Archive for 'Culture'
Fathers in Japan Posted by Ginny on Jun 20, 2010
Japan is one of the many countries that will celebrate Father’s Day on the third Sunday of June. Father’s Day is a day when children show their appreciation for their dads, but for some fathers in Japan, this won’t be possible. This year, child custody laws in Japan grabbed the attention of the international media…
Origami Posted by Ginny on Jun 17, 2010
Origami (おりがみ) is a traditional Japanese art form of paper folding. Basically, origami is a flat piece of paper formed into a work of art without any glue or scissors. The most iconic origami design is the paper crane. The paper crane has become internationally known through the struggles of a young girl named Sadako…
Japanese Soccer Posted by Ginny on Jun 14, 2010
The man of the hour in Japan is Keisuke Honda (本田 圭佑). Here’s the reason why : Makoto Hasebe (長谷部誠) is the vice captain for the Japanese soccer team. He’s a talented midfielder who has played for the German club VfL Wolfsburg . Takayuki Morimoto (森本 貴幸) is currently the youngest player to debut professionally…
Karate Posted by Ginny on Jun 2, 2010
A new movie called The Karate Kid is scheduled to be released this year in June. Here’s the trailer : I haven’t seen the movie yet, but the confusing part is that the movie is titled The Karate Kid, but yet the kid in the movie learns Kung Fu, not Karate. In fact, 1:02 of…
Contemporary Japanese Weddings Posted by Ginny on May 23, 2010
Some Japanese couples decide to have Western styled weddings. Both the parents of the bride take part in the ceremony. The father of the bride walks the bride down the aisle, and the mother of the bride lowers the veil over the bride’s face. Both the mother and father’s actions are symbolic of giving the…
Traditional Japanese Weddings Posted by Ginny on May 20, 2010
Traditional Japanese weddings tend to take place at Shintō shrines. Pictured to the right is a headgear called a tsunokakushi (つのかくし). The tsunokakushi covers the bride’s topknot, which is a kind of hairstyle called bukin takashimada (ぶきんたかしまだ). When the bride puts on the tsunokakushi, she is showing her resolve to be an obedient and patient wife…
Whaling and Dolphin Hunting in Japan Posted by Ginny on May 14, 2010
The Cove is a film documenting the dolphin hunting industry in Japan. The film has won many awards, including the Academy Award for Best Documentary Film. Basically, the film focuses on the dolphin hunting industry in Taiji (太地), Japan. If you were apathetic about the whaling and dolphin hunting industry, this film may change your…