Blog Resources
Miyake: Japan’s Fashion Guru to the World
Issey Miyake, one of the Nihon’s most respected and well-known designers, refers to his designs not as clothing, or ready-to-wear ensembles, but rather art pieces.
And why not? Many of the designs from Miyake et al are stunningly beautiful, but not the kind of thing you’d wear to the cricket, or even to dinner in some cases. Issey Miyake thinks differently from the more orthodox designer. Hailing from Japan, most would expect him to create ‘art pieces’ with an oriental flavour. While he will do this - and still does - he also creates pieces that are far more westernised than most would expect.
Born in Hiroshima, Japan, in 1938, Issey Miyake was seven years old when the USA dropped an atomic bomb on his country. Sadly, his mother was badly burned by the bombing of Hiroshima and died four years later. But, in an ironic twist of fate, the American occupation of Japan that occured after the attack gave a young Issey a first-hand look at Western culture. Miyake had always wanted to be a fashion designer, and in 1959 he enrolled in a graphic arts course at Tokyo’s famous Tama Art University. Five years later - in early 1965 - he moved to Paris to fulfil his dream and started looking for work in the Big Smoke. He then worked for Guy Laroche in only his second year in France, which lasted from 1966, to 1968. In the year that he ditched Laroche, he was snapped up by none other than the Givenchy house of design.
Then in 1969 he moved to New York City to work for Geoffrey Beene and two years later, after earning a good deal of capital, he set up his first creative studio - the Miyake Design Studio, or MDS, in Tokyo. This wasn’t so much a place of design and production, but a more a laboratory of sorts, where Miyake started experimenting with various blends of fabric and synthetic textiles. Miyake’s first fashion show in Paris was a hit (1973) and by ‘79, he had set up an arm of his design house in France.
Making use of natural fibres and other fabrics, painstakingly researched at the Miyake Design Studio in Tokyo, his designs became hugely successful, not just in high cultural circles, either. In the ’90s Issey Miyake is largely accepted for kicking off the pleat, which today comes and goes with fashion trends year-in and year-out. His development of the pleating theory revolved around first sewing garments, then finishing them, and finally the pleating. From here on in, Miyake’s designs would influence not just the world of fashion, but even sport. For instance in 1992, Miyake designed the pleated jackets for the Lithuanian team at the Barcelona Olympics. Today Issey Miyake’s designs can be purchased all around the world, particularly here in Australia. He has quite a following locally, and right around the world, and doesn’t look like slowing any time soon.
Posted March 27th, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
Baseball Season Starting!
One of the most popular sports in Japan, baseball, is about to start its new season soon and is well worth catching a view of even if you are not an avid fan. Japan’s professional baseball season is from April to October. There are two leagues in Japanese professional baseball: the Central League and the Pacific League. There are six teams in each league. The winners from both leagues meet in the Japan Series in October. In July, two or three All-Star games are held by best players from two leagues. Also, exchange games between two leagues called koryu-jiai are planned every year.
It’s going to be so much fun to see popular baseball teams and players. If you are living in Japan or visiting Japan, plan to go watch a baseball game near you. You can contact each team’s ballpark. Here are the details of the main teams/stadiums:
Central League
Yomiuri Giants Ballpark: Tokyo Dome
Chunichi Dragons Ballpark: Nagoya Dome
Yokohama Bay Stars Ballpark: Yokohama Stadium
Yakult Swallows Ballpark: Gingu Stadium
Tokyo Hiroshima Toyo Carp Ballpark: Hiroshima Shimin Stadium
Hanshin Tigers Ballpark: Hanshin Koshien Stadium
Pacific League
Fukuoka Soft Bank Hawks Ballpark: Fukuoka Yahoo Dome
Seibu Lions Ballpark: Seibu Dome
Golden Eagles Ballpark: Full Cast Stadium Miyagi (Sendai)
Chiba Lotte Marines Ballpark: Chiba Marine Stadium
Orix Buffaloes Ballpark: Osaka Dome
Posted March 26th, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
Making An Origami Crane
A paper crane is an ancient origami pattern that symbolizes health and peace. For centuries there were no written directions for folding origami models. The directions were taught to each generation and then handed down to the next. This form of art became part of the cultural heritage of the Japanese people. In 1797, How to Fold 1000 Cranes was published. This book contained the first written set of origami instructions which told how to fold a crane. The crane was considered a sacred bird in Japan. It was a Japanese custom that if a person folded 1000 cranes, they would be granted one wish.
Making an origami crane is not too difficult. Here’s how:
. Fold the bottom point of a square piece of paper up to meet the top point. Crease and unfold. Repeat for the left and right points.
2. Turn the paper over (one edge should face you) and fold the left edge to meet the right edge. Crease and unfold. Repeat for the top and bottom edges. Rotate the paper so that any point faces you.
3. Grasp the left and right points and push them together and down to meet at the bottom point. Flatten. This step will give you a two-layered, diamond-shaped piece of paper.
4. Fold the lower right edge of the top layer of paper in toward the center so that it lies along the center vertical fold line. Crease and repeat for the lower left edge. Turn the paper over and repeat for the other side.
5. Fold the triangle at the top of the paper down. Crease and unfold. Turn your paper over and repeat. Unfold the flaps made in Step 4.
6. Point the open end of the diamond shape toward you. Bring the bottom point up (top layer only) toward the top point. The left and right points will be drawn inward and the paper will fold backward along the crease made in Step 5. Flatten the paper.
7. Turn your paper over and repeat Step 6. You will have two triangles on either side of the paper that touch at their bases. The two bottom flaps will be the crane’s neck and tail; the top flaps will be the wings.
8. Repeat Step 4 for the longer diamond shape you now have in front of you. This narrows the crane’s neck and tail.
9. Fold the bottom flaps up as far as you can so that their points angle up and out. Crease. Turn the paper over and fold one of the points down to make the crane’s head.
10. Pull the top flaps (wings) down and out so that the center portion of the paper (the crane’s back) is rounded out instead of pointed.
Tips:
Work on a hard surface and sharpen each crease by running your thumbnail or a pencil over it. Sharp creases are essential to the successful completion of this model.
Practice on scrap paper first and then move on to specially made origami paper. Origami paper has the appropriate thickness and weight you will need to achieve clean, sharp creases.
Posted March 25th, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
Ukiyo-e: Pictures Of The Floating World
There are many unique aspects of Japanese art and culture. Haven’t you ever wondered about those beautiful traditional artworks that you see hanging on the walls of many Japanese restaurants or in traditional Japanese homes that you see in the movies? Those artworks are called Ukiyo-e.
Ukiyo-e, which roughly translates to “pictures of the floating world”, is a style of painting and printmaking, which became quite popular in Japan in the 18th and 19th centuries.
The method of printing for this artform is deceptively simple. Blocks of wood were carved from an original drawing, and used to make near exact copies. Different blocks were used for each color, and could be printed repeatedly to create bold, bright images.
The original purpose of making ukiyo-e was to give people who could not afford real paintings a chance to own a piece of art. Because of this the subjects were usually vibrant city characters: popular actors, beautiful courtesans or bulky sumo wrestlers.
However, even though a majority of the pieces made revolved around the said subjects, many of the most famous ukiyo-e images are landscapes, like Hokusai’s enduring ‘Great Wave at Kanagawa’.
The Utagawa school dominated ukiyo-e and was acknowledged as the best training ground for ukiyo-e artists. In fact, most of the period’s great artists either studied there or learnt from someone who did.
Although they were discouraged, many sexually explicit woodblock prints, called shung (springtime pictures) were also made in this era. The punishments for creating these prints were strict, but even famous artists got away with making some shunga.
Posted March 25th, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
The Last Samurai
Japanese samurai warriors were ranked at the top of the Japanese social hierarchy for hundreds of years until 19th century. Shogun were the most powerful samurai who ruled Japan at the time.
Filming of a Warner Bros movie, the Last Samurai, starring Tom Cruise, was taken place in Japan. Tom Cruise and filming crew visited Japan on Oct. 2002 for a week. Filming was taken place at Engyo-ji Temple in Himeji-city and other places in Kyoto.
The Last Samurai is directed by Edward Zwick and is set in Japan during the 1870s. The film portrays a struggle between two different eras in the beginnings of the modernization of Japan. Tom Cruise plays an American military officer who goes to Japan to train Japan’s modern army. Japanese actors plays samurai warriors who are angry at Westerners.
Posted March 24th, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
The Japanese Calligraphy Brush: An Art In Itself
The Japanese brush is a complex tool that, given the love and attention that goes into its decoration, should be considered a work of art in itself. The different types of animal hairs used in brush making give very different results. Some hairs absorb more ink, some release more, and it is up to the calligrapher to decide which is appropriate for a specific job. Unlike using a pen the calligraphers brush allows more control of the thickness and tone of the characters.
Skilled craftsmen make the brushes, which is quite contrary to their simple looking structure. A brush can even be made out of bamboo, tip pounded into a fibrous brush and used for terse, quick effects. The original hairs used in brushes came from such animals as wolf, squirrel, weasel and badger. Today the brushes are more commonly made from sheep, dog, cat, rabbit, deer, goat and horse. For special brushes feathers, straw and dried grasses are also used. The main exporters of brush materials are Canada, China and South East Asia.
Brushes of a similar nature to calligraphy brushes are also used in Sumi ink painting (though a much greater variety of brushes are used for this art form. Another variation of the calligraphy brush can be found in use in gold lacquer decoration (Maki-e). These particular brushes are very fine, long, and thin, which is necessary for their delicate work. Reportedly the best hair for this type of brush comes from the plush flank hair of ship rats, or, secondly, cats.
Posted March 23rd, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
Poison-Free Fugu Ignored by Japan’s Sushi Lovers
A large number of Japanese sushi lovers have a particular fascination for Fugu. The fish is a much-loved dish but its organs contain enough lethal toxin to kill 30 people.
An unlucky diner who has been poisoned by eating Fugu will know that something is amiss when he feels a tingling in the extremities and his lips turn blue.
The poison paralyses the nerves and prevents the lungs from working. There is no antidote to this type of poison and death occurs within minutes.
Only specially licensed chefs are qualified to prepare the blowfish for human consumption.
Every year, a number of people succumb to Fugu poisoning after preparing the dish at home.
But even with the dangerous nature of this fish, the Japanese are still consuming it because of its delicate flavor.
A team headed by Prof Tamao Noguchi at Nagasaki University was able to breed blowfish that had no poison in it by putting it on a special diet.
Prof Noguchi has bred 4,800 of the prized tiger fugu species over three years, preventing tetrodotoxin accumulating in their internal organs by altering their diet to eliminate crabs, shellfish and starfish.
Unfortunately, it looks like this poison-free variety of blowfish is not necessarily taking off in Japan’s restaurants. Takeshi Yamasuge, a fugu restaurant owner near Tokyo, said his customers preferred the real thing, despite prices as high as £60 a pound.
Yamasuge says that one reason people actually eat fugu is because of the danger involved in eating it.
Posted March 22nd, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
The Little-Known Art of Kodo
Kodo literally means “way of the fragrance.” Along with Sado (tea ceremony) and kado or Ikebana (flower arrangment), it is one of the three major classical arts that any woman of refinement was expected to learn. Kodo is perhaps the least well-known of the three, but these days its modern cousin, aromatherapy, is all the rage. When practicing kodo, a mica plate is placed on top of smouldering coals and the incense or fragrant wood is placed on the plate. So the wood is not actually burned, but gives off its fragrance in a subtle way. It may seem to be all about the sense of smell, but the secret of Kodo is in “listening.” The participants don’t “smell” (the Japanese verb ‘kagu’) the incense or fragrant wood, but rather “listen” (kiku) to it, opening up not so much their nasal passages as their heart and spirit. Modern western psychologists and therapists know about the power of the sense of smell, how a smell can instantly transport a person back to a place from their childhood. In Japan, the burning of incense and prizing of rare scented wood has been transporting people to a different spiritual plane for many centuries. The fragrances of kodo are divided into rikkoku gomi (lit. six countries, five tastes). The rikkoku are six kinds of fragrant wood: kyara, rakoku, manaka, manaban, sumatora, and sasora. The gomi are the tastes of amai (sweet), nigai (bitter), karai (spicy hot), suppai (sour), shio karai (salty). Becoming able to break down a given fragrance into these different elements takes years of experience and a very refined sense of smell.
Posted March 21st, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
Japan’s Obsession With Pachinko
How big is the pachinko business in Japan? Well, it employs a third of a million people, three times more than the steel industry; it commands 40 percent of Japan’s leisure industry, including restaurants and bars; and with 30 million regular enthusiasts coughing up almost 30 trillion yen in 1999 (a higher turnover than the car industry), it’s very big business indeed. So big, that foreign businesses are getting in on the act. While much of the pachinko industry has long been controlled by residents of Korean descent, in early 2001 British company BS Group bought a stake in Tokyo Plaza, who run about 20 parlors in Japan, and have also opened parlors in the UK. If you want to play pachinko, you won’t have to look very hard to find a parlor. There’s usually at least one near every train station and where there is no station (ie in the countryside) just look out for the gariest, ugliest building you can find. That’s it - the big silver box in the middle of nowhere covered in neon signs and flashing lights. As soon as you step up to the electric doors and they slide open, the noise - and usually the smell - hits you. This is not a place for casual conversation or requests for the no-smoking section. The wall of noise might seem unpleasant to the newcomer but it seems to help the serious gamblers, or pachi-puro, to concentrate or perhaps to just switch off as they sit in silence in front of their chosen machines. Sometimes they’re there all day - it’s common to see people lining up outside a parlor first thing in the morning, waiting to get the machine they think is going to pay up and almost as common to see them come out in the afternoon or evening having won - or lost a day’s pay or more.
Posted March 20th, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
When To Wear A Kimono
Japanese people are keenly aware of the four seasons, and the clothes they wear are always in keeping with the season. The Japanese are also very tuned in to the stages of their lives. Special events are held to mark milestones in children’s growth, for instance, and people change their kimonos to fit both the season and the occasion. The history of the kimono is a long and intersting one, and although the modern Japanese rarely ware it on a daily basis, these beautiful garments are still used for a number of occasions and ceremonies.
Between 30 and 100 days after a child is born, the parents, siblings, and grandparents visit a shrine together to report the child’s birth. The baby is dressed in a white under-kimono. On top of that kimono, the baby wears a brightly colored yuzen-dyed kimono if it is a girl, and a black kimono decorated with the family crest if it is a boy.
Another key event in a kid’s life is the Shichi-Go-San (”seven-five-three”) Festival, which takes place in November. On this day, parents take their five-year-old boys and seven-year-old or three-year-old girls to the local shrine to thank the gods for keeping their children healthy and making them grow. The kids are dressed in kimonos for this occasion too.
At the age of 20, young people celebrate their passage into adulthood by visiting a shrine on Coming-of-Age Day, the second Monday in January. For this occasion, girls wear furisode (kimonos with long flowing sleeves) and boys wear haori (half-coats) and hakama decorated with their family crests.
Furisode kimonos are worn only by unmarried women. Once upon a time, young Japanese women declared their love for a man by fluttering the long-flapped sleeves of their furisode kimono.
At weddings, the bride wears a pure white kimono known as a shiromuku. The color white signifies the beginning of a journey. Once a woman is married, she no longer wears a furisode. Instead, she wears a tomesode, a kimono with shorter flaps on the sleeves. The tomesode can be either black or another color. Black tomesode with the wearer’s family crest on them are reserved for formal occasions, such as the weddings of one’s relatives. Colored tomesode can also be worn on formal occasions, but they do not always have the family crest on them. A key distinguishing feature of tomesode (both black and other colors) is that only the fabric on the bottom half of the kimono is decorated with a pattern.
Posted March 20th, 2006 by geisha | Comment (0)
