestler Tamagaki Gakunosuke IV. Print, 1811–14 (possibly ca. 1813), Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
152. 1811 - Sumo Wrestler Hiodoshi Katsugorō. Print, 1811–14 (possibly ca. 1813), Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
153. 1813 - New Year’s Sake Bottles and Shrine Plaque (Ema) for the Year of the Rooster. Woodblock print, probably 1813 or 1825, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
154. 1816 - Textile Cover for Shazanrō Picture Book. Bound Volume, 1816, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
155. 1817 - Preface. Portfolio, 1817, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
156. 1817 - Portrait of Kō Sūkoku. Painting, possibly 1817, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
157. 1819 - Picture Album Transmitting the Spirit: The Hokusai Drawing Style (Denshin gafu Hokusai gas. Illustrated book, 1819, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
158. 1820 - Under the Wave off Kanagawa (Kanagawa oki nami ura), or The Great Wave, from the series Th. Woodblock print, ca. 1830–32, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
159. 1820 - Yashima Gakutei: a woodblock print, about 1820. Print, ca. 1830, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
160. 1820 - Katsushika Hokusai: a woodblock print, about 1820. Print, 1820, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
161. 1820 - Various Pictures by Hokusai (Hokusai soga) 北斎麁画, a second example by Katsushika Hokusai 葛飾北斎. Illustrated book, 1820 (Bunsei 3), Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
162. 1820 - Various Pictures by Hokusai (Hokusai soga) 北斎麁画. Illustrated book, 1820, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
163. 1823 - Hokusai42 fuji-lake. Hokusai "Thirty-six Views" Fuji. Part of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, no. 42, 6 th additional woodcut.
164. 1829 - Six Jewel Rivers. Handscrolls, ca. 1839, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
165. 1829 - Ichikawa Ebijūrō II as Horiguchi Manzaemon (right), Arashi Rikan II as Kizu Kansuke, Nakay. Print, 1829, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
166. 1830 - Woman by a Plum Tree Matched with the Wisteria Maiden (from a series of women compared to. Print, c. early 1830s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
167. 1830 - South Wind, Clear Sky, from Thirty-Six Views of Mount Fuji. Print, early 1830s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
168. 1830 - Rain Below the Mountain (from the series Thirty-six Views of Mt. Fuji). Print, early 1830s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
169. 1830 - Ōmori, from the series Famous Places in the Eastern Capital. Print, early 1830s, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
170. 1830 - Red Fuji southern wind clear morning. Hokusai "Thirty-six Views" Fuji. Part of the series Thirty-six Views of Mount Fuji, no. 33.
171. 1830 - Tsunami by hokusai 19th century. Hokusai "Thirty-six Views" Fuji. Although it is often used in tsunami literature, there is no reason to suspect that Hokusai intended it to be interpreted in that way. The waves in this work are sometimes mistakenly referred to as tsunami (津波), but they are more accurately called okinami (沖波), great
172. 1832 - Wisteria and White-headed Bird. Woodblock print, ca. 1842, Japan, Metropolitan Museum of Art open-access; digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
173. 1833 - Driving Rain at Shōno, from Fifty-Three Stations of the Tokaidō. Print, 1833, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
174. 1833 - Evening Snow at Kambara (number sixteen of the series Fifty-three Stations of the Tokaido). Print, 1833, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
175. 1833 - HIROSHIGE-Snow-Kanbara-Tokaido. Hiroshige Tokaido woodblock print. Utagawa Hiroshige: Snow in Kanbara, 53 Stations of Tokaido, 1833. Color print, 26x38 cm.
176. 1835 - Poem by Emperor Sanjo, from the series One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets Explained by. Print, 1835–36, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
177. 1835 - Poem by Minamoto no Muneyuki from the series One Hundred Poems by One Hundred Poets Explai. Print, 1835–36, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
178. 1838 - Yokkaichi: View of the Mie River, from the series The Fifty-Three Stations of the Tōkaidō. Print, c. 1833–34, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
179. 1843 - Nissaka: The Night-Weeping Stone at Sayo no Nakayama, from the series The Fifty-Three Stat. Print, c. 1848–50, from the Cleveland Museum of Art open-access collection; a digitised reproduction of the original artefact.
180. 1845 - Tōkaidô gojūsan tsugi saiken zu'e, Nihonbashi by Hiroshige. Hiroshige Tokaido woodblock print. Nihonbashi: Travelers from the Country Sightseeing in Edo (Inaka dôsha Edo kenbutsu), from the series Pictorial Guide to the Fifty-three Stations of the Tôkaidô: Customs of the Road (Tôkaidô gojûsan tsugi saiken zue, dôchû fûzoku)

…690 further moments continue the chronology here. Full text archive: /loreline-text/japan.md

871. 2025-10-08 - School trips abandon Kyoto after 13 years at number one. Kansai TV report on Japanese schools moving their annual trips away from Kyoto, the top destination for 13 consecutive years, because of crowding and rising prices.
872. 2025-10-11 - A hundred years of jazz in Yokohama and the Chigusa kissaten. TV Kanagawa feature on Yokohama's jazz century, including the history of Chigusa, the legendary jazz kissa that became a model for Japan's listening bars.
873. 2025-10-13 - 184 days of Expo 2025 Osaka, as the cameras saw it. Yomiuri TV retrospective on the Osaka-Kansai Expo, the first world's fair in Osaka in 55 years, on its closing weekend.
874. 2025-10-21 - Sanae Takaichi's first press conference as prime minister. Asahi Shimbun's uncut broadcast of Sanae Takaichi's press conference on 21 October 2025 after becoming Japan's first female prime minister.
875. 2025-10-22 - Old-Style Sushi Shops of Edo: Three Generations Behind the Counter. Nippon TV feature compilation on long-running Tokyo sushi and tempura counters, including a 70-year-old shop run by three generations and a 233-year-old soba house.
876. 2025-10-24 - Takaichi's first policy speech to the Diet. Uncut broadcast of Prime Minister Takaichi's first policy address on 24 October 2025, covering inflation, growth, security document revisions and population and foreigner policy.
877. 2025-10-27 - The Toji Road: Kusatsu to Shima with Ichikawa Danjuro. Kabuki actor Ichikawa Danjuro, appointed onsen culture ambassador, retraces the Edo-period cure route from Kusatsu through Sawatari to Shima, where bathers went for the finishing waters.
878. 2025-10-28 - Ninety Years of Okinawan Traditional Karate. Okinawa TV report tracing the ninety-year arc of traditional Okinawan karate and what the founding generation intended for it.
879. 2025-10-30 - The first cabinet-level meeting on bear attacks. TV Asahi reports from the Diet press building on the first ministerial-level meeting on bear attacks, elevated from an interagency meeting on Prime Minister Takaichi's instruction as casualties mounted.
880. 2025-11-04 - Chanko: The Food That Builds Sumo Wrestlers. Fukuoka TNC investigation into chanko-nabe, the communal stew each sumo stable makes its own, from a milk-based version to the chicken-miso pot credited with a yokozuna's strength.
881. 2025-11-05 - Bears appear across Japan, including at tourist sites. TV Asahi on bear sightings spreading nationwide in autumn 2025, including at popular tourist spots and one field where eleven bears appeared at once.
882. 2025-11-06 - The Global Matcha Boom Reaches Sencha. KBC report from the Yame tea district of Fukuoka on how overseas matcha demand has driven prices up and begun squeezing ordinary green tea supply.
883. 2025-11-07 - Inside Bones Film: Making the Anime Gachiakuta. Prime Video Japan documents production at Bones Film on the 2025 series Gachiakuta, roughly 10,000 drawings per episode across a three-year production.
884. 2025-11-09 - The Kamimukae Rite and Dragon-Serpent Worship at Izumo. Shinto priest of Katsuragi Mitoshi Jinja explains the kamimukae rite that opens the Kamiari festival and the ryujashin serpent deity welcomed ashore at Inasa beach.
885. 2025-11-11 - State of Play Japan: Games Made in Japan and Asia. Sony devotes a special State of Play, hosted by voice actor Yuki Kaji, to more than forty minutes of games made in Japan and Asia, from major series to indie titles.
886. 2025-11-11 - Kiyoshi Kurosawa on Violence in Cloud. Criterion interviews Kiyoshi Kurosawa about how he stages violence in Cloud (2024), his thriller about an online reseller pursued by strangers.
887. 2025-11-11 - Gig shift workers and monitoring sensors in Japanese care homes. Nippon TV on how care facilities are covering staff shortages with two-hour spot workers and reducing night-shift load with monitoring sensors.
888. 2025-11-13 - The government adopts a bear countermeasures package. Nippon TV on the cabinet-level package to cull and capture bears near settlements and reduce populations around residential areas, staged as emergency, short and medium-term measures.
889. 2025-11-21 - Shoko Kanazawa at Forty. Yomiuri TV interview with the calligrapher now aged forty, on how she came to be called a genius and on the decision she has reached about her work.
890. 2025-11-25 - Takaichi asks unions and business for wage rises above inflation. Nippon TV on Prime Minister Takaichi's first government-labour-management meeting, calling for shunto wage rises that outpace price increases.
891. 2025-11-29 - Tsuburaya Productions: 35 Years of Special Effects. A subtitled Japanese documentary on Tsuburaya Productions, founded by Eiji Tsuburaya, and the practical tokusatsu craft, miniatures, suits and optical work, behind Godzilla and Ultraman.
892. 2025-12-01 - A 78-year-old home helper caring for an 85-year-old. TBS report from Unnan, Shimane, where 40 percent of residents are over 65, following a 78-year-old home care worker; bankruptcies among care providers hit a record the previous year.
893. 2025-12-04 - Inside the Gachiakuta Recording Session. Anime Times films the voice recording for Gachiakuta, showing the moment performances are laid over finished battle animation.
894. 2025-12-05 - Did the Mount Fuji entry restrictions work?. Shizuoka Daiichi TV on the joint Shizuoka-Yamanashi council's report, which concluded the entry restrictions had a visible effect in curbing bullet climbing and severe crowding.
895. 2025-12-05 - Kodo play Shake in the harbour at Ogi, Sado Island. Vincent Moon films Kodo at close quarters at the end of a public performance in the small harbour of Ogi on Sado Island, the ensemble's home.
896. 2025-12-06 - Saving Selvedge: a raw denim documentary in Japan. Feature-length documentary on Japanese raw selvedge denim and menswear craft, filmed on location with Japanese makers.
897. 2025-12-09 - A New Shochu Distillery in a Closed School, Kagoshima. KTS report a year after the UNESCO listing on Ushinone Distillery, opened in a disused middle-school gym, and on the century-old wooden pot stills still being built in Kagoshima.
898. 2025-12-17 - Anime Journalist Tadashi Sudo on the State of the Industry in 2025. Analyst Tadashi Sudo reviews the Japanese anime industry's 2025, production volumes, streaming money, and the labour bottleneck, in a long-form industry programme.
899. 2025-12-19 - Imperial War Museums on the wartime 'comfort station' system. IWM curator James Bulgin explains the system of sexual trafficking across the Japanese Empire during the Second World War, from the museum's Unsilenced exhibition.
900. 2025-12-25 - Arcade Archiver: The Space Invaders Special. Hamster Corporation's official preservation programme devotes a marathon episode to Space Invaders, covering the 1978 original's hardware, variants and its re-release on modern consoles.
901. 2025-12-26 - Forging Blue-Bright Steel: Swordsmith Kawachi Kunihira. Nara Prefecture intangible-heritage film archive record of Michio Kawachi (smith name Kunihira), holder of the nationally designated Important Intangible Cultural Property for Japanese sword-making technique.
902. 2026-01-04 - Donkey Kong on Original 1981 Arcade Hardware. An original Nintendo of America TKG-3 arcade board is powered up and captured directly, showing Shigeru Miyamoto's 1981 Donkey Kong, Mario's first appearance, in its export configuration.
903. 2026-01-13 - Sen Soshitsu XVI on the Place of Tea Today. Interview at Konnichian in Kyoto with the sixteenth Urasenke grand master, descendant of Sen no Rikyu, on calligraphy, flowers, incense, food and architecture converging in chanoyu, and on wa-kei-sei-jaku.
904. 2026-01-16 - Bloomberg: why Japan's economy is at a tipping point. After thirty years of near-flat prices, a weak yen has changed the picture; Bloomberg looks at how consumers and firms are adjusting under Takaichi's new government.
905. 2026-01-21 - Life sentence for Shinzo Abe's killer. BBC News on Tetsuya Yamagami's life sentence for the 2022 murder of Shinzo Abe, and the divided Japanese public opinion over the punishment.
906. 2026-01-23 - Sanuki Udon Taught by a Kagawa Craftsman. JA Kagawa demonstration of hand-made udon from flour, salt and water alone, including the foot-treading stage and the new Sanuki no Yume 2023 wheat cultivar bred for udon.
907. 2026-01-24 - Dragon Ball at 40 - Toei Animation Special Film. Toei Animation's 40th-anniversary film animates Akira Toriyama's own colour illustrations, preserving the texture and palette of his original artwork.
908. 2026-01-26 - Matcha Bubble: Gion Tsujiri Drops 'Uji Tea' From Its Logo. Kansai TV investigation into the matcha shortage, in which the historic Kyoto tea house removed Uji-cha from its logo as producers field orders for 100kg lots and prices double.
909. 2026-02-13 - Okayama revises its Nankai Trough projections for the first time in 13 years. Okayama Prefecture's revised estimate, its first since 2013, raises the worst-case death toll by 667 to 3,778, with tsunami deaths rising as building-collapse deaths fall.
910. 2026-02-16 - Japan's GDP returns to growth, barely. TV Asahi on October-December GDP growth of 0.1 percent, the first rise in two quarters, with an analyst warning the recovery may be weaker than assumed as households cut back on food and eating out.
911. 2026-02-17 - Kobe's national-first push against abandoned houses. Sun TV report on Kobe's akiya measures, ahead of most Japanese cities, and the fire and refuse risks that neglected houses create for neighbourhoods.
912. 2026-02-27 - Kyoto considers two-tier bus fares for residents and tourists. MBS report on Kyoto mayor Matsui's proposal for a resident-priority city bus fare, with analysis from Ritsumeikan University professor Koichi Kondo.
913. 2026-02-27 - The 'Ultimate Ordinary': Why Chan-kei Ramen Draws Queues in a Downturn. Fuji TV documentary segment on the chan-kei ramen boom, built from a development team eating at 1,000 old-guard shops to derive a formula for classic shoyu ramen.
914. 2026-02-28 - Who buries the elderly with no family left?. TV Asahi Telementary documentary on Japanese elderly people without relatives, and the men who take on guarantor and after-death administration duties as single-person elderly households approach 10 million.
915. 2026-03-09 - Generative AI Reaches the Anime Studio Floor. Fuji News Network reports from Tokyo studio DLE, makers of Himitsu Kessha Taka no Tsume, where generative AI has cut a three-week task to four days, and asks what that means for animators.
916. 2026-03-13 - Inside the Japan Folk Crafts Museum. Tour of the Nihon Mingeikan in Tokyo with Hiroshi Ota of the Japan Folk Crafts Association, covering Yanagi's collection and a Shiko Munakata exhibition, followed by a discussion.
917. 2026-03-18 - Toshio Suzuki on Miyazaki at 85. Tokai TV reports producer Toshio Suzuki describing an 85-year-old Hayao Miyazaki as 'oddly energetic' and still very much working, at the unveiling of his Panorama Box pieces.
918. 2026-03-25 - The Nankai Trough megaquake: the government's latest damage projection. Cabinet Office disaster management film setting out the national projection for a maximum-class Nankai Trough earthquake and tsunami, and the measures that would reduce casualties.
919. 2026-03-26 - Nebuta Master Hiroo Takenami Builds Three Floats. Aomori Asahi interview with the seventh-generation Nebuta master taking on three large floats for the first time in thirteen years, and his plans for training successors.
920. 2026-04-09 - Princess Mononoke in 4K - Restoration Trailer. Trailer for the 4K digital remaster of Miyazaki's Princess Mononoke (1997), released on 4K UHD in June 2026, Ghibli's back catalogue entering restoration.
921. 2026-04-10 - Tea Farmers in Crisis as Matcha Demand Distorts the Market. Fuji TV report on growers converting sencha fields to tencha for matcha, with farmers calling the boom overheated and the established tea distribution upended.
922. 2026-04-23 - Samurai: the making of a global icon. British Museum panel chaired by Satona Suzuki of SOAS with historians Oleg Benesch and others, arguing that much of what is popularly believed about the samurai is invented tradition.
923. 2026-04-30 - A day with a care worker in Niigata. NST Niigata follows a man working at a special nursing home, on the chronic understaffing, added workload and low pay in Japanese care work.
924. 2026-05-01 - Ramen Philosophers: Ginger Soy Sauce Ramen in Nagaoka. UX Niigata documentary series episode following Naoto Sato of Ramen Shoga no Umi, a Nagaoka shop working in the regional ginger-shoyu style.
925. 2026-05-08 - CNA Insight: Japan's economy in 2026. CNA documentary noting real wages fell for a fourth consecutive year in 2025 even as the Nikkei hit record highs, and asking whether the recovery is real.
926. 2026-05-08 - The 63rd Ise Shikinen Sengu: The Sacred Timber. Official Ise Jingu film of the opening rites of the 63rd twenty-year rebuilding cycle, including Yamaguchi-sai, the felling ceremony in the Kiso forests and the hauling of the sacred timber.
927. 2026-05-09 - Okihiki: Townspeople Haul the Timber to Ise. Chunichi Shimbun film of the first Okihiki processions, in which 72 neighbourhood associations drag the new shrine timber to the Outer and Inner Shrines to cries of enya.
928. 2026-05-14 - Three Japanese Films in Competition at Cannes 2026. TBS reports from Cannes as Koji Fukada's film starring Takako Matsu screens in competition, one of three Japanese titles in the 2026 main selection alongside Koreeda and Hamaguchi.
929. 2026-05-16 - Koreeda's New Film Gets Nine Minutes of Applause at Cannes. Nippon TV reports from the official Cannes screening of Hirokazu Koreeda's Palme d'Or contender in May 2026, with lead Haruka Ayase in attendance.
930. 2026-05-17 - A French Blacksmith Keeping Sakai Knives Alive. ABC TV report on the Sakai knife museum drawing overseas visitors and taking over 300 million yen a year, with a French-born smith among those sustaining the trade.
931. 2026-05-19 - Turning akiya empty houses into a local resource. Shizuoka TV on Kakegawa's programme to find uses for vacant houses, as akiya numbers rise nationally with population decline and ageing building stock.
932. 2026-05-21 - Tokyo bets on 'physical AI' to answer the labour crisis. WION report on the Japanese government's push into AI-powered robotics, framed as a response to a shrinking workforce across healthcare and logistics.
933. 2026-05-22 - Bizen Ware: The Challenge of Jun Isezaki. Pola Foundation film on the fifth Bizen potter to be named a Living National Treasure, who argues that tradition is a chain of innovations and Bizen most needs adventure.
934. 2026-05-24 - Tao Okamoto Wins Best Actress at Cannes. Nippon TV reports the first Japanese win of the Cannes best-actress prize, awarded to Tao Okamoto and her co-stars for Ryusuke Hamaguchi's latest film in May 2026.
935. 2026-05-27 - When the Kneader Changes, the Flavour Changes. Full-length profile of Takeshi Murai, an eighteen-year Sanuki udon craftsman at Moriya in Takamatsu, following a working day and his plans for a successor.
936. 2026-05-30 - Why Every Showa Studio Was Its Own World. An overview of Japan's five-studio system, Toho, Shochiku, Nikkatsu, Daiei and Toei, and how each company produced a distinct film culture rather than merely distinct films.
937. 2026-06-02 - PlayStation State of Play, June 2026. Sony's Japanese State of Play broadcast of June 2026, over an hour of announcements and gameplay from studios worldwide including Insomniac's Marvel's Wolverine.
938. 2026-06-04 - Polished With a Fingerprint: Kyo-nuri Lacquer by Miki Hyoetsu IV. Full process film on Kyoto lacquer, in which the fourth-generation lacquerer builds and burnishes the black ground by hand to produce the characteristic waves of light.
939. 2026-06-12 - The NHK announcer who narrated the tsunami and could not say 'run'. Former NHK announcer Shinichi Takeda and Yuriage storyteller Yuko Tanno revisit 11 March 2011, when he was live on air describing the wave as it came ashore.
940. 2026-06-12 - The Ghibli Editor Who Cut Grave of the Fireflies and Totoro. Takeshi Seyama, editor on most Studio Ghibli films, describes editing the 1988 Totoro/Grave of the Fireflies double bill in parallel and the fundamental difference between how Miyazaki and Takahata made films.
941. 2026 - 2026年 東葉高速鉄道2000系電車. Japan train station commuters modern. This is a Japanese commuter train called the 2000 series. This car is designed in the same way as the 05 series of Japanese subway cars, and there is almost no difference. However, while the 05 series train has customer service equipment tailored to the latest c
942. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 09, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
943. 2026 - 20260427 Goldener Pavillon 03 im Kinkaku-Ji-Tempel, Kyoto, Japan anagoria. Kinkaku-ji. Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan
944. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 10, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
945. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 01, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
946. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 05, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
947. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 07, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
948. 2026 - 20260427 Goldener Pavillon 01 im Kinkaku-Ji-Tempel, Kyoto, Japan anagoria. Kinkaku-ji. Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan
949. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 02, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
950. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 03, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
951. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 06, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
952. 2026 - 20260429 Burg Himeji 04, Hyōgo, Japan anagoria. Himeji Castle. Himeji Castle, Himeji, Hyogo Prefecture, Japan
953. 2026 - 20260427 Goldener Pavillon 02 im Kinkaku-Ji-Tempel, Kyoto, Japan anagoria. Kinkaku-ji. Golden Pavilion at Kinkaku-ji Temple, Kyoto, Japan
954. 2026 - 2026-06-29 kyoto-fushimi-inari torii-romon night. Fushimi Inari-taisha. A large vermilion torii gate frames the Rōmon gate of Fushimi Inari Shrine in Kyoto after dark.
955. 2026-06-19 - How Toho Became the Mainstream of Japanese Cinema. A history of Toho from Ichizo Kobayashi's theatre empire and the PCL studios through the Toho labour dispute to the Kurosawa, Naruse and Tsuburaya years.
956. 2026-06-24 - The forced-labour camps inside the Okinawa internment system. Nippon TV investigation, drawing on survivor testimony, into the special facilities within the wartime civilian camps in Okinawa where young men were segregated and made to work on US base construction.
957. 2026-06-25 - A Century of Japanese Whisky and the Master Blender. FNN report from Yamazaki distillery on the craft behind Japanese whisky's reputation, with chief blender Futoshi Koshiishi, after Yamazaki 18 swept the 2025 International Spirits Challenge.
958. 2026-06-30 - A 16-Year-Old Sushi Apprentice in 1966 Osaka. ABC TV archive feature built on 1966 footage of Kuniaki Yoshida training at Sushiman, a long-established Osaka sushi house, rising at 4am to cook rice over firewood.
959. 2026-07-02 - Kiki's Delivery Service in 4K. Toho's trailer for the 4K digital remaster of Miyazaki's Kiki's Delivery Service (1989), given a limited two-week national re-release in July 2026.
960. 2026-07-07 - Miyazaki's 31 Peep Boxes Open at Ghibli Park. TV Aichi films the new Ghibli Park display of 31 layered peep boxes Hayao Miyazaki built over about three and a half years, each assembled from separately drawn backgrounds and characters.
961. 2026-07-08 - Goro Miyazaki on His Father's Panorama Boxes. Chukyo TV covers the Panorama Box exhibition at Ghibli Park, 31 dioramas Hayao Miyazaki made over roughly three years, with Goro Miyazaki explaining what his father intended by them.
962. 2026-07-09 - Neyagawa introduces Japan's first city-wide vacant house tax. Yomiuri TV explains Neyagawa City's plan for a nationwide-first akiya tax covering the whole city, intended not to raise revenue but to force neglected houses back into use.
963. 2026-07-10 - Record inbound tourism: 42.68 million visitors in 2025. TV Tokyo on the 2026 tourism white paper approved by cabinet, recording 42.68 million foreign visitors in 2025, up about 16 percent, and 9.5 trillion yen in spending, both all-time highs.
964. 2026-07-12 - AI Arrives on the Anime Production Line. MBS reports from Japanese anime studios where AI has cut inbetween work from 30 minutes a drawing to 200 drawings in 10-20 minutes, interviewing an animator of 46 years about what it means for the workforce.
965. 2026-07-14 - Behind the Scenes at Kyoto Animation. Kyoto Animation's own documentary series on producing the 2026 series Nijusseiki Denki Mokuroku, opening with the cast on auditions and recording.
966. 2026-07-14 - 85,000 Yen a Month: The Anime Industry's Pay Gap. An analysis of the gap between animator earnings, one artist's best month at 85,000 yen, below minimum wage, and the average salaries of the companies whose logos close the credits.
967. 2026-07-17 - Two Metres Bent Nine Millimetres: The Cooper of Shodoshima. Joiner Kazuhiro Oka explains why the base of a two-metre fermentation vat is deliberately not a true circle, working Yoshino cedar planted a century ago into vats meant to last another hundred years.
968. 2026-07-17 - Gion Matsuri 2026: The Saki-matsuri Float Procession. Kyoto Shimbun 4K record of all 23 floats in the 17 July 2026 procession, including the shimenawa-cutting by the chigo boy and the tsujimawashi corner turns.
969. 2026-07-19 - Ten Events That Changed Japanese Film History. A survey of the turning points of the Japanese industry, the Toho dispute, the five-company agreement that bound stars, Daiei's bankruptcy, Nikkatsu's turn to Roman Porno, and Kurosawa's departure from Tora! Tora! Tora!
970. 2026-07-21 - Mizoguchi at 70 Years After His Death - Broadcast Season. Japanese satellite channel Eisei Gekijo announces a Mizoguchi retrospective marking 70 years since his death, including the first television broadcast of Fujiwara Yoshie no Furusato, Nikkatsu's first talkie.
971. 2026-07-23 - Gion Matsuri: The Ato-matsuri Procession Through Kyoto. Kyodo News report on the second Gion Matsuri procession, in which eleven floats travel the reverse route through central Kyoto on 24 July.
972. 2026-07-24 - The Only Sword-Making Couple in Japan Producing Tamahagane. TV Asahi report on the sole husband-and-wife team in Japan smelting tamahagane steel and forging swords by traditional method.
973. 2026-07-30 - Inside Naruto Stable: A Day in a Sumo Heya. Naruto-beya's own film of morning practice and the ordinary domestic life of a sumo stable afterwards, including the communal meal.
974. 2026-08-05 - A domestically built humanoid robot for Japanese workplaces. Nippon TV on a Japanese firm's humanoid robot designed for indoor use in hospitals and factories facing severe labour shortages, first aired 5 August 2026.
975. 2026-08-06 - Game Freak on Prototyping Poco a Pokémon. Game Freak's Shigeru Ohmori shows part of the original design document and never-before-seen prototype footage for Poco a Pokémon.
976. 2026-08-07 - Four Countries That Regulated Gacha, and What Happened. A comparative analysis of the four national regimes that restricted gacha and paid loot mechanics, and their measurable effect on markets and player behaviour.
977. 2026-08-08 - The Kanto taiko contest at the Hachioji Festival. Full live broadcast of the Kanto Taiko Daigassen and the Min'yo Nagashi procession, in which around 1,500 dancers in yukata take part, at the Hachioji Festival on 8 August 2026.
978. 2026-08-08 - Nagasaki: a mother who lost six of her family to the bomb. NBC Nagasaki broadcast archive of a 1990 interview with Chiyoko Egashira, a teacher at Shiroyama school some 500m from the hypocentre, who lost her husband, four children and mother-in-law.
979. 2026-08-10 - An 86-Year-Old Tempura Master and the Third Generation. Shizuoka Asahi TV report on Tenkin in Hamamatsu, founded 55 years ago, where the founder still tests oil with his fingers and a grandson abandoned a job offer to take over.
980. 2026-08-13 - Comiket at Fifty - Anniversary Film. Comic Market's official 50th-anniversary film, marking half a century since the first event on 21 December 1975.
981. 2026-08-14 - Morning Training at Shikoroyama Stable. Stable-run record of a full morning keiko session: suriashi footwork drills, butsukari-geiko and moshiai bouts with the new recruits.
982. 2026-08-15 - Awa Odori 2026: The Final Night Sodori. Shikoku Broadcasting footage of the massed sodori dance closing the last night of the Tokushima Awa Odori at the Minamiuchimachi enbujo.
983. 2026-08-19 - Okinawa Karate World Festival: Masters Teaching Kata. Ryukyu Shimpo footage from the third Okinawa World Karate Tournament, where 3,000 karateka from 49 countries gathered and 12 of 18 seminar instructors were prefecturally designated holders of intangible cultural property.
984. 2026-08-19 - Arrest over inflated costs on the Expo Grand Ring. Nippon TV report on the arrest of the site manager responsible for the Expo 2025 Grand Ring on suspicion of inflating construction billing, and Governor Yoshimura's response.
985. 2026-08-19 - Companies abolish the retirement age as workers run short. Fuji News Network report on Shionogi and Meiji Yasuda raising or effectively abolishing mandatory retirement in response to labour shortages caused by demographic decline.
986. 2026-08-20 - Game Freak on Developing Pokémon Champions. Game Freak's official channel has its own staff explain the setting and development background of Pokémon Champions, the studio founded by Satoshi Tajiri that created Pokémon in 1996.
987. 2026-08-20 - Shrinking Japan: population decline and what comes next. BS11 Inside OUT panel with former internal affairs minister Hiroya Masuda after the 2025 census recorded a fall of about 3.1 million in five years, with projections of under 100 million by 2056.
988. 2026-08-20 - Debating foreign workers: a soba chain where a third of staff are foreign. ABEMA Prime panel on Japan's acceptance of foreign labour, with the head of the Yudetaro noodle chain, an immigration recruiter and commentators discussing wages and shortages.
989. 2026-08-21 - Grand Sumo in Paris: The First Overseas Tour in 31 Years. Japan Sumo Association film covering the June 2026 Paris exhibition tournament, the first grand sumo tour to France in 31 years, with the surrounding ceremonies and events.
990. 2026-08-21 - Two years of the Mount Fuji entry fee, reported from the trail. Sankei Shimbun reporter climbs Fuji in the second year of the 4,000-yen fee, finding overnight bullet climbing largely gone but a heavily foreign trail with recurring equipment and etiquette problems.

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