|  Finding
Japanese Mind and Spirit Through the Movie “Tokyo
Story” a Story that Influenced the World
“Respect-for-the-Aged Day” (the third
Monday in September) is one of Japan’s many
national holidays. It is the day for people to respect
elderly people who have made a great contribution
to Japanese society, and celebrate their longevity.
On this occasion I would like to introduce the Japanese
movie “Tokyo Story” (1953, directed by
OZU Yasujirou), a drama about an elderly couple. ...
|
 Karakuri
Craftsman Passes Down Seed of Robot Technology from
Edo era to the Present
Japan is well-known as a country at the forefront of
robot technology. Now, the country is becoming well-known
for its technology used in making animations and movies,
and in artistic fields in addition to its industrial
technology. When Western culture was introduced to Japan
in the 18th century, the seed of the nation's robot
technology was planted. ... |
 Gogyohka
- New Style Japanese Poem Now Quietly Booming
For the last 1,400 years Japanese poetry has been dominated
by two forms; Tanka and Haiku. Since the second half
of the last century, however, a new form called Gogyohka
(literally "five-line verse") has been quietly
on the rise. Its originator - a poet who goes by the
pen name of KUSAKABE Enta - first developed the form
in 1957 when he was just 19. ... |
 Japanese-Style
Drawings of Beautiful Women - Skills Used Contrast to
Those Behind Mona Lisa
A movie about Dan BROWN's novel "THE DA VINCI CODE"
that discloses a message hidden by the Renaissance genius
in his pictures has been filmed and Leonardo da Vinci
is now in the spotlight. The "Mona Lisa,"
the most famous picture in the world, was painted by
Leonardo as everyone knows. ... |
 Japanese
Spochan Expanding Worldwide
Through movies such as "THE LAST SAMURAI"
starring Tom CRUISE and "SEVEN SAMURAI" directed
by KUROSAWA Akira, "samurai" has been spreading
worldwide along with geisha as an image of Japan. ...
|
 The
"Chindon-ya" who Became a TV Drama Model
Do you know chindon-ya? In short, it is a group of advertising
agents that wear fancy costumes, play musical instruments
and parade in the streets distributing handouts to guide
potential customers to their clients' stores. ... |
 A
Sheet of Wrapping Cloth Transforms into an Artform
Due to increasing concern about the environment, a movement
to stop customers from using disposal plastic bags handed
out by supermarkets and other stores has been rapidly
expanding recently and more people now carry their own
bags. Against this backdrop, furoshiki (wrapping cloth)
is now attracting attention. ... |
 Behind
Japanese surnames
Japan has a large number of surnames compared to other
countries. There are about 240,000 different surnames
in Japan. On September 19th, 1870 (3rd year of the Meiji
era) the Meiji government announced the law called (Heimin
myouji hisshou gimurei) that required ordinary people
to have surnames. ... |
 Talented
Attractive Scholar Promoting Rakugo Worldwidet
There are many aspects of Japanese culture, but few
non-Japanese know about rakugo, which can be described
as a sit down comedy performed by a single entertainer
and is thought to be the original style of Japanese
comedy. Some theaters specialize in rakugo, which is
deeply rooted in the daily lives of Japanese people.
... |
 Japanese
Alphabet Provokes Intellectual Excitement
Dear foreign readers - do you know that in Japan there
is a family game called "Karuta" that has
been played for over 200 years, especially in New Year
holidays? Although there are many different versions
of Karuta, "Iroha Karuta" is the most famous.
... |
 Zen-Behind
Japanese Culture
Many foreigners who visit Japan have an interest in
some aspects of Japanese culture, whether it be sumo
or sake, bonsai or geisha. However, not much is known
about Zen, a philosophy that is gaining popularity worldwide
and said to be at the heart of Japanese culture. ... |
 Money
Talks
It doesn't grow on trees. It's the root of all evil.
It burns a hole in your pocket. What is it? Yes, money!
Indeed, money may be responsible for the ills of our
society and the diminishment of our culture, but after
traveling to many countries, I've come to realize that
money is also an important source of cultural information.
... |
 Taking
Kanazawa Gold Leaf to the World
Kyoto's Kinkakuji temple, or "Golden Pavilion"
must be one of the most impressive sights for foreign
visitors, evoking their sense of romanticism with its
solemn glitter. In Japan, the traditional art of gold
leaf craftwork that was used to create this beautiful
temple still exists today. ... |
 Pop
Bonsai Finding Their Feet!
If you think changes occur slower than a snail in Japan,
you had better watch out you don't get run over by Lisa
TAJIMA. "I think it is very cool to make both traditional
and pop bonsai," says the devoted fan of this ancient
art. ... |
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