5 Manga Titles to Explore Japanese Traditional Arts
The fastest way to dive into Japanese traditional culture?
Japan has always fascinated me as a place where tradition meets the modern in harmony. There, you can find a thousand-year-old shrine in a bustling city or youngsters eagerly wearing yukatas when hanging out in summer.
This blend of old and new extends to the world of manga as well. Many creators have taken an interest in Japanese traditional culture, aiming to spark the interest of younger audiences in these arts. Among numerous titles, here are my top five picks:
Sangatsu no Raion (3月のライオン)
Starting this list is my favorite manga: Sangatsu no Raion (March Comes In like a Lion) by Chica Umino, famous for her previous manga, Honey & Clover.
With her dreamy and gentle writing, Chica Umino takes readers on a journey with Kiriyama Rei, a young shogi player. Through Kiriyama’s ups and downs, readers experience different life lessons of meeting and parting ways, holding on and giving up, being independent and depending on others, etc.
Though primarily a coming-of-age story, Sangatsu no Raion doesn’t lack substance regarding shogi. With the aid of numerous pro shogi players as advisors (including the meijin Habu Yoshiharu), Chica Umino manages to portray different shogi styles based on each character’s personality. The manga brims with intense shogi matches, making it a treasure trove of knowledge for those keen on learning the game.
Sangatsu no Raion isn’t just a textbook of shogi; it’s a heartfelt exploration of the shogi world. Chica Umino sheds light on the hardship of the players and the harsh competitions while also celebrating the sport’s appeal. To her, shogi isn’t exclusive to pros; it’s a game that transcends age and background, offering joy to all who embrace it:
Shogi is really incredible. The board and pieces have existed since hundreds of years ago. Even now, you can still enjoy the game at home. Moreover, once you learn how to play, it doesn’t matter whether you’re an adult or a child. Everyone can earnestly have fun.
Hikaru no Go (ヒカルの碁)
Hikaru no Go is another manga about a traditional chess game, depicting Hikaru Shindou’s path from a boy who thought Go was only for seniors to a professional Go player. This premise makes it accessible even to those unfamiliar with Go, as the story explains all the Go-related matters in detail.
However, Hikaru no Go’s value doesn’t stop at its plot but also its impact on the Go world. Go is considered the oldest board game today, which means youngsters may easily see it as a hobby exclusively for elders, mirroring Hikaru Shindou’s initial perceptions in the series.
In 2001, Hikaru no Go debuted in Weekly Shōnen Jump, the biggest manga magazine for young boys. At first, many had thought Hikaru no Go, with its niche theme, wouldn’t attract any readers. But Hotta Yumi’s dynamic story and Obata Takeshi’s captivating artwork have resonated with countless readers, propelling Hikaru no Go to sell over 25 million copies.
The manga’s success also revitalized interest in Go among younger generations. While precise figures on its influence remain elusive, Asian Week magazine dedicated an article to the notable increase in young people learning and playing Go. Beyond Japan, the global Go community also received positive effects. For example, the American Go Association even used this manga as a recruitment tool.
Though its impact may wane over time, Hikaru no Go fulfills its role in introducing young people to one of the most ancient games, echoing the sentiment expressed in its closing quote:
The reason we play Go is simply the same as the reason we go through life. To link the far past with the far future.
Akane-banashi (あかね噺)
After Hikaru no Go, Weekly Shōnen Jump, unfortunately, lacked significant hits centered on traditional culture until the arrival of Akane-banashi in 2022. While newer than other names on this list, this manga doesn’t lose regarding the knowledge it brings to readers.
Akane-banashi chooses rakugo (a form of comedy) as its main theme, with its main character — Osaki Akane — aiming for the highest ranking in rakugo: shin’uchi.
The story follows a straightforward set-up like a video game, where the protagonist tackles a challenge, gains skills, meets another challenge, and so on. This execution may feel repetitive at times, but the story’s quality compensates for that.
Before Akane-banashi, I was unfamiliar with rakugo, even mistakenly considering it a Japanese version of stand-up comedy. However, this manga thoroughly explains the rakugo world, including the stories, the rakugoka (rakugo performer) ranking, and even the backstage work. Reading it is like receiving a guided tour from a seasoned rakugoka.
Beyond rakugo fundamentals, Akane-banashi includes broader issues such as gender discrimination against female rakugoka and rakugo’s place among other modern entertainment. All of these boil down to a simple question: What is rakugo?
The answers vary through the story. A senior rakugoka may advocate for preserving tradition, while others seek evolution to reach a wider audience. There’s no definitive answer, but personally, I appreciate how Akane’s master depicts rakugo in his mind:
Rakugo stories are not tales of heroism. They’re full of proud men, drunks, lechers, and fools. They tell tales of ordinary people who are far from perfect, failing in various ways. And in stories like that, even weakness can be a weapon. It’s fine to be weak. It’s just another flavor of the human experience.
Kiyo in Kyoto (舞妓さんちのまかないさん — Maiko-san Chi no Makanai-san)
When we think of Japan, Kyoto and its geisha often come to mind. Still, there are many misconceptions about geisha, exemplified by movies like Memoirs of a Geisha. That’s why I highly value Kiyo in Kyoto for providing so much vital information about geisha, or correctly, maiko and geiko.
Kiyo in Kyoto has two main characters: Sumire, a girl training to become a maiko, and Kiyo, a girl working as the cook in the maiko house. With this duo, the readers gain insight into the private lives of maiko: their daily routines, training, hardship, etc. Even details like how a maiko deals with her hair are described carefully.
Since Kiyo in Kyoto’s main setting is the maiko house kitchen, each chapter introduces Japanese traditional dishes. The author also recommends famous local restaurants in Kyoto for readers to enjoy when visiting the city.
With delicious foods, Kiyo in Kyoto guides us through the mysterious world of maiko girls, whom the author compares to flowers:
These girls pour their heart and soul into training, with mastery of the art as their goal. Without so much as a word of complaint, like flowers, they still use their beauty to welcome any customer.
Chihayafuru (ちはやふる)
Another manga highlighting a traditional game is Chihayafuru focused on karuta, a card game introduced by Portuguese traders. Karuta consists of 100 cards; on each card is the last phrase of a tanka poem from the Hyakunin Isshu (One Hundred Poems) collection.
When playing, the reciter will read a random poem from the beginning line, and two players compete to pick up the corresponding card as quickly as possible.
Unlike other traditional games like shogi or go, karuta is seen more as fun game than a professional competition since players don’t receive any prize money. However, this doesn’t diminish the players’ dedication to honing their skills. Karuta competition is so fierce that some even compare it to martial arts on tatami.
Chihayafuru has captured this intensity through its story and art. Following Chihaya — the heroine — and her karuta club, you get to see how each player develops their playing style and strategy. It takes only a few moments from the reciting begins to when a player grasps the card. But behind it is years of practice.
Besides the game, Chihayafuru offers interesting information about other aspects of traditional culture, especially the poems’ meanings. Due to its essence, Chihayafuru often uses poems to express characters’ feelings, whether happiness or sadness:
These are the hundred poems that convey how you feel about life. We use them to compete against one another in terms of speed and to determine who wins or loses. Do they love or hate us karuta players? Are they giving this world their blessing or cursing it? We’ll never know, but isn’t that why we keep playing?
Learning Japanese culture can be a lifelong journey. But I think these manga titles will take you closer to tradition in less time. Have you ever read any of these? Or do you have other favorite manga about Japanese culture? I would love to hear your recommendations!
