An exhibition of censored artwork in Nagoya city triggers a furious debate on artistic expression. The artistic director of the Aichi Triennale 2019 had few illusions when he planned an exhibition called "After Freedom of Expression". By choosing items that poked painfully at some of Japan's most tender spots - war crimes, subservience to America and the status of the imperial family - Tsuda Daisuke wanted to "provoke discussion" on the health of freedom of expression in the country. But what followed, he says, was "beyond our expectations". ...
FULL TEXT of this article online, https://apjjf.org/2019/20/McNeill.html
See the channel on Youtube for videos from the Foundation for Ainu Culture. Browsing these short movies can contribute to more vivid descriptions of the past and present of Ainu people around Japan today. See also the newsletter of the research center hosted at Hokkaido University in Sapporo to see the topics presented each semester by guest researchers and Ainu experts,
https://www.youtube.com/user/Rambalac/videos has dozens of HD video to share: suitable for close-up view of behind the scenes/unrehearsed life in Japan in as much as a dSLR and microphone on a stabilizing gimbal can convey the texture, light, sound, and feeling of public spaces.
The art of food and display, along with the context of rail travel, come together to form another brief article from the guest writers at Atlas Obscura.
Using the searchbox for 'Japan' will bring a dozen or two other topics from the Web project, too.
Video story at bbc.com from June 9, 2019 Camera: Taiki Fujitani, Producer: Sarah Cuddon and Sophia Smith Galer
[preamble] In the small town of Otsuchi in northern Japan, 2,000 residents were lost in the tsunami in 2011. One resident, who had already been grieving his cousin before the tsunami hit, had the idea of placing an old phone booth at the bottom of his garden with a disconnected rotary phone. He would ring his cousin's number and his words would "be carried on the wind" as he spoke to him. After the tsunami hit, and word about the wind phone spread, many more people have come to Otsuchi in Iwate prefecture, to call those they have lost. You can find out more about the wind phone by listening to the World Service's Heart and Soul programme, https://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/w3csz4jr see also 2016 radio (online playback or download mp3) segment, https://www.thisamericanlife.org/597/one-last-thing-before-i-go or the radio show's transcript, https://www.thisamericanlife.org/597/transcript
Here is a good illustration of the love for really big things on this kite that shows the new Reiwa.
With permission of the Midwest Japan Seminar, Japan Foundation and host at Ohio Wesleyan University, here is the Youtube link to the hour-long conversation recently between long-time friends and colleagues, Prs David Plath and Ezra Vogel. Hearing first-hand of their early years in the field and in Japanese Studies circles is eye-opening for one and all, no matter your scholarly generation or genealogy. Feel free to share widely with others.
Typing a country or city into the searchbox at atlasobscura.com brings up a far-ranging collection of articles contributed by local writers. In early April 2019 there were a few Japan examples. This sample of stories is worth a look, or might prompt readers to look for the sorts of places, events, people being documented online.
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-= via Atlas Obscura in Brooklyn, NY
EXCERPT ...Yoshiya never married; instead she lived with a female partner, Chiyo Monma, for 50 years. Despite a life lived against the grain, Yoshiya became one of Japan's most beloved artists. She published feminist stories that focused on the strong emotional and romantic bonds between women—one with the notable title Danasama muyo (Husbands Are Useless). The impact of her novels is still being felt, far beyond the feminist and queer communities where she has become a particularly celebrated icon. Her writing laid the groundwork for shōjo manga, a genre of comics and graphic novels aimed toward teen girls that includes iconic titles such as Sailor Moon and Revolutionary Girl Utena—widely devoured by millions upon millions all over the world. "There is not a single woman alive who doesn't know who Yoshiya Nobuko is," declared a 1935 profile published in the magazine Hanashi.
The Haunting Beauty of the Reconsecration of Shinto Shrines Photographer Yukihito Masuura spent more than a decade documenting rituals that connect past and present. by Jessica Leigh Hester April 05, 2019 https://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/photographs-of-shinto-shrines-japan EXCERPT ...Through Masuura's lens, the images feel monumental. To hear him tell it, they hold everything a viewer needs to know about the subject of his recent series: the process of reconstructing and reconsecrating Japan's Shinto shrines.
For Masuura, this old wood represents the tug of the past in the present.
EXCERPT ... Fewer than 10,000 people remain in the sleepy former mining town of Yūbari on Japan's Hokkaido Island. A crippling financial crisis in the early 2000s drove nearly 90 percent of the town's population to seek residence elsewhere in the country. And that fiscal tragedy is crueler yet for the sad irony of the town's famous export: the Yūbari King melon, one of the most expensive fruits in the world.
Wikipedia already has posted the update:
Not everyone knows that the name of each era does not have to match the years of the emperor or empress' reign, as in recent periods.
The era-name was changed when natural disasters spoiled a given period, for example. By switching to a more favorable name, the idea was to change the fortunes of people's lives. Looking again at Wikipedia there is fuller discussion of the concept.
Historical nengō Prior to the Meiji period, era names were decided by court officials and were subjected to frequent change. A new era name was usually proclaimed within a year or two after the ascension of a new emperor. A new era name was also often designated on the first, fifth and 58th years of the sexagenary cycle, because they were inauspicious years in Onmyōdō. These three years are respectively known as kakurei, kakuun, and kakumei, and collectively known as sankaku. Era names were also changed due to other felicitous events or natural disasters.
In historical practice, the first day of a nengō (元年 gannen) starts whenever the emperor chooses; and the first year continues until the next lunar new year, which is understood to be the start of the nengō's second year
"The freshest wasabi starts sweet and is followed by the spiciness." (subtitled in English) - documentary series on the subject of artisans in Japan.
Sampling of 7 of the words featured in Mari Fujimoto's January 24, 2019 book.
Book link at amazon (Canada), Ikigai & Other Japanese Words to Live By Hardcover
cross-posted from H-Japan with permission of the author, Jackie Kim-Wachutka.
https://networks.h-net.org/node/20904/discussions/3580589/new-book-announce=
ment-zainichi-korean-women-japan-voices excerpt, Featuring in-depth interviews from 1994 to the present, three generations of Zainichi Korean women-- those who migrated from colonial Korea before or during WWII and the Asia-Pacific War-- and their Japan-born descendants share their version of history, revealing their lives as members of an ethnic minority. Discovering voices within constricting patriarchal traditions, the women in this book are now able to tell their history. Ethnography, interviews, and the women's personal and creative writings offer an in-depth look into their intergenerational dynamics and provide a new way of exploring the hidden inner world of migrant women and the different ways displacement affects subsequent generations.
Customs and planning for weddings in Japan have changed since the Showa period. But in Echizen-city the kimono merchants and downtown business association have come up with a fall event to attract visitors and local interest. The clothing and customs of parents and grandparents are put on display by preparing for a demonstration of the earlier styles and rituals.
A colleague based in the area who used to work in TV news and entertainment keeps his skills sharp by producing short documentaries like this one. With his permission, here is the link for "Showa no Hanayome Gyoretsu" to enjoy the Japanese-only language track, https://youtu.be/7PiEP2IgjjQ
As society changes and things get more complicated in Japan, this story illustrates what happens when high-tech police in Fukui-ken see a monk wearing his Buddhist robes and driving a car. =-=-=-=-=-= EXCERPT:
... ...Fukui Prefecture's regulations for enforcing the Road Traffic Law state that driving a vehicle in clothing that might affect safe driving is prohibited. The police officer is believed to have decided that the monk's robe violated this regulation and so cited him with a traffic ticket.
According to local reports, the monk was driving to a memorial service when he was stopped in Fukui on Sept. 16 around 10 a.m. The monk was told he could not wear kimono to drive and received a ticket with a ¥6,000 fine. The violation, according to the ticket, was "driving in attire that hinders vehicle operation."
The monk is refusing to pay the fine and said he would like to "clearly state at a trial that I can drive safely in a monk's robe."
Here is one filmmaker's take on life outside the metro centers of Japan.
=-=-=-=-=-= quoting boingboing.net this morning:
Until the early 2000s more people lived in villages and small towns than in cities. Population in large cities continues to rise, while the opposite is true in rural areas. This is especially true in Japan, where people are fleeing from their rural homes to live in Tokyo and Osaka. Today 92% of Japanese live in large cities. In this video, Greg Lam, the host of Life Where I'm From, went to Japan's smallest island, Shikoku, to learn what living outside a megalopolis is like.
About 20 years ago I borrowed a camcorder and recorded interviews in English with Fukui-ken friends about several facets of social life. After Youtube became easy to use by so many people, I digitized the recordings to share online (see below). Then during my 2017 year in Japan I made a few more clips, mostly 2-3 minutes observations of events, rather than conversations. But a few weeks ago I made a short visit to see some of the same 1998 people whom I talked with. After 20 years we see things from a different perspective. Most clips are in English, but still have value to learners of Japanese, since social proficiency and cultural literacy are just as important as linguistic fluency and accuracy.
One recording is with a former workmate in Fukui who has actively protested nuclear power each week at the kencho. That conversation is in Japanese.
And as a curious experiment, one conversation illustrates Code Switching: we jump back and forth between Japanese and English. In my early days of learning Japanese it felt confusing to switch so freely, but now there feels like almost no boundary between the languages anymore. Maybe other non-native speakers have a similar experience, too.
I will send this link to my social studies colleagues, too, but first I want to share the clips with students of Japanese life and language.
-- W
Back in 2017 as part of an anniversary event for a Jodo-shu temple in Fukui-ken they hosted a Buddhist priest who has a combination road show - kamishibai and also puppet theater. Here are a few scenes to share with others. kamishibai frame and audience, https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpwitteveen/33460093082 video clip (2.5 minutes), opening scene, https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthroview/33487732021 puppet story: -young protagonist talks with wise priest, https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthroview/32774310484 -transformer demon (at first a meek human but now!), https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthroview/33576066156 -wise priest, https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpwitteveen/32774079664 -video clip, demon in disguise meets acolyte, https://www.flickr.com/photos/gpwitteveen/33604153865 -video clip, dramatic climax, https://www.flickr.com/photos/anthroview/33487725241
[cross-posting from SenseiOnline yahoo group for teachers of Japanese language/culture]
Thanks to T.P. for the initial question to senseionline about film titles with subtitles suitable for high school viewers. And thanks, too, for D.C. (below) for putting together a list to begin with. I would like to see the final choices for the students! But here is another way to answer the question:
Before assigning movie titles to a given theme/category, how about first making a list of some features of Japanese society, culture, values to show and discuss. Then the possible scenes or full-length movies can be selected. Joy Hendry's book, Understanding Japanese Society, has been an important overview to life and language on the islands. She is revising the 2012 edition now for reprinting.
The ToC would give a list of themes to examine through film. Some contexts would include, for example,
Home culture School culture Workplace culture Counter-culture like citizen movements, protests, non-salaryman lives Combinations of traditional and modern/Western practices The land - before massive consumer economics, livelihoods were tied to coast, paddy, urban/merchant, and mountain conditions Life events, life cycle, religion and ceremony
One big consideration is the teen audience, since some movie scenes or situations might not be suitable. Rich sources of social observation or commentary are the 1980s, 90s films directed by Itami; more recently the ones by Kore-eda.
imdb.com and wikipedia sometimes give enough detail to make a decision about a film title, too.
A great documentary from 1995 that shows how foreign ideas come to Japan and acquire local uses, meanings, and expression is " The Japanese Version" from www.cnam.com They make a full version (includes a chapter on love hotels) and a high school version (no love hotels).
There is also this project with a dozen short conversations in English with Japanese residents in rural Fukui-ken from 1998: Thu Oct 11, 2018 12:36 pm (PDT) . Posted by"Derek Chin"
Here are some movies I came up with. The titles marked with a (?), I wasn't able to confirm myself:
=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=
On confronting death/the deceased:
Departures / おくりびと
After Life /ワンダフルライフ
On dealing with suicide: [see also the documentary, "Saving 10,000" at tinyurl.com/saving10000 ]
The Cross / 十字架 (?)
On career/career change:
Railways / 49歳で電車の運転士になった男の物語
On parenthood/family:
Like Father, Like Son /そして父になる (?)
On school bullying / disability:
A Silent Voice /聲の形
On depression:
My SO Has Got Depression / ツレがうつになりまして。
On international cooperation:
We Can't Change the World. But, We Wanna Build a School in Cambodia /僕たちは世界を変えることができない
Article at bbc.com showcases 6 years of the vlog from a husband-wife team on their Youtube Channel, "Rachel and Jun."
===Story excerpt:
They're all created by Nagoya-based husband-and-wife vlogging duo Rachel and Jun Yoshizuki, who run the YouTube channel Rachel and Jun. Their on-the-ground accounts of daily life in Japan have been viewed more than 200 million times.
They belong to a community of "J-vloggers": YouTubers who attract millions of views by sharing their insights into Japanese culture. Often (but not always) expats, these users upload anything from a tour of a Japanese high school, to what it's like to stay in a tiny room in a capsule hotel and what it's like to be multiracial in Japan.
This JapanTimes article describes the logic, variations, and patterns among surnames in Japan these days. The extreme example is the 2-character family name with kanji for 'ship' and 'alive' with 26 ways to read it, from Nioi to Mibu, according to the article.
Most documentaries these days seem to be mainly video. But the older medium of still photos, with its unnatural frozen moment, allows careful study and reflection. This story of a big family in a small space shows readers something of Japanese society that seldom attracts attention. With the forces squeezing the middle-class ever smaller and expanding the proportion of people with few resources, this story is a timely one; probably similar stories can be pictured in many of the G-20 societies, too. https://www.newyorker.com/culture/photo-booth/a-japanese-photographers-view-of-life-in-his-familys-one-room-home
cross-posting today from H-Japan email list: Monday, July 30, 2018 ...a Condensed Visual Classroom Guide titled:
Thirteen Buddhist Deities of Japan - Exploring Their Origins & Roles in Japanese Death Rites & Funerary Art Summary: The Thirteen Buddhist Deities (Jūsanbutsu 十三仏) are a purely Japanese convention. The standardized group of thirteen emerged in the mid-14th century, but in its formative years (12th & 13th centuries), the group's composition varied significantly and included only ten, eleven, or twelve members. The group is important to all schools of Japanese Buddhism. Even today, the thirteen are invoked at thirteen postmortem rites held by the living for the dead, and at thirteen premortem rites held by the living for the living. As shown herein, the thirteen are associated with the Seven Seventh-Day Rites 七七斎, the Six Realms of Karmic Rebirth 六道, the Buddhas of the Ten Days of Fasting 十斎日仏, the Ten Kings of Hell 十王, the Secret Buddhas of the Thirty Days of the Month 三十日秘仏, and other groupings. The Thirteen provide early examples of Japan's medieval honji-suijaku 本地垂迹 paradigm, wherein local deities (suijaku) are recognized as avatars of the Buddhist deities (honji). This classroom guide is unique in three ways: (1) it presents over 70 annotated images, arranged chronologically and thematically, from the 12th to 20th century, including extant art outside Japan; (2) it offers four methods to easily identify the individual deities; and (3) it provides visual evidence that the thirteen are configured to mimic the layout of the central court of the Womb World Mandala 中台八葉院. █ KEYWORDS. 十三仏 or 十三佛・十王・七七斎・七七日・中有・中陰・六齋日・六道 ・十斎日仏・三十日秘仏・本地垂迹 ・兵範記・中有記・ 預修十王生七経 ・地蔵十王経 ・佛説地藏菩薩發心因縁十王經・弘法大師逆修日記事 ・下学集. █The Adobe PDF version is printable and searchable. The web version is not.
Contents of the Slideshow: | Slide 1 | Table of Contents | | Slide 2 | Thirteen Buddhist Deities in a Nutshell | | Slide 3 | Conclusions Upfront | | Slides 4-13 | Seven Seventh-Day Rites & Ten Judges of Hell | | Slides 14-28 | Non-Standard Groupings (12th, 13th, 14th centuries) | | Slide 29-31 | Standard Grouping (mid-14th century onward) | | Slides 32-35 | Three-Buddha Pattern | | Slides 36-44 | Zigzag Pattern | | Slides 45-48 | Linear Pattern | | Slides 49-60 | Denominational Pattern | | Slides 61-64 | Other Related Deity Groupings | | Slides 65-78 | Extant Art Outside Japan | | Slides 79-81 | Pilgrimages to the Thirteen Inside Japan | | Slide 82-84 | References |
Mark Schumacher, Independent Researcher, Kamakura, Japan Discussion published by Mark Schumacher on Saturday, July 28, 2018
This 11 minute Youtube has some surprises even for long-time Japan residents, it seems!
There is some good food for thought in the examples here: families who have temporary need of a person to fill in a role for their family circumstances. Letter from Tokyo - April 30, 2018 Issue. Japan's Rent-a-Family Industry
People who are short on relatives can hire a husband, a mother, a grandson.
A recent article at Japan-Times introduces some of the writers of Japan and ends by announcing a series of feature stories, beginning in June.
For many of us, this will be a chance to expand our own cultural literacy & social proficiency.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = A series exploring female writers of Japan will be published on the third Sunday of the month, starting in June.
Where would we be without the words of Japanese women? BY KRIS KOSAKA, CONTRIBUTING WRITER
The February 2018 edition of NGM includes a story of interest to Japan observers & students:
Pictures Reveal the Isolated Lives of Japan's Social Recluses
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