As we know, Japanese culture is ancient, rich and assorted. It is considered a millennium culture, with lots of traditions and beliefs that make it very attractive. These traditions and beliefs are expressed, among other ways, through the performing arts, as: theatre, cinema, ballet, dance, etc. which somehow express the identity of the Japanese people. Within these performing arts we can find to BUNRAKU and KABUKI which belong to this kind of art, but they are two expressions very different from each other.
Concerning the set in scene, Bunraku consists in puppets which are handled each one by three people, who are behind the puppets and move them with the right hand from one side to another on the stage. In contrast, in Kabuki the actors are disguised to represent to women, men and animals.
Regarding the plot in each story, Bunraku´s plot is about the relationship within in a married couple, a traditional Japanese woman and her husband, who is a male chauvinist, distrustful and strict. The plot poses the marital infidelity and the distrust in the couple. The wife prom...
Toni Yagyuu, the main character of the novel, experiences and overcomes many obstacles while growing up in the shadow of her siblings and failing to meet the expectatio...
American pop culture recently received flak for cultural appropriation. Artists such as Katy Perry and Selena Gomez were criticized for superficially incorporating Asian images into their music. However, cultural appropriation and cultural tourism – and its consequences – are commonly seen in relation to traditional culture; this lack of attention towards visual representation of modern Asian subcultures – in relation to Asian Americans – dismisses the potential impact of these images. A visual analysis of Avril Lavinge’s “Hello Kitty” and Gwen Stefani’s appearances with the Harajuku Girls reveals that the use of Japan’s Harajuku subculture in American pop culture perpetuates Asian American stereotypes. Specifically, these acts contain characteristics of the submissive “lotus blossom” stereotype and the invisibility that comes from this stereotype. These characteristics result in an insidious formation of race; Avril Lavinge and Gwen Stefani’s cultural tourism constructs the concept of an American that excludes the Asian body through contrasts between themselves and the background Asian body. This racial formation relies on the idea that the two artists have become part of the Harajuku culture, yet they are clearly distinguishable from the homogenized Asian body.
This book, Japanamerica focuses on how the Japanese popular culture influencing the American culture. The author, Roland Kelts take a neutral prospective in order to create this book, which is done by interviewing many significant individual who took part in establishing the popular culture in both Japan and America. Kelts investigates why the phenomenon of Japanophilia, or the “outsider’s infatuation with Japan’s cultural character” (pg.5), is occurring especially in the United States. Even though Japanophilia phenomenon arose before the twentieth century, it is increasing in number because of the anime, manga, videogames, and other medium of popular culture.
Brazell, Karen. Traditional Japanese Theater: An Anthology of Plays. New York: Columbia UP, 1998. Print.
Culture, a significant aspect of an individual identity, tending to be defined from your birth, woven by the gods: however, I defy the hand of fate by picking my own cultural identity... For why should I be forced into the culture that was imposed upon me, just because of my heritage, religion, beliefs, and customs; instead of discovering my own and being myself. I am to tell you the culture I subjugate myself into; a sub-genre of gaming and anime culture, collectively called otaku, and help broaden your mind to the new phenomenon of a different type of pop culture.
The Love Suicides at Amijima recounts the tale of two disastrous sweethearts, Jihei, a wedded unsuccessful vendor of business Osaka, and Koharu, a wonderful mistress for whom he has gotten a lethally exceptional affection fascination, and from whom his adoration is responded, however an affection which can never be satisfied because of his marriage and family and her obligated status as a paid courtesan. He tries to control his overwhelming energetic affection for Koharu; in fact some portion of him wishes simply to satisfy what society expects of him as a husband and father. Torn between the two restricting universes of obligation (giri) and enthusiastic private craving (ninjo), Jihei is constrained again and again to reject his home and family. Like some other human
...t on music within Asian and Western society. Within the initial use of both traditional and modern musical styles and genres in order to create a diverse musical culture within a modern cultural, social, and economic movement, Japan has shown a wave of modernization through animation. With the various aspects of music that anime has approached in its spread across the globe, it proves to be a diverse and rapidly changing culture in Japan. With the success of anime in various areas on a global scale, of Japan is able to show a highly diverse subculture that originates from their nation exclusively that has impacted many different areas in life with both their close national neighbors and those who are even across the globe, showing how the large subculture within the island nation has grown since its inception and how much potential it has in the many years to come.
Japan is known for its unique gardening style, their diverse plants, their food, and their beautifully woven tapestries. Yet, most do not know about the history of their drama. Japanese Noh theatre is one of the most precise and prestigious art forms. It has been this way since the fourteenth century when Zeami first created Noh theatre. Zeami’s most famous plays, such as Kinuta, are still performed today. Japanese drama has not changed much since the fourteenth century because it has made a lasting effect on the culture. Noh theatre had a major influence on fourteenth century Japan and has affected modern day drama.
Japan has historically taken ideas from the United States on its business, merchandise, or other corporate sectors to improve within its political borders. These practices have become massive cultural and economic movements in Japan. Interestingly, Japan takes ideas and molds them into Japanese culture and style; therefore, these products are “Japanized.” To further elaborate on this statement, Japan has succeeded in its businesses and corporations such as the automobile industries around the world (for example, the NUMMI plant production transcended those of American automobile productions due to an enhanced Japanese corporate culture). Albeit many Japanese industries have roots in the United States, they have expanded globally. The music
The geisha of Japan were more than entertainers they were a part of the bigger picture of the Japanese society from the early 1600s to today, their role as an entertainer for men was respected at a point in which man that had time with geisha were praised and they were even respected by the wives of the clients. One of the most significant historical contexts of geisha in Japanese society is the empowerment of women, they were the only women in the history to create a set of norms and social tradition for themselves, and the group of women to have control of men. Geisha are the representation of Japanese tradition and
...th can be seen walking around in some of the most bizarre looking clothing. I once saw a young girl wearing a swan dress not unlike the one worn by Bjork. I have seen some of the worst “fashion faux-pas,” with severely conflicting colors, completely mismatching styles of the top, bottom, and shoes, makeup seemingly done by a five-year-old. As one might like to hope that these styles were mistakenly created by the individual, it is clear that they are intended, whether for shock value or for personal satisfaction. It seems as though in places such as Harajuku, the more “unique,” the better. While Miyake seemed to have far reaching consequences for Japanese identity on the international level, Kawakubo’s constant questioning of societal norms helped foster individual deviations, thereby creating a new identity which, ironically enough, is not limited to or by itself.
Many of us, if not everyone, has heard of the country of Japan through various means. Possibly through popular films such as Godzilla or the renowned horror films which the country produces. Perhaps through the various anime TV shows that have been dubbed in English creating a massive fan base here in the United States, or the massive franchise Nintendo that has filled our child memories with countless hours spent in front of a screen playing Mario or Pokémon. One way or another the Japanese have shared their culture with a huge audience but thats only scratching the surface of the Japanese culture. The country of Japan wasn’t always the islands that we see there today, the formation of the islands occurred during 50,000 BC and ended in 10,000 BC following the end of the last ice age. This is when we find the first signs of civilization in Japan but they are nowhere near the modern day Japanese culture today. The early beginnings of today’s Japanese culture dates back to the year 538 AC with multiple time periods slowly building up to today. The Japanese culture of today shares a few aspects with our American culture we are familiar with, both cultures love baseball, we both have representative democracies as a form of government, and both cultures do not label outsiders differently and accept them just as equally. Even though we may share aspects of our culture with the Japanese our cultures couldn’t be anymore different from each other.
Art in Japan and art in the United States have their similarities and their differences, while also being viewed in different ways. Every work of art is unique in its own way. There are many different types of art, but each work of art has its own meaning. Depending on the eye of the beholder, a work of art can relate to you in many ways, and can be taken apart like a puzzle in your mind to understand the deeper aspect of it, while also deciphering its message. Others may not relate to the work, may only see the basic picture, and not understand the point or meaning of it. The same work of art can get opposite reactions, which shows that people have different ways of seeing the world that they live in.
Anime is an art form as it expresses cultural phenomena about Japan and its people. Like most other countries, cartoon has existed in Japan throughout the 20th century and onward, which began with traditional drawings and comics that dealt with political, social, and historical themes. However, what separates anime from the rest is that the anime included a huge portion of Japanese culture within it. In every series that aired, they include special holidays like Natsu Matsuri—summer festival, tea ceremony, traditional clothing such as kimono, etc.
The drama surrounds the story of a young woman called Anowa who disobeys her parents by marrying Kofi Ako, a man who has a reputation for indolence and migrates with him to a far place. Childless after several years of marriage Anowa realises that Kofi had sacrificed his manhood for wealth. Upon Anowa’s realisation Kofi in disgrace shoots himself whiles Anowa too drowns herself.