Anno Mitsumasa, part 2

We've talked about Anno Mitsumasa's whimsical sense of humour and Western-influenced travel books. This week we look at the illustrator's more traditional work, his sense of drama and awareness of scenic beauty.

Anno Mitsumasa at Japan House

Illustrator Anno Mitsumasa has been creating beloved children's books with incredible detail and a gentle sense of humour since the 1960s. wonder | wander | women were enthralled by his show Anno's Journey in Japan House this past week.

Courtesy of Japan House

Manga Month at the British Museum

Being a fan of Japanese comics or manga is different from being a fan of movies or an avid book reader. It can be isolating. There is a language barrier, a cultural barrier - even reading the books involves reading from right to left, undoing your Western reading habits. But despite this difficulty, or maybe even because of it, the manga fan community thrives all over the world.

Cosplay Parade at British Museum

Japan Matsuri 2014

At the end of September London was lucky enough to still have a nice warm day for one of the big cultural events of the year. My Japanese-American friend and I attended the Japan Matsuri in Trafalgar Square.

There were stalls lining the grounds selling irresistible-smelling trays of ramen, takoyaki, okonomiyaki and nabe (all of which we tried), aside from other staples like sushi, onigiri, donburi and tempura, and desserts like kakigoori. Other stalls sold Japanese prints, kitchen crockery, souvenirs, and even kimono.

The festival officially started with a thunderous performance of Taiko drumming.