Wednesday, April 28, 2010

Japanese Garden

Spring has finally come and its great weather make us want to go out. Lately I often go to Japanese Garden where is in Kansai Gaidai at lunch time with my friend.
Have you ever been there? Though I am attending here for three years, I had not been there until recently. Now it is one of my favorite places of Kansai Gaidai. When I visit Japanese Garden, I can be proud that I am Japanese. Its tasteful atmosphere make me comfortable and I can compose myself. It is special time for me to spend there.


When I went back my home town, Isikawa prefecture, last month, I visited Kenroku-en.



In Japan, there are the Three Great Gardens of Japan (三名園, Sanmeien), also known as "the three most famous gardens in Japan" are considered to include Kenroku-en(兼六園)in Kanazawa, Koraku-en(後楽園)in Okayama and Kairaku-en(偕楽園)in Mito. All of their name have special meaning. Kenrokuen means "a garden which combines six characteristics" The six aspects considered important in the notion of an ideal gardens: spaciousness, serenity, venerability, scenic views, subtle design, and coolness. Koraku-en means "a garden of pleasure after" and Kairaku-en means "a garden to enjoy with people." Japanese gardens can be also found at private homes, in neighborhood or city parks, and at historical landmarks such as Buddhist temples, Shinto shrines and old castles.


I often had visited Kenroku-en with my friend when I was a high school student. I was getting used to seeing Japanese garden. I could see them everywhere such as in neighborhood and my grandmother and grandfather’s house. It always existed in part of my life. So I didn’t have any interest in Japanese Garden before I came to Kansai Gaidai. However through having relationship with international students, I could have many opportunity to think about what is Japan. I always realized positive aspects of Japan that I had forgotten from conversation with them. Recently we Japanese tend to forget our Japanese culture by promotion of globalization. However even in an increasingly globalization, I want to keep in mind Japaneseness.

If you don’t have any plan for this Golden Week, I would like to recommend you to visit one of “the tree great gardens of Japan”. It would give you wonderful experiences!



Official website of Kenroku-en
Official website of Kouraku-en
Official website of Kairaku-en

Monday, April 19, 2010

Purikura

Have you ever taken Purikura in Japan? Purikura became popular from the 1990s between Japanese teenagers and it is known as one of Japanese pop culture now.


I often watch the situation that international student take a Purikura when they come Japan. There are some interesting products of Purikura to attract foreigners. These are examples. It is in Narita air port and made to attract foreigners.

And also, in Ryogoku Kokugikan, known as Sumo hall in Tokyo, there are unique Purikura machines that we can take Purikura with Sumo wrestlers.

When I was elementary school student, Purikura started coming in Japan. At that time, it had only a few functions such as making flame and putting on stamp in the picture. However it gradually improved its function such as painting, changing background color, setting the light and so on. Therefore it became popular year by year. Now it is also still improving its functions. Recently, in some Purikura machine, we can make our appearance better than real to use the functions such as changing our hair color, making big round eyes, long and curly eye lush, long legs and slim body. And also there are some Purikura website that tells us some technique of taking Purikura and some information about it. Using these things we can change our appearance easily. I saw some of my friends Purikura but it was loaded too much. Her eyes were too big and she had slender body which was looked like foreigner model. To tell the truth, she was so cute and lovely however it was difficult to know who she is and it seems a little strange and go too far. I supposed that Japanese tend to care about their appearance too much and we can see Japanese is trying to be like foreigner even from Purikura culture.

Recently I had opportunity to take a Purikura. Then I was really surprised. When it was printed and came out, false eyelashes also came out as a free gift!

I’m interested in how Purikura culture go on now more…



second and third photos are taken by here.

Friday, April 9, 2010

A coming-of-age ceremony and Kimono fashion

Last Sunday, I had a coming-of-age ceremony(成人式) in my hometown, Ishikawa prefecture. Generally, this ceremony is held on coming-of-age day in second Monday of January. However because of my hometown’s terrible winter weather, it is held in first Sunday of April, beautiful cherry blossom season. In this ceremony, people who have turned or will turn the age of 20 during the current year are cerebrated as new members of society. Then almost all girls wear Kimono that called Furisode and lately most of boys wear suits but some boys who want to stand out in this ceremony tend to put on Hakama that kind of Kimono for men.

Every year, in coming-of-age ceremony season, the latest trends of this ceremony’s fashion such as way of girl’s hair, makeup and Kimono style are usually featured on TV programs or magazines. We can know there are many way to dress Kimono and it is very interesting to realize change of Kimono fashion. I think it become more modern year by year. I could see many people who wore Kimono in my city’s coming-of-age ceremony and they tried to dress it by their own style.

Lately many girls tend to arrange their hair make more largely. This style is called “Mori Hair” (盛りヘアー) that is popular in Japanese GAL culture. This culture is also penetrating into Japanese traditional fashion style such as Kimono.


And some people seemed to enjoy their own unique and original style. This is my good friends. This girl’s style is rare in my city’s ceremony. She is looked like trying to mix with European and Japanese style to use hair dress and lace gloves. And he is also looked like rare because most of boys who wear suits are wearing a tie but he is putting on bow tie.



Most surprising thing for me was some girl’s way to dress Kimono. They tried to take off it to their shoulder and show it. This style of wear Kimono is used by Japanese famous singer Kumi Koda, so it seemed they are attracted by her original style.


Through This coming of age ceremony, even if the way to put on Kimono is changing, it is one of Japanese traditional thing that we should be proud of it. I could feel I am a Japanese and to be grown-up!


If you have an opportunity, I want you to try to wear Kimono and Hakama in Japan!


Forth pic is taken by here.
 
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