Changing Impressions of Japan

It has been only a few short months, but I've gained many insights to Japan. I have strange things, beautiful things, and historical things. The moment where my impression changed not only about Japan, but also about myself and my country was in Hiroshima at the A-bomb dome. On a rainy day in late April I got off the trolley for station A-bomb dome. I had no umbrella, but as I walked into the park a young woman from Osaka offered to share her umbrella with me. She was in Hiroshima to honor her grandfather's death. She spoke no English, and I very broken Japanese but together we walked in the rain under her umbrella honoring the very special sites of the A-bomb park.



It seems strange in a way the two enemy sides walking side by side both filled with reverence from the past. My country is the reason that her grandfather died, but she was very kind and helpful to me. When we were in the museum she began to cry, as I comforted her the best I could. I am glad that I live in the present and I am able to learn from the atrocities of the past. The park and museum gave me a new insight about my countries history from a point of view never shown in my textbooks. When I return to America I will educate others about the atrocities and devesation that the museum showed and hope that they will understand and learn as well from the mistakes that were made in the past.

CIA site on 1945 Pacific battle

great site on the decision to choose Hiroshima as the bomb site

Question and answer about the effects of radiation

The Politics of Hanami

Hanami is basically the Japanese term for enjoying cherry blossoms, or other such blossoms. Such a monumental event is held each year in the two weeks of spring when the sakura are all in bloom. Such activities go on: drinking, eating, and some very bad singing. Salary men, housewives, cashiers, and college students alike take off some time from thier busy lives to enjoy the sakurra. Historic Kyoto and sakrua groves begin to look like a 8 am commuter train. Hanami is to be enjoyed by old and young alike. Like politics their is competion between the famous hanami spots to be seen as the 'better' place to have hanami. Hanami candiate spots in Kyoto, Arashiyama, and Nara put up advertisements in trains and buses trying to beckon hanami goers to choose them to do their celebrations.

Geisha gender roles

The world of geisha is a closed one and heavily relied on gender issues. Geisha life is exclusive to the women. Patrons are primarily men. As the world becomes more diverse and Japan gender barriers fall the geisha world remains closed to changes. The attire of geisha is very seductive and feminine. They are a glorified version of the modern woman. A modern woman wears lipstick, high heels, and a skirt or dress. All of these items are very uncomfortable. Geisha wear a thick layer of makeup, high wooden sandals, and very heavy kimono.

Geisha were very common place in Kyoto until the second world war. Though a dying art geisha can still be seen on the back streets of Gion heading to parties and running errands. They are like flowers in a the lovely garden that is Kyoto.

http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/geisha.shtml


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The Sport of Music and Dance

A essential part of Japanese school is after school in the clubs. Though some sports like baseball or tennis may be more popular, the dancers and musicians can not be overlooked. Sitting from my classroom I can hear music from the band playing each day. They work very hard to preform their best. What is interesting is that formal dancing for color guard, playing music for band, and freestyle hip hop dancing all coexist at the same time in the same place. Like sports all the members of the band work as a team. Everyone plays their "role" so just like a quarter back or a goalie if someone misses a cue or gets distracted everyone loses out. All musicians and dancers compete at competitions just like their sport counterparts. Everyone practices hard to outdo or win out over the other team. They are all distinct from each other, but also blend together in their love of the sport of the arts.

Kobe the Center of Globalization

Japan has gone from being a closed country to a hub of international relations and globalization the past 150 years. The history of Kobe's globalization began with Hyogo port that orginally opened in the eight century, but did not become significant until the ban on trade was lifted in 1886. It is around this time that the city of Kobe was born and foreigners settled into Kobe in the Kitano area. The Hyogo port was the largest port in Japan until the Hashin earthquake. Kobe has a feel of a international city. Foreign goods ornate shop windows, international restaurants line the streets, and signs around Kobe are in many different languages. Kobe Chinatown is a example of globalization in the Kobe area. Though only being a few streets, it is a hub of Chinese culture and smells. Kobe is thriving now more then ten years after the earthquake into a even greater international city.

Information Provided by Kobe City History

Buddha at Todaji

Japan's Todaji Temple is a beautiful and historical temple. In 752 Toddaji was constructed as the head of all provincial Buddhist temples. Todaji holds the largest Buddha in Japan. The Todaji temple is definitely a keyhole peek into the world of Buddism. While at Todaji I could hear a group praying chants, smell incense, and see the magnificent Buddha sending vibes of tranquility and peace. Buddhism is not native to Japan, but it has certainly integrated itself into the culture. As shown in my earlier posts a man is praying at his family alter. He is Buddhist. I have seen that a offering is made for the dead every night. The offering often consists of rice. The Todaji temple is a place to make offerings as well, however it is not the same kind of offerings. Once inside many people bow their heads put their hands together and pray to the Buddha statue. His mere bronze presence puts a hush in the temple that can only be the devoid sound of prayer and deep concentration. Other deities lavish Todaji but the great Buddha is the reason people come to Todaji. It is quite a remarkable place.


Provided by Japan Orbitz

Daido Moriyama

Daido Moriyama was born on October 10, 1938. Upon the death of his father by train accident in 1938, Moriyama began to work as a free lance designer in Hirano- cho, Osaka. In 1964,Moriyama began to study photography under Takejiwamiya. In 1964, he began to work as a photographer. Moriyama joins the magazine, Provoke , in 1968. It is during this time that Moriyama is inspired by Jack Kerouace's novel On the Road; he begins to take pictures of landscapes from vechicles. Later Provke is disolved due to a scandalous series in a Playboy magazine. In the year 1974, Workshop Photography School is established by Moriyama and other photographers. Later in 19787, Moriyama opens his own gallery in Shibuya, Tokyo. More recently, In 2003 Moriyama recieved that Mainichi Art Award.

Information Provided by Daido Moriyama Biography

In 2008 Moriyama did an exhibition, “bye bye polaroid”. It included five hundred and four images of Toyko between the span of April and October in 2008. It was shown at Taka Ishii Gallery from November 15 to December 13, 2008. It is an exhibition focused on the fact that Polaroid has stopped manufacturing instant film. Due to the increase in the digital market and the reduced demand in instant film, such a decision had to be made. Moriyama bid Polaroid reverence and a tearful farewell to a medium he had used for several years in this project.

This is a short excerpt about the project from Moriyama

“Snap the shutter and get a photo in a minute!” was the underlying concept and stance behind using polaroid, rather like the instant rice TV commercial “Step in the front door and have rice in two minutes!” For more than half a century, polaroid enabled the dream for instantly visible pictures to become reality. I have to write this in the past tense because Polaroid ended the production of instant films this summer. So I thought about holding an exhibition of polaroids to say good bye to the medium personally. Yes, “bye-bye polaroid!” There was nothing more exciting for me than taking polaroid pictures."

-Daido Moriyama

Information provided by LURING AUGUSTINE and Taka Ishii Gallery

Japanese Pop Culture: Totoro Mania

My Neighbor Totoro is one of the many Studio Ghibli films that are loved by crowds in Japan and around the world. My Neighbor Totoro is known by nearly every Japanese person. It is the Japanese Disney films. I am in aw that still every movie is drawn by hand. Movies like Nemo may appeal to the new generation, but I have a penchant for hand drawn cartoons. These pictures were taken outside the 'Dongari' store filled with Ghibli goods. These films are more then just Japanese pop culture; they are a symbol of Japan. Each film has morals, stories, and characters represnting Japan. Totoro is a sort of mascot for Ghibli. When one sees Totoro (the gray creature) one thinks of a cute large fuzzy animal. However, internally and subconsciously one thinks of Japan and the blend of traditions and modern culture that he represents.

My Neighbor Tottro Synopsis

English Studio Ghibli fansite

My Neighbor Totoro Tralier


Image Courtesy of www.totoro.org

Japanese Life at home: The older generation

I have noticed that Japanese older men are a special category of the Japanese population. the older Japanese men seem to worship religions much more then the current generation. I see the younger generation at shrines and temples, buying charms and sending off prayers. The older generation, especially older men, bow their heads in deep prayer complete with prayer beads in hand. The older generation seems to also love drinking. Now, I've noticed no matter the age most Japanese men and some women love to drink. However, enjoying a beer after dinner at home is typical for a older gentleman and not so much for someone in their 20s or 30s. I believe that older men simply have the time at dinner as young people do not. The husband is at work and the mom is tending to the kids. When the kids grow up and one retires, it seems only nature religion and relaxing would trickle into one's life.

Quiet little nooks: My neighborhood Hirakata

I enjoy the secluded corners of my old Japanese neighborhood. I have observed that the Japanese have opaque windows and shutters. I would gather because their is not much privacy when your living situation is much like the above image. This particular scene I find to be a true representation of a Japanese neighborhood. The skyscraper in the background is a aspect of Japanese neighborhoods. Japan, I believe, does no have many zoning laws. Neighborhoods end up in the middle of business districts and on the edge of shopping centers. Graveyards end up between company buildings and neighborhoods. The houses have very little space to park because land is so expensive. My neighborhood is a cozy Japanese neighborhood.

A little place called home: My neighborhood Hirakata

The river and streams around my neighborhood are one of the best parts of living in Hirakata. They change and mold depending on the weather and conditions. This picture was taken the day after a heavy rainstorm so it is moving swiftly. The neighborhoods around the river respect it in such a way that I think is uncommon around the world. Never do I see litter and food waste going downstream. The river is a place where fathers take their sons on weekends so they can spend time togehter enjoying the river. The river is much more then just some water in the town, it is tranquilty and beauty enhancing Hirakata.

Culture Clash: First Impressions

What do these two pictures have in common ? It's the same location, the beautiful and historic Ginkakuji. I've never been to Japan before and the number and variety of vending machines astounded me. What struck me the most, however, was that such holy places like shrines and temples could allow such conviences into the premisis. In America, I can't even imagine a vending machine in a church. I've always put a distict line between convience and holiness. They don't have a cathedreal with a Mc Donalds drive thru attached to it. It sounds ridiculous, atleast to me. Yet such a beautiful place had a carnival of vending machines for the convience of tourist. I did find them convient though, I became member of the guilty party that keeps them in shrines and temples when i picked my green tea out of the machine.

Culture Clash: First impressions

This particular picture was taken in Machida, Japan, home of Obirin University and a suburb of Tokyo. What strikes me about KFC in Japan is that here it is luxury fast food. When I think KFC i think of a Georgian family sitting around the dinner table digging into the wings and legs while talking about the hot weather in a Southern accent. The Southeast of America and Japan have nearly nothing in common, yet they both share KFC. Even more surprising is to see a large sculpture of Colonel Sanders standing proudly in front of each KFC. This particular aspect made me wonder if the Japanese either have a respect for the founder of KFC or are perhaps they treat him like trademark character and he is what Pikachu is to the Pokemon Corporation.