Japanese Arts

                  Mon., June 5, 2000

                         by Jane Reznik

    This report will tell you all about Japanese arts such as ceramic cups, theatre, origami, gardens, architecture, music, bonsai and flower arranging. I hope you like my report!

    Japanese people make a lot of origami things. It is a Japanese art of folding paper into animals, people etc. They do it without cutting or pasting the paper. They use special colored squares for folding. some things are even made with only one piece of paper. They can even make birds flap their wings when you pull it's tail. They can also make a frog jump when you tap it's back. You can use origami for decorations for gifts This special way of folding has been around for 100's of years. It started when paper was made so that was a very long time ago.

    Japanese people grow little trees called bonsai. It is 1000 years old. They are placed in pots to grow. They are tiny versions of big trees. Many get handed down from one generation to another. The oldest bonsai was owned by shogun in the seventeenth century.

    In Japan they have beautiful flower arranging. They use simple designs. They're different depending on the season. The branches symbolize heaven, earth and people. Flower arranging is called ikebana. There's different kinds of flower arranging such as one flower, a bunch of flowers, basket arrangement, vegetable arrangement etc.

    In Japan you will find very beautiful architecture called shibusa. Most of the architectural monuments you see are Buddhist temples. They have big tile roofs with extending edges that curve gracefully upward. Shinto shrines are wooden framed structures noted for their graceful lines and sense of proportion. The easy stile of Shinto architecture has an influence on the design of many modern buildings of Japan. At first glance at Japanese architecture it looks like it's western, but at a closer look it reveals that it's really the Japanese architecture shibusa. 

    Japanese people, like us, make ceramic cups. These irregular shaped cup molds are one of the most prized pieces of pottery in Japan. The cups are made by master potters and bought for their usefulness and unique beauty. People admire the cup's characteristics such as a potter's fingerprint in the clay, a bubble in the glaze, an uneven edge or a dent in the shape. The beauty of  one-of-a-kind-cups is meant to be experienced by hands and eyes.

    Japanese people have different types of dramas. One is called the Noh drama. Noh dramas are the oldest form of theatre. It developed in the 1300's. Its a slow-moving kind of theatre. The chorus chants most of the story. In the 14th and 15th centuries they were put on for samurai and upper classes. Most of the Noh plays are based on legends and folktales. They also have a dream like quality with ghosts and spirits. The timeless themes stress that life is a wheel good and bad fortune come and go in never ending cycles. Noh dramas use different masks for different emotions. The main characters switch masks a lot.

    One of Japan's dramas is called the Kabuki drama. Kabuki dramas were created in the 17th century. It was made and performed by women but now men play all the parts. It is very long, and some last for 6½ hours. The audience brings their own food. They play for lower classes. The Kabuki dramas teach lessens that are meant to be funny. It's often about people outsmarting the upper class. The orchestra, chorus and dancers are involved. The actors wear elaborate costumes and heavy make-up. Kabuki means to get freaked out. The newer forms of Kabuki include men and women.

    The Japanese people make puppet shows (unlike ours) with Bunraku puppets. It is a musical theatre for adults. The puppets are almost as big as people. The puppeteers are dressed in black, and the audience sees them. It takes 3 puppeteers for 1 puppet, 1 for the right arm, 1 for the left arm and 1 for the body and feet. Te narrarator, called a tayu, tells the story and the puppets lines. The samisen (kind of guitar) accompanies the action.

    Japanese people play many different musical instruments. One of the instruments is the koto. It's six feet long with 13 strings of tightly coiled silk or nylon stretched over a slightly arch body. It is an ancient instrument. The lute and the zither are both stringed instruments. The lute has a round back and is like the biwa, the zither is like the koto and the 3 stringed banjo is like the samisen. Their traditional music also includes drums, flutes and gongs. Their traditional music draws large crowds.

    Japanese people grow beautiful gardens. They include rocks, pebbles, sand, trees, ponds and running water. They are used to create a miniature world. Rocks equal mountains, ponds equal oceans, a tree equals a forest and running streams equal rivers. The trees in the gardens are cut into beautiful shapes. Some gardens have a few rocks surrounded by sand and pebbles. The sand is raked in patterns. Stone lanterns highlight important parts of a garden.

    Now I've learned all about Japanese art and that most of their art is different than than ours. I had a lot of fun learning about Japanese arts and  I hope you did too!