JAPAN REFERENCES
this group is a list of links collected during my research on Japan, and for learning Japanese, for my books "Way To Go, Kid!" and "100 Futons, 1 Grain of Rice"
ARCHITECTURE
http://www.jcastle.info/ castles throughout Japan
LOCAL RESOURCES AND ASSOCIATIONS (TORONTO)
http://www.cjst.org/ canada japan society of toronto
JAPANESE FONTS - SCRIPTS
http://www.unicode.org/charts/unihansearch.html look up via definition and english word - to find the unicode for Japanese fonts. easy to use.
http://www.wazu.jp/gallery/Fonts_Japanese.html
http://www.coscom.co.jp/help3/jpfont/jpfont.html - how to view and type japanese fonts for windows...
http://www.internationalscientific.org/CharacterASP/ find the seal, bronze, oracle scripts for chinese/japanese letters. for making hanko/inkan seals
http://www.wazu.jp/gallery/Fonts_Japanese.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japanese_typefaces - the various scripts and uses
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edomoji - more Japanese than Chinese examples of writing scripts
MISCELLANY
http://deoxy.org/iching/index - i-ching interpretations/translations
http://bubl.ac.uk/link/j/japan.htm huge list of links for research on Japan
http://www.jftor.org/whatson/archive06.php Toronto Japanese Cultural Center - Japan Foundation -with library and courses and grants (associated with Canada Council Grants).
http://www2.gol.com/users/stever/jastro.html#Top Japanese Starlore and Astronomical History
http://www.printsofjapan.com/Index_Glossary_Hil_thru_I.htm images varied with short but good explanations
http://www.quirkyjapan.or.tv/kanzashi.htm
http://www.suiseki.com/about/index.html - the art of stone appreciation! The Japanese art is called "Suiseki", in China "Scholar's Rocks", in Korea it is "Suseok" or "Gongshi". Among many other terms used, some might include: viewing stones, artistic stones, object stones and many more. Many of these terms should not and cannot accurately be used interchangeably...
FOLKTALES, LEGENDS, STORIES OF JAPAN
http://www.hotsuma.gr.jp/index-e.html the story of the origin of heaven and earth and man - japanese style - also available in french - complete book.
http://web-japan.org/kidsweb/folk/index.html geared for kids - this has various stories that are familiar classics to japanese children
http://www.geocities.co.jp/HeartLand-Gaien/7211/ old stories from japan - in english large selection.
FESTIVALS AND EVENTS
http://www.sairei-tanio.com/03_singu/03_kinbei.html festival suppliers - including banners, floats, figures, sakaki, kamidana, shinto accessories, shimenawa etc...
http://web-japan.org/atlas/festivals/festi_fr.html
http://www.ancientworlds.net/aw/Article/883806 - setsubun
http://web-japan.org/nipponia/nipponia34/en/index.html - life and culture in japan month by month guide.
TRAVEL/TOUR JAPAN
http://wikitravel.org/en/Japan -I love wiki...this is a full site with a ton of information about sites of interest, and other necessary info for the traveller.
http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/index.html Japan National Tourist Organization
http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/sacred-sites.htm
http://www.isejingu.or.jp/english/ - ISE JINGU SHRINE
http://www.japanroads.com/index.htm
http://www.japaneseguesthouses.com/about/ryokan/styles.htm
http://www.shukubo.jp/eng/ shukubo - temple lodgings
http://metropolis.co.jp/tokyo/424/japantravel.asp Japan's english magazine with listings and reviews of shukubo etc.
http://www.odyssei.com/travel/japan.php travel tips and notes and more - sightseeing info
http://www.mandala.ne.jp/echoes/jhguide.html how-to guide to a pilgrimage in Japan
http://www.itcj.jp/ welcome center of japan - hotel, ryokan etc. reservation
site
http://www.city.fujiyoshida.yamanashi.jp/div/english/html/climb.html (mountain huts on Mt. Fuji)
FUJI
http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=786 (Mountain Beliefs and Practices)
http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/jjrs/pdf/746.pdf japanese religious study - ise sankei mandara - see also fuji mandara - (mandala) pilgrimage guides...
http://www.nanzan-u.ac.jp/SHUBUNKEN/publications/afs/pdf/a970.pdf
The book of great practice - the life of Fuji Ascetic Tobutsu - by Royall Tyler
http://www.yamanashi-kankou.jp/english/index.html
Fuji Sightseeing on the net
UKIYO-E WOODBLOCK PRINT GALLERIES
http://visipix.dynalias.com/sites/specials/hokusai/hoku_start.htm - THE COMPLETE HOKUSAI SKETCHBOOKS!!! also 100 poems as told by the Nurse & the 2 series of Mt. Fuji...and more! Great site for references. A lot more besides at visipix...lots of great art images.
http://miniaturejapaneseprints.com/ miniature woodblock prints - including Shenja fuda, matchbook covers, postcards and bookplates.
http://www.hanga.com/ the hanga gallery has a great selection of shin hanga (new ukiyo-e style) including european artists working in the japanese woodblock style. Incredible gallery
http://www.japaneseprints-london.com/index.html another well organized gallery of Ukiyo-e in categories - includes great selection of uchiwa-e (fan) prints
the floating world -- ukiyo-e
http://www.internationalfolkart.org/exhibitions/past/moonweb/section3.html
http://www.mfa.org/collections/search_art.asp excellent collection of japanese art and woodblock prints.
http://www.shinenkan.com/ netsuke and edo period paintings.
KANJI/LANGUAGE/DICTIONARIES
http://www.kanjisite.com/index.html - excellent kanji dictionary with compound words very useful for learning japanese. highly recommended.
http://infohost.nmt.edu/~armiller/japanese/kanjiradical.htm learn/look-up kanji - by radical, stroke number, shape, frequency...also kana's.
http://www.yamasa.org/ocjs/kanjijiten/english/index.html looks like an excellent site for learnig and practising Kanji.
http://kanji.free.fr/index.php another excellent Kanji lookup - this time in French but very user friendly.
http://www.yookoso.com/pages/kanji.php?file=display&jisdec=14939 excellent dictionary with useful mnemonics for kanji and other tools for learning japanese.
http://www.manythings.org/japanese/ learn japanese excellent (an extension of yookoso's site. Flash cards, kana, kanji, japanese signs, and real time chats.
http://www.coolslang.com/index.php?pageNum_rsTranslation=0&totalRows_rsTranslation=59 current japanese slang expressions
http://www.csse.monash.edu.au/~jwb/wwwjdic.html jim breen's amazing online dictionary and translation tool
http://zhongwen.com - very good site explaining the etymology of the Chinese / Kanji characters
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Japanese_vocabulary
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Japanese_words_and_phrases
http://en.wikiquote.org/wiki/Japanese_proverbs
http://www.languagerealm.com/japanese/mainjp.php
brilliant site with a huge selection of proverbs, idioms, sayings etc.. in Kanji, romanji, kana and with english translations and meanings. Best resource on the web for this sort of thing.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yojijukugo - 4 kanji idioms
http://home.earthlink.net/~4jword/index3.htm - more yojijukugo 4 kanji idioms
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Japanese_word_games
http://www.freedict.com/onldict/jap.html
http://www.jmode.com/kanji/kanji_jukugo.html 4 kanji idioms with kanji characters and translations.
http://www.learn-japanese-kanji-hiragana-katakana.com/Japanese-kanji-symbols-a-map-of-japan.htm
http://www.buddhism-dict.net/ buddhist/east asian dictionary of language and thought
http://echoes.bluemandala.com/wordlist.html - useful words and expressions for a pilgrimage in Japan
http://www.redbrick.dcu.ie/~melmoth/japan/ Japan A-Z
NOH
http://etext.virginia.edu/japanese/noh/TylTaka.html - Tyler Royall's Takasago Pine Translation
http://www.the-noh.com/en/index.html - photoslides of noh plays and full descriptions - printouts of story to take to theatre too.
PHOTOS OF JAPAN
http://www.flickr.com/photos/mboogiedown/ beautiful photos of maiko, geisha and japanese performance artists
http://www.kiku.com/electric_samurai/cyber_shrine/index.html shinto shrines on the web.
http://www.disturbing.org.uk/portfolio/portfolio-kodo-brum06.php
taiko drummers
RELIGION SHINTO/BUDDHISM
http://www.tsubakishrine.org/ shrine with photos and range of amulets (omamori), ema, ofuda etc...
http://www.japaneselifestyle.com.au/travel/kyoto_sightseeing.htm Kyoto temples - historical info and lots of photos
http://darumapilgrim.blogspot.com/2006_07_01_archive.html infoblog about pilgrimages Shinto and Buddhist. A lot of good information.
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/pilgrimages-pilgrims-japan.html#stamps pilgrimage stamps from temples
http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/ An Encyclopedia of Shinto
http://www2.kokugakuin.ac.jp/ijcc/wp/bts/index.html
basic terms - dictionary/glossary of shinto
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/buddhism.shtml great selection and information on asian art. Huge - with direct links by subject.
JAPANESE ARTS & CULTURE
http://www.hanamiweb.com/ large site with detailed information about a variety of japanese subjects - includes japanese timeline, arts and culture, temples, geography and more. Prease excuse engrish on site. (amusing and informative.)
http://www.origami.gr.jp/Model/Senbazuru/index-e.html - the the oldest origami book for amusement in the world (published in 1797). "Hiden Senbazuru Orikata"
http://int.kateigaho.com/ - online and print magazine on japanese culture. Very informative online stuff as well.
http://zen.dvdesign.com/wiki.php ZenWiki - encycloepedia of Zen
http://www.asianartbykyoko.com/ - wide variety of art and craft examples including banners. - there is a lot at this site - more than is apparent from the main page.
http://www.nihonkoryu.org/en/ ikebana
http://www.bonsaiboon.com/wbc.htm bonsai
http://walter-pall.de/00gallery/index.html - an amazing collector/grower of bonsai with an extensive gallery of photos.
http://web-japan.org/museum/menu.html - virtual museum of japanese arts
http://www.onmarkproductions.com/html/buddhism.shtml great selection and information on asian art. Huge - with direct links by subject.
http://www.japanarts.jp/ - dolls and inari (porcelain arts)
http://www.scentsofearth.com/Kodo/Kodo-Home.htm the way of incense.
http://www.man-pai.com/Artigos/genjimon_e.htm - genji-mon (kodo crests relate to tale of genji)
http://www.otomiya.com/kamon/index.htm#50 WOW!!! an amazing library of Japanese emblems, mons/kamons...in japanese but really great!
http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/ japanese crafts
http://worldkigo2005.blogspot.com/ kigo (season words for haiku etc)
http://www.kabuki21.com/ all about kabuki - includes interesting info on crests (mons)
http://www.morikami.org/index.php florida museum and garden of japanese art and culture
http://www.surlalunefairytales.com/books/japan/freemanmitford.html Japanese Fairy tales
http://www.darumamagazine.com/ REALLY great magazine focusing on antiques and museum quality objets d'art and culture of japan
http://www.japonismeblog.com
some great links to other sites covering japonisme.
http://www.tokyoartbeat.com/ bilingual art and design zine from tokyo
http://www.holymtn.com/ trading store - with good information about the tea ceremony and more...
CHADO
http://wiki.chado.no/Chaji CHADO-the way of tea - encycloepedia wiki
http://www.jshoppers.com/eg/special_taka_chasen/index.html
http://www.246.dk/teatcoj.html - JAPANESE TOURIST LIBRARY E-TEXT - TEA CULT
http://teamind.wordpress.com/ tea blog
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/wakeiseijaku/ a yahoo group devoted to the tea ceremony.
http://www.japansociety.org/content.cfm/webcast_detail?eid=193a1430 sword & serenity - a webcast with a chado and kenjutsu demonstration and discussion.
GAMES
http://www.asiasociety.org/arts/asiangames/index.html asian games, contests etc.
http://www.hanafubuki.org/cards.html - excellent info on hanafuda cards etc...
http://www.sugoroku.net/lib_e/index.html Sugoroku - japanese version of 'snakes and ladders' travelling game...
http://senseis.xmp.net/ instructions for the game of go
http://www.slateandshell.com/index.asp - more info and interesting background on Go
http://senseis.xmp.net/?GoProverbs - proverbs of GO and great images and board strategies relating to the proverb...and more.
KIMONO/CLOTHING
http://www.hanamiweb.com/kimono.html in depth information about the Kimono
GEISHA/GEIKO/MAIKO
http://www.immortalgeisha.com/ interesting site - links page extensive but many broken links...
MARTIAL ARTS and ARMOUR
http://www.gallery-samurai-tokyo.com/ also has netsuke, art, inro and other crafts. Large focus on military history.
http://www.samurai-archives.com/ samurai history includes photos.
SOUVENIRS-CRAFTS
http://www.karakuricorner.com/ amazing japanese cultural gifts and hobbies
http://www.goodsfromjapan.com/index.php store - with arts/pop etc...
http://www.tokyocube.com/ more modern japanese souvenirs and art
http://kyototraditions.com/index.php - various crafts - folk arts of Japan
WASHI (PAPER) & TEXTILE PRINTS
http://e-gasuri.com/ikat/index1.htm IKAT print patterns (resist blue and white dye)
http://www.izumo-net.ne.jp/~nagatasen/g3-3.htm - furoshiki, noren and other unknown textiles - Ikat mainly