20th Century
Postcard From Kanchanaburi
In the now forgotten days when human beings were still allowed to show their faces and set foot out of the house rather than get fat on furlough, soon to become Universal Basic Income followed [more…]
Japan
Arts
Memories of Japan, Centre Point to Osaka
In 1985 I worked for Mitsubishi Electric and that gave me the privilege of visiting Japan three times and getting to know something of the Japanese working and business psyche. It introduced me to Japanese [more…]
Cooking
Knives and keeping them sharp
So.. we’ve discussed my obsession with Japanese knives (see: An introduction to Japanese knives) and there were lots of lovely comments, but one came through most – how to keep a knife sharp! This article [more…]
Cooking
An introduction to Japanese knives
I’ve browsed this site for a couple of years, but have contributed very little other than stupid comments. Figured it was time I contributed a bit more. Firstly… My name is Bertram and I have [more…]
Arts
The Pillow Book of Sei Shōnagon
I was musing on the small pleasures in life this morning: hot, clean water on a cold day; the scent of flowers that catches you unawares when walking through a dormant winter’s garden; the taste [more…]
Biography
In Memoriam – Tony Lucas, “Bloody but Unbowed”
When Allied forces surrendered Singapore 75 years ago, 80,000 troops became Japanese prisoners of war. For Tony Lucas, thus begun an ordeal that almost broke his body, but could not bow his spirit. It is [more…]