Japanese Visual Culture in Context

Up, up and away

2010-06-07T11:15:00.001-07:00

Due to technical difficulties some of the students are unable to post to the "Japanese Visual Culture in Context" blog. Please read Allison Wilson-Adams's story, "Up, up and away" by clicking on the link.

Man's Best Friend

2010-06-07T11:14:00.001-07:00

Due to technical difficulties some of the students are unable to post to the "Japanese Visual Culture in Context" blog. Please read Allison Wilson-Adams's story, "Man's Best Friend" by clicking on the link.

Body Talk

2010-06-07T11:13:00.001-07:00

Due to technical difficulties some of the students are unable to post to the "Japanese Visual Culture in Context" blog. Please read Allison Wilson-Adams's story, "Body Talk" by clicking on the link.

2010-06-07T11:12:00.000-07:00

Due to technical difficulties some of the students are unable to post to the "Japanese Visual Culture in Context" blog. Please read Allison Wilson-Adams's story, "T-Time" by clicking on the link.

Up Front

2010-06-07T11:07:00.000-07:00

Due to technical difficulties some of the students are unable to post to the "Japanese Visual Culture in Context" blog. Please read Balsam Ali's story, "Up front" by clicking on the link.

In Praise of Shadows and Art: Tokyo National Museum

2010-06-07T09:14:00.000-07:00

On Friday, our second to last full day we traveled to Ueno to visit the Tokyo National Museum. Tokyo National Museum is located in Ueno park where there are what seems to be a handful of different museums and dozens of different areas, parks and exhibits. Tokyo National Museum actually had about 6 different museums in side of the area but the main one for focus on this trip was the Japanese Art exhibit in one of the museums that highlighted everything from Edo period lacquer ware to swords and Noh costumes.

The Honokan gallery is located on the second floor and features art from many different areas. What probably caught my eye the most weren’t the statues and figures in the first room of the gallery but rather the darkness of the area and the silhouettes that precede the statues on the walls. The darkness of the rooms and the light glaring at the “art” reminded me of our reading on the In Praise of Shadows. This goes back to the older Japanese appreciation for dark instead of light. We are sometimes surrounded by this idea that we are in museums everything must be bright and sterile. In many art galleries or museums I go to the brightness defines how we see the art. IT must be clear, easy to dissect and contain an uncomfortable cleanliness to the area.

However when one enters Honokan each room is different and the nature of each area is to understand the art behind the walls through information defined on the walls and themes to understand the way in which those once lived. As naively American as this sounds I want to be able to understand fully what I am looking at when I see it. Very few places have given me this opportunity on the trip to really understand what I’m looking at and the way of the art due to the lack of English translation.

When it comes to art and message if we do not know what the artist or creator is thinking can we really appreciate the work to it’s fullest?

For more information on the Tokyo National Museum please visit
http://www.tnm.go.jp/en/servlet/Con?pageId=X00&processId=00

Those Damn Yankees

2010-06-06T18:12:00.000-07:00

Although much of the rest of the group had returned to America, four of us found ourselves in Yoyogi park (fully named Yoyogi-Kamizono-Cho). This massive park had a little of something for everyone. There were many green spaces with lush plant life (we saw someone sunbathing nude), bridges over beautiful bodies of water (we saw Harajuku style for the first time here), and then we found a massive asphalt surface (where we saw some Japanese Yankees).

I was not familiar with "Japanese Yankees" (as our Japanese friend described them), but I will try to give you a mental image before posting a video. If you remember the days of Grease and poodle skirts; well, think of the "greasers", the bikers with slicked back hair with a totally "bad" attitude. Now imagine a snapshot of a gang of those bikers in today's society. Now imagine those dudes being Japanese.

We stumbled across the area not knowing what we were hearing, but there was some American rock and roll from the 60's blasting loud. As we reached the massive circle, we realized that these full grown men were a working snapshot of the 1960's in America. They were drinking (and throwing) beer, dancing with each other, and posing for hundreds of onlookers.

There's no possible way for me to have captured the essence of this experience, but I have learned that there really is no way to truly capture Japan to share with people who have not experienced it. I hope you enjoy the following video, as it will be the last one I'm posting. I apologize for the low quality of the footage; I was not comfortable getting much closer to the Yankees, honestly. Feel free to check up on my thread on starcityscene.com to read more about my adventures in Japan. I suppose this is my Sayonara for this blog.

Amazed by that which is not seen.

2010-06-06T13:17:00.000-07:00

In Japanese visual culture, the result of a creation is not as important as the process itself. This was told to me before coming to Japan but I didn’t really understand until I saw examples for myself. There is a huge contrast between the traditional culture of Kyoto and the modern culture of Tokyo and it would be easy to list or describe them. But, over time, this ‘process before result’ concept is something that I’ve seen all over Japan. For example, the man-altered sand formations at Ginkakuji are impressive. But this is partially due to the mystery as to the process of their creation. If you consider that it was raining heavily only two days before these pictures were taken, you can begin to imagine the amount of work It took to make them.

In the following picture, taken at Ryoanji, It is unclear if the roots of this tree moved the wall over time in order to become a part of it or if the wall was built around the roots of the tree. Either way, the roots are not in the way. They make up the missing piece of the wall, and help water to flow along the canal while simultaneously hydrating the tree.

More modern examples of this were seen at Mori Art Museum in Tokyo. Some exhibits had videos which detailed the extensive amount of time needed to create the exhibits. There were artists present discussing the processes of creating their work. Other pieces being displayed were on such a scale that the time required to create them could only be hinted at.

The presentation at Wieden and Kennedy, a particularly creative ad agency that redefines how such an agency should function, not only showed us projects they had worked on but also videos revealing the creative process of the group.

This kind of insight to the creative process causes one to connect with the effort put into various projects. Whether you are in a traditional or modern part of Japan, what is done is not always as important as how it is done.

Random Encounters

2010-06-05T15:01:00.000-07:00

My plan from there was just to explore. I had spotted a music store and figured I might be able to find something for cheap for Alec. As I got closer to the store, a man came up to. He was wearing a robin egg blue Japanese jacket, the kind you see on typical Japanese game shows or competitions…I hope that explains it well enough. Anyways, he asked me if I’d be willing to take a picture with this singer that was appearing there in 10 minutes to do a concert later. It would be in the Japanese newspapers as well, if I agreed to it.

Of course I said yes, since he asked politely. I didn’t really care, but I figured it would be something to talk about. There was a tall skinny box covered by a black sheet in front of the music store, and I figured that she would be coming out from behind that. I was close, instead they tore the sheet down to reveal a young woman, presumably the singer, in a beautiful purple kimono, typical geisha makeup and chimes in her hair. She was very pretty and very elegant; she remained as still as possible, resembling a Barbie in her box but when she did move, she moved with a gentleness yet intensity that I didn’t realize people still possessed.I got close enough to tell that her nails weren't done at all, quite beat up looking actually.

The photographers took their pictures, and then the same man who had originally approached me explained that I needed to go sit next to her now and stare at her. I did as I was told, but the whole time I didn’t really understand why I was doing this. I mean, what was the point choosing a foreigner to stare up at her? Were they trying to show their superiority over foreigners? That seemed pretty tactless on their part. Maybe they just wanted to show that she’s even admired by non-Japanese people? Whatever the case may be, I did what I was told and because of this, I was given free admission to her small 30 minute concert.

I headed upstairs with the other group that had gotten privilege, mainly a bunch of older men but a few older women as well. I soon realized not only was I the only foreigner and one of the few women in the room, but I was also the youngest person there aside from the singer herself, who was probably around her 30s. Her audience is probably based upon the fact that she sung more traditional style music, but even as an outsider I was impressed. She had an excellent singing voice, with a larger range than I gave her credit for. She sang four beautiful songs, laughed with the crowd several times, and then got us all to sing along with the first song she had begun with by reading the back of the pamphlets we had received. Luckily most of the kanji had hiragana above it, so I could read the rest from there.

When she finished, she went to the back of the room, and in a neat ordered fashion, we got up line by line to get signatures from her. I was grateful I knew how to spell my name in Japanese, albeit in katakana for foreign things. After everyone had a signature, she went to the stage again, to take individual pictures with everyone. By this time, I had had enough so I quickly slipped out the room. I had wanted to buy one of her CDs but I believe everyone who wasn’t able to get into the concert bought one, because there were none to be found.

The way they advertised this girl was incredulous to me. On the one hand she wanted to be famous, so I can understand. On the other, she looked tired having to do each individual thing one by one. I don't know but I hope she's well in the future. She was nice, giving me a worn smile of understanding when I was awkwardly staring at her for pictures.

Parallel worlds

2010-06-05T14:57:00.000-07:00

I think one of the reasons that people find the Japanese people so mysterious is what they view as important to them. When we look at ourselves, what’s important to us are things like success, happiness, love. The whole gang. They all belong in a same or similar category. However we can see a diversity, strange enough in such a homogeneous society, with what they love.

It’s not just love, and tranquility. It’s what brings those things. Such as nature. The Japanese are obsessed with nature. Every family strives to have at least one little garden, or even a miniature one. They want to connect with their ancestors, viewing the same cherry blossoms that others once watched. As much as they love nature and all its beauty, the Japanese are also obsessed with controlling their environments.

I walked through the Hama Rikyu gardens only to see that several of the branches and tree trunks were being supported by wood and rope, in order to bend the trees the way the owner saw fit. They trim everything just right, so they can have the utmost control over it. You can see some of the desire to control yet blend with nature in their architectural designs. A few buildings have been built to curve, allowing people to pour into the area. It seems more connected to nature than the other skyscrapers around it. Clearly this is a place of defined order.

From what I can see so far, is that the Japanese have a major sense of beauty, most being in nature, but the rest being in the falsified created environment. So their unique ability to admire both sides appeals and labels their true nature as mysterious.

Assaulted by Akihabara

2010-06-05T10:39:00.000-07:00

One of the first things you see when exiting the Akihabara metro line is an advertisement of one kind or another. At first it starts out pretty tame with only a few posters here and there across the walls. But as soon as you leave the terminal it’s a never-ending assault on your senses. The streets echo with the voices of shopkeepers shouting our their special discounts, girls dressed in pretty clothes handing out flyers, flashing neon signs displaying shop stores, and television screens plastered to the sides of buildings informing bystanders of the latest and greatest products. I imagine it’d probably be a lot like going to Times Square.

Unlike Times Square however you’re still surrounded by ads, to the point where they can literally cover the walls and ceilings. You don’t really notice it a first since most of the ads use a lot of negative space, but when you have a moment to look around you notice them. Whether you look left, right, up, or down your eyes are bond to land on some form of ad. While this can make sense form an advertisement standpoint in which you want to provide the younger consumers with as many options as they need to select their own style. Which is the main goal of most advertisement agencies in Japan, because once a consumer chooses their brand chances are they’ll continue to buy that brand for the rest of their life. So the main thing an ad wants to get across to the consumers is that their brand is a brand they can empathize with. It’s much more important for the consumer to relate to a brand then for the brand to actually be functional, and it would appear that the ad companies can be quite aggressive to get their empathic messages across.

The Gundam Cafe

2010-06-05T04:54:00.000-07:00

In Japan, there's this thing called Mobile Suit Gundam. Its an epic animated series that has spurred nearly countless spin-offs and sequels. As a cultural icon, I've read that it can be compared to what Star Wars has become in the States. Ever since it was introduced in America, I've been a pretty avid fan. When walking around Japan If you know what to look for there are quite a bit of iconic references. But to be even more specific: The Gundam Cafe. Everything about this place has been designed to reflect different aspects of the anime, from the outfits of the employees to the restrooms. It's also actually a pretty classy place, which struck me as odd at first because back home, Gundam isn't something that's necessarily associated with people dressed in formal attire, enjoying fine dining and expensive drinks. When I say expensive I mean it. The cheapest drinks were around 800 yen and I remember seeing some food items for over 3000! I've been there a few times now and every time I go it's pretty busy. Two of those times there was a line of people coming out of the place, waiting to get in. I think its really great that something that back in the U.S. that would be considered kind of nerdy can hold this kind of status here in Japan. Of course, I might be slightly biased because I'm such a fan but either way it was a pretty interesting and enjoyable cafe.

To see more, here is a link to the Official website.

Creativity and Conformity

2010-06-05T04:32:00.000-07:00

I never viewed the advertising industry as something that could have much diversity in it; it was always, in my mind, this one huge conglomerate with uniform procedures and philosophies. It's true that some commercials and billboards are more brilliant than others, but the fact that this division between the good and the bad could be related to the companies that produced them hadn't registered in my mind. I didn't realize exactly how different it could be.

After our visits to Wieden + Kennedy and McCann Erickson, this division was made very clear. It was incredibly stunning to go to McCann Erickson after our meeting with W + K, and in fact, this second presentation turned out to be much as I predicted the first would be before we visited. I was dreading the W + K visit. But whereas the first visit turned out to be an extremely pleasant surprise, the McCann Erickson visit left me with shivers of disgust. It was their cold presentation, the way they broke everything down to statistics and numbers, that caused my stomach to roll; I could hardly believe it. As an artist, the freedom and creativity of the artistic process is the most important part of art for me, and it has always appeared to me that the more brilliant the process and the idea, the more attention the piece will receive, no matter the science and math backing it. You can't quantify beauty or interest; you just need to put your heart in a piece to make it worth anything. The pieces that I saw hanging on the walls of McCann Erickson as we walked through the building were lifeless and dull. They were the kind of advertising that repulses me.

On the other hand, Wieden + Kennedy seemed entirely driven by creativity and heart. Their commercials were the kind that I always remember, and the ideas that they came up with were so innovative and imaginative that I couldn't help but love them for it. All through their presentation and even through their building itself, there was an energy that is indescribable -- and amazingly inspiring, and it seemed clear to me that this was why their products were so good; they embrace originality and flair, instead of stifling them by the status quo.

Very clearly in my mind, there is a gulf between the two companies, and there is a hell and a heaven on either side. If nothing else, this trip has shown me how diverse and rich the field of advertising is.

Tattoos in Tokyo

2010-06-05T03:57:00.000-07:00

Tattoos have a long history in Japan which has made it hard for modern Japanese citizens to get tattoos. Throughout Japanese history tattoos have been outlawed for various reasons. This has made trying to find a tattoo parlor very difficult.

On the first free day in Tokyo I planned to get a tattoo of a koi fish because koi are so prominent in Japanese culture. I thought that it would at least be somewhat easy to find an open tattoo parlor while in Tokyo because it is the second largest city n the world. I was so wrong.

The people at the front desk of our hostel gave me the name of a local tattoo artist and directions to his shop. Two other girls went with me to look for the shop and it was a lot harder to find then I ever could have imagined.

The map only gave us a few land marks so we had to ask multiple people for directions as to where the shop was. Most people made funny faces when we asked, because of the continued stigma of tattoos. After searching for a few hours we were lead to an apartment building by a nice shop keeper. Many Japanese tattoo artists still tattoo in their apartments instead of the traditional shops in America. This scared me quite a bit but I really wanted this tattoo. When we rang the doorbell the man who answered said that the tattoo artist was away on business in Australia.

Undeterred I decided to look for more tattoo shops online. With help from others in the class I found another shop, this one was a traditional American style shop where you can just walk in. I figured out the directions to this shop and planned to go on our last day in Tokyo.

We took the train all the way to Harajuku and walked down the main street during rush hour. It was packed full of people in the strangest clothing I have ever seen. This made it extremely distracting and hard to find the tattoo shop. Eventually we found a body piercing shop and asked for directions to the tattoo parlor. The shop keeper said it had left and that there were no tattoo parlors in Harajuku. Disheartened but not totally convinced we asked another person on the street if they knew one. He called the number on the shop's sign but wasn't able to help. In the end I wasn't able to get my tattoo in Japan as I had dreamed.

For those of you who think it would be great to get a tattoo while in Japan, do your research way ahead of time. Have many backup plans and give yourself plenty of time to find the shops. Because of the still persisting negative opinion about tattoos and those who have them Japan is not the place to get one.

Japanese Alternative Fashion

2010-06-05T02:59:00.000-07:00

What do you get when you dress your nation's children in the same old plain school uniform 6 days a week for 12 years in a country that has one of the longest school years in the world？　The answer is explosive Japanese alternative fashion!

Even during the pre-adolescent years when the urge to assert independence is not as great in teen years, youth still seem to eschew an explosion on color and self-expression in the few ways they are allowed to as far as the dress code of their school is concerned. Below is a picture of Japanese girls approximately 12 years old wearing fun and colorful shoes (the only part of the school uniform which is typically up to students).

On Sundays, the only day of the week Japanese youth are typically not in class, many school-age teens dress in wild outfits and strut their stuff around Harajuku, a neighborhood well-known in Japan for its fashionable youth. These outfits are inspired by well-known popular characters of Japan and by the teens own sense of fashion. There is a sense of explosion from pent up desire for self-expression in the fashion of many of these youth. Some of these youngsters perform in character for hours. The girl in the picture below performed and posed for pictures with tourists.

Check out more amazing photos of Japanese fashion at http://www.japanesestreets.com/

Japanese Abstraction

2010-06-05T02:46:00.000-07:00

For our last day in Japan we went to the Mori Art Museum to see what one of our professors called, “The pulse of modern Japanese art.” It was… different. Modern art is not really my cup of tea, so I have to say that I enjoyed previous museums better. But the exhibition had a theme that I have seen throughout my stay in Japan: abstraction.

The idea of the abstract is nothing new in Japan. Dating all the way back to the Kofun period's haniwa dolls, many artistic Japanese artifacts are obviously not trying to mirror the world. Probably the most famous example is the typical Asian lion. None of the statues of lions look like real lions, but that is what they are and that is what everyone accepts them to be. Another example is Japanese calligraphy. Calligraphy can be so abstract that even Japanese people can’t read it but there is still a deep appreciation for it. I’ve noticed that Japanese people are far more appreciative of abstraction in Japanese art than Westerners, as seen by the dwindling amount of non-Japanese in the modern art part of the museum and the crowds of non-Japanese in the Boston Western Art exhibit.

I think that this appreciation comes from what most people refer to as the “Japanese heart.” Japan is a very homogenous and conformity-oriented culture and people, so Japanese already know surface values and ideas. This allows artists to go even farther with abstraction, because no one needs to play catch-up. This is a sharp contrast to Westerners, who often have to bridge cultural gaps to make their message understood. As a Westerner, I have to say that I am able to appreciate Western art better than Japanese art. But who knows, perhaps if I study more I can finally understand the Japanese heart, and dive in to the remarkable world of Japanese abstraction.

Sings of the Right Light

2010-06-05T02:11:00.000-07:00

We left Kyoto, although I could have happily spent the rest of our remaining time there. From Kyoto station, we took the Shinkansen to Tokyo; a serene ride to an overcrowded city. Upon arrival, it took us a while to get our bearings straight and we had plenty of time to adjust to the city that (as we would find out to be true) never sleeps. The first thing that caught my attention was the way that Tokyo used lights. There were attention grabbing sights in Kyoto, but many of them were centuries old. This was in stark contrast to the high-tech competitive nature of Tokyo. I took advantage of our downtime to capture the following raw footage of a sign near our subway station exit.

Much like the digital age travelers we were, much like the city, and much like the “mono no aware” nature of things, this sign encapsulated a part of everything. Like most everything we have experienced here, I did not understand the sign. I did, however, understand some universal emotions upon looking at the lights; fascination, awe, an impression. Of course there are hundreds if not thousands of signs like this one, but it was really my first look at Tokyo. Shortly after this was filmed, I saw another usage of light play in the city. Located next to our hostel is a hotel where patrons can pay for either a full night or merely take a “rest” for a cheaper bill. The ever-changing-chromatically-lit sign for the hotel can be seen for miles around Senso-ji (the temple near our hostel). The following was filmed right outside our rooms.

These signs go to show that for advertising in Japan, many times it's just a matter of the right light.

Feel free to check up on my thread on starcityscene.com to read more about my adventures in Japan.

Rice in Japan- Why White?

2010-06-04T20:15:00.000-07:00

Upon my airplane's decent into Japan I saw many shiny rectangular plots of land geometrically arranged in a farm-like fashion. I knew from and previously read material and photographs that these were Japan's infamous rice paddies. Never before had I been so inspired to learn about rice in Japan though.

Rice is not native to Japan. In fact the crop was introduced to Japan in the third century B.C. In the Yayoi period. It is likely that rice traveled to Japan from China or Korea. It naturally grows in more tropical conditions which is why there is sometimes an agricultural and economic scare in cooler summers in Japan.

There are many types of rice. The type of rice found most often in Japan is a short-grained “japonica” variety. It is uniquely sticky and round. Rice in Japan is also typically white which means that the outer husk (a wonderful provider of insoluble fiber which is responsible for healthy digestion and protection from cardio-vascular disorders) is removed. I wonder why a highly health-conscious culture such as Japan would remove this healthy outer husk. After hours of research the reasons I found for this action are as follows:

-Brown rice (which maintains it's husk) is chewier than white rice which adds another element to the palate upon eating. White rice is simpler, a characteristic of food which is appreciated especially in Japan.

-White rice has a sweeter, more pleasant fragrance than brown rice, which has a grassier, more harsh scent to it.

-White rice is also purer in appearance. It's brightness lends a clean and clear element to any meal. This aspect is also appreciated in Japan.

Brown rice is also available in Japan but not nearly as readily as white japonica rice. Even though fiber is removed from the number 1 grain of Japan, Japanese people seem to experience enhanced digestive health due to their consumption of high amounts of fermented foods and beverages which are not often consumed in the west.

To find out more about rice in Japan visit http://japanese.japan-talk.com/jt/guide/japanese-rice

Japanese Food

2010-06-04T19:39:00.000-07:00

Most people see Japanese food as something strange and disgusting which is far from the truth. Japanese food is very simple yet filling and always comes with a nice presentation. The food in Japan is rather inexpensive for the amount you get. Sometimes this is not always the case and you pay high price for just a bowl of something. I found that most of the time I ate the food was rather cheap and I always got lots of it. The food was always presented in a decorative way with either a garnish on top or an interesting side dish to accentuate the main dish. In fact ramen was always very cheap and came with great presentation. I don't think I will be able to eat top ramen in the states ever again. We also went to a conveyor belt sushi which consisted of a bar with cups and small containers of tea lining the bar area with a chef in the middle and producing the sushi. Once seated you just grabbed what you wanted and the prices were set according to the plate design or color. Not only is there authentic asian cuisine there is also McDonalds, Subway, KFC, and even Burger King. I sampled each of these and they all had their own Japanese menu items to cater to the local population, and each of these items was delicious. There is also something known as the tower cheese burger which has 1o patties with cheese on top of each. I did try this incredibly larger burger, and let's just say it was very greasy and a few hours later my stomach was turning in agitation from it. Never the less I am in deep love with Japanese food and could never tire of the delicious taste, aroma, and visually appearance of every dish there is to order. To get a guide to Japanese cuisine and table manners go to http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e620.html

Branding an Area

2010-06-04T16:11:00.001-07:00

Walking down any street that neighbors a temple, a shrine, or anything that could even be remotely of interest to tourists, you will see several blocks worth of shops selling trinkets and memorabilia. They are not only tailored for the specific sites, but also to buy anything Japanese as well. The colors are bright, and the patterns ornate, everything sold is very graphic and simple to understand. This is the touristy side of all of the places we have gone, and it is interesting to think about how it helps to define the area.

One of the areas with the most extensive expanse and quantity of these shops was Nara. Nara is famous for its very aggressively hungry sacred deer and Todai-ji temple with its monumental Buddha. Though, if you didn't know these things about the area, you would figure it out very quickly from the souvenirs. They have everything from blow up plastic deer, deer hats with little knit antlers, and an extense of cell phone key chains with little Buddhas and deer . Even within the walls of the temple, there was an entire large corner that was dedicated to selling things relating to the giant Buddah that was just a few feet in front of them, or the deer that were wandering around outside. As you walked onto the temple grounds to get to the exit, you would run into a half a dozen more of these souvenir stands, all selling the same things for the same prices. The street that had all of the tourist shops, including places to buy food for both you and your friendly deer friends, was nearly a mile long.

The thing that is most interesting about this is the branding of what a certain part of the country is by what you can get there. Areas will become famous for things, such as Nara for its deer and Buddha, and that branding will give it a very superficial and commercial definition. This can apply to even larger areas, such as buy paper fans and chopsticks at the Japan airport. It is strange to think about how you can really make a culture into something super commercial if you just pick out a few things to focus on and offer a consumer a variety of ways to buy it. They are presented in usually graphic visual cues, like cute pink Buddhas or brightly colored deer cell phone charms. There is a non verbal understanding between consumer and shop owner. “If you give me a pastry with a deers face plastered on it, I will give you money.”

The Ins and Outs of Tenryuji Temple

2010-06-04T09:00:00.000-07:00

When we headed over to Tenryuji temple I was expecting another tour consisting of the inner part of some super beautiful temple and an explanation of the temples history. This was not the case however as we only took a tour of the gardens, which while quite exquisite, and I was a little saddened that we wouldn’t get to see more of the temple. Though would not have been surprised if the gardens were the most impressive part of the temple. We weren’t allowed to spend to long on the grounds as we had to head off for Tokyo at around 2:00pm, but what I did get to see was absolutely beautiful.

Like Ryoanji this temple is known for it’s garden, which is one of the oldest in the world. The main difference between the Tenryuji temple and the Ryoanji temple is while the Ryoanji temple focuses on its rock garden the Tenryuji temple focuses more on the garden as a whole instead of one specific site. The temple’s garden felt more like walking though a small park if only because of all the trees and greenery. And while the view was quite spectacular I didn’t get the chance to view the garden in its entirety due to lack of time. Of course the fact that my feet were still throbbing from our previous hikes around Kyoto didn’t help much in terms of getting around swiftly either.

Even though my time in the garden wasn’t quite what I would have liked it to be I still got a chance to witness first hand how the Japanese attempt to imitate nature. The garden as a whole definitely showcased a strong sense of shin-gyo. This is a Japanese aesthetic term used to describe where something lies between man and nature. Shin-gyo happens to be in the middle of the two but leaning slightly more towards man.

After the temple we walked through the bamboo forest, which was only about2 blocks long, and I found it quite disappointing. Personally I was expecting more of a forest and less of a smile climb up a hill and the large amounts of people crossing though didn’t help to create the atmosphere I was expecting either. The easiest way to describe it would be to say that the real forest doesn’t do the pictures justice.

But enjoy a quick sketch of the gardens at least:

Harajuku Lovers

2010-06-04T03:43:00.000-07:00

Like many Americans, I think the first time I ever he

ard about Harajuku is from Gwen Stefani. After walking up and down the streets, it’s true, they do have some wicked style. I’ve always been a fan

of Japanese fashion- it’s cute, it’s colorful, it’s quirky. In Harajuku, you can find bows, short skirts, and leggings in all patterns and colors. The street is busy and full of tourists, but there is a distinct flair for style everywhere you turn. In addition to fashion, Harajuku is famous for it’s freshly made crepes. The sweet smell of berries and whipped cream entices your tastebuds throughout the experience. I had a savory crepe, however, with Italian salad and prosciutto. It was the freshest thing I had ever tasted, and visually appealing as well. If you like clothes, bring plenty of money. Unlike most of Japan, you can use your credit card in most places, so shopaholics beware! I was fortunate enough to find a Japanese thrift store, however, where most clothes and jewelry were under 400 yen. While it is easy to throw down thousands of yen on outfits, there is something for even the most conservative shoppers. I took some pictures with locals, and it’s clear to see a range of fashion. There are gothic outfits, babydoll gowns, Victorian style dresses, sequins…

whatever you’re into, it’s there. At any rate, every outfit is hyper stylized, exaggerating or bending gender norms. In one of my images, there is a girl with wearing an adorable pink outfit, and I noticed something very different about her eyes. According to my eye doctor, there are special contacts only sold in Japan to increase the size of your iris. It’s hard to tell in my photo, but this girl’s eyes looked like she could have been an anime character. For me, Harajuku was an amazing people watching experience. It was a place to express your own unique essence through your style. Whether or not people want to, the way you dress yourself gives people an impression of who you are. The uninhibited nature of dress in Harajuku deeply impressed me to wear what I want for me, and not for anyone else.

Click here for more info about Harajuku!

Why I love what I do: A trip to W + K

2010-06-04T03:34:00.000-07:00

On Tuesday I took the class over to the Tokyo branch office of Wieden and Kennedy one of the largest independent advertising agencies in the world.
I feel in love with Wieden + Kennedy about a couple years ago when I was writing a piece about Target and was researching some of the international advertising. Some of their better-known clients have been Nike, Google, Play station and Old Spice. I fell in love with them again this year when I watched the documentary Art and Copy (which everyone should see regardless if you are in Advertising or not) and again with the new Google search campaign.

What makes Wieden + Kennedy unique is that they are not just an advertising agency (in fact, one might say that they reject that title) they are more of creative entertainment inventors. W +K Tokyo created their own recording label called W + K Tokyo Lab seven years ago and it is still going amazingly strong. On Tuesday, when visiting their offices many of their creative’s stopped by to show us some of their work samples for Nike and PS3 as well as answer any questions we had on graphic designing, advertising, art, music and just how to survive in Japan.
The great thing about W+K is the variety of people who work in their Tokyo branch. Everyone comes from a different background, speaks different languages and yet still somehow finds away to communicate amazing ideas to one another.
Please check out their blog at http://www.wktokyo.jp/blog/

From fish in shoes, to 360 degrees of gamer faces, to graphically appealing music videos W+ K Tokyo does all that and a bag of wasabi beans.
I think the most appealing moment for me though was realizing how an optional agenda piece that I created and wanted to see turned into a must-do event that I think the whole class enjoyed.

This isn’t an advertising trip, it’s a visual culture in contact class combining both advertising and art—I believe W+K Tokyo’s presentation was one of the best things so far the really highlighted both.
I whispered to Frauke at the end of the presentation ‘ Thank You’.

Modern Architecture Condensed

2010-06-04T03:00:00.000-07:00

If you’re looking for modern architecture in Tokyo, Omotesando delivers all in one street. The tree lined avenue is of full of designer flagship stores designed by internationally known architects like Tadao Ando, MDRDV, Toyo Ito, and Kenzo Tange. The bulk of the must see buildings are between Subway Meiji-jingumae Station and Subway Omotesando Station, so it makes for a perfect stroll with bridges above the street providing prime viewing spots.
The people, buildings, brands, and just the whole atmosphere of the area is fashionable and the shady tree lined street is reminiscent of Champs-Élysées in Paris or Las Ramblas in Barcelona. I noticed that even the subway entrances are more stylish than what you would normally see.

Every step I took gave me something new to look at and more to get excited about. It was amazing to be able to see buildings by some of my favorite architects. The fresh, modern designs seen on the street had clean lines, interesting materials, and abstract forms that I have never seen in person before. Some highlights for me were the dreamy translucency of Christian Dior by SANAA, the branching lines of Tod’s by Toyo Ito, the geometric reflectivity of the Hanae Mori Building by Kenzo Tange, and the diamond bubble grid of Prada by Herzog and de Mueron. PingMag has a great page that shows a map and more images of buildings on the street.
I visited during the day, but I hear the whole appearance changes when the buildings glow in the night. There are some other great architectural pieces around the city, but this street made it so easy to check a good chunk of buildings off my list of must see Tokyo architecture.

The Magic of Studio Ghibli Museum

2010-06-04T02:19:00.000-07:00

For a couple of years now, I have been a huge fan of Hayao Miyazaki’s films. Naturally, when I found out there was a Studio Ghibli Museum (his studio), I had to go there. We somehow made it in time for our entrance appointment (you must get there prior to your reservation or you cannot go in), and I entered what could only be described as a world of imagination and whimsy. Designed my Miyazaki himself, the museum is as amazing and visually stunning as any of his films. If you are ever fortunate enough to go here, you will first be given the honor of seeing a short, exclusive film only shown in the museum. Our film of the day was a heartwarming tale about sumo wrestling rats. What struck me most about the film was it’s lighthearted animation and background scenery that almost looked as though it was made with pastels.

Words cannot describe the experience I had inside the animation exhibit. Inside were three dimensional animated sculptures unlike anything I had ever seen. The most amazing one was a Totoro animation. It’s difficult to describe, but basically there were many figurines positioned in a circle. Each sculpture was posed slightly different. Then, the tree starts spinning and a strobe light starts going off. In doing so, there was an almost magical effect of hundreds of tiny Totoro and friends dancing around a tree. Then, the wheel stops spinning, and you realize the animated figures are merely still objects. It was unlike anything I had ever seen before, and I will never forget the whimsical effect it had.

Found this on YouTube.... you are totally not supposed to film this!

It was as though I had stumbled upon a tiny village of Totoros myself. This was not the only animation either. We also had the chance to see many original storyboards and concept drawings done by Miyazaki himself. The room that held these treasures was designed to look like Miyazaki’s own workspace. The architecture of the museum was simply otherworldly, with cartoon-like walls, and rich stained glass murals of characters in his films. I was expecting a lot, and my expectations were blown away. Every detail, from the sewer drains to the rooftop garden was something else to see. It sounds cheesy, but going to the Studio Ghibli Museum felt like a trip to a magical land, where you can view the world with the hopeful eyes of a child.

Check out their website to read Hayao's unique dedication statement to his museum!

Japan's Gaming Culture

2010-06-04T01:48:00.000-07:00

Japan is known for its crazy food, manga, and strange TV. When I think of Japan I think of games. I am in love with gaming and have been since I was younger, and being in Japan is like the Meccah of gaming. We spent the first few days of this trip wandering around going to temples, and I always on my mind was thinking of where I could find the closest arcade. We finally went to Nishiki Market and right before we left we happened to run across A-Cho one of kyoto's more famous arcades. I was in heaven. I walked in and the first thing that caught my eye was the Taiko Drum game which was incredibly fun and easy to play. The visual culture of these places is incredibly intricate from the bright colors and lights to the black light fighting game area. The games have fun colorful characters and the machines are also quite bright and flashy. When you step into these places its like walking into a different world with the door being the separator. Arcades are so different from American arcades which happen to be dying out quite rapidly, and in Japan they are still going quite strong. In fact we would walk in at night and businessmen were always there playing games and its amazing to me the age range that come into these places. In fact they were not only older, but you were not allowed into these places if you were under 18 after a certain time and in some cases not at all. The players in these arcades are incredibly good at these games that well have been around for a long time and even those that are new. Just walking around in the arcades was awesome and sitting in the huge Gundam pods was an experience all its own. Sitting in these pods made it like you were actually controlling these robots in real life and the actions required are what would be required in real life to operate such machines. In many of the arcades there were girls dressed in Cos-Play as maids, samurai warriors, and even cats. These girls are used to attract the customers and it works very well in most cases. All in all the arcades of Japan are something you have to experience for yourself and its an awesome jaw dropping experience. Arcades are an essential feature in Japan to find out more go to Here

Skylines: Tokyo vs Kyoto

2010-06-04T01:09:00.000-07:00

Skylines are visually stimulating. I think that you can tell a lot about a city by looking at it from above. In Kyoto the view was of trees and mountains, with a bit of city thrown in at the bottom. Tokyo, however, goes a completely different route. Instead of mountains, all you can see from any given window is a mass of tall buildings, always glowing from either the sun or neon signs. The sky, when you can see it at all, is jagged from all the skyscrapers. Also, plant life is not part of Tokyo; all greenery is carefully relegated to parks.

As an example, here is a picture of what I saw in Kyoto when I went to a higher-up restaurant:

Here is a picture from about the same height in Tokyo:

The visual differences between Tokyo and Kyoto reflect the different cultures that are found in the cities. Kyoto was very much about the preservation of the past and the quiet serenity that Japan is known for. This is reflected in the fact that the buildings there are relatively short, and, as I have stated in a previous blog post, the city does not encroach upon nature, but instead tries to work with it. Tokyo is about moving forward; it seems that builders were not concerned on what they were encroaching on, they just wanted to build as high and as fast as they could. Progress does not include building around what is there first, you just build through it. There is no serenity in Tokyo and very few visual nods to the past. You either go forward or go home.

Whether or not one city is better than the other is a matter of personal preference, but I will say that that they are most definitely different. It’s no wonder that tourists always want to go to both Tokyo and Kyoto; they are two vastly different places, but they are both Japan.

This is just one comparison of cities in Japan. For Osaka vs Kyoto, check out Mijoe's blog here.

A Vertical World

2010-06-03T17:20:00.000-07:00

Man has long delighted in creating infrastructures that ascend as close to heaven as possible -- delighted in testing their mastery over gravity. Yet for century upon century, only the most massive of projects could achieve any sort of height; the product of these attempts can be seen most clearly in the vast cathedrals of Europe, which soared ever higher through the Gothic Period. However, for all the sweat and blood that our ancestors put in these creations, they are nothing compared to their modern counterparts. The skylines of Tokyo and New York are interrupted by countless giant fingers reaching towards the sun; some even manage to break their way through the clouds. The people of a hundred years ago couldn't ever have imagined the system of life that we've created in the metropolises of the world.

There is a sort of safety, I think, in living in the shadows of these buildings. When we first stepped out of the subway and were greeted by the bright lights of the restaurants and stores and the towering walls of hotels and corporate headquarters, I instantly felt at home. Perhaps it is unsophisticated of me, but the lively, crowded feeling of sleepless cities is a comfort like no other; they are cocoons of verticals. After spending so long in Kyoto, which crouches low to the ground and allows only its bright green hills to reach any sort of height, Tokyo is a stark, artificial difference. Kyoto is a sprawling land of horizontals and I often found myself disconcerted walking through its streets; and yet, I always knew where I was going. North and South were concepts that easily stuck in my mind, and I never had any trouble returning home. Tokyo, however, is composed only of verticals, and I often find myself completely devoid of any sense of direction, locked in by walls; the only way I can orient myself is by looking up to the towering buildings and trying to find landmarks. Essentially, the element of the city that gets me lost is the also the only way that I can find myself.

There's something more interesting and confounding in this way of finding your bearings than in a horizontal world's way. There's no curiosity or adventure when you innately feel the world's compass, but when you're lost and completely stripped of this knowledge, it's a humbling experience and a good one to have.

Ghibli Museum shows the Cute side of Tokyo

2010-06-03T06:20:00.000-07:00

This museum is by far the best thing about staying in Tokyo. The building is a delight to the eyes form the beginning to the end. Totoro, a giant stuffed rabbit character from one of Hayao Miyazaki's movies greets you while you walk to the entrance. Once you enter the building you are given a ticket to an animated movie of Miyazaki's that is only shown in his museum.

The movie I saw in the museum was about sumo wrestling rats. It was adorable in typical Miyazaki style. The movies alternate between about seven different original animations. I don't want to give away the film but it was cute like most Japanese animated movies.

The cute theme found in Japanese culture continues throughout the Ghibli Museum. There are small doors for children to run through on the first floor as well as metal spiral staircase that goes nowhere.

The second floor has sketches and storyboards from Miyazaki's movies on one side and a room showing scenes from the other short films that the museums alternates on the other side. The room with Miyazaki's work in it was absolutely beautiful. It shows the characters and scenery in various stages of completion and color. The final pieces are absolutely stunning. The museum also has a cafe which sells everything from hot dogs to ice cream and fancy cakes.

The third floor has a gift shop and a play area for small kids to climb on the cat bus, another character from a Miyazaki movie. Outside the third floor is another metal spiral staircase leading to the roof. On the roof is a statue of a Robot Soldier from the movie "Castle in the Sky."

The architecture of the buildings of the Ghibli Museum are designed to look like the cute buildings in his movies. They continue the Japanese love for cute designs throughout the whole museum.

If you love the Japanese cute themes or Miyazaki's movies you have to stop into the Ghibli Museum. It is a fantastic adventure that brings you back to your childhood.

Just the sight of food...

2010-06-03T06:11:00.000-07:00

Yesterday, I went to a place called Namjatown which is essentially a food theme park. http://www.namja.jp/guide.html
It’s operated by Namco, the makers of Pac-Man. It is divided into three food-based sections, each with about 10 specialty restaurants and stores. There’s Ice Cream City, Gyoza Stadium (contains the best-of-the-best pork dumplings in Japan) and the Tokyo Dessert Republic. Right now, there is a theme which allows the stores to have cat-shaped foods, which are created specifically for the event.

Japan places a lot of importance on how food looks. Many restaurants display realistic-looking food replicas, which actually look as though you could eat them, which simplifies the process of finding a place to eat. Many menus also have pictures for each item. The sight of food is used to draw customers. This type of advertising directly targets one’s stomach and taste buds. However, Namjatown was a visual overload.

Exploring the two floors of unique food kept me in awe for my entire stay. The size of the place was almost too much to handle, because there was no way I could try everything. I had to pick and choose. I decided to start with a mixed grape & white peach soft serve ice cream. Then I entered Gyoza Stadium.

The picture below is just the entrance to Gyoza Stadium. There is a whole square hallway of stores with equally impressive menus. I kept mouthing the words “Oh my God” as I walked down the first hallway until I reached its corner.

I couldn’t really resist any longer, so I ate at this corner restaurant which served me the best gyoza I will ever consume in this lifetime. I exited after this otherworldly meal and, within one minute, sat down at another gyoza restaurant, taken in by the visual effects of its iron skillets in which the gyoza was cooked and served. I then ate some gelato shaped like a cat then went back for more gyoza.

My stomach was overloaded as much as my other senses. I hadn’t eaten anything from the Tokyo Dessert Republic.

I also hadn’t eaten from the Cup Ice Cream Museum, which has nearly any flavor you can think of, and many that you wouldn’t. (Cactus, anyone?)

And that’s only a single store within Ice Cream City. I’m a person that is constantly tempted to buy foods if I’ve never had them before, especially sweet things. Never have I seen so many foods in one place that I may never get to eat. Even though I couldn’t eat everything in sight, the constant bombardment of visuals made it so that, as long as I was in Namjatown, I wanted to.

Reflections of Tokyo

2010-06-03T01:25:00.000-07:00

In Tokyo, I find myself not only looking at interesting objects, but also at their reflections created by surfaces. Whether the reflective material is the glass façade of a building or the window of a subway, it offers an alternate view of concrete objects.

I first became intrigued by the different reflective materiality used all over Tokyo when I was walking down a street and saw the reflection of the Mikimoto building on the glass façade of a building across the street. I looked in the opposite direction and there it was. It was totally unexpected and I got a full preview of the building which I would’ve otherwise only seen at a sharp angle. Tokyo International Forum by Rafael Vinoly is another great glass building in Tokyo that you should check out. It casts reflections onto nearby builings creating a pattern of light.

Modern buildings here are predominately glass, maybe to open up the small spaces inside or maybe just to create a sleek look. I’ve noticed a lot of mirrors, windows, and glass that create such clear reflections that I have to think twice about which is real and which is reflection. It creates more interest, making somewhat of an extension to a design. And when the sun hits the glass of transparent buildings, there are different shapes throughout the day projected onto surfaces creating an exchange of design. Reflective materiality lends a hand to design in an unexpected way and creates a new world in what would otherwise be a blank space.

Hama Rikyu and the Fractal Universe

2010-06-03T00:42:00.000-07:00

Today we went to Hama Rikyu which is the site of what used to be a Shogunate villa. I think a good comparison would maybe be central park in New York. One of the first things I noticed was that, even though we were in a park full of trees and foliage, the skyscrapers from the city still seemed to dominate the sky. In a city like Tokyo, I guess this is something quite hard to avoid. For someone like me, who hasn't seen much of this type of thing before, I don't mind. It was still very pleasing to my eyes. Experiencing the world here is almost like doing things again for the first time. Obviously the people are different but even the native plant life here spurs my curiosity -- especially the trees. Here are some pictures of a couple trees that are common here but that to me, look quite unusual. When I look at them I imagine the vascular system of the body. They resemble a network of veins or nerves -- things of a fractal nature. There are computer-generated pictures of the entire universe (as we know it to be) that map out the way galaxies have arranged themselves and still they follow this vascular pattern. Why? It's peculiar the way nature repeats and presents itself in this place we call the universe. In a way, I feel we are the universe. Japan: the instigator of my contemplation.

While typing this blog, a very long and interesting conversation was born on fractals. To gain a better understanding of what they are, here's a link.

Lights. Camera. Sparkle.

2010-06-01T17:28:00.000-07:00

I don't think there is anything quite as much fine, or as raw, as taking a photo in a photobooth. The ones I am used to are four little squares, all lined up vertically, with the very hard decision making of "What border do I want? Happy cherubs or a wanted poster?" and whether it should be black and white, sepia or color. Sometimes, you don't even get to make those decisions.

When we entered the arcade in Nara, most of us girls were trying to mentally prepare for two hours of the more video game inclined to play Street Fighter and Gundam games while we were shoved into a corner with all of the claw machines.

What we found though, was about a half a dozen brightly colored pod machines, with Japanese models plastered in makeup and seqince all over the outside of them. They were the infamous photo booths that I had heard about, and were told that I needed to try at some point. I was more than game, since I had a very slight addiction to the less impressive photobooths back in the states.

We eventually walked into one, and from right off the bat you could tell this was going to be a completely different experience. Instead of huddling around a small chair, there was a lavish interior that had cubbys for your things and professional grade lighting. Its a far cry from the blinding flash that you get for your lighting at my favorite mall photobooth.

We stumbled through the decisions and buttons the first time, which we later figured out that some of them were "Do you want us to make it look like you're wearing a ridiculous amount of mascara and lipstick?" "How dark or albino do you care to look today?" "What sort of theme do you want for your pictures?" Everything was also on a very stressful time limit, so if you didn't make your decision fast enough, you were doomed to whatever the photo booth thought was best for you.

After we took our pictures, you would have to edit them, and add little stickers or sparkles. You could even give yourself more makeup and different colored hair.

Unlike the its American counter part, which can turn even the most bodacious diva into an awkward pile of florescent lighting, these ones will edit Igor into Ricky Martin.

The thing that it left me wondering, why do they care about having such intense photo booths? The thing I've noticed about the recreational activities here is that they are so much part of the new Japan. The old Japan to me is the temples and the shrines, while the new Japan is the graphic pictures, bright lights and little cartoon characters beckoning you in. You can see this in the photo booths which end up covered in kawaii stickers and sparkles. They are like little pods that help to transform you into the newer Japanese aesthetics, which is a fun experience when you go there.

It's Hard Not to be a Rockstar in Tokyo

2010-05-31T20:23:00.000-07:00

Ah Japan...
The country is known for many things; It's culture is one of the oldest in the world, the Buddhist temples and shrines, the tenth largest population with over 128 million and of course, karaoke.
Back in the states, I enjoy patronizing the Full House Lounge (I can be found there at least once a month on Thursdays or Fridays) in Benson. Although I botch pretty much every song I sing, I really enjoy the thought of performing someone else's song to a group that may or may not want to hear the particular tune chosen. Now, as you would imagine, there are some differences between karaoke here in Japan and karaoke back home (beyond trading the Wild Turkey for sake).
After last night, I am glad to say that I have experienced karaoke both in Kyoto and Tokyo. In both areas, a small room is rented hourly and typically with a one drink minimum per person. The beers and cocktails are around 500 yen (one yen is roughly equal to one penny) as is the room per hour. Due to the size of the rooms, I recommend not setting down your beer as there tends to be a domino effect when (not if, but when) a beer gets knocked over. In Kyoto, we were lucky enough to have our friend Akira (chef and owner of kitchen Rakuraku which a few of us attended almost every night) show us the ropes. After getting a hang of the the wireless machine which just uses kanji (japanese symbols), to dial in the numbers of our selected jams, we were ready to rock.
The videos behind the words on the screen show the most awkward of moving images, from a very distraught man who gets out of his convertible to smoke a cigarette as traffic screams by on a busy street, to the most ridiculous computer animation of some sort of spaceship cruising between sky scrapers in a futuristic cityscape with a grip of missiles chasing closely behind. There is also this reoccurring video of some buff white guy being admired by a woman as he's leaning on a gas pump filling up his ride.
As you can tell from the photos, one is much more susceptible to seizures while singing in Tokyo rather than the laid back Kyoto room. As the lights flashed quickly above my head and the glowing lights changed the skin tone of people's faces from blue to pink, I looked at myself in a rounded mirror and realized that while in this room, we are all rock stars.
I'm not saying saying that I prefer karaoke in Japan, but the Full House Lounge may need to step it's game up.

P.S. I didn't post any videos that I shot, because people also shot video of me... I would be shooting myself in the foot if I posted, but if anyone back home wants some blackmail videos, contact me at j.addison0@gmail.com. Keep in mind, these videos don't come cheap.

It feels great to be alive.

2010-05-30T22:29:00.000-07:00

Today was one of the greatest days I've had yet here in Japan and in my life as a whole. I know it's really something to say that, but I mean it. The day began with a tour of Byodo-in, also known as the Phoenix hall, a national treasure of Japan. This temple is nearly 1000 years old. This just isn't something you can find back in the states. There's something about the ages of these places and monuments that fascinates me. I imagine all the people that must have walked and interacted here and it instills in me a sense of awe, leaving me speechless really. It's hard to compare a 1000 years of blood, sweat and tears to anything else I've experienced thus far in my life. After we left the temple our group split up to find some lunch. A friend and I looked around for a while and were beginning to think we wouldn't find a satisfactory place to dine. Our efforts were not in vein because eventually at the end of the road (ironic?) we found a soba noodle place on the 3rd floor over looking Uji river. I didn't know what to expect from the food but I soon realized it was some of the best I've had since we've been here. Immediately I noticed the spectacular view of the river and mountains. Breathtaking really. The perfect place to enjoy Japanese cuisine while at the same time taking in the scenery if there ever was one. I had tempura soba with shichimi, a Japanese spice consisting of 7 ingredients. When were finished with our meal we took a stoll through the market again and bought some green tea ice cream. I wasn't aware this even existed but in Japan there's virtually green tea everything. Very delicious. From there we went down to the river I spoke of previously. This is where things really started to fall into place. There was a man playing an oboe whose music permeated the surrounding atmosphere and set the mood perfectly. In that moment time stopped and the dream was alive. One of the most memorable moments in my life, one that I'll never for get. I took this energy and put it into a sketch of the view I had from where I sat. I wanted to keep working but time is of the essence and we had a train to catch. Besides, once you stop letting these moments move through you and you try to hang on to them, they lose their meaning. I was there, I lived it and I loved it. I can't wait to return.

Because I found it interesting, and because it's pretty culturally significant, here's a link to learn more about green tea.

The Initiation of the New Head Priest

2010-05-30T20:41:00.000-07:00

To read Balsam Ali's story, "The initiation of the new head priest," please click on the link.

The Amazing Bullet Train Ride to Nagoya

2010-05-30T20:37:00.000-07:00

To read Balsam Ali's story, "The amazing bullet train ride to Nagoya," please click on the link.

Smoker's Paradise

2010-05-30T20:35:00.000-07:00

Due to technical difficulties some of the students are unable to post to the "Japanese Visual Culture in Context" blog. Please read Balsam Ali's story, "Smoker's paradise" by clicking on the link.

Fushimi Inari

2010-05-30T09:04:00.000-07:00

Fushimi Inari is probably one of the best temples around Kyoto. The site itself is sprawled across a mountainous landscape, and the pathes are lined with hundreds to possibly thousands of torii gates. After getting off the train we noticed right away one incredibly large Torii gate standing right outside the station. This torii was practically welcoming visitors straight into Inari, and it was less than 100 feet from the Inari Station. The first thing I noticed as we walked past the large Tori was the statues of the Kitsune. These spirits were followers of Inari and helped carry his messages and orders. These were playful spirits and the statues were all similar with one holding a scroll in its mouth and the other is holding an Orb.

My first thoughts on the sight were from having seen pictures and movie scenes that involved the torii gates and how amazing it was to see all these gates lined up to look like a wall. I learned that business would donate money to the complex and would receive a Torii gate in its honor to be placed along the path. This tradition is thought to bring success in the business world and who knows maybe it helps a little to contribute to many of the nations historical sites.

As we walked along there were many smaller shrines that were dedicated to Inari and the Kitsune and all of these small shrines held tiny Torii gates, and smaller statues of the kitsune with offering boxes. We ended up wondering around for awhile and eventually off the regular path. We didn't realize that this path was off the tracks, because we saw an older man walk up it just before us. We ended up walking for 30-45 minutes in the woods and found some very cool shrines that many people do not see.

So after we turned around and hauled butt back to the regular path it was getting some what late and we decided to head down the mountain. We ended up walking around and finding an awesome little pond that had lots of turtles and Koi fish swimming about near the shore. Watching these little creatures go about their days was very relaxing and we needed a break from that hike in the woods. One of the more interesting things we found were a tiny buddha with a glass of sake in front of him and a priestess which is the first one I had seen the whole trip.

Kinkaku-ji: The Golden Pavillion

2010-05-30T09:03:00.000-07:00

I'd love to tell you about my experience at Kinkaku-ji, (this goes for my experience in Japan as a whole as well) but for me words cannot truly describe what it means to experience what I have seen. But I'll do my best. Last semester I drew a picture of this temple for a project I did for one of my art classes but it wasn't until I was preparing for this trip that I realized I would be going there. This temple is positioned like a dream on the waters edge in the outskirts of Kyoto. Pictures really don't do the gold leafing on the temple justice, its most definitely something that must be seen in person to really be appreciated. All the temples here have a presence to them and the gold on this one only seems to heighten that quality. One thing about the architecture here that stands out to me is the amount of overlapping, converging, horizontal and vertical lines. For me, this makes sketching things out rather difficult. So I've realized that to represent things accurately I should try to draw them in layers, starting with what would be farthest into the picture plane. This makes trying to keep track of how how everything is laid out easier, for me at least. There's a sort of fusion and harmony between the modern and the traditional here in Japan that I don't see present anywhere else in the world. Being more concerned with the overall aesthetic in everything than the practicality. Which makes nearly everything art. Which makes for a very visual culture. And so, it is here I find myself in Japan. Visual culture, in context.

Here's a link to find out more about Japanese architecture.

Byodoin Temple- National Treasures

2010-05-30T07:43:00.000-07:00

The reason I was first interested in experiencing the Byodoin Temple in Uji was because of a previous visit to the replica in Hawaii. After visiting the replica and the original, I feel like they each come with a different experience and give off a different mood. When I experienced the one in Hawaii, it was quiet and serene, with only a few people walking around. It felt like my own private place nestled in the mountains. The original Byodin Temple in Japan seems much more regal and imposing with sprawling grounds and tons of tourists coming to get a glimpse of the many national treasures.

replica in Hawaii

The real thing

Byodoin Temple was first established in 1052 when the Fujiwara clan converted their family villa into a temple. It was during the mid-Heian Period and is now one of the last surviving pieces of architecture of that time. The pure land garden with the Ajike Pond is also a great example of Heian design. The main building is called Phoenix Hall because of the two phoenixes flanking the center roof and the structure's resemblance to a phoenix spreading its wings. In the center of Phoenix Hall sits the seated statue of Amitabha Tathagata, made by Jocho, a Buddhist sculptor specializing in the assembled wood technique.

The Phoenix Hall itself is a national treasure as well as the Amitabha Tathagata statue inside. There is a modern museum at the back of Phoenix Hall that houses relics and other national treasures including the original pair of phoenixes, Buddhist temple bell, and the fifty-two worshiping bodhisattvas on clouds. The modern architecture of the museum is a surprising contrast from the aged beauty of the temples on the grounds. Lines, framing, materiality, elegant simplicity, and the use of dark and light suggests traditional Japanese architecture and the concept of yugen. I think that this site is definitely worth a visit and that the modern museum adds a great visual contrast and a more in depth view into the history of the site. Directions to the site and more history and photos can be found at sacred-destinations.com. Byodoin Temple on the 10 yen coin

Japanese Food: not always as tasty as it looks

2010-05-30T07:37:00.000-07:00

I went to Fashimi Inari yesterday, which is... Well, it has over 10,000 tori gates that are orange and black, so it looks very cool as you walk through them. The fox-god of the mountain has become a god of business. Many companies have donated these tori gates, so there are more each year.

The walk up the mountain was nice, but I was looking for places to eat the whole time and none of the shops caught my eye. I ended up eating at the bottom near the entrance after coming back down. Big mistake. >.>

I came across a shop with some fried and grilled foods. Like many restaurants in Japan, they had plastic representations of food at the entrance. I asked, in Japanese, if they had an English menu. They explained that the plastic representations were essentially their menu. So I got some banana flavored shaved ice, and what LOOKED like yakitori. In the example, it was just skewered meat. When it arrived at the table, it was 5 pieces of meat which I had to eat with a nearby toothpick. There were four larger pieces, and a smaller piece, which I thought might be a heart, because I'd eaten heart-yakitori the day before. Upon eating one of the bigger pieces, I noticed that it was very crunchy. That's normally a good thing, but I soon realized that the crunchiness wasn't coming from the outside. It was on the inside. This thing was full of bones. I realized I had no idea what I was eating. The flavor was fine, but I was chewing up some kinds of animal, and I had no idea what it was. Bones were busting and popping in my mouth and I decided it was disgusting. Somehow, I managed to eat a second piece. I gagged several times, but kept assuring myself, "just chew and nod." I really, really wanted to spit it out, but I took at least 5 minutes to finish this bite. It was quite the challenge not to vomit, but I did what I had to in order to avoid it and swallow the second piece. (I am pretty proud of swallowing a second bite.) After this, I had my suspition regarding this 5th smaller piece. I prodded it several times with my toothpick to confirm my suspitions that it was a skull, not a heart. It was the head of something. I could not finish this meal. I knew how to ask in Japanese what it was I had just eaten but I didn't want to be rude. I politely paid and left, despite my curiosity. After walking for another minute or so, I saw another shop which had a similar dish, and they had the names in English. It was BBQ quail.

I love meat. I enjoy eating off the bone. But these tiny, popping, crunchy bones were the grossest thing I have eaten. I'm sure many people enjoy it, but it was not for me. Oishikunaideshita. It was not tasty.

The Top 5 Things You Should Know about Japanese bathrooms

2010-05-30T06:55:00.000-07:00

Greetings blog folk. Join me on this journey as we go over many of the different features of Japanese bathrooms:

1. Bathrooms can be as high tech or low tech as you want them to be:
From squatting toilets to western toilets to toilets where you can press buttons to rinse your rear end at different temperatures-- you never know what you’re going to find in a Japanese bathroom

2.You can simulate the sound of toilet flushing
I’ve been noticing a remote handle attached to some of the bathroom stalls I’ve been in at malls and grocery stores that include a music note as one of the symbols. I thought this was for “therapeutic toilet music” but upon further inspection I found out that it was the sound of toilets flushing. When I questioned the usage of this to one of my friends in Osaka she replied “ Some Japanese people feel uncomfortable with their bodily functions so they have noises to cover that up. Isn’t it ridiculous?”

3.There is anti-bacterial soap in the stalls with which you may clean the toilet seat for you to clean the toilet seat. Wow.
See attached photo of directions on how to perform:

4.Some toilet seats are heated ☺

I can’t explain guys you just have to trust me on the fact that you can really feel the difference.

5.There are WESTERN TOILETS and JAPANESE TOILETS:

Western toilets are toilets that we in the states are used to. All the above information might be included in the settings of a western toilet but Japanese toilets are floor toilets where you squat down to perform you bathroom needs. Males and females both have Japanese toilets but from my experience they are just as common as western toilets. Sometimes they are marked on the door before you go into public stalls, but not always. It is an experience with trying.

For more information on one of Japan's largest toilet brands check out
Toto's site
http://www.toto.co.jp/products/zone/toilet.htm

Osaka Vs. Kyoto

2010-05-30T06:33:00.001-07:00

Part of this trip has been about discovering new things and taking chances. Being a woman in a foreign country has obstacles that some might not be able to imagine. The truth is—there’s always going to be one point where you will be lost and feel like a stranger in a foreign land--completely alone. In the end, no matter how much you try to emerge yourself in your surroundings there are times where you are literally lost in translation.

I was very adamant about visiting a familiar face today. A childhood friend, Aya who now resides in Osaka, Japan. Osaka is a 15 min walk, two train rides and a subway trip for where we reside in Honazono.

What made Osaka far more interesting than my week in Kyoto had to do with the extreme differences of these two cities. I was very unfamiliar with Osaka when I first arrived and I had no idea what to expect.

For the most part Kyoto is a very traditional city. The viewings of temples, shrines and the aesthetic beauty of art and gardens have been repeated day after day . Each garden is uniquely beautiful, each temple worships something new but the message is still the same—traditional Japan.

Osaka strives on variety. This urban city (the second most populated in Japan, next to Tokyo) is filled with characters and flavor. Just from the train ride to the station I noticed a change in looks and appearances (and that’s saying a lot for a country that pushes group dynamics)

Individuals on the train stood out with brightly colored hats and ensembles, not like the teals and beige of women in Kyoto. There was no traditional dress that I noticed similar to the ceremony I saw earlier at our temple but rather an array of pinks, purples and stripes walking down the streets of Umea.

I felt like a lonely little tourist all by herself in awe of the city for the first time.
I noticed a local stare at me when my jaw dropped (literally) on the train at all the OOH ads that were covering the city even before I left the station. She smiled at me and giggled at my amazement. Had I really been a small town girl living in a lonely world all this time? It was then that I couldn’t help but wonder…
Did I finally reach enlightenment?

For more information on traveling to Osaka please visit

http://www.lonelyplanet.com/japan/kansai/osaka

Geisha: Objectified Beauty

2010-05-29T16:28:00.001-07:00

One of the most common things that come to mind when you think of Japanese culture is Geisha. They dominate Japanese artwork, and represent the ideal of Japanese beauty. They are masters of art, appearance, music, conversation, and style. This is why I felt the strong desire to visit Gion in Kyoto and find one for myself. I was fortunate enough to see two, and when it happened, it was as though time itself had stopped. The two Geisha walked down the street briskly, and after probably about ten seconds, they were out of my sight. A whole group of tourists surrounded the area, cameras out, ready to spot one at any moment. As soon as they were spotted, the entire street began to crowd and buzz, and a kindly older Japanese gentleman beckoned me their way. I ran across the street, focused and ready to capture the moment. The women wore beautiful kimonos, their faces painted a gorgeous white, eyelids and lips a brilliant imperial red. All my life I have wanted to see a real one, and now that moment has passed. It reminded me of mono no aware, loosely translated as “an awareness of the transience of life.” I only saw them for a brief moment, but it was amazing. I will forever remember the first time I saw a geisha. However, I noted a sadness in both Geisha’s eyes, and I felt the inhumanity of it all. After all, they are human beings, and they were being hounded by dozens in the street for a mere glimpse of them. While they were once a revered representation of Japanese ideals of beauty, now they are culturally whored out for tourists. My reverence for the severe lifestyle they lead brought me to feel pity for them. While they have chosen this lifestyle, it cannot be easy. It was like celebrity spotting of sorts, except their work is not seen to the general public. They are objectified just as beautiful people, often misunderstood by others as prostitutes. While I was happy and honored to see them, I felt at the same time intrusive, as I came only to get a glimpse into their private lives.

Nijo Castle- MUST SEE IN KYOTO

2010-05-29T16:27:00.000-07:00

I went to Nijo Castle with Bethany on our free time on Friday and it was absolutely stunning. We has to walk the complete length of it to get to the front gate to be able to cross the FIRST mote surrounding the castle. This castle was so important it has two motes for protection.

After walking through the front gate two tour guides asked us if they could give us a free tour so that they could practice. We were surprised but very grateful for the offer. I knew we would not have gotten as much out of the castle had we simply walked through it on our own.

We were able to take pictures of the outside of the castle but once again were unable to take pictures inside the building and for good reason; nearly every wall was covered in gold leaf screen paintings. It was possibly one of the most beautiful things I have see in my life.

But it wasn't just the walls that were special. The wood floors were gorgeous. I could feel the knots in the wood were the rest of the boards had been worn down and smoothed from being walked on for hundreds of years. The tour guides said they were called nightingale floors because they squeak when you walk on them. They were made with nails and clamps under the floor so that when someone steps on the board it presses the clamp to rub against the nails and creates a high pitched squeaking noise. The shogun used these floors as a safety precaution so that when an intruder would come in he would be heard walking through the halls.

There is so much history in Nijo Castle that I think anyone who is interested in Japanese history has to go see this castle. Even those who are not interested in history will find this site fascinating. This is a definite must see in Kyoto.

The Japanese Raise the Roof

2010-05-29T15:48:00.000-07:00

When one leaves the US and arrives in Japan, one of the easiest differences to notice is the architecture, and the most distinguishing feature of old Japan's buildings are the rooftops. After seeing temple after temple, memories can run together if you don't take the time to notice the subtle differences. Towards the bottom of the rooftops, there are special symbols that differ from place to place. Sometimes they are Chinese characters, sometimes you see flowers, leaves, etc. The more closely you look, the more you realize that each place is unique in its own way. Among all the symbols I've seen, the most prominent are an image of swirling dots. According to our sources, this symbol means water. These temples are primarily wood, so it's only natural that this symbol is systematically placed to protect against fire. It makes even more sense, since most of these temples have been repeatedly rebuilt due to fire by lightning. More interestingly though, are the family crests that are found on the rooftops. There seems to be a sense of family pride even in the architecture that you don’t find in America. I also found it amazing that this architecture remains even as the city of Kyoto becomes more modernized. In Nishiki market, you will even find temples and shrines with these roofs. I find it beautiful and amazing that even these minute details of buildings show how different the Western and Eastern design is. I wonder if a big city like Tokyo will still hold on to these aesthetic ideals.

The Dead and Gone

2010-05-29T15:28:00.000-07:00

Museums have never interested me. No matter how grand or how humble, they have always been areas of empty scholastic pursuit for me: dry and lifeless. The Tokugawa Art Museum was, in the end, no different for me, but the process of walking through its halls and being utterly underwhelmed helped me realize just what it is about museums that utterly disinterests me.

It isn't the history aspect. All of the ancient shrines and temples that we visit enamor me; there's something so indescribable about those experiences. Perhaps it's because there is a beauty that is so astounding, so arresting, that it is almost otherworldly, or perhaps it's because there is always a heavy, deep feeling that comes simply from the age of these buildings, but in any case, those feelings wouldn't exist were it not for the history mounted on the walls and in the beams of these sites. In a very literal sense, they are history. When you walk through their doors, you walk into a different world, one that has otherwise long been forgotten.

Museums have a distinctly different aura. You aren't transported to another time -- you aren't even supposed to be transported; instead, everything is presented to you as a show, something that you yourself could never participate in. There is, in short, a very clear and ever-present wall between you and the object, and when the object is the history, it is impossible not to feel like a foreign identity, hovering and dissecting something that you could never truly understand. The distance removes the bridge.

And, even more than that, the objects themselves are dead. Not only has the viewer been removed from the culture and time of the objects, the objects have been completely displaced from their own time also. They have no context; they're lone survivors of places forever forgotten. You can't get an idea of life from them because they have none of their own, and that simple fact drains whatever wonder and beauty they may once have had.

Museums may have their place in the world, but it's a place too lifeless for me.

The Guessing Game

2010-05-29T06:43:00.001-07:00

There's one thing that I noticed in this country prior to everything else. That they have pictures everywhere. I thank god for that, because that's how I've been surviving off the food I purchase. Granted, not everything has a picture but almost all of it does. You want to know what a restaurant has to serve? Just look outside for a giant sign with pictures. Want to know what's in that bread you're about to eat, because there is always something in the bread here in Japan? Look at the picture. While this may not always be a key for success, I've found that it comes in pretty handy for me.

It's easy to discover if something has pork, look for a picture of a pig. Want chicken? I'm sure you know what comes next. This country is a very visual one, in a way we're not quite at in America. In some ways, it's like they're just telling you everything without you having to figure out anything. In others, it's not. In America, you have to read the menu, judge on what you've had before, to see if you'll like something similar, etc. In the long run, they just end up asking the waiter what it is and such, they want to be told. Here in Japan, they make it simpler for you to understand because the brain just naturally takes an image and translates it, without much effort on your part.

Even the transportation systems are easy to figure out...once you have a map. It's not that everything is entirely foreign, it's just the way they break up certain things where buses or trains stop that make it difficult for anyone from out of town to figure out at first. Once you get it though, you become a proficient very quickly. Pictures just help make things stand out, and figure out, when deciding where next to go. I'm not sure what other countries are like, but I know even if they look like they could speak English in Europe, a foreigner is probably out of luck. To be truthfully honest, the best system is the Japanese picture system, so foreigners and even countries own citizens might have an easier time understanding things.

Castle Context

2010-05-29T06:25:00.001-07:00

I went to Nijo Castle today and it was an excellent experience. It's a wonder the teachers didn't have it on the agenda. We got a free tour, just out of shear luck and learned about many things related to the visual culture of Japan. One of the more obvious ones was how the Shoguns showed power. During the 12th Century, there became the first shogun, Tokugawa, who came to rule for over 260 years. They still had the emperor at this time, but he was more of a figure head just like he is in modern Japan. Tokugawa's symbol was a three leaf clover.

He had several meeting and waiting rooms, depending on who he was meeting with. If they had originally been counted amongst his enemies, they were kept in the farthest waiting room, where lions and cheetahs were painted on the screen wall to show off his power. Interestingly enough, neither animal had been to Japan at this time, he had only seen pictures. In more personal meeting halls, like people the Shogun was close to, the wall paper was much more relaxed, more easy going. And in the special room where only the Shogun and his concubines could go, there was a very cloudy, relaxed, even dreamy type of wall paper.

The councilors' meeting room was blank because they were servants to the Shogun. And finally, the royal message receiving room, while rich in color and design, had the Shogun on the lower level to the messenger. To show loyalty to the crown. However, the crown laid in the east and Tokugawa put the messenger room in the south corner of the castle, showing a disrespect to the Emperor. Not only was paintings a good way to show power, but the floors in the halls were called nightingale floors. The reason they were called this, was because they were designed so the boards squeaked when anything came across them, as a way to protect themselves from enemies. Nijo castle has two moats, an outer moat and an inner moat where I can only assume the royal family stayed. The inner castle was the originally, but after an attack they built out, expanding but keeping certain parts.

It's a very beautiful castle, and I was lucky to get a history of the building, in English so I could understand. I recommend this to anyone who is seeing Japan.

Elegant simplicity.

2010-05-29T06:08:00.000-07:00

Throughout the course of Japanese art and aesthetics, specifically the two-dimensional works, we often observe how the works are dominated by large amounts of negative space. Even within this negative space we can still find vast amounts of detail. When I was visiting the Tokugawa art museum, several of the scrolls that they had on display depicted a celebration of the Tokugawa daimyo opening up a shrine within a major city. The paintings used vast amounts of negative space, very small subject matter and other artifacts within the painting. Even though the work may be dominated by negative space, within the smaller subject matter lies an incredible amount of elegant detail. The use of patterns gives the art perfect balance between simplism and elaborate detail.

As I’ve traveled through Japan I’ve noticed that many of their logos and emblems contain this same sort of simplicity. Many of the logos contain few words or numbers and are instead dominated by simple images. This tendency ranges from the cities’ symbols to restaurant signs and company logos and so forth. While these current designs lack the elaborate detail of the earlier Tokugawa works, they form a sort of elegance through their use of other western design concepts such as unification, symmetry, and other such ideas. And even though these newer designs lack the same attention to minute detail that their ancient and more formal predecessors possessed they still attain a certain elegance that we rarely see in the western world.

Fushimi-Inari: A Reminder of the Duality of Japan

2010-05-29T06:01:00.000-07:00

Once you decide that you are going to hike to the top of a mountain, there’s no going back. And Fushimi-Inari is definitely a hike. 250 meters later, we were tired and sore, but we were at the top, looking down at… well, trees.

One thing that I have noticed about Japan is the sheer amount of foliage. Fushimi-Inari, the birthplace of kitsune mythology, is definitely no exception. Going up the mountain we saw trees…

Trees…

And trees.

Then suddenly we looked to our right and saw…

...Kyoto. It was probably the strangest visual experience I’ve had in Japan. Here I was, practically wrapped in greenery, and then all of a sudden I was reminded that half an hour ago I had been on a train, in a city with thousands of other people. The shrine is literally right next to the city; all that separates them is a line of torii and a sea of leaves. This is visual Japan. Unlike America, where the parks exist in one place and the cities exist in another, Japan allows the urban and the organic to mix: you will never see one without the other. This is not only tue of Fushimi-Inari. Everywhere I go I see greenery. Whether I’m in a trrain or walking down the street, I’m constantly reminded that nature is everywhere. Cities either nestle themselves in the middle of nature, or nature twines itself around the cities. This duality is, to me, what defines Japan, or at least Kyoto. There is no “inside” or “outside” there is just… Japan.

...And trees.

Overwhelming Emptiness

2010-05-28T22:14:00.000-07:00

One of the temples the group visited was Ginkakuji, the Silver Pavilion (that was never actually covered in silver). In 1482, it was modeled after Kinkakuji, the Golden Pavilion, by shogun Ashikaga Yoshimasa as his retirement villa. We were not allowed to go inside the single building, but instead admire the grounds that the Zen temple is located on. The beauty that first caught my eyes was the arrangement of sand. Upon walking through the gates, a form made of sand and based on Mt. Fuji is present and about eight feet tall. Of course that is impressive, but I found myself being more attached to the sand behind the Fuji reference (seen above). The ornate lines could be described as nothing short of perfect.

I have noticed, in Kyoto anyways, that everything seems to be well kept and detail oriented. This caters quite nicely to my quasi-obsessive compulsive nature of the placement of objects. As I understand, this is referred to as shin, or being shaped by man. I especially enjoy seeing negative space in both the architecture and the art. This mixed with a very asymmetric placement of objects, or designs in sand could hold my attention for hours on end. The negative space is influenced by Zen concepts and ironically I somehow find it to be overwhelming at times. One of the many thoughts or terms we went over as a class before coming to Japan was wabi sabi. Wabi is a philosophical concept that is loosely (and possibly bastardized by this American) as acceptance of transience, or an appreciation of poverty. I believe sabi is more aimed as a description of time and how it affects man made things. Aesthetic characteristics of wabi sabi are simplicity, asymmetric and thought to be imperfect, impermanent, and because the effect of time, incomplete. I find myself trying to make a connection to wabi sabi in everything I look at, from the worn tread on tires of a bike to the cracking of paint on a wall.

Breathtaking Sanjusangendo

2010-05-28T22:10:00.000-07:00

Upon entering Sanjusangendo one is confronted with an intensive sense of awe. With over 1000 human-sized golden statues lined up in perfect rows, one gets a sense that they are among an army of angels. Each statue is an individual production of a 3 dimensional image of Kannon, the Buddhist goddess of mercy or compassion (more popularly know as Guan Yin in China and the west). There is a large statue of Kannon 10X the size of the others surrounded by an altar in the middle of the temple. 500 human-sized structures exist on either side of this center piece.

The statues are carved of Japanese cypress. The arms and heads of the Kannon were carved seperately and then joined together with the bodies. They were coated with a lacquer and then were covered with gold leaf. 124 were made in 1164 when the temple was founded. The remaining 876 were made in 1266 during a significant temple renovation. Photography is not permitted inside the temple so below is a photo which I found online.

The architecture which surrounds the statues is also outstanding. The inner temple has a roof pitched for cosmetic purposes and in place of a flat ceiling, a white false ceiling has been built at the same angle as the roof. Sanjusangendo is also record breaking in that it is Japan's longest wooden structure at 120 meters in length.

The front exterior is comprised of large sliding plank doors and paper windows utilized for lighting and beauty. The rear exterior is a wall of horizontal planks and a wood frame windows decorated with thin vertical wooden strips. The roof is gorgeous. The gable ends are reinforced with pure dynamic triangular structures known as inokosasu (roof decorations). The gable ends are decorated with plates cut into floral patterns known as inonegegyo. They are quite the finishing touch to such a fascinating temple. Sanjusangendo is breath-taking inside and out!

To find out more information on Sanjusangendo visit http://www.sacred-destinations.com/japan/kyoto-sanjusangendo.htm

Ninjas are to Uenoshi, what the Cornhuskers are to Lincoln Nebraska.

2010-05-28T20:47:00.000-07:00

From Kyoto to Kusatsu, and from Kusatsu to Tsuge, then from Tsuge to Iga-Ueno, and finally from Iga-ueno to Uenoshi. Roughly two hours to get to the city. On the train ride there I got the chance to see some of the most beautiful mountains I’d ever witnessed, with clouds literally rolling down them. We also got a view of the ocean and it was a little unsettling to be so close to both the ocean and the mountains. We could look out one window and see the ocean spread as far as the eye can see, then turn around and right outside the other window would be the foothills rising up to mountains that pierced through the clouds.

After getting off our final train it was just a short walk through the Iga Park grounds to get to the ninja museum. The scenery was once again absolutely beautiful and I could tell that the trip was already starting to pay off. We passed by the souvenir shop filled with allsorts of ninja related trinkets, none of which were actually very impressive.

Once in the museum we were taken on a tour of all the different kinds of secret passageways and hidden chambers the ninjas would use to escape from invading samurai. One of the more common ones was a simple wall panel that had a pole down the middle and could quickly rotate around. Our guide asked for volunteers and I happily obliged her. I attempted to whizz through the hidden passage, but as the top of the door frame only went up to my shoulders there was much more crashing and stumbling involved then what I would have liked.

After the tour of the ninja house we next got to travel around the actual ninja museum and try on some Mizugumo (special shoes used to cross the swampy moats of castles) as well as chain mail armor that they used for training up their muscles and jumping ability. The museum also held a large assortment of tools that the ninja would use. These ranged from the well known items like shuriken and the Ninjato, or ninja sword, to less well known ones such as a sort of bullet proof vest and special tools used to jam sliding doors so that they might prevent their targets from escaping. You could also learn some interesting facts that popular culture tends to smudge up, like how ninja’s actually wore dark navy blue instead of black so that even on nights where it wasn’t completely dark they could still blend in to the shadows.

When we finished the Museum we got to see a weapons demonstration where our two masters showed us how different tools and weapons were used by the ninja. This ranged from how well a Ninjato can cut through objects, to using the sheath and string attached as a sort of radar for finding people in the dark so that you can have the drop on them. We also got to see how a kurasagama and shuriken worked. The Shuriken were quite impressive. Especially since when looking at the matt he threw them at the shuriken seemed to magically appear imbedded within it.

After that we headed back through the souvenirs shop and had dinner at small bar with a ninja corgi on the sign. The food was good and the barkeep gave us a menu in English, which was appreciated. I was tired at this point and didn’t feel like working out the kanji. We caught the five o’clock bus back and got to enjoy the scenery once again, but this time with a sunset backdrop. It was even more gorgeous then when we head up. All in all it was a good day and well worth the trip.

From "A" to "B" (and "See"ing)

2010-05-28T19:37:00.000-07:00

So the rain dried. The sun came to give us a real welcome and the smell of moist backpacks slowly left us. Clear skies assisted us in learning how to get across the great country of Japan. Before long, we made our way to Kyoto station and I marveled at the sheer scale of the monstrous transit center. More so than the fine restaurants and hugely populated walkways, the architecture of the station moved me. Taking a series of very long escalators to the top, I experienced a sort of vertigo while looking up at the rafter work and nearly ornamental steel. Perhaps it was the whole scale of it all, or maybe it was the extreme experience of depth perception that kept my attention. Like the last time I posted, I couldn't help but keep looking up (though this time with thoughts of “2001: A Space Odyssey”. I set my camera on the handrail of the escalator for the long ride to the top. Here's a clip of what it saw.

Yesterday, we took the Shinkansen for the first time. Also called a “Bullet Train”, the Shinkansen brought us from Kyoto to Nagoya in less than an hour. This ride was the first time I felt truly comfortable sitting down on mass transit in Japan due to my hypersensitive respect (I'm generally the last person to take a seat). With a small can of cold black coffee, my eyes were glued to the countryside; a high speed overview of some rural and urban sights. I took the opportunity to capture the following footage, and I realized; sometimes it's not what's at point A or B that matters, but what you see along the way.

Feel free to check up on my thread on starcityscene.com to read more about my adventures in Japan.

Hands on at Kyoto Handicraft Center

2010-05-28T18:50:00.000-07:00

We had spent the day in intense heat, dehydration was abundant after hiking up to Ginkaku-ji, The modern air conditioned building of the Kyoto Handicraft center was a far cry from the classic Japanese architecture and garden of the Silver Pavilion.

The inside resembled a much more western store in appearance, the difference being here there was an abundance of cheesy but fun souvenirs and exquisite crafts that you really could only find in Japan. There were shelves of lacquerware, which are delicate gold patterns and scenes put onto boxes or serving dishes with a rich black laquer surrounding it. One of them had irises rising up the side of the box, blooming on the shining top.

The lacquer was something that was discussed in In Praise of Shadows by Junichiro Tanizaki. The mystery and the shadows is something that is aesthetically very important to Japanese culture. It is really hard to find anything with as rich of darkness, and plays off of the very little light that there is in a room. Even in the lighting of the Kyoto Handicraft center, which isn't the ideal lighting to see these creations, you could still feel how rich and deep the black was. Something I learned about when I was younger was how there are certain blacks that are natural and alive and then there are artificial blacks that are colder and more fake. The lacquer ware was probably the most alive black I had ever seen. It really shows how there can be so much in simplicity and shadows.

A Disparity of Beauty

2010-05-28T16:34:00.000-07:00

When I arrived in Japan, I was fairly certain that I wasn't laboring under any false assumptions about the culture or country; I was proven wrong within a few hours, as we were being driven through Osaka to Kyoto. Nothing was as I expected it, and everything that I saw was disappointing. Through the night, all that I could make out were the neon lights of the big cities and that was, shortly, not what I had hoped or imagined these places to be like; they were somehow supposed to escape the classic features of metropolises. I couldn't see any nature or any ancient architecture, which was what my mind had been focusing on, and there was no identity to distinguish them from the cities of America other than the sparse signs in Japanese, and even then there was plenty enough English everywhere to subjugate this inkling of a foreign identity.

I didn't like what I saw, and I had the initial, impulsive thought of: What am I doing here?

However, things got better. Myoshinji was far closer to the images my mind had been forming, and in them was the beauty that I was expecting and looking for. There was that sense of sabi, of beauty in age, and the onlooker couldn't help but marvel at the sturdiness of these architectures. All of the temples and shrines that we have visited have this feeling: when we were led to the backrooms of Ryoan-ji, to the podiums of the Buddha and his disciples, there was a heady sense of the uncanny; looking into their ancient faces, I got goosebumps. It felt like the world was a moment away from animating these figures so that they may recount their tales.

But there's a stark divide between the astounding magnificence of these ancient infrastructures and the modern buildings that crowd them in. The latter are haphazard and grey, worn down, exhibiting sabi in what can only be called its ugliest incarnation. The outskirting commercial streets of Kyoto are the worst, flat and pitiful in their facades and looking for all the world like forgotten -- yet still habitually-used -- boxes. It seems as if the Japanese are so obsessively focused on the past, on the beautiful creations of their ancestors, that they have completely abandoned the modern world: it must serve its purpose, but they will not try to make it, in its own right, into a place of grandeur. Beauty is reserved for the ancients.

I don't understand this, not at all. How can there be such a gulf between these two worlds? Maybe I simply haven't seen enough of this country to understand, or to find the bridging element, but for the moment, I am perplexed by this place.

Juxtaposition of Old and New

2010-05-27T06:39:00.000-07:00

While shopping in an arcade next to Nishiki Market, I came across Seiganji Temple, an old Buddhist temple in the middle of the shopping center. It was the last thing I expected to find while shopping for souvenirs, and it was amazing to find something so old in a building so new. The temple and the shopping center were only seperated by a doorway, but once I stepped inside the temple gate, it felt like I went back in time. I gazed up to see the giant ornate Buddha sitting in the center of the temple, then ascended the stairs with the incense getting more intense as I got nearer to the room. A priest came out and chanted and a man came in to pray.

I thought it was strange for a temple to be located inside a shopping center, but then I kept on seeing more old religious sites throughout the arcade acting as quiet spiritual havens in the middle of hectic, modern life. There was a cemetery, shrine, and temple where people could step in to pray and then walk a few steps out and buy some shoes. The materials clash, but in an interesting way with aging wooden structures and tiled roofs next to slick glass facades.

After thinking about it, the whole city of Kyoto is similar to that shopping center. It seems like everywhere you go there is a temple complex surrounded by modern buildings. Along the skyline you can see modern boxy high-rises alongside sweeping temple roofs. This preservation of the old while developing the new is connected to the Japanese respect for tradition and the sabi in Japanese aesthetics with appreciation of time and aging. Compared to Japan, the United States doesn't have the long history or the integration of the traditional into our culture. The combination of old and new is obvious in the architecture seen around the city, but is also seen in other aspects like women in trational kimonos riding the subway and old men using the latest cell phones. You can read Melanie's blog about other dualities she found in Japan.

Toji-Temple

2010-05-27T05:20:00.000-07:00

We Walked to Toji-Temple today from Kyoto Station. It was a quick walk to beautiful temple grounds. We started the tour with a short lecture on Buddhism by Hilary in front of the five story pagoda.

We learned the Buddha means awakened one and that the Buddha that we have on record was a prince named Sakamuni who reached enlightenment through meditation. Buddha is not a god to Buddhists but one who reached enlightenment and nirvana when he died. Nirvana is the combination of enlightenment, death, and the extinguishing of the soul where the soul becomes one with the world.

We also learned that the pagoda is an East Asian interpretation of the Indian stupa which houses relics from the Buddha. The Chinese designs were brought to Japan along witht eh Buddhist religion and relics. The pagoda stading in Toji-Temple houses relics underneath the central pole tha tgoes form inside the ground to the top of the five story pagoda. This pagoda is the largest standing wooden structure in Japan.

We continued our tour by looking at the Yakushi Trinity in the Kondo-Hall and the set of Twenty-one Buddhist statues in the Lecture Hall. We weren't allowed to take

pictures in either hall which was disapointing because the statues were absolutelly amazing. Each of the statues are covered in goldleaf and extremely ornate.

Hilary explained to us that there are three types of statues that we saw; Buddha, Bohisattva, and Vidyaraja. The Buddha is the awakened one, the Bohisattva is also an awakened one but they stay on earth to help others become enlightened and then the Vidyaraja is the king of wisdom.

Each of the three types has specific iconic designs that show what it is. The Buddha has three fleshy neck rings, enlongated earlobes, an urna or dot on his forehead and snail-curls. The Bodhisattva is dressed in princely garb and Vidyaraja is designed to look strong and wrathful.

Over all Toji-Temple is aboslutely beaufiful and a must see for anyone who comes to Kyoto and loves hisotry or art. Every piece of each building and statue is a handcrafted work of art that should be carefully observed and admired even if you can't take pictures of the statues.

Japanese Public Bath; Quite Possibly the Most Awkward Experience of My Life

2010-05-25T20:58:00.000-07:00

I went to my first Japanese public bath yesterday. It was quite possibly the most awkward experience of my life! I don't mean to say that Japanese public bathers are bizarre but the experience was very bizarre for me!

I entered the front door to the bath house and took off my shoes and left them at the entrance with the other shoes that were there. (Luckily I entered the correct door as the only way to go from that entrance was into the women's dressing area!) There was a series of lockers with large wooden keys in them. None of the other shoe owners were using a locker so I decided not to use one either since all I had with me was a small purse and the clothes on my body.

I then entered the the door with the red woman emblem on it beside the lockers. As soon as I opened the door I was accosted by the sight of several naked men. I was indeed in the women's dressing area but there was a 3 foot gap where there was no wall near the front desk. The men who entered on the other side could surely see into this much of the changing area of the women's side! The clerk (an old man) had his back toward me and said nothing so I just continued into the changing area assuming I would pay as I left.

I began to undress as I looked around stealth-fully to see what the other women were doing so that I would be able to emulate them. I placed my clothing and my purse in an empty basket which was on a shelf. It wasn't until I was entirely naked that I realized that I had no idea where to obtain soap, shampoo, or a towel (I had learned from others that these items would be available at the bath sight). I knew that I was supposed to shower thoroughly before entering the tubs so I dared not proceed further without these cleaning items. So I approached a lady who was dressing on a couch and said "sumimasen (excuse me)" and proceeded to deliberately gesture and ask with very broken Japanese if she could help me find soap and shampoo. She then walked up to the front desk and spoke with the clerk for a minute or so. She then gestured for me to approach the desk (remember, I am naked at this time)!

I then apprehensively got near the desk hiding my body behind a tiny curtain the size of a pillow case which barely covered my chest and abdomen. I peeked my head around the side of the curtain and said "konbanwa (good evening)" and asked for some soap. The gentle man handed me a tiny bar of soap, a small bottle of shampoo, and a very little towel. I asked how much yen and he counted on his fingers 5. I then scooted over to my purse and pulled out 500 yen and walked back over to the clerk and gave him the money. I then hurried into the shower area.

The shower heads were 2 feet off the ground so I showered while sitting and kneeling. I scrubbed myself down for 5 minutes using the soap and the tiny towel that the clerk had given me. I was fascinated by how long the other women took to shower. (One woman showered, scrubbing herself over and over again, for the entire 40 minutes I was there!) I then washed my hair thoroughly. When I was done there was a pile of a soap package, bobby pins (which I forgot to remove prior to entering the area), a slippery/soggy bar of soap, a tiny bottle, and a wet towel sitting on the small ledge at the shower. I looked around for a trash can and saw none in the entire women's side of the bath house. I must have seemed confused because a kind old lady walked over and handed me a medium sized yellow bowl. I placed the stuff in it and walked it over with me to the first hot tub.

I soaked for 15 minutes or so in the hottest water I have ever been immersed in while discretely observing the other women, taking mental notes as to how to act in such a place. All at once I felt a panic as it occurred to me that I had not towel with which to dry off! I looked around and didn't see any large towels. I suppose the other women brought theirs from home and they were waiting for them in the baskets that they put their clothing in. I arrived at the bright idea of drying off in the sauna.

I stepped out of the tub (beet red and dizzy) and entered the sauna. I sat down on the felt covered bench and continued to drip for 3 minutes or so. I was sweating and my hair was dripping water excessively. It was no use. I then thought that I could dry off my tiny towel in the sauna so I laid it out on the bench and waited for another few minutes but I was so uncomfortably hot that I just had to exit the sauna.

I rinsed off the bowl and set it aside, holding the pile of trash in my hand. I walked through the dressing area sopping wet and went directly to the toilet room. I peed into the squatter (did I mention that I had to pee pretty badly from the instant I began to shower?) and then dabbed myself dry with toilet paper. I used the tiny feminine hygiene receptacle to dispose of the soap and other items (minus the towel) which had previously been in the yellow bowl.

I exited the toilet room and dressed my damp body. I asked a woman who seemed to be working there where I should place my towel. She took it from me and set it on a shelf. I thanked her and left the bath house, still beet red.

To find out more about public baths in Japan visit http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2074.html

Right Outside Your Door

2010-05-25T18:36:00.000-07:00

I spent the second day (and nearly 40 subsequent hours) in Japan under water. It was not long before I realized that one of the few persistent things in Japan is water. The rain picked up and did not stop. Before long, my shoes were sponges, my umbrella was an IV drip for the unfortunate floors of Kyoto station, and I learned the importance of newspaper (really only for drying shoes).

At tourist traps and middle-of-nowheres alike, my attention was consistently attracted to water, the way the Japanese responded to it, and the way it responded to the Japanese. Take Royan-ji temple for example. Along with the fantastic rock garden were several architectural reactions to the rain. I was fascinated by the copper (I think) ornament hanging from the spout of a gutter attached to the temple. This beautiful display of rain mixing with Japanese art can be seen in the short video below.

After this experience at Royan-ji, I started to notice very small displays of a beautiful reaction to nature everywhere in Japan. Most of these structures were designed to route water through gardens, keep water off of streets, or protect the Japanese from torrential downpours. As we returned to Shunko-in Temple (I am much obliged by Taka Kawakami's hospitality), I found the following video clip above our western-style-room's door (looking through the transparent awning). After filming this example, I learned my first lesson in Japanese visual culture; sometime the most beautiful experiences can be right outside your door.

Ryoan-Ji Temple

2010-05-25T17:36:00.000-07:00

The Ryoan-ji Temple complex is a wonderful aesthetic area that has been around Kyoto for hundreds of years. We visited Ryoan-ji early in the morning it was rainy yet not cold and everyone was getting a little wet. We went in the back way because there were lots of school children that day. Once everyone was inside we shuffled to the main area with our tour guide and Taka as our translator. As we continued through Ryoan-ji we came upon the famous Zen Buddhist Rock Garden.
This Garden is known world wide for its beauty and the 15 rocks that can not be seen at the same time unless you are enlightened. Unless your 6'10" you wont be seeing all 15 rocks from any direction or your on the roof.

After we learned about the rock garden we moved further into the temple into an area not many visitors get to see. It was the temple's Founder shrine. We were not allowed to take pictures, but the wood was over 1,000 years old and there was a beautiful painting of a dragon holding the temple crest in its claw and there was a shrine to the master of the temple. We moved on to the temple tea room and were also not allowed to take pictures. The most beautiful part of the temple had to be the rock garden and some of the garden area in front of the temple.

The torii gates are almost everywhere you turn in the Temples and are amazingly ornate. Every Torii had a temple Crest and Kanji that stood for the shrine it was in front of. The size of the temple was just massive for the area it seemed to stand in. This experience I will never forget and I recommend this site to any visitor of Kyoto.

Kawaii Food Fuels The Japanese

2010-05-24T16:02:00.000-07:00

American culture uses pseudo Asian meditations and therapy to relax from the stress of who will become the next American Idol. Japan takes a break from the excessive work weeks through Hello Kitty style kawaii culture. Kawaii culture, which is explained in the Graphic Japan ready by Sharon Kinsella as a celebration of all that is "sweet, adorable, innocent, pure, simple, genuine, gentle, vulnerable, weak, and inexperienced in social behavior and physical appearance." To simply put it, its cute things.

At Nishiki market, the kawaii culture can be experienced through the way food is presented. Everything from candy, to rice crackers, to even mochi are transformed from their normal state to flowers, leaves and fruits. The walls of kawaii candy seem to be just as important to the Japanese experience as the tumpura stand next door.The reason for kawaii in food seems a little strange to an American like myself, but it is said that kawaii is used not because it is simply super adorable, but it is a connection to childhood that in a culture where adults are expected to work long hours in intense company groups.

The kawaii food in the specialty shops also had a lot of seasonality, or mono no aware. The rice crackers have pictures of delicate flowers and fish. The candies are shaped into seasonal flowers and fruits in pastel shades. The idea that there are certain things for every season, such as spring, is something that is important to thte culture thing. It was really interesting to see that even something that is really new like kawaii culture, especially when you think about how old the Japanese culture ranges back, has routes in something so importantly Japanese.

If you go to Nishiki market, or any sort of food store in Japan, you really should keep an eye out for the different types of kawaii food and candy you are bound to see.

Girls and Boys are Different, So Are Their Comic Books

2010-05-24T04:56:00.000-07:00

I wish I had more to show for the hour I spent in the Kyoto International Manga Museum. But, unfortunately, I have very little. For one thing photography is forbidden, and also I got in trouble for trying to do even a few simple sketches. I’m going to post one of the pictures from of the museum’s website, just to give you a better idea of what the place is like, since my sketches are pretty elementary.

The museum was almost overwhelming, with three floors of nothing but manga, some of it dating back to the early 1900’s. I could go on and on for pages about the history of manga, but really I was more interested in the separation of boy and girl comics (shonen and shojo respectively). Boys got the first floor, girls the second. I knew about the different types from perusing the manga section at my local bookstore, but I never knew how different they are until I was politely directed by the woman at the font desk to go to the second floor for my gender’s manga.

Comparing the two, I think I prefer shonen, but that’s because I like adventure stories over shojo romances. But as far as the art goes, I think that my tastes lean towards shojo. Shojo manga is much more focused on realistic, delicate art with a lot of detail and sparkles around almost everything. Shonen art, on the other hand, is far blockier and stylized. Only the female characters are delicate in any way shape or form, and they are few and far between. Instead of sparkles, every page is jam-packed with action lines.

I think this says a lot about gender expectations here. Girls are supposed to want sweet, dainty romances that they can immerse themselves in, while boys are meant to enjoy stark, masculine comics that are focused on action. But I wouldn’t read too much into it: both sexes were equally represented on both floors, so I don’t think that anyone’s expected to conform to the stereotypes that manga presents.

Being in the moment

2010-05-23T15:40:00.000-07:00

One of the primary goals of our course is to observe Japanese culture. We have only been in Japan for two days, but we have already experienced a world that is completely different from ours.

This is the sixth time that I have taken students abroad but the first time that we are trying to document how we actually "see" culture. We are staying at Shunko-in Temple, which is part of the Myoshin-ji Temple Complex in Kyoto, Japan. On the first day of class, we spent two hours in drawing practice. The goal was to draw an image of anything that could be seen from within the temple. Some of our students already had a background in drawing while others did not. Apart from the occasional storyboards we draw in advertising I hadn't really drawn anything since high school.

We each picked a spot and started to gaze at the beautiful temple garden in front of us. There were so many angles, so many different textures, colors, and shades. It was almost overwhelming. But Dana reminded us to slow down, focus and to try to really "see" the garden.

We spent about two hours drawing that day and I could feel how everything around me slowed down. I became more aware of what was in front of me. The process of being in the moment and focusing on one thing was something that I had not experienced in years. Although the product of my drawing practice is probably not a piece of art, it taught me to focus on perspective, proportions, and texture. I think we're off to a great start.