At first glance, Thomas Cleary is an unlikely expert on war, weaponry and man's ability to destroy. The Oakland author and translator of some 80 spiritual texts is gentle and soft-spoken, perfectly ...

It came as a shock of delight while reading Yojokun, a work of classical Japanese philosophy, to realize that what I held in my hands was a self-help book. A self-help book of rare charm and elegance, ...

Confections of pleated rope and metal. Helmets in the shape of snarling dragons, toothy eels and a flaming jewel. Plus warriors on horseback charging through an exhibtion hall adorned with a blood-red ...

When I was young, movies were big. The Continental Theatre on Austin Street in Forest Hills, Queens, which opened in 1963, was a relatively small movie house, with 300 seats and a screen about 25 feet ...

For years the hotel industry has buzzing about “experiential travel,” an effort to add more value to a stay than just a nice room, spa, restaurant and concierge. The idea is to give the visitor a ...

Teachers are encouraged to read “Medieval Japan: An Introductory Essay,” by historian Ethan Segal, prior to conducting this lesson. The introductory essay may also be assigned to students with ...

Tom Cruise is Hollywood's biggest leading man. On Tuesday, his latest film, "The Last Samurai," makes its way to video stores. Entertainment contributor and People magazine senior editor Jess Cagle ...

Tokyo - Billionaire Masayoshi Son has been celebrating the birthday of someone dear to him - the maverick samurai who inspired him to drop out of high school. The chief executive of SoftBank Group ...