NEWSLETTER
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Our newsletter is a regular email service where we share updates and topics related to manga, anime, and broader aspects of modern Japanese life.
It includes links to interesting videos, information about new trends (technological and cultural), and updates on what’s new on our website.
A website about Japan – offering a deeper perspective on Japanese culture at the intersection of history, philosophy, and art with contemporary pop culture (manga, anime, video games) and modern societal issues in Japan.
Happy hunting!
Mike Soray
About us
Who Are the Members of Team inari.smart?
Who Are the Members of Team inari.smart?
My humble self, Mike Soray—known in Poland as Michał—am responsible for the content, technical, and business aspects of this venture. A few words about myself can already be found in the footer below the articles.
The second, immensely important member of the team is my wife, Marzka. She is in charge of providing me with a steaming hot cup of (white!) tea when I’m coding or writing and, most importantly, she strives to keep me in a relatively moderate emotional balance, especially when I get overly enthusiastic about a topic. Without her, this endeavor wouldn’t be possible—she grounds the project in reality and offers the rest of the team strength during moments of doubt.
The third member, who until last year completed our small team, is Space. She’s a black cat specializing in sitting on the keyboard precisely when I’m planning to write an article or some code for the app. Is Space the most important member of the team? I’m not sure, but she certainly thinks so. Besides her assistance in sitting on the keyboard, her other areas of expertise include long naps on the radiator and consuming large quantities of wet food (dry food isn’t an option—dry food, as Spacja claims, is for NASA astronauts, not cats).
I’m also proud to say that as of 2024, we’ve expanded our team with a new and significant member. His name is Octavian, and he’s three months old as I write this at the end of April 2024. Born in mid-January 2024, he’s had a profound impact on how the rest of the team operates. This includes redefining when other project members (excluding Space) can sleep and when they need to be on duty.
And so, with this modest team, we strive to develop the project. This includes creating content in the form of articles on thematic websites, improving the technical side by developing thematic Android applications, and enhancing the functional aspect with a small online store where we aim to offer items that we believe fit the theme of the site.
Why Do We Do What We Do??
My goal is simple: to share information about topics I’m passionate about and have a solid understanding of with those who seek it. I view culture as a holistic entity—history, art, philosophy, anime and manga, video games, both old and modern music—all these are merely different manifestations of the same cultural fabric. To truly comprehend an anime production or a ukiyo-e print, for instance, one cannot separate it from the historical and philosophical ideas that shape its foundation.
For this reason, within the limits of our resources, I strive to offer readers a meaningful slice of reality through what I publish (on ukiyo-japan.pl, this primarily means Japanese culture). A small slice, but never shallow. My aim is to present these topics as intersections of philosophy, history, art, and modern pop culture—recognizing that the lines between them are often fluid, if not entirely artificial. Every manga volume, for example, contains a philosophical layer, consciously or not, as it conveys specific philosophical ideas. To fully understand it, we must delve into that segment of Japanese culture, which includes both its history and its philosophy.
Take Katsushika Hokusai's ukiyo-e, for instance—it is not only profound and timeless art but also entertainment, much like Attack on Titan. It amuses, educates, invites introspection, and reveals truths about the world. By engaging with works of culture, we not only connect with their creators but also discover new perspectives on life. To understand and appreciate a cultural piece is to open the door to new worlds.
And this is precisely the mission of our team: to find such a world, understand it, feel it, and, to the best of our ability, present it to the Reader in a way that allows them to continue their own journey of exploration and discover these new worlds for themselves.
The Meaning of Ukiyo-Japan ?
The name "Ukiyo" (浮世) refers to the Japanese term "ukiyo-e" – images depicting the fleeting, "floating" world. Japan, in this case, represents the "E" (絵), in all its facets – from the Jōmon period, through Heian, Sengoku, and Edo, to the present day. The articles aim to present Japan as "ukiyo" – a fluid world of constant change and beauty, much like the beloved art form of Edo times captured small snapshots of reality – ukiyo-e.
The idea of mono no aware is especially dear to me – the ability to appreciate a fleeting moment, which was central to ukiyo-e art and teaches us to live better and more fully. I hope that every article we publish can be like an ukiyo-e – an image capturing a small fragment of reality connected to Japan. Whether it is a work of literature, a historical event, the life of an artist, or a theme in a video game, the mission of ukiyo-japan.pl is to portray it precisely, engagingly, and with deep commitment – as much as our limited resources allow, of course.
"Strong Japanese Women"
see book by the author
of the page
未開 ソビエライ
An enthusiast of Asian culture with a deep appreciation for the diverse philosophies of the world. By education, a psychologist and philologist specializing in Korean studies. At heart, a programmer (primarily for Android) and a passionate technology enthusiast, as well as a practitioner of Zen and mono no aware. In moments of tranquility, adheres to a disciplined lifestyle, firmly believing that perseverance, continuous personal growth, and dedication to one's passions are the wisest paths in life. Author of the book "Strong Women of Japan" (>>see more)
Personal motto:
"The most powerful force in the universe is compound interest." - Albert Einstein (probably)
Mike Soray
(aka Michał Sobieraj)
Write us...
Ciechanów, Polska
dr.imyon@gmail.com
___________________
inari.smart
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