When visiting Japan in the spring, no one wants to miss the cherry blossoms. Japan has turned cherry blossom viewing, or hanami, into both an art and an event. While the areas where cherry blossom viewing takes place is generally wheelchair accessible, there are some things that people with disabilities Read more…
*This photo was taken when I viewed the permanent exhibition at the National Museum of Ethnology. However, viewers are not allowed to touch the art. [Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, exhibitions at The National Museum of Ethnology are postponed until Autumn 2021.] By Yoko-Sonya In November 2019, I attended a Read more…
By Mark Bookman Although Sumo was officially recognized by the International Olympic Committee in 2018, no matches are scheduled to take places as part of the 2020 Games in Tokyo. Instead, fans are encouraged to travel to official tournaments, which take place six times a year. In this article, I Read more…
By Mark Bookman Accessibility affects the way that we interact with religious sites and ideas. A single step up at a church, temple, or shrine can shape the way that a person with a disability uses those spaces, creating new possibilities for community formation. Consider a person who cannot chant Read more…
By Mark Bookman Kabuki theatre is, among other things, an immersive encyclopedia of Japan. Audience members assume the role of pilgrims who are guided through the country’s landmarks, literatures, teachings, and aesthetics by expert actors. In one afternoon, a loyal Kabuki patron can experience epic battles like those fought by Read more…
By Mark Bookman When you put on a pair of rabbit ears and join a troupe of elegantly-dressed maids in a solemn prayer for the deliciousness of your beer, disability hardly seem to matter. In fact, it is often the so-called able-bodied among us who find themselves paralyzed by delight, Read more…