The Compass: Japan's samurai devotees and an innocent gift causes crisis

In Japan, a deep reverence for nature and tradition vies with a fascination of all that is futuristic—and this jarring contrast is part of the country’s strong allure.  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌    ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌  

 

SEE BELOW, CAN YOU GUESS THE ANIMAL? VIEW ONLINE

SEE BELOW, CAN YOU GUESS THE ANIMAL?

THE COMPASS

This week's virtual field trip takes us to Japan where a deep reverence for nature and tradition vies with a fascination of all that is futuristic. Watch an artist paint a dragon's body with one soothing stroke, learn how Japanese prayer plaques became symbols of hope, and toast to Japan's national obsession.

PHOTOGRAPH BY ASSOCIATED PRESS The prince, the mayor, and the U.S. fish that ate Japan An innocent gift from Chicago to Prince Akihito in 1960 caused a decades-long ecological crisis that Japanese scientists are now close to solving. COUNTRY EATING FISH??

VIDEO COURTESY CATERS / 28 LAB Watch this artist paint a dragon's body with one soothing stroke Japanese artists have been painting in the Hitofude-ryuu tradition, using as few strokes as possible, since the early 1600s. CREATING DRAGONS

PHOTOGRAPH BY FLPA, ALAMY STOCK PHOTO Deepest earthquake ever detected struck 467 miles beneath Japan If confirmed, the temblor would be a shock to geologists who thought rocks that deep inside Earth were too putty-like to break and shake. ULTRADEEP TEMBLOR

THE MANEKI-NEKO DATES BACK TO THE 17TH CENTURY AND IS ONE OF THE MOST POPULAR FEATURES IN ASIAN BUSINESSES. IT IS: A: A DRAGON B: A FISH C: A CAT CLICK TO SEE IF YOU'RE RIGHT!

PHOTOGRAPH BY RYOTARO HORIUCHI These samurai devotees bring a cherished culture back to life A photographer’s search for his Japanese identity leads him to rediscover the past in the present. HONORING THE PAST

GOOD READS

1. These bats make tiny igloos to survive the winter 2. Photos: A decade after disaster, wildlife abounds in Fukushima 3. See the tiny tools required for the ancient art of bonsai 4. How these Japanese prayer plaques became symbols of hope

PHOTOGRAPH BY MATTHIEU ZELLWEGER, HAYTHAM-REA / REDUX The secret life of sake, Japan’s national obsession From boisterous bars in Tokyo to bucolic breweries in the hinterlands beyond the capital, sake is intertwined with this island country’s cultural and spiritual life. KAMPAI!

WHERE WILL WE JOURNEY TO NEXT? Be sure to check your inbox next week to find out.

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