Decisive Weapons: The Soul of the Samurai- the Japanese Sword

For a girl (although not as a historian), swords fascinate me. One day I should very much like to become proficient at kendo. Can you tell that I'm a fan of Kill Bill, a film essentially about revenge that really can be seen as a love story to the katana.

The BBC are running a piece on katana on iPlayer right now, which goes into some detail about the history and craftsmanship involved with the Japanese sword.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b0077bl6/Decisive_Weapons_Series_2_The_Soul_of_the_Samurai_the_Japanese_Sword/

Charlie Brooker on Japan

I love Brooker. All that cynicism and abject resignation that life is truly terrible. He's written a charming article for The Guardian on how baffling he is finding Japan. Although I do wonder as to the level of real insight he has gained so far into Japanese culture, as his time in the country appears to have been spent contemplating toilets and cable television (actually quite typical of Brooker in general, the two areas often converge). Humorous nonetheless:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/jan/22/charlie-brooker-japan-another-planet  

Witness: The death of Emperor Hirohito

An insightful radio documentary by the BBC on the passing of such an enigmatic player in twentieth century Japanese history and how the Japanese people responded to it:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00mqsm2/Witness_The_death_of_Emperor_Hirohito/

Kawaii

Kawaii is the Japanese word for cute, although it goes far beyond the English comprehension of the term as it could be considered an aesthetic in its own right. The most obvious scion of kawaii embedded in pop culture -world over- is Hello Kitty. The extent to which kawaii pervades Japanese culture is so extensively mainstream; from everyday items to youth tribes i.e. Gothic Lolita . One can not help but observe it to be the predominant aesthetic of goods imported from the country and its popularity in Britain is for all to see on the high street, which is adorned with anthropomorphic pieces of cake (the cute cupcake phenomenon).  From a feminist point of view I find kawaisa and its adoption by grown women slightly peculiar, yet it is fascinating.

Takashi Murakami, about who it is near impossible not to draw comparisons with Andy Warhol for his awareness of pop culture whilst contributing to it significantly, is obviously influenced by the kawaii aesthetic. Commercially the first example that springs to my mind is Murakami's collaboration with Louis Vuitton. Here is the Superflat First Love video, which celebrates this union:

Here also is a video clip from Adam and Joe Go Tokyo, where the pair discuss kawaii and have quite a typically British reaction to it:

Heart and Soul- Shinto

When I was in high school one of my classmates whinged to our R. E. teacher about her subject. Why should he have to take it? It was a waste of his time. My teacher's response was one of weariness- she must of been asked this question at least twice a week- she said that learning about religious beliefs helps you to understand people, what they say and why they do the things they do. I couldn't agree more! Which is what is interesting about this excellent radio show from the BBC this time on Shinto. How can you understand the history of Japanese art without any understanding of the country's historic religious practices?


http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/p00lzhq4/Heart_And_Soul_Shinto/

Samurai

There was a review in The Guardian the other day about a new exhibition of samurai suits of armour at the Musée du Quai Branly, Paris. Unfortunately the closest I shall get to France anytime soon is a limp croissant from some detestable bakery.

The samurai are, like geisha, an anachronistic image that has permeated my western consciousness of Japan, but in reality they have been done away with by our modernity. The very same modernity that allowed any real awareness in the first instance. Can you tell I wrote my undergraduate dissertation on British policy in Japan during the twilight years of the Bakumatsu? I am feeling all wistful, I may have to get round to watching The Last Samurai some time soon.  

http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2011/dec/06/paris-exhibition-japanese-armour

Ai and Koi

An article in The Mainichi Daily News says that a staggering 61% of Japanese men and 49.5% of women aged 18 and 34 don't have a boyfriend or girlfriend (presumably some men have a couple of girlfriends?). I find these statistics hard to understand as this is not the impression given by the shoujo manga I read in my misspent youth. Although as a genre it is fantastical and if some of the male equivalents are taken into account then perhaps its understandable. Either way I know a few girls here in Blighty who would quite charitably help out in reducing these figures.

http://mdn.mainichi.jp/mdnnews/news/20111126p2g00m0dm012000c.html

Mastering the Art of the Kimono

You wait for a good radio program and two come along at once. Mastering the Art of the Kimono is a look into Japan's dwindling kimono industry. I don't know why this saddens me but it does. Perhaps its because I should think it lovely to live in the 1880s -I would quite happily wander around with a parasol and huge layers of petticoats on underneath my dress, I imagine in this November weather it would be quite warm- and don't like seeing such traditions dying out (see an early post on Harris Tweed here  ). I think perhaps though deep down I do conform to the image of Japan of women wearing furisode  , samurai, tea houses and exquisite gardens, and I do not want this threatened by the likes of globalisation. 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b017chpt/Mastering_the_Art_of_the_Kimono/  

Off the Page

Another BBC Radio 4 show about Japan, exploring our perceptions of the country and whether they are correct. In good old beeb fashion they've interviewed people who actual have some understanding of the topic, including a Japanese Buddhism professor, The Asian editor of The Times and a comedian.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/iplayer/episode/b017cfkn/Off_the_Page_Japan/

I want a kimono

I'd really love to wear kimono, I love the silhouette they form. Unfortunately I'm not Japanese, I'm 5"9. I'd look like an adult wearing child's clothing. I think I will have to be content with just collecting them as art works. Style-Arena is a Japanese street fashion website along the lines of Nylon or Fruits just a lot less barmy. They have weekly updated pictures of people on Tokyo's streets and they also have a section on tribes, the uniform of a certain social group. Here's a link to women wearing yukata (lightweight summer kimono):


http://www.style-arena.jp/tribe/ls/2011/27

Liza Dalby

Having just mentioned her I found this article on Dalby and her life's work in The Telegraph, enjoy:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/expat/expatlife/8008802/Liza-Dalby-the-blue-eyed-geisha.html

Geisha

There's a rather lovely video on the Telegraph about the daily life of a maiko. Now I don't believe all the western assumptions about the profession and like to think I have a read a few credible works on the subject not just Arthur Golden's Memoirs of a Geisha (although as a bodice ripper it was pleasant to both read and watch), particularly Liza Dalby's book Geisha and Mineko Iwasaki's Geisha of Gion. One can not help but admire beauty:

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/travel/travelvideo/8701594/A-day-in-the-life-of-a-geisha.html

How to make sushi

Gosh I do love The Guardian. Here's a link they've put up on how to make sushi at home. I've made attempts before, but I never get the rice quite right. On the side bar there are also videos for tempura and miso soup! Yum!

http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/video/2011/nov/07/how-to-make-sushi-video

Haruki Murakami interview in The Guardian

Ah! I love the man! I really do! I have never read a book quite like The Wind Up Bird Chronicle. The plot so surreal and the characters so convincingly odd and yet natural. It is always a pleasure to read one of his interviews, especially because he so rarely gives them. I'm excited for IQ84.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2011/oct/14/haruki-murakami-1q84