Japanese Sculpture

Posted by Ginny No Comments
Sep 12 2011

Although Japanese paintings get a lot of international attention, Japanese sculptures are also quite amazing and should get the reverence that Japanese paintings get. For example, one of the more famous sculptors in Japan is Tankei (湛慶). The most famous sculpture by Tankei is the sculpture in a temple called Sanjusangendō (三十三間堂). The sculpture is considered one of the premier national treasures of Japan.

 

Jōchō (定朝) was the most famous and beloved sculptors ever in Japan. The sculpture on the left is an example of Jōchō’s work. If you look at the expression on the Buddha’s face, it is tender and gentle. The merciful expression on the Buddha’s face is something that no other artist did before Jōchō. Jōchō revolutionized a new style of Buddhist imagery by sculpting a compassionate expression on the Buddha’s face.

 

You may have seen some of Kaikei’s (快慶) work without even realizing it. There are many of Kaikei’s original works all over Japan. The sculpture of the Bodhisattva on the left is a wooden statue made with gold, copper crystal and lacquer. Many of Kaikei’s works relatively small in size, but they are nevertheless famous for their originality. Kaikei is famous for sculpting intelligent and elegant looking expressions on the faces of his statues.

 

Unkei’s (運慶) sculpture of the guardian statues at Tōdaiji (東大寺) or Tōdai Temple is probably one of the best-recognized sculptures in Japan. His works are famous for being realistic. Like the photo of the statue on the left, his figures are muscular rather than delicate. His style of sculpture broke with the style of his predecessors. Instead of making figures with soft lines and ephemeral expressions, his statues were solid and lifelike.

 

Tori Busshi (止利仏師) was originally a saddle maker who became a sculptor through hard work. Although he had no formal training in sculpting images, his work was renown and respected by his contemporaries for the peaceful expressions on the faces of his figures. One of his patrons was Suko Tennō (推古天皇) or Empress Suiko . She was so impressed by Tori Busshi’s work that she granted him a title and some land, which was unusual for someone of his rank to receive.

Traditional Japanese Arts

Posted by Ginny No Comments
Sep 9 2011

If you’re ever in the mood to pick up a new hobby, what not try making a hobby out of a traditional Japanese art? There are many varieties of traditional Japanese art, but probably one of the most famous is Ikebana (生け花), which is an artform that involves flower arrangement. There are many styles of Japanese flower arrangement, with some being very minimal-looking in appearance. Ikebana is a wonderful way to hone your creativity in a disciplined artform!

If you want to try your creative side on a grander scale, then you might be interested in dabbling in Nihon Teien (日本庭園) or ‘Japanese Gardens’. Constructing a Japanese garden takes a lot of time and financial investment, so if this isn’t a suitable venture to take on as a hobby, you might like to try looking into bonsai (盆栽) trees. Bonsai is a miniature tree that has been carefully arranged to fit certain a proportion and harmonious balance.

 

In many ways chadō (茶道) or what we call ‘tea ceremony’ is a ritualized art of drinking and making tea. Learning chadō is considered a high artform. Performing chadō includes following rules of etiquette and being consciously mindful of the many steps and movements in carrying out a tea ceremony. Chadō is a long standing tradtional Japanese artform that is really a niche in itself. It’s where you learn to make tea with various instruments in a orderly and sequential manner.

In addition to learning Japanese tea ceremony, it can also be fun to learn the art of making a type of bowl called Hagiware or hagiyaki (萩焼). Making these bowls takes skill and time. It may take many years to truly master the art of making hagi. Many of the hagi are used as tea bowls in tea ceremony, so these two artforms go hand in hand. Hagiware is deceptively simple in appearance, but great pains are made to make them look graceful, functional and elegant.

If you’re creative in the more intellectual arena, then why not try the art of writing a Haiku (俳句)? Although Haikus look simple in appearance (17 moraes total), they are hard to construct because you are limited to using 17 morae (morae of sort of like syllables, but not quite). The ideal Haiku will be deep in meaning but yet slightly ambiguous in meaning. That’s hard to do, considering the constraints of writing a Haiku!

Typhoon Talas

Posted by Ginny No Comments
Sep 6 2011

Japan was recently hit by Typhoon Talas. The Typhoon is the worst typhoon to hit Japan since 2004 and is responsible for some heavy damage and for at least 33 deaths in Japan. There are more missing, so the death toll may rise over the next few days. Typhoon Talas brought heavy rainfall and obstructed the roads; making travel very dangerous. The heavy rainfall also caused power outages in at least nine prefectures in Japan. Over 400 flights were cancelled and people were warned to stay inside until the Typhoon subsided.

This recent typhoon is heartbreaking because it was only just five months prior that Japan suffered a devastating earthquake and tsunami. There are still areas of Japan that are still recovering from the earthquake and tsunami disasters, and some of those areas are reeling from the inundated flood waters that were caused by Typhoon Talas. Over 700 houses were completely flooded and around 3,200 people were evacuated to prevent further deaths.

The rainfall caused by Typhoon Talas has exceeded the average yearly rainfall in Tokyo and has set a precedent by breaking Japan’s rainfall record. Typhoon Talas is the worst typhoon to directly impact Japan since 2004, and since not all the roads are accessible at this point, there are people stranded and trying to get back home. This year has been a terrible year for Japan in terms of natural disasters. All our thoughts and prayers are with those who have been affected by Typhoon Talas.

Japanese Festivals in September

Posted by Ginny No Comments
Sep 3 2011

Some people think that once the summer season comes to a close the festival seasons will stop, but the festival season is never really over in Japan. In fact it is of my opinion that the really interesting festivals start in September. For instance the Furusato Hyappei Festival (ふるさと百餅祭り) is a festival that occurs in the city of Iwamizawa (岩見沢市) in Hokkaidō (北海道). The highlight of this festival features a large wooden pestle that is hoisted in the air and dropped in 60kg of glutinous rice to make rice cakes.

Karasuzumo (烏相撲) is a festival that takes place at Kamigamo Jinja (上賀茂神社) or Kamigamo Shrine. The Karasuzumo is a very eccentric festival where the shrine priests caw like crows. Normally these men are reserved, but when the priests caw it’s like seeing another side of the priesthood! It’s especially hard to stifle a giggle when the priests starts hopping around like birds! Afterwards there is a amateur sumo competition, but the priest ritual is so more entertaining.

The Okuma Kabuto Festival (お熊甲祭) will take place in the town of Nakajima (中島町) in Ishikawa Prefecture (石川県). The Okuma Kabuto Festival is a boisterous festival with day long parades of shrine carriers, flag bearers, musicians singing and playing instruments and men pushing large floats. One of the interesting rituals of this Festival is when a man dressed in a goblin outfit and mask dances in the streets. It’s a festival I really recommend for the autumn season!

Hokkaidō

Posted by Ginny No Comments
Aug 31 2011

Hokkaidō (北海道) is the second largest island in Japan and is the northern most part of Japan. Hokkaidō is a place that has some of the most scenic places in all of Japan. For example, the Okhotsk (流氷) refers to the ice floes on Hokkaidō. Tourists come all the time to listen to the crackling and cackling of the drift ice, which is what the Okhotsk is famous for.

 

 

The Kushiro Wetlands (釧路湿原) have the most beautiful peat moss, marshes and reeds in Hokkaidō. The Kushiro Wetlands contain a vast wetlands ecosystem that includes salamanders, cranes and dragonflies. The Kushiro Wetlands are now a national park where people can visit and see all the wide green wetlands.

 

 

Shiretoko (知床) is a peninsula that is known to be well visited by tourists because of its whale watching cruises. The Shiretoko is one of the few places where you can see the Sperm Whales. The most common species of whales that can be seen on Shiretoko are the Orca, Killer Whales, Blue Whales and Humpback Whales.

 

 

The Hills in Biei (美瑛の丘) are renown for its wide fields and hillsides. The Hills in Biei are so iconic that they are often used in Japanese commercials. You may have seen these hills somewhere in advertisements without even realizing it! The late summer months are the ideal time to visit the Hills in Biei. The bright colors of the fields make it perfect to take photos!

 

 

The Sōunkyō (層雲峡) is a range of gorges that contains an excellent variety of waterfalls and cliffs. The area around  Sōunkyō is a resort area with hot springs, hotels and rest spots. The scenery in Sōunkyō is really superb. At rare moments you can see several rainbows across the Sōunkyō gorges. It just takes your breath away!

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