Here at WoWasis, we’re always interested in books on photography focusing on Asian countries, but have gotten to the point where large format coffee table sized books are creating a storage problem in our library. Because of that, they never get read beyond the first opening. We welcomed, therefore, photographer Hans Kemp and writer Tom […]
Read the rest of this entry »Archive for the 'Buddhism' Category
“Just go home and make another daughter!” Thai court officials tell murdered woman’s mother
Here at WoWasis, we’ve found that most murder stories in the Thai press have real gems buried deeply inside. But even we were shocked when unnamed Thai officials invoked their interpretation of Theravada Buddhism while making a helpful suggestion to the parents of noted crime victim Hannah Witheridge. According to the Bangkok Post, sister Laura […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis Banned Book review: ‘Truth on Trial in Thailand: Defamation, Treason, and Lèse-Majesté’ by David Streckfuss
In our previous review of Paul Handley’s book The King Never Smiles, we quoted from the book’s back cover: “Any journalist or academic who takes an interest in Thailand soon learns that one topic is off limits: the modern monarchy… it is dangerous, and one risks expulsion or jail for lèse-majesté” for reporting on sensitive […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis Book review: ‘Bangkok Haunts’ Bangkok Fiction by John Burdett
Bangkok Haunts (2007, ISBN 9780-5930-5544-1) is the third in writer John Burdett’s Detective Sonchai series, in which Sonchai, a colorful character in the Bangkok Fiction genre, attempts to get to the bottom of the death of an ex-lover, with other-worldly implications. Burdett’s protagonist, a Royal Thai Police detective operating in Bangkok’s District 8, offers up […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis Book review: ‘38 Million Dollar Smile’ / ‘Bangkok Free Fall’ by Richard Stevenson
Richard Stevenson is the nom de plume of Richard Lipez, an American author best known for his series of novels involving the world of private eye Don Strachey. Here at WoWasis, we’re always looking at new twists on the Bangkok Fiction genre. The ‘bar girl meets western man’ theme has been covered in dozens of […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits Sho-ren-in temple in Kyoto, Japan
Blink, and you’ll miss it. But you shouldn’t. On the famed “temple walk” through the southern Higashiyama district in Kyoto, you’ll pass by and see a lot of temples and shrines. If you’re like us here at WoWasis, you’ll yearn for a few minutes of peace and quiet away from the crowds, and Sho-ren-in Temple […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits the Ninna-ji Temple in Kyoto, Japan
The Ninna-ji Temple was founded in 888 ACE. Also known as the Old Imperal Palace, Ninna-ji is the headquarters of the Omuro School of the Shingon sect of Buddhism.The Omuro School of Flower Arrangement is also housed in the temple. The temple complex is striking, with a number of architecturally arresting buildings, including an imposing […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis’ visits Kyoto’s Tofuku-ji Hojo “Hasso” Garden
Tofuku-ji Temple with its well-known garden is southeast of Kyoto’s center, and is well worth the visit, both for its renowned garden, but also for the fact that there are relatively few visitors here, and the serenity can be welcome after braving crowds at Kyoto’s better known sites. It’s also close to the Fumisjhi Inari […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis’ visits Kyoto’s amazing golden Kinkaku-ji Pavilion
Although it’s full of visitors and can get crowded, there’s no doubt as to the beauty of the scene of Kyoto’s golden Kinkaku-ji Pavilion overlooking the lake. It’s one of the finest views in Japan. Originally built in 1397 ACE, the temple was burned in 1950 by an obsessed monk, so what you’re seeing today […]
Read the rest of this entry »WoWasis visits the Kohfukuji Treasure Hall in Nara, Japan
These days, Japan is restoring seemingly dozens of historical shrines and temples. The process included shrouding the building in a huge, unsightly shed for periods of up to five years. While we here at WoWasis applaud the process in general, it wreaks havoc on visitors that were hoping to see an important shrine or temple, […]
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