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Sportska gimnazija

Beograd, Herceg Stjepana 7

Maturski rad iz engleskog jezika

The Evolution of Japanese Art

Mentor: Učenik:
Nataša Mrdaković Sara Ružičić
TABLE OF CONTETNS
1. SUMMARY.........................................................................................3
2. INFLUENCES.....................................................................................4
3. PAINTING...........................................................................................6
4. ARCHITECTURE...............................................................................9
5. GARDEN...........................................................................................10
6. POTTERY..........................................................................................12
7. LACQUERWARE.............................................................................15
8. TEXTILES.........................................................................................18
9. PERFORMING ARTS.......................................................................24
10. MODERN ART..................................................................................27
11. CONCLUSION..................................................................................31
LITERATURE.........................................................................................32

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1. SUMMARY

The Great Wave off Kangawa – Hokusai

Historically, Japan has been subject to sudden introductions of new and


alien ideas followed by long periods of minimal contact with the outside
world during which foreign elements were assimilated, adapted to
Japanese aesthetic preferences, and sometimes developed into new forms.
Like China and Korea, Japan developed both religious and secular artistic
traditions. The earliest complex art in Japan was produced in the seventh
and eighth centuries C.E. in connection with Buddhism. In the ninth
century, as the Japanese began to turn away from China, and indigenous
forms of expression were developed, the secular arts became increasingly
important. A social and intellectual elite refined ink painting, calligraphy,
poetry, literature and music as forms of self-expression and entertainment.
Until the late fifteenth century, both religious and secular arts flourished.
After the Ōnin War (1467-1477), Japan entered a period of political, social,
and economic disruption that lasted for over a century. In the state that
emerged under the leadership of the Tokugawa shogunate, organized
religion played a much less important role in people's lives, and the arts
that became primarily secular. The Japanese, in this period, found
sculpture a much less sympathetic medium for artistic expression; most
Japanese sculpture is associated with religion, and the medium's use
declined with the lessening importance of traditional Buddhism.
During the sixteenth century, the emergence of a wealthy merchant class
and urban areas centered around industries such as the production of
textiles created a demand for popular entertainment and for mass-produced
art such as wood block prints and picture books. In the Edo period (1603
– 1868), a style of woodblock prints called ukiyo-e became an important

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art form, used to produce colorfully printed post cards, theater programs,
news bulletins and text books.
Painting is the preferred artistic expression in Japan, practiced by amateurs
and professionals alike. Ink and water color painting were an outgrowth of
calligraphy; until modern times, the Japanese wrote with a brush rather
than a pen. Oil painting was introduced when Japan came into contact with
the West during the sixteenth century, along with Western aesthetic
concepts such as the use of perspective in landscapes. Contemporary
Japanese painters work in all genres including traditional ink and water
color painting, classical oil painting, and modern media.
Japanese ceramics are among the finest in the world and include the
earliest known artifacts of Japanese culture. In architecture, Japanese
preferences for natural materials and an interaction of interior and exterior
space are clearly expressed.
Japan's contributions to contemporary art, fashion and architecture, are
creations of a modern, global, and multi-cultural (or acultural) bent.

2. INFLUENCES
Until the end of the 8th century, both through Korea and directly, Japan
was under profound influence from China, which left its traces in the
writing system (script), religion, architecture, pottery and other forms of
art. The script and religion were adopted in Japan approximately at the
same time, during Asuka (532-645.) and Nara (645-794.) periods.

Haniwa horse statuette


Chinese influences are most visible in making ornaments, jewellery, black
pottery, and the Haniwa, terracotta clay figures designed for ritual use and
buried with the dead as funerary objects during the Kofun period (3rd to
6th centuries AD).

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In the 6th century Japan adopted Buddhism and so began the rise of
Buddhist art. The Horyu-ji temple, Nara, founded around 610. AD, is
regarded as a cradle of Japanese art, with its architecture, sculptures,
paintings etc. Furthermore, it is probably the best-preserved Buddhist
temple of its kind, since those in China were destroyed during the
centuries.

Horyu-ji Temple, Nara

Here are just a couple of examples of the Temple s artistic treasures.

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Tamamushi shrine, glit wood, Horyu-ji museum Nara Shaka triad, gilt
bronze, Horyu-ji Temple, Nara
Only at the end of the 8th century, during the Heian period, Chinese
influence started to diminish, Japanese styles began to change, and for the
first time, original domestic spirit could be recognized.

3. PAINTING

Japanese painting is one of the oldest and most refined Japanese visual
arts, encompassing a wide variety of genres and styles. As with the history
of Japanese arts in general, the long history of Japanese painting exhibits
synthesis and competition between native Japanese aesthetics and the
adaptation of imported ideas, mainly from Chinese painting, which was
especially influential at various points; Significant Western influence only
comes from the late 16th century onwards, beginning at the same time
Japanese art was influencing Western art.

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Three Beauties of the Present Day (1793)-Kitagawa Utamaro

We have 3 main styles of Japanese painting:


3.1 YAMATO-E
Despite examples from China, independent painting was born very early.
As a consequence of the decline of Buddhist influence, religious art
became humanized and secular painting appeared, the most characteristic
art for Japan. It is completely an expression of the Japanese spirit, so it is
called YAMATO-E, ie. pure Japanese art.
Its beginning falls in the middle of the HEIAN era; although religious
scenes are also painted, the main themes of the yamato style are historical
scenes, themes from the aristocracy, portraits, illustrations of literary
works, scenes from everyday life, satire, caricatures.
Yamato-style painting is characterized by fine drawing, gentle bright
colors, kasumi-nebula, concise shapes, figures with black contours,
unrealistic dimensions (man next to the house - bigger than the house) and
it is practically without shadows and perspective.
Yamato painting has never completely disappeared. It also developed in
later centuries, even when the ukiyo-e style and woodcarving appeared;
moreover, the two styles sometimes mixed.
3.2 SUMI-E (SUIBOKU)
Along with Yamato painting, another type developed, completely opposite
to the first: monochrome ink painting, SUMI-E or SUIBOKU.

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It is very similar to the Chinese art of the Song and Yuan dynasties
(Chinese: sumi - shower), so it is also called KARA-E or KANGA,
"Chinese painting".
It developed, both in China and in Japan, under the strong influence of the
Buddhist sect ZEN and its particular relationship to nature.
Sumi-e is the art of lines and tonal values from completely black to white.
It is characterized by perfect simplicity, moderation, purity, absence of
ornament. He likes to use the form of a vertical scroll (kakemono) on
which only one scene, portrait, landscape or flowers is regularly painted.
Kakemono, along with a vase with artistically arranged flowers (ikebana),
usually decorates a characteristic niche of Japanese interiors (tokonoma),
fixed and movable walls (fusuma) and screens (byobu).
3.3 UKIYO-E
This third great Japanese style, whose name means "Life that passes",
appeared in the 17th century and flourished at the beginning of the EDO
period. Realistic scenes from the everyday life of an ordinary person come
into vogue.
The paintings of the Ukiyo school most often depict the life of the
entertainment districts of Ed (today's Tokyo) and their popularity is
associated with the strong development of the famous Japanese
woodcarving, which multiplied Ukiyo's works first in one color, then in
two and then in more colors.

Tiger – Kawanabe Kyosai

4. ARCHITECTURE
Japanese architecture (日本 建築 Nihon kenchicu) is traditionally marked
by wooden structures, slightly elevated from the ground, with tiled roofs.
Sliding doors (fusuma) were used instead of walls, allowing the interior
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configuration of the space to be adapted to different occasions. People
usually sat on pillows or otherwise on the floor, traditionally; chairs and
high tables were not widely used until the 20th century. However, since
the 19th century, Japan has incorporated much of Western, modern and
postmodern architecture into construction and design, and today is a leader
in state-of-the-art architectural design and technology. The earliest
Japanese architecture was seen in prehistoric times in simple houses and
warehouses adapted to the needs of the population of hunters and
gatherers. Influence of the Han Dynasty China introduced more complex
grain stores and ceremonial tombs through Korea.

Heian Jingu Shrine-Kyoto


Much of Japan's traditional architecture is not original, but has been
imported from China and other Asian cultures for centuries. As a result,
Japanese traditional architecture and its history are dominated by Chinese
and Asian techniques and styles (present even in Ise Shrine, which is
considered one of the most important Japanese architectures) on the one
hand and Japanese original variations on those themes on the other.
Partly due to the diversity of climatic conditions in Japan and the
millennium covered between the first cultural import and the last, the result
is extremely heterogeneous, but several practically universal
characteristics can still be found. First of all, the choice of material is
always wood in different shapes (boards, straw, trees, paper, etc.) for
almost all structures. The general structure is almost always the same:
posts and lintels support a large and gently curved roof, while the walls are
thin, often movable and never unbreakable. The arches and roofs of the

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barrel are completely absent. Columnar enthusiasm (convexity in the
middle) is limited.
The roof is the most impressive component, which often represents half
the size of the entire building. Slightly curved caps extend far above the
walls, which cover the verandas, and their weight must therefore be
supported by complex console systems and called Tokio, in the case of
temples and shrines. Some solutions have been adopted in domestic
structures. Huge canopies give the interior a characteristic dimension,
which contributes to the atmosphere of the building. The interior of a
building usually consists of one room in the center called the Moia.

Seiganto-ji-Wakayama Prefecture

5. GARDEN
Japanese garden, in landscape design, a type of garden whose major design
aesthetics is a simple, minimalist natural setting designed to inspire
reflection and meditation.
Japanese gardens are generally classified according to the nature of the
terrain, either tsuki-yama (“artificial hills”) or hira-niwa (“level ground”),
each having particular features. Tsuki-yama consists of hills and ponds,
and hira-niwa consists of flat ground designed to represent a valley or
moor; tsuki-yama may include a portion laid out as hira-niwa.

Each type may, furthermore, be treated in any one of the three degrees of
elaboration mentioned. Hill gardens as a rule include a stream and a pond
of real water, but there is a special variation, the kare sansui(dried-up
landscape) style, in which rocks are composed to suggest a waterfall and
its basin and, for a winding stream or a pond, gravel or sand is used to
symbolize water or to suggest seasonally dried-up terrain.

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Otani garden-Tokyo
There are other styles: sen-tei (“water garden”); rin-sen (“forest and
water”); and, in level gardens, bunjin (“literary scholar”), a simple and
small style typically integrating bonsai. The tea garden, or roji (“dewy
ground or lane”), is another distinct garden style evolved to meet the
requirements of the tea ceremony. Genkansaki (“front of entrance”) have
always claimed special treatment—a simple curve in the path is used
whenever possible, partly to conceal the door to the house and partly to
give character to its front aspect. Japanese gardens are characterized by:
the waterfall, of which there are ten or more different arrangements; the
spring and stream to which it gives rise; the lake; hills, built up from earth
excavated from the basin for the lake; islands; bridges of many varieties;
and the natural guardian stones. The selection and effective distribution of
the stones are a prime consideration in garden design. After endless
experiments and deep pondering, the best and most subtle compositions
were handed down by means of drawings. A studied irregularity in the
arrangement of stepping stones is a noteworthy feature of the chanoyu
garden, where beauty and use are combined.

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Golden Pavilion Zen garden-Kyoto

6. POTTERY
Pottery is one of the most famous Japanese art forms. Tourists can admire
classic ceramic ware in museums, visit famous pottery towns, participate
in pottery-related things or enjoy tableware at restaurants.

Antique bowl

The earliest forms of ceramics in Japan were found about 10,000 years ago
during the Jomon Period (13,000 BC to 300 BC) when most inhabitants
were hunters and gatherers. The era's name, Jomon, refers to the typical
patterns seen on the contemporary pottery which was made unglazed and
baked in large bonfires. It was not until the Kofun Period (300 AD to 538
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AD) that firing techniques were further developed and covered kilns were
used.
Japanese ceramic history records distinguished many potter names, and
some were artist-potters, Honami Koetsu, Ogata Kenzan, and Aoki
Mokubei. Japanese anagama kilns also have flourished through the ages,
and their influence weighs with that of the potters. Another
characteristically Japanese aspect of the art is the continuing popularity of
unglazed high-fired stoneware even after porcelain became popular. Since
the 4th century, Japanese ceramics have often been influenced by Chinese
and Koeran pottery. Japan transformed and translated the Chinese and
Korean prototypes into a uniquely Japanese creation, and the result was
distinctly Japanese in character.
Since the mid-17th century when Japan started to industrialize, high-
quality standard wares produced in factories became popular exports to
Europe. In the 20th century, a modern ceramics industry grew up.

Painted dinner plate


Japanese pottery is distinguished by two polarised aesthetic traditions. On
the one hand, there is a tradition of very simple and roughly finished
pottery, mostly in earthenware and using a muted palette of earth colours.
This relates to Zen Buddhism and many of the greatest masters were
priests, especially in early periods. Many pieces are also related to the
Japanese tea ceremony and embody the aesthetic principles of wabi-sabi
("austerity-rust/patina"). Most raku ware, where the final decoration is
partly random, is in this tradition.[3] The other tradition is of highly finished
and brightly coloured factory wares, mostly in
porcelain, with complex and balanced decoration, which develops Chinese
porcelain styles in a distinct way. A third tradition, of simple but perfectly
formed and glazed stonewares, also relates more closely to both Chinese
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and Korean traditions. In the 16th century, a number of styles of traditional
utilitarian rustic wares then in production became admired for their
simplicity, and their forms have often been kept in production to the
present day for a collector's market.

Vase

7. LACQUERWARE
Lacquerware is a Japanese craft with a wide range of fine and decorative
arts, as lacquer has been used in urushi-e, prints, and on a wide variety of
objects from Buddha statues to bento boxes for food.
The characteristic of Japanese lacquerware is the diversity of lacquerware
using a decoration technique called maki-e in which metal powder is
sprinkled to attach to
lacquer. The invention of various maki-e techniques in Japanese history
expanded artistic expression, and various tools and works of art such as
inro are highly decoration. A number of terms are used in Japanese to refer
to lacquerware. Shikki (漆器) means "lacquer ware" in the most literal

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sense, while nurimono (塗物) means "coated things", and urushi-nuri
(漆塗) means "lacquer coating."

The terms related to lacquer or lacquerware such as "Japanning",


"Urushiol" and "maque" which means lacquer in Mexican Spanish, are
derived from Japanese lacquerware. As in other countries where
lacquerware has traditionally been produced, the process is fundamentally
quite basic. An object is formed from wood, sometimes leather, paper, or
basketry. Lacquer is applied to seal and protect the object, and then
decoration is added. Generally, three coats (undercoat, middle-coat, and
final coat) are used, the final coat sometimes being clear rather than black
lacquer, in order to allow decorations to show through.
Alongside the red and black lacquers, it is common to see the use of inlay,
often seashells or similar materials, as well as mica or other materials. The
application of gold powder is known as maki-e, and is a very common
decorative element.

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Laquerware bento
A few examples of traditional techniques follow:
• ikkanbari (一閑張), also known as harinuki (張貫) is one common
technique used to make tea wares. Invented by Hiki Ikkan in the early 17th
century, the process involves the application of layers of lacquer to paper
shaped in a mold.
• iro-urushi (色漆), literally "color lacquer", was created by adding
pigments to clear lacquer. The limits of natural pigments allowed only five
colors (red, black, yellow, green and brown) to be used up until the 19th
century, when various innovations appeared, along with the later
introduction of
• Western artificial pigments. Shibata Zeshin was a major innovator in this
field, using not only color but also other substances mixed in with his
lacquer to achieve a wide variety of effects, including the simulated
appearance of precious metals, which were heavily restricted from artistic
use at the time due to government concerns over excessive extravagance.
• shunkei-nuri (春慶塗), Shunkei lacquerware; it is created using
transparent lacquer on yellow- or red-stained wood, so that the natural
wood grain can be seen (similar to 'Kuroye Nuri' in this respect). The name

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is derived from the inventor who was active in Sakai during the reign of
the Emperor Go-Kameyama (1368-1392). This method became popular in
the 17th century in Takayama, Hida province. Many articles for use in tea-
drinking were manufactured using this technique.
• urushi-hanga (漆絵版画), developed by Hakuo Iriyama, producing a
printing plate from dry lacquer, that was carved and finally used like a
block print but instead of traditional printing colors with pigmented
lacquer.
• raden (螺鈿) using inlays of shell and ivory to decorate pieces that usually
have a wood base
• maki-e (蒔絵) using metal powders, including gold, silver, copper and
their alloys, spread with bamboo tubes or fine brushes. In hiramaki-e, the
powders are sprinkled onto wet lacquer, to be then covered by another
layer of lacquer. Takamaki-e achieves a high relief effect by repeated
layers, sometimes including the addition of charcoal, sawdust or clay.
Togashi-e involves covering the original maki-e in several layers of
lacquer, then polishing down until the design is visible.

8. TEXTILES
There are typically two types of clothing worn in Japan: traditional
clothing known as Japanese clothing (和服, wafuku), including the
national dress of Japan,
the kimono, and Western clothing (洋服, yōfuku), which encompasses all
else not recognised as either national dress or the dress of another country.
Traditional Japanese fashion represents a long-standing history of
traditional culture, encompassing colour palettes developed in the Heian
period, silhouettes adopted from Tang dynasty clothing and cultural
traditions, motifs taken from Japanese culture, nature and traditional
literature, and styles of wearing primarily fully-developed by the end of
the Edo period. The most well-known form of traditional Japanese fashion
is the kimono, translating literally as "something to wear" or "thing worn
on the shoulders". Other types of traditional fashion include the clothing
of the Ainu people (known as the attus) and the clothes of the Ryukyuan
people which is known as ryusou (琉装), most notably including the
traditional fabrics of bingata and bashōfu produced on the Ryukyu Islands.
Modern Japanese fashion mostly encompasses yōfuku (Western clothes),
though many well-known Japanese fashion designers - such as Issey
Miyake, Yohji Yamamoto and Rei Kawakubo - have taken inspiration
from and at times designed clothes taking influence from traditional
fashion. Their works represent a combined impact on the global fashion
industry, with many pieces displayed at fashion shows all over the world,

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as well as having had an impact within the Japanese fashion industry itself,
with many designers either drawing from or contributing to Japanese street
fashion.
Despite previous generations wearing traditional clothing near-entirely,
following the end of World War II, Western clothing and fashion became
increasingly popular due to their increasingly-available nature and, over
time, their cheaper price. It is now increasingly rare for someone to wear
traditional clothing as everyday clothes, and over time, traditional clothes
within Japan have garnered an association with being difficult to wear and
expensive. As such, traditional garments are now mainly worn for
ceremonies and special events, with the most common time for someone
to wear traditional clothes being to summer festivals, when the yukata is
most appropriate; outside of this, the main groups of people most likely to
wear traditional clothes are geisha, maiko and sumo wrestlers, all of whom
are required to wear traditional clothing in their profession.
8.1 Traditional clothing

Male kimono

The kimono (着物), labelled the "national costume of Japan", is the most
well-known form of traditional Japanese clothing. The kimono is worn
wrapped around the body, left side over right, and is sometimes worn
layered. It is always worn with an obi, and may be worn with a number of
traditional accessories and types of footwear. Kimono differ in
construction and wear between men and women.

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After the four-class system ended in the Tokugawa period (1603-1867),
the symbolic meaning of the kimono shifted from a reflection of social
class to a reflection of self, allowing people to incorporate their own tastes
and individualize their outfit. The process of wearing a kimono requires,
depending on gender and occasion, a sometimes-detailed knowledge of a
number of different steps and methods of tying the obi, with formal kimono
for women requiring at times the help of someone else to put on. Post-
WW2, kimono schools were built to teach those interested in kimono how
to wear it and tie a number of different knots.
A number of different types of kimono exist that are worn in the modern
day, with women having more varieties than men. Whereas men's kimono
differ in formality typically through fabric choice, the number of crests on
the garment (known as mon or kamon) and the accessories worn with it,
women's kimono differ in formality through fabric choice, decoration
style, construction and crests.
The word kimono literally translates as "thing to wear", and up until the
19th century it was the main form of dress worn by men and women alike
in Japan.

Traditional wedding attire

Traditionally, the art of wearing kimono (known as kitsuke) was passed


from mother to daughter as simply learning how to dress, and in the
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modern day, this is also taught in specialist kimono schools. First, one puts
on tabi, which are white cotton socks.] Then the undergarments are put on
followed by a top and a wraparound skirt. Next, the nagajuban (under-
kimono) is put on, which is then tied by a koshihimo. Finally, the kimono
is put on, with the left side covering the right, tied in place with one or two
koshihimo and smoothed over with a datejime belt. The obi is then tied in
place. Kimono are always worn left-over-right unless being worn by the
dead, in which case they are worn right-over-left. When the kimono is
worn outside, either zōri or geta sandals are traditionally worn.
Women typically wear kimono when they attend traditional arts, such as a
tea ceremonies or ikebana classes. During wedding ceremonies, the bride
and groom will often go through many costume changes; though the bride
may start off in an entirely-white outfit before switching to a colourful
one,grooms will wear black kimono made from habutae silk.
Funeral kimono (mofuku) for both men and women are plain black with
five crests, though Western clothing is also worn to funerals. Any plain
black kimono with less than five crests is not considered to be mourning
wear.

Funeral kimono (Mofuku)


The "coming of age" ceremony, Seijin no Hi, is another occasion where
kimono is worn. At these annual celebrations, women wear brightly-
coloured furisode, often with fur stoles around the neck. Other occasions
where kimono is traditionally worn in the modern day include the period
surrounding the New Year, graduation ceremonies, and Shichi-go-san,
which is a celebration for children aged 3, 5 and 7.

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The yukata (浴衣) is an informal kimono worn specifically in the spring
and summer, and it is generally less expensive than the traditional kimono.
Because it was made for warm weather, yukata are almost entirely made
of cotton of an often lighter weight and brighter color than most kimono
fabrics. It is worn for festivals and cherry blossom viewing ceremonies.

Yukatas

8.2 Modern (street) fashion


Japanese street fashion emerged in the 1990s and differed from traditional
fashion in the sense that it was initiated and popularized by the general
public, specifically teenagers, rather than by fashion designers. Different
forms of street fashion have emerged in different Tokyo locales, such as
the lolita in Harajuku or the ageha of Shibuya.

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Lolita fashion
Lolita fashion became popular in the mid 2000s. It is characterized by "a
knee length skirt or dress in a bell shape assisted by petticoats, worn with
a blouse, knee high socks or stockings and a headdress". Different sub-
styles of lolita

Gyaru fashion
include casual, gothic, and hime ("princess"). "Swallowtail butterfly"
(揚羽, Ageha) is based on a Shibuya club-hostess look, with dark, heavy
eyeliner, false eyelashes, and contact lenses that make the eyes appear
larger. The style is also characterized by lighter hair and sparkly
accessories. The kogal trend is found in both Shibuya and Harajuku, and
is influenced by a "schoolgirl" look, with participants often wearing short
skirts, oversized knee-high socks. It is also characterized by artificially
tanned skin or dark makeup, pale lipstick, and light hair.

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Schoolgirl fashion

9. PERFORMING ARTS
Japan’s history of performing arts is as diverse as its many islands, with
traditions that stretch back centuries. Lovers of theatre will marvel at the
ornate costumes, larger than life characters, physical precision, and stirring
musical scores. Japanese theatrical experiences are also lessons in history
and architecture, with many performing arts events occurring in purpose-
built theatres that have been used for centuries.
9.1 Kabuki
Kabuki is one of three major classical theatres of Japan, emerging in the
Edo Period and still performed to this day. Those seeking a colourful,
energetic example of Japanese theatre would enjoy this traditional art
form. Kabuki is not unlike a version of Japanese opera, in that everything
is very big, with highly exaggerated performers adorned in extravagant
costumes and makeup.

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The purpose-built Kabuki theatres are replete with trapdoors for surprise
appearances, and a catwalk that cuts a path through the audience so you
can see the ornate costumes up close. Like Western opera, Kabuki draws
on classic tales of love, intrigue, and betrayal to create their narratives, and
is performed in an older version of Japanese that even locals rarely
understand, but visitors can often hire headsets with an English
commentary so you can follow the story.
9.2 Noh

Noh was the first theatrical art in Japan, and one of the oldest surviving
theatrical forms in the world. Established in the 14th century, Noh draws
on classic myths and history to present meditative performances with a
slow, hypnotic rhythm.
Much of Noh concerns itself with dreams and the supernatural and as such
the performances are highly stylised, relying on masks and a deep, slow

24
style of vocal delivery. Since the 14th century, all the performers in a Noh
company have been men.
9.3 Bunraku

Bunraku is an elaborate form of puppet theatre in which three-quarter-life


sized wooden and porcelain figures are masterfully manipulated and
seemingly come to life. Like Kabuki, Bunraku draws on classic tales of
love, intrigue, and betrayal to create their narratives. While each puppet is
controlled by three separate puppeteers, the entire performance is narrated
by just one vocalist, who gives voice to every character.
9.4 Geisha and Maiko
The theatre is not the only place visitors can experience Japanese
performing arts. One of the most recognisable symbols of Japanese culture,
the geisha, and their younger apprentices known as Maiko, are trained in
Japanese cultural arts such as tea ceremony and flower-arrangement,
traditional song and dance, and musical instruments. They typically
entertain guests with dance, musical performances, and artful
conversations in ochaya, or tea houses, as well as Japanese-style
restaurants.Within the walls of the very private ochaya, exquisite Japanese
banquets usually accompany every geisha performance. When they are not
singing, dancing or playing musical instruments for their intimate
gathering of guests, the geisha’s utmost priority is making everyone feel
comfortable. While ochaya can be found in several areas across Japan,
those in Tokyo, Kyoto and Kanazawa are most likely to welcome
international guests to this exclusive world.

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10. MODERN ART
10.1 Manga
Manga loosely refers to a style of cartoons originating in Japan. They
usually are published in installments, and depending on their form, can be
up to several hundred pages long. Many different genres are available, so
they are popular with people of all ages and backgrounds. Known for their
in-depth plots and characters, these well-respected works have been drawn
for hundreds of years, although the modern version developed starting in
the mid-20th century.

Berserk-Kentaro Miura
Manga is often published in magazines, which usually are no more than 40
pages long. Comic books usually are around 150 - 200 pages. Graphic
novels, which are different from regular comics and comic books in that
they give a complete story with a beginning, middle and end, can be several
hundred pages long. With the exceptions of this long form and collections
of previously published works, the comics are typically published serially
or in installments, because the intent of the publisher is to keep the reader
interested and coming back for the next piece of the story.

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Vagabond-Takehiko Inoue
Regardless of length, manga typically keeps the traditional flow of the
Japanese language, meaning it is read from top to bottom and right to left.
To an English reader, this seems “backward,” as it requires starting from
the back of the work. Some publishers use a practice called flipping to put
the story into a format that is more familiar to non-Japanese fans for sales
overseas.

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Attack on titan-Hajime Isayama
Publishers and general readers usually divide manga into several different
groups. Shōujo (“young girl”) is directed at females up to age 18 and
usually has some romantic ideas, and shōnen (“boy”) is the male
equivalent, typically having a more action- or sports-based concept. Works
for young children, especially those who are just getting started reading,
are called kodomo (“child”). Publications for women are josei (“woman,”
“feminine”), and men read seinen (“man,” “masculine”). Many of the
stories for adults are not appropriate for children because of showing
violence. In fact, an entire subgroup, hentai (“perverted”), revolves around
erotic themes.

10.2 Anime
The term anime is a Japanese colloquialism used as an abbreviation for the
term “animation.” Generally, in Japan, the word anime (written アニメ) is
synonymous with animation of any kind from anywhere. Internationally,
however, anime is typically referred to as animation that is produced from
Japan. The distinction between anime and cartoons is more cultural than it
is technical and its origins date over 100 years ago.

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Weathering with you-Makoto Shinkai
Anime itself dates back over a hundred years. The first confirmed example
was produced in 1917 titled Namakura Gatana with a run time of only four
minutes. Over time, it has had its highs and lows facing various obstacles
both within Japan and internationally.
This video by Screen Rant summarizes the history of anime and how it
evolved from its 1917 origins to the animation styles we see today.
Anime is no different technically to the animation productions of Western
culture. Which, if you know anything about, takes an incredible amount of
time and work. Stories must be written, storyboarded, workshopped, taken
into an animatic, voiced, and animated.
This is a process that can take months and often years to finish. All of these
projects are created from an entire studio of artists typically led by a
director. This video covers the workflows from various animation studios
and just how intensive it is to create animated work.

Spirited away-Hayao Miyazaki (Studio Ghibli)


Even with new technology that allows artists to create animation with
digital tools, anime is still an arduous form to produce. Digital technology
has pushed the envelope of what these films can look like stylistically with
lighting techniques and more, but has not taken away from the labor of the
artists.
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What makes all animation so incredible is the imagination of the artists
that create it. The medium allows limits to be pushed in every genre
imaginable and opens doors to stories that could not otherwise be told.
Most famous animation studios in Japan are Mappa, Toei Animations,
Studio Ghibli, Kyoto Animations, Bones and many more.

Lovely complex-Aya Nakahara

Some of my favourites are Attack on Titan, Lovely complex, Spirited away


and Weathering with you.

11. CONCLUSION

I have decided to write about this topic because I have been fascinated and
intrigued by the Japanese culture for the longest time. It has always been
interesting to me and I cannot wait to study it further and more thoroughly.I
picked art since it is fun to write and talk about, especially when it is as
unique beautiful as this one. I hope you will find it as interesting as I did.

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LITERATURE

1. Istorija umetnosti – Daleki istok, Šerman Li, Izdavački zavod


“Jugoslavija”, Beograd, 1972.
2. Duh Japana, Jošisaburo Okakura, Kokoro, Bograd, 2014.
3. Budjenje Japana, Kakuzo Okakura, Kokoro, Beograd, 2005.
4. Ideali istoka sa posebnim osvrtom na umetnost Japana, Kokoro, 2008.
5. https://www.britannica.com/art/Japanese-art
6. https://doyouknowjapan.com/painting/
7. https://www.britannica.com/art/Japanese-architecture
8. https://www.britannica.com/art/Japanese-garden
9. https://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2329.html
10. https://becos.tsunagujapan.com/en/japanese-lacquerware-guide/
11. https://www.familysearch.org/en/blog/japanese-fashion-clothing-kimono
12. https://www.japan.travel/en/au/experience/arts/performing-arts/
13. https://www.studiobinder.com/blog/what-is-anime-definition-examples/
14. https://www.musicalexpert.org/what-is-manga.htm

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