Architecture Modern buildings in Japan are mostly a mish-mash of uninspiring styles, squashed closely together and often shaped according to the land space available. However, as the top international architectural magazines indicate, Japanese architects can also produce world-leading designs to provide striking exceptions to the rule. Traditional Japanese architecture, used in the design and construction of houses, temples, shrines and castles, is a clear sign of humans responding to their natural environment, with its hot, humid summers, heavy rainfall during the rainy season and cold, dry … [Read more...]
Modern Entertainment
The world of entertainment in Japan is referred to as geinokai, encompassing television, movies, the radio and the internet, with those working within it referred to as geinojin. There is a sub-group of performers known as tarento (talent), who are usually not actors, singers or comedians, although a career in one or more of these areas might eventually open if the required ability can be shown. Rather, these people have come to public attention through some other vocation, calling, activity or hobby and appear on one or more of the many talk and variety TV shows to express their opinions or … [Read more...]
Traditional Entertainment
Entertainment is a prime example of how the old, in some cases stretching back centuries, co-exists with the modern and evolving. In some cases it might be struggling to survive, in others it’s thriving. Theatre Noh is the oldest form of theatre in Japan, supported now by only a hard core of devotees. It developed out of rituals associated with rice harvesting and entertainment in Buddhist temples. Action is minimal, and much of the dialogue, in chant form, borders on the incomprehensible. The chant is accompanied by four musicians who also sit on stage. The main actor wears a mask, the … [Read more...]
Culture
Co-existing comfortably beside late 20th and early 21st century cultural icons such as Pokemon, Hello Kitty, Ultraman, Doraeman, Anpanman, their friends and companions, and many other cartoon characters are numerous traditional cultures, in which a sizeable proportion of the population participates, whether as a spare-time pursuit, by attending classes, or as a vocation. The many aspects of Japanese traditional culture can be grouped together into the following categories. Tea Ceremony The tea ceremony (sado) was a popular form of relaxation for samurai warriors, its calmness and … [Read more...]
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