Archive for 'Culture'
Japanese Dolls Posted by Ginny on Oct 19, 2010
Ningyō (人形), which is a word in Japanese meaning “doll”, is still a treasured gift in Japan. Even with the rise of technology and toys being made out of electronics, hand made dolls are still considered a precious keepsake. Okiagari-kobōshi (起き上がり小法師) is a traditional Japanese doll made of papier-mâché. These dolls are symbols of good…
Famous People of Japanese Descent Posted by Ginny on Oct 13, 2010
People of Japanese descent have been contributing to society in many positive ways. Here are some people of Japanese descent that are famous : Kristi Yamaguchi is the great grandchildren of Japanese immigrants in the U.S. Her claim to fame came as a world class figure skater. Her achievements showed younger girls that they could…
Japanese Rock Gardens Posted by Ginny on Oct 10, 2010
The subject of Japanese gardens is a wide and highly specialized topic. In particular, my favorite Japanese gardens happen to be rock gardens called karesansu (枯山水). These gardens are influenced by Zen Buddhism and have a tranquil quality to them. The following gardens are some of best examples of Japanese rock gardens. It just goes…
Enka Music Posted by Ginny on Sep 16, 2010
Enka (演歌) music is a combination of Jazz, Blues and traditional Japanese music. Enka music is especially popular with the postwar generation in Japan. To this generation, Enka songs bring back some of the nostalgia of the “good old days” as well as memories of hardship and poverty. Hachiro Kasuga (春日八郎) is considered the first…
Ninja Posted by Ginny on Sep 10, 2010
In Japanese, a “shinobi” (忍び) is a term referring to a “ninja”. Ninjas continue to dominate contemporary imagination in films, movies, comic books and cartoons. The popular anime Naruto (ナルト—) is a story revolving around several ninjas, and even in the U.S., there was a movie called Ninja Assassin in 2009. In Japanese popular culture…
Teru Teru Bōzu Posted by Ginny on Sep 7, 2010
Teru teru bōzu (てるてる坊主) is a nursery rhyme sung by Japanese children. The lyrics are somewhat disturbing, especially the part about drinking sake and head severing. It’s not exactly appropriate for children, but everyone just seems to sing the song without really paying attention to the meaning. So sing along and learn some Japanese while…
Mon Posted by Ginny on Sep 4, 2010
Mon (紋) is a Japanese term referring to an emblem that idenitifies a clan, family, individual and even an occupation or rank. Mon were especially useful in an iliterate society. Peasants could see the crest and easily indentify the family without having to inquire any further. Mon were also used on military equipement to distinguish…