-
Where the Light Settles
Along the Nakasendo, at its seventh post town, lies Konosu – once a shogunate landholding directly administered by the Tokugawa government and today part of Saitama Prefecture. Not far off, the Arakawa River completed a deliberate, slow, and profound westward shift. Over centuries the river, more or less as people in successive eras intended, nourished…
-
The Map Is Not the Territory: A Year of Unwritten Journeys
This year, Bach has played in my headphones more than ever – the quiet, persistent soundtrack to a year defined equally by immense pressure and profound, almost imperceptible, growth. In the rhythm between work and movement, I found a kind of balance. Most of these journeys never unfolded into full essays, they remained as fleeting…
-
Hakushu | A Whisky Distillery in the Heart of the Forest
Many of the peaks retain their snow caps, or are streaked with snow, until the early autumn, while in some of the recesses and gorges where it is partially screened from the sun’s rays, the snow never entirely disappears. During the Meiji era, British mining engineer William Gowland—employed by the Osaka Mint—explored the Etchu and…
-
Gold That Tells Stories: The Timeless Allure of Scythian Treasures
The Scythians, an ancient nomadic civilization known as early pioneers of the Silk Road, left behind a legacy shaped by gold. Famous for their weapons, horse gear, and stunning goldwork, these skilled artisans created pieces that still amaze us today. Herodotus wrote about their love for gold, describing how Scythian royalty wore golden belts, drank…
-
The Timeless Beauty of Chinese Porcelain: the Masterpiece of GeYao
Why Do We Love the Song Dynasty? During the Song Dynasty, porcelain craftsmanship reached its peak—a peak so high that subsequent generations could only follow a path of decline. This June, a Song/Yuan Dynasty GeYao Mallow-Shaped Brush Washer (哥窑灰青釉葵花式三足洗) personally collected by Elsa Peretti is about to be auctioned at Bonhams in Paris. This typical…
-
Words More Valuable Than Gold
Nestled in the quiet town of Jingchuan (泾川), Dayun Temple (大云寺) is a place even most Chinese people have never visited. Though little known today, this region once held immense strategic and cultural significance. As the first major military outpost on the route from Chang’an to the Western Regions, it was a bustling hub on…
-
Subscribe
Subscribed
Already have a WordPress.com account? Log in now.
- Privacy
Veni VEDI Voravi 