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...]
Societal Concepts
The process of modernisation and industrialisation, along with the import of external ideas that swept through Japan after its opening in the 1860s, substantially changed the face of the country. Yet many of the themes, beliefs, ideas and modes of behaviour that developed and controlled life over the hundreds of years before then continue to be of relevance. This ongoing presence of centuries-old ways of thinking, behaving and going about everyday life, like a web of tentacles reaching into everyone’s lives, is an integral part of life in Japan. The two streams, the new superimposed on the … [Read more...]
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