These two days of events mark the anniversary of the 47 Ronin incident, one of the most celebrated episodes in Tokyo history. On January 31 1703 (December 15 by old calendar), 46 samurai – one dropped out – whose master had been forced to commit ritual suicide for drawing his sword inside the Imperial Palace, [...]
Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
47 Ronin Memorial Service
March 19, 2010Royal Observatory Greenwich
March 18, 2010Toulouse-Lautrec and the Spirit of Montmartre
March 16, 2010The art of Toulouse Lautrec has become inextricable from the lively and creative spirit of Paris’ Montmarte district. The exhibition ‘Cabarets, Humor, and the Avant-Garde, 1875 – 1905′, includes more than 400 works that illustrate this spirit, including more than 70 by Henri Toulouse-Lautrec. Among the collection are books and journals, prints, posters, drawings, watercolors [...]
The Immacolata
March 13, 2010Once a year, the Pope ventures into designer-label land to celebrate the feast of the Immaculate Conception, traditionally the day on which pre-Christmas festivities in Italy begin in earnest. To celebrate the Virgin Mary, John Paul II visits Piazza di Mignanelli, next door to the Spanish Steps, and with the aid of the city fire [...]
Maria
March 12, 2010The latest project at the Roxy is the Tuesday night Maria session, when women DJs and performers from Vienna’s digital underground will be given the run of the place. Among those appearing in February are the electronic duo Ginanina, 2 Step DJ Soraya, Electric Indigo and FM4 radio regular Carina Schwann. Women artists will supply [...]
Open Air Cinema
February 27, 2010Florence nightlife moves outside in the summer, and one of the most pleasant ways of spending the early part of the evening is at one of the many open air cinemas that appear from mid-June. Some eight screens show two films per night, every night. The first screening is usually of a latest release, while [...]
Objects Relating to Early Christianity in Japan
February 25, 2010What better time to host this exhibition than around Christmas? Like many other imports from the west, Christianity has a chequered history in Japan. Many of the Spanish and Portuguese missionaries came here in the 1500s expecting to find natives to convert in the same way as they had elsewhere. Instead they found a land [...]
A common lizard hidding between layers of leaves
February 17, 2010Racing: The Fair Grounds
February 16, 2010Thanksgiving means far more than turkey dinners in New Orleans, it’s also the opening day of the city’s race track, the Fair Grounds. The 2000-2001 season begins with a series of big races, the Thanksgiving Handicap on opening day (November 23), the Old Hickory Stakes (November 25) and the Pontalba Stakes (November 26). While the [...]