DORTMUND, Germany — Berlin-based writer Yoko Tawada was awarded the Nelly Sachs Prize, a biennial prize in Germany for a person of letters who has contributed to the mutual understanding of different cultures, at a ceremony in Dortmund in western Germany on Sunday.

TAICHUNG, Taiwan — A complex combining an art museum and a library has opened in Taichung, central Taiwan, becoming Taiwan’s first facility where visitors can both view exhibitions and read books.The Taichung Green Museumbrary has a total floor area of 57,996 square meters and is located in a 67-hectare park. The museum displays works by artists from Taiwan and abroad, while the library houses a collection of over 1 million books and digital materials. The facility is attracting attention as a hub that offers new cultural experiences and opportunities to engage with books.The building was designed by SANAA, an architectural firm led by Kazuyo Sejima and Ryue Nishizawa, who are both laureates of the Pritzker Architecture Prize, known as the Nobel Prize of architecture. The facility consists of eight cubes in different sizes, allowing visitors to freely explore the library and museum areas.“I hope the facility grows into a place where people meet and learn,” Sejima said at Saturday’s opening ceremony.Nishizawa commented: “I hope people will cherish and use the place like a park,”

A commemorative exhibition of ceramic dog figurines donated by Princess Hisako of Takamado started on Saturday at the Aichi Prefectural Ceramic Museum in Seto, Aichi Prefecture.

When Miyagawa Kozan was born in Kyoto in 1842, his family had been making pottery for generations. After taking over the business at the age of 19, he really shook things up.

BTOKYO (AP) — "Black Box Diaries," a documentary in which Japanese journalist Shiori Ito investigates her own sexual assault case and the barriers she faced in pursuing justice, has been screened widely abroad since its 2024 festival debut and earned an Oscar nomination early this year.

A new theatrical production of “Chushingura,” a tale of heroes loved by Japanese audiences for over 300 years, opens at Meijiza theater in Tokyo today. Directed by Yukihiko Tsutsumi, the play was organized by Nippon Television Network Corp., an affiliate of The Yomiuri Shimbun Group, and so I was given the honor of writing an article featured in its pamphlet. I will also serve as emcee for post-performance talks. As several former or current superheroes in tokusatsu sci-fi action TV shows are among the cast, I think this production deserves to be seen by as many people as possible.“Chushingura,” which roughly means “treasury of loyal retainers,” is based on a true story that occurred in the early 18th century. Lord Asano Takumi no Kami, a high-ranking samurai and governor of the Ako domain in what is now Hyogo Prefecture, drew his sword and slashed at Lord Kira Kozuke no Suke, an elder and higher-ranking samurai, in Edo Castle. Asano had been unable to tolerate Kira’s repeated harassment and ridiculing. Since drawing a sword inside the castle of the Tokugawa shogunate was forbidden, Asano was forced to commit seppuku, and the Ako domain was taken over by the shogun.The domain’s retainers who lost their lord became ronin, or masterless samurai, and sought revenge against Kira. Oishi Kuranosuke, the head retainer, became their leader. They concealed their plan for revenge for one year and nine months, in order to catch the Kira side off guard. Although some of the retainers dropped out, the last 47 men broke into the Kira residence and killed him in the dead of night on Dec. 14, 1702. They then surrendered themselves to the shogunate government, and all committed seppuku in accordance with samurai rule.As a complex narrative driven by the directness of the ronin willing to sacrifice their lives to stand by their beliefs in addition to their spirit of loyalty and the-good-against-the-evil storyline, “Chushingura” has long captivated Japanese audiences. The story has been adapted into a kabuki play as well as films and TV dramas.