| Bunraku |
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Bunraku is traditional Japanese puppetry. It is one of the three big theatrical arts alongside noh and kabuki. The drama unfolds to the music of the shamisen (Japanese string instrument) and chanted narration of the tayu (storyteller). In the Edo Period (1603 ~ 1867), playwright Chikamatsu Monzaemon and narrator Takemoto Gidayu established their own school of bunraku. Many of the classic stories have secular themes including love stories within the norms of a feudal society, while others recount historically famous battles. Bunraku has been designated an important intangible cultural property of Japan. In the Minami district of Osaka can be found the National Bunraku Theater of Japan where many performances are staged throughout the year.
Ikebana
(The Art of Flower Arrangement)
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Ikebana is a creative art in which enjoyment is drawn by discovering the "unnatural" beauty of flowers. The task is to bring out the virtues of the plant by arranging stalks, leaves, bulbs and blossoms according to set rules. Ikebana began as an offering to the gods and Buddha, but developed alongside sado as an ornamental decoration displayed in the tokonoma alcove of Japanese-style rooms. It became a custom expected of female in the 17th century. The various schools of ikebana have been born from the different ways in which the flowers themselves grow.
| Washi |
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Washi is paper made from bark fibers such as kozo (paper mulberry), mitsumata (Edge-worthia papyrifera), and ganpi (Wikstroemia sikokiana). The finest quality washi is hand made. Unlike machine-produced paper, it excels in durability because it does not contain any synthetic chemicals. Even thin washi is strong and supple. It is used for envelopes, letter paper, kaishi (used for writing Japanese tanka (31-syllable verses), and noshibukuro (envelopes used for gift-giving). At times it is dyed in traditional Japanese motifs and used as wallpaper.
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| Kabuki |
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Kabuki is Japan's classic theater. It combines the arts of music, dance and acting, from which it draws its name ka-bu-ki, and boasts a style and beauty all its own. Overflowing with thick makeup, flamboyant costumes, exaggerated movements and colorful dialogue, kabuki has come to be known as a people's theater. Kabuki began in the early 17th century. Originally, the only element it employed was dance, but before the mid 19th, it had been transformed into a play complete with script and plot.
All kabuki performers are male. They play the female roles as well. Each actor has his own specialty whether aragoto (ruffian), wagoto (tender-hearted male), oyama (female role), etc.
(Courtesy of Japan National Tourist Organization) |
Sado
(The Art of Ceremonial Tea-Making)
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Sado is, in purpose, a form of spiritual training and means for deepening one's associations with others "over tea". In the ceremony, a Japanese confectionery and tea are served according to strict rules of discipline. The thickly brewed maccha tea is made from powdered tea leaves and hot water. Sado disseminated across Japan on the talents of Sennorikyu, then as a social activity of the samurai in the feudal society of the late 16th century. It venerates the elegance of serene simplicity expressed by the sentiments of wabi (simplicity) and sabi (elegance). Other esthetic arts developed alongside sado like architecture, gardening and ikebana.
| Kimono |
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The Japanese have been wearing kimonos for centuries. This style of clothing is known as wafuku, literally meaning "Japanese style clothes". While western apparel is tailored to fit, the kimono is cut into simple square pieces and sewn together. This is why the kimono is wrapped around the body and fastened by himo (braids) and obi (belt). Western clothes are functional thus standard wear today, so the kimono is worn little on a regular basis, being reserved mostly as ceremonial attire for weddings and social events.
| Sumo Wrestling |
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Sumo is a form of wrestling that has been handed down in Japan since ancient times. The match pits two rikishi(wrestlers) wrapped only in mawashi (loincloths) on the dohyo (ring) in a win-or-loose battle of the titans. Sumo originated as a means for settling disputes by measuring one's strength against another's, while also as a ritual in which farmers prayed for a good harvest. It later became the viewer attraction it is today. Now, there are rules and tournaments staged 6 times a year, every odd month. Recently, the game has taken on a more international tone to it with the arrival of foreign wrestlers like Akebono from Hawaii (USA).
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