Manga: A History

Japan has become the world leader in comics. Japanese manga, as comics are called here, have been publicized the world over on television and in newspapers and the most popular works have been introduced abroad both through legal and pirate translations. But despite these efforts, they remain insufficient for foreign audiences wishing to acquire a comprehensive understanding of the genre. Here’s an overview of the basics of Manga.

The manga industry in Japan is of such a massive scale as to completely overshadow the industries of the two other great comic-producing nations, the United States and France.

There are a great number of magazines in Japan devoted exclusively to manga but it is difficult to give an exact accounting of their number given that it is not at all uncommon for smaller publishing houses to bring out one new magazine after another under different titles. The core of the manga publishing industry consists of some 13 weekly manga magazines published by the major publishers alone, along with 10 biweeklies, and approximately twenty influential monthlies. At any given time there are at least ten magazines which boast over one million copies of each issue. At most there is one non-manga magazine in Japan which can claim a readership of over one million.

Yearly sales of manga throughout the 1990’s have been in the neighborhood of 600 billion yen, including 350 billion in magazine sales and 250 billion in paperbacks. These figures do no not include sales of manga appearng in general magazines and newspapers. The total sales of published material in Japan (including magazines and books but excluding newspapers) is two trillion five-hundred billion yen, of which manga sales account for nearly one quarter. Given a total Japanese population of 120 million, we can calculate that the average Japanese spends approximately 2,000 yen per year on manga in one form or another.

The three largest publishing houses producing manga are Kodansha, Shogakkan, and Shueisha. In addition there are some ten odd publishing firms which come in at a close second, including Akita Shoten, Futabasha, Shonen Gahosha, Hakusensha, Nihon Bungeisha, and Kobunsha. This is not even to mention the countless other small-scale publishing firms. The larger publishers mentioned above also publish magazines and books in areas outside of manga.

It is estimated that there are around 3000 professional manga artists in Japan. All of these individuals have published at least one volume of manga, but most of them make their living as assistants to famous manga artists or have some other supplementary source of income. Only 300 of these, or ten percent of the total, are able to make an above-average living from manga alone. In addition, there are also a great number of amateur manga artists who produce small magazines intended for private circulation, called dojinshi.

Gifu Wagasa: A Dying Tradition

Still known today as a center for the production of traditional Japanese umbrellas, manufacture of wagasa began in the Kano district of Gifu City in the middle of the 18th century. At that time the state had feudal organization and the local lords had a great deal of economic and political autonomy within the domains to which they were assigned. The feudal lord who was transferred in to rule the feudal domain around Gifu had to contend with a local economy that was devastated by floods. He saw an opportunity to stimulate local industry and to provide the means to supplement the living of the impoverished lower samurai (warrior elite) by encouraging them to make umbrellas.

The local area had a long history of paper making. Mino-washi, a local product, was a strong handmade paper due to the long fibers it contained. Good quality bamboo was to be found in the valley of the Kiso River, and it was easy to obtain sesame oil and lacquer from the local mountains, indispensable for water proofing. These advantages made the area well suited to umbrella making, since the basic construction of Japanese umbrellas involves affixing paper over a frame of bamboo-strip ribs, and then applying oil and lacquer for waterproofing.

Production peaked at the beginning of the 20th century, when over a million umbrellas per year were manufactured. Since then the metal-and-cloth Western-style umbrella has become generally used, and the number of people who use Japanese umbrellas has dwindled. These days the local craftworkers make only few tens of thousands of wagasa a year.

The traditional Japanese umbrella uses only natural materials and, requiring several months to undergo the various separate processes that are needed for completion, the skilled hands of a dozen seasoned craftworkers contribute to the finished item. In addition to the usual type of rain umbrella, Gifu Wagasa also come in various other types including large red outdoor parasols that are used to provide shade on outdoor occasions, such as tea ceremonies. Then there are smaller colorful buyo-gasa that figure in performances of traditional Japanese dance, Gifu Wagasa are an indispensable part of traditional Japanese art and culture.

The Japanese Fighting Dog

Unbeknownst to many is the Tosa Inu, the star if an age-old Japanese tradition of dog fights. Dog-Fighting has been a popular sport in Japan since ancient times. Like Sumo wrestling, it was an elaborate, ceremonial affair, a sport conducted mainly by the Samurais, and the fighters, especially the winners, were feted and accorded much prestige.

The Tosa Inu is also known as the Japanese Mastiff or Japanese fighting dog is probably the only dog in the world which is still used quite legally to this day for dog fights. However, the Japanese developed a type of fight according to their mentality that bears no comparison with the notorious pit dog fights held illegally in other parts of the world. Considered a National Treasure in Japan, the sight of a Tosa Inu arrayed in full ceremonial fighting regalia and traditionally brought into the fighting arena by two handlers, makes an impressive and unforgettable impact.

The Tosa Inu is a massive, regal dog, standing well over 30 inches at the shoulders and weighing up to 150 pounds; the much larger Tosa Inus, weighing 200 pounds and more, are now extinct. Females are somewhat smaller than males, and they are never used in fighting.

Despite their notoriety as fighting animals, the Tosa Inus make incredibly affectionate and loving companions. They are devoted to their families and are very patient and tolerant with the children. Extremely intelligent, with excellent guarding instincts, they are dogs one can depend on. Apart from guarding, they have been successfully used as Search and Rescue Dogs and in Therapy Training.

Japanese Tattoos

Japanese tattoos are called “irezumi” or “horimono”. These days tattoos are becoming more common again with the young set, although for years it was considered as something used only by the lower dredges of society, or worse the Yakuza or Japanese mafia. In fact, many public bathing houses around the country won’t let you in if you’re an “illustrated man”.

Irezumi are tattoos which cover large areas of the body, like the back. Historically, the tattoo has been around Japan for a while.

The Ainu people, Japan’s early settlers used facial tattoos. And more reports around 1700 years back talk about the Japanese having whole bodies covered in tattoos.

When Buddhism was brought from China to Japan and with it a strong influence of the Chinese culture, tattooing got negative connotations. Criminals were marked with tattoos to punish and identify them in society as the higher developed Chinese culture saw tattooing as a barbaric act.

From around 1603 to1868, known as the Edo period when Japan closed its doors to the world, Japanese tattoo art became a part of “ukiyo-e” also known as “the floating world culture”. Prostitutes or “yujos” used tattoos to increase their attractiveness for customers.

In 1827 the ukiyo-e artist Kuniyoshi published the first 6 designs of the 108 Heroes of the Suikoden. The Suikoden were honorable bandits. The richness and fantasy of the Japanese tattoo prints designs shown by Kuniyoshi are used by some tattoo artists up to this time.

The Imperial Meiji government banned tattooing as something considered a barbaric relict of the past. During the first half of the twentieth century, horimono remained a forbidden art form until 1948, when the prohibition was officially lifted.

Japanese Pickles

Pickles are to Japan what cheese is to France. Each region uses local produce and traditional processes of fermentation to produce distinct varieties of pickles that are closely identified
with the area where they are made.

To eat Japanese pickles is to eat a piece of Japan–its soil, climate, history, andculture—with all the specificity that comes from local knowledge. Like cheese and wine, pickles are a “cultured” product.

Rice, soup, and pickles are the three basic elements in a classic Japanese meal. Many pickles are traditionally made at home and are the test of a good cook, particularly in rural areas.

Families will keep the same rice bran pickling “bed” alive for generations, passing it, as well as their pickling utensils and techniques, through the family.

Extending the abundance of summer into the harsh winter, pickling locks the fragance of the season into a delicious package that can be savored all year long.

But the term pickle does not quite capture the meaning of the Japanese term tsukemono, which refers more broadly to steeping food–for as little as an hour or as long as several years–to alter its texture and flavor.

Bracken, radish, turnip, cabbage, eggplant, cucumber, onion, mushroom, plum, cherry blossom, chrysanthemum flower, kelp, and wasabi are traditionally treated with salt, vinegar, rice bran, sake lees, koji (a mold), miso, and shoyu.

The result is a stunning array of colors, textures, shapes, and flavors that offers an intense contrast to the plain rice with which pickles are generally eaten and a rich source of vitamins,
particularly during the winter when fresh vegetables were once in short supply.

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.

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:

1. 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.

The Irreverence Of Chindogu

There is a prevailing picture of the Japanese as a polite and proper people who, aside from an almost fanatical passion for karaoke (and Frank Sinatra’s My Way), strictly move based on the dictates of tradition and respect. Such a boring picture, isn’t it?

But that is a mental picture of the Japanese before the 1950s. Today, the Japanese is as cosmopolitan as the Europeans, as fashion-forward as the Italians, and yes, as crazy as the Americans – perhaps more so if we are to base it on the popular pastime of useless inventions.

The useless inventions, or Chindogu movement clearly shows the fun and irreverent side to the Japanese. The movement, which was founded by Kenji Kawakami, pokes fun at the spirit of innovation that the Japanese are long known for. It’s a delightful look into the relentless drive of the Japanese to excel as seen through circus mirrors – distorted, irreverent, silly and ultimately delightful. Chindogu also gives us a glimpse at how wild is the imagination of the Japanese. How else would they have thought of dust mops that you attach to your pet cat’s feet so that they can help clean the floors when they are moving? Or the handy sling where you can rest your chin and then attach on to the hand rails of a commuter train if you want to sleep standing up?

One of the ten tenets best describe the spirit of Chindogu: Inherent in every chindogu is the the spirit of anarchy. It has broken free from the chains of usefulness.

Only the Japanese can think of this.

Transcendental Paper Art

I have always admired the Japanese people’s love (or does it already border on obsession?) for precision. Even though their art and culture can sometimes be considered ascetic because of the severity of its rules and the traditions that need to be followed (which could be a reflection of the country’s Zen and Shinto belief). Take for example the traditional art of paper-folding called origami. This Japanese art, which literally means to fold (Oru) paper (kami), transforms a simple piece of paper into exquisite works of art. With a few folds here and there, a one-dimensional sheet of paper becomes a delicate swan, a regal lion, or a mythical dragon. The fact that the word “Kami” is also a homonym for the Japanese word that means spirit or god tells much about this transcendental art. Paper folding becomes a spiritual exercise, a kind of meditation with the hands where you can also contemplate how one form fluidly transforms into another. For me, I see origami as a spiritual experience that is also a delicate form of art, it is rare to see these two worlds meet and as seamlessly as it does in origami. I think Japanese culture has successfully melded spirituality and art in most of its traditional art forms, most especially in origami. It is also typically Japanese that even these traditional arts are being dragged into the 21st century. There is now a new technique called wetfolding where you wet the paper while folding in order to create soft curves as well three dimensional forms.

Gold Found In Japan’s Sewage

One man’s garbage is another man’s gold – or so goes the saying. I doubt that the old adage was meant to be taken literally, though. But in Japan, things have developed in such a way that you can actually take this saying at face value!

According to news reports, which have created much commotion by the way, more gold has been found in a sewage treatment facility than in some of the best gold mines in the world. The sewage treatment facility, called Suwa, is located in Nagano prefecture, northwest of Tokyo. The Telegraph has this story:

Tens of thousands of pounds worth of gold has been found at the Suwa treatment facility in the past year, with more than 1,890 grammes of gold per tonne of ash recorded from incinerated sludge.

But that is not the end of the story! Apparently, one can also find gold from other sources aside from the treatment facility. The same principle applies – equipment and other materials contain gold and other precious metals like silver and when people get rid of them, they all go to the high tech waste dumps. Once there, they are open for the taking.

Now who would have thought about that?