japanese kimono dress

"Menculik Miyabi" 2010 Synopsis Movies

2010-05-10T00:15:00.001-07:00

Synopsis Movies Menculik Miyabi
MiyabiMulya Hidayat, producer of “Menculik Miyabi” mentioned in the script before the film tells about Miyabi arrivals to Indonesia in the framework of the holidays.
In the movie “Menculik Miyabi” is told, Jakarta is in a hot atmosphere, where a lot of commotion happening everywhere. And suddenly, someone set fire to cars Miyabi. Then Miyabi, rescued by a young man who then familiar with it.

The movie will be ready to appear in a moment, Miyabi got a role as a model advertising a product. And planned to come to Indonesia to meet the winner of the competition that was held product. But his passport was missing.
So he too cancel to come to Jakarta.

While many people already waiting kedatangannnya at Soekarno-Hatta Airport. At that time, there are passing a tourist from China who like Miyabi. It even has a name almost identical: Mie Yaobie.Without delay, she got chased by his fans directly. When pursued, he entered the wrong car.

This movies will be aired on May 6, 2010.

Japanese Skin Care Secrets Revealed

2010-05-06T04:00:00.001-07:00

Did you realize that Japanese women have some of the best skin in the world? What are the Japanese skin care secrets that they know and you don’t?

Did you know that? That Japanese women have wonderful healthy looking skin right into old age? What secret do Japanese women have that allows them to have such great looking skin?

The first thing to say about those Japanese skin care secrets is that if you’re looking to try and find the best Japanese skin care products online because you think the secret is that the Japanese make the best skin care products then you’re mistaken.

It’s way more simple than that. You see it’s all about what women in Japan eat. It’s not about their skin care products at all.

What could Japanese women eat that makes their skin so good? It’s seaweed. Yes, that’s the secret, eating seaweed.

You see the Japanese eat a seaweed called Phytessence Wakame. They eat it fresh and dried, and it has been a part of the mainstream Japanese diet for centuries. And it has recently been discovered that it has extraordinary properties that make it a perfect ingredient for great skin health.

Although science is now finding out why Phytessence Wakame is so good for the skin it has been highly prized for a long time for this reason. Japanese women knew it was good for their skin.

Why is Phytessence Wakame so good for the skin? It’s a combination of factors, not just one thing. Firstly it is packed with all sorts of vitamins and minerals well known to be healthy to the skin, many of the B grouup vitamins for example.

And calcium, having 15 times the calcium of milk. Calcium is very good for the skin. And it’s packed with antioxidants as well.

But there’s more, and this is where Phytessence Wakame really benefits your skin. It gets a little complicated but bear with us.

There is an acid called hyaluronic acid in your skin. And your skin really needs plenty of hyaluronic acid, it keeps your skin smooth and elastic and well toned. All of these of course help keep wrinkles and skin sagging at bay, and keep your skin looking good.

And there is an enzyme in the skin called hyaluronidase that breaks down the hyaluronic acid. And as hyaluronic acid is so good for skin health you don’t want it broken down.

Here’s the secret. Phytessence Wakame helps inhibit the actions of hyaluronidase. So it protects your skin supplies of hyaluronic acid, so it helps maintain the suppleness and elasticity of your skin. That’s the big Japanese skin care secret.

There’s even more, the ingredients in Phytessence Wakame also help protect your skin against some sun damage and air pollution damage.

See why Japanese women prize it so highly for it’s skin health properties? They didn’t know the science, but they did know how good it was for their skin. It is cultivated extensively in Japan.

So do you need to buy Japanese skin care products to find good skin products that contain Phytessence Wakame? Or maybe you should just eat seaweed each day?

No to both, because there is one very small niche skin care company that makes fine quality natural skin care products that contain Phytessence Wakame.

And you can try their products risk free, because they offer a full money back guarantee. Because they’re small and can’t advertise on TV you won’t have heard of them, so decided to offer a money back guarantee.

Because they know that once you try their natural skin care products, with Phytessence Wakame, you’ll come back for more.

japanese yen

2010-04-22T08:57:00.000-07:00

"Yen" redirects here. For other uses, see Yen (disambiguation).
Japanese yen

The yen (円 or 圓, en?) (sign: ¥; code: JPY) is the currency of Japan. It is the third most-traded currency in the foreign exchange market after United States dollar and the euro.It is also widely used as a reserve currency after the U.S. dollar, the euro and the pound sterling. As is common when counting in East Asia, large quantities of yen are often counted in multiples of 10,000 (man, 万) in the same way as values in Western countries are often quoted in thousands.
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Pronunciation and etymology

Yen is pronounced "en" [eɴ] among Japanese. The word (Shinjitai:円, Traditional Chinese/Kyūjitai:圓) literally means "round object" in Japanese, as yuán does in Chinese. Originally, Chinese had traded silver in mass, and when Spanish and Mexican silver coins arrived, they called them 銀圓 (silver round) for their circular shapes.The coins and the name also appeared in Japan. Afterwards, the Chinese abbreviated 圓 with 元 which has the same pronunciation in Mandarin (but not in Japanese), while the Japanese preferred 圓 and it remains even now.

The spelling and pronunciation "yen" is standard in English. This is because mainly English speakers who visited Japan at the end of the Edo era to the early Meiji era spelled words this way. In the 16th century, Japanese "e (エ)/we (ヱ)" had been pronounced [je] and Portuguese missionaries had spelled them that way. Some time thereafter, by the middle of the 18th century, "e/we" came to be pronounced [e] as in modern Japanese, although some regions retain the [je] pronunciation. Walter Henry Medhurst, who had not come to Japan and interviewed some Japanese in Batavia (Jakarta), spelled some "e"s as "ye" in his An English and Japanese, and Japanese and English Vocabulary (1830). In the early Meiji era, James Curtis Hepburn, following Medhurst, spelled all "e"s as "ye" in his A Japanese and English dictionary (1st ed. 1867). That was the first full-scale Japanese-English/English-Japanese dictionary, which had a strong influence on Westerners in Japan and probably prompted the spelling "yen". Hepburn revised most of "ye"s to "e" in the 3rd edition (1886) in order to mirror the contemporary pronunciation, except "yen". This was probably already fixed and have remained so ever since.

History
Further information: Japanese currency

Introduction
Early 1 yen banknote, front and reverse.

In the nineteenth century silver Spanish dollar coins were prolific throughout South east Asia, the China coast, and Japan. These coins had been introduced through Manila over a period of two hundred and fifty years, arriving on ships from Acapulco in Mexico. These ships were known as the Manila galleons. Until the nineteenth century these silver dollar coins were actual Spanish dollars minted in the new world, mostly at Mexico City. But from the 1840s they were increasingly replaced by silver dollars of the new Latin American republics. In the latter half of the nineteenth century some local coins in the region were made in the likeness of the Mexican dollar. The first of these local silver coins was the Hong Kong silver dollar coin that was minted at a mint in Hong Kong between the years 1866 and 1868. The Chinese were slow to accept unfamiliar coinage and preferred the familiar Mexican dollars, and so the Hong Kong government ceased minting these coins and sold the mint machinery to Japan.

Early one yen coin (1.5g of pure gold), front and reverse.

The Japanese then decided to adopt a silver dollar coinage under the name of 'yen', meaning 'a round object'. The yen was officially adopted by the Meiji government in an Act signed on May 10, 1871. The new currency was gradually introduced beginning from July of that year. The Yen was therefore basically a dollar unit, like all dollars, descended from the Spanish Pieces of eight, and up until the year 1873, all the dollars in the world were more or less the same value. The yen replaced Tokugawa coinage, a complex monetary system of the Edo period based on the mon. The New Currency Act of 1871 stipulated the adoption of the decimal accounting system of yen (1, 圓), sen (1⁄100, 錢), and rin (1⁄1000, 厘), with the coins being round and cast as in the West. The yen was legally defined as 0.78 troy ounces (24.26 g) of pure silver, or 1.5 grams of pure gold hence putting it on a bimetallic standard. (The same amount of silver is worth about 1181 modern yen, while the same amount of gold is worth about 4715 yen.)
Early silver one yen coin, 24.26 grams of pure silver, Japan.

Following the silver devaluation of 1873, the yen devalued against the US dollar and the Canadian dollar units since they adhered to a gold standard, and by the year 1897 the yen was worth only about 50 cents(US). In that year, Japan adopted a gold exchange standard and hence froze the value of the yen at 50 cents.

(The sen and the rin were eventually taken out of circulation at the end of 1953.)

Fixed value of the yen to the US dollar

The yen lost most of its value during and after World War II. After a period of instability, in 1949, the value of the yen was fixed at ¥360 per US$1 through a United States plan, which was part of the Bretton Woods System, to stabilize prices in the Japanese economy. That exchange rate was maintained until 1971, when the United States abandoned the gold standard, which had been a key element of the Bretton Woods System, and imposed a 10 percent surcharge on imports, setting in motion changes that eventually led to floating exchange rates in 1973.

Undervalued yen

By 1971 the yen had become undervalued. Japanese exports were costing too little in international markets, and imports from abroad were costing the Japanese too much. This undervaluation was reflected in the current account balance, which had risen from the deficits of the early 1960s to a then-large surplus of U.S. $5.8 billion in 1971. The belief that the yen, and several other major currencies, were undervalued motivated the United States' actions in 1971.

Yen and major currencies float

Following the United States' measures to devalue the dollar in the summer of 1971, the Japanese government agreed to a new, fixed exchange rate as part of the Smithsonian Agreement, signed at the end of the year. This agreement set the exchange rate at ¥308 per US$1. However, the new fixed rates of the Smithsonian Agreement were difficult to maintain in the face of supply and demand pressures in the foreign-exchange market. In early 1973, the rates were abandoned, and the major nations of the world allowed their currencies to float.

Japanese government intervention in the currency market

In the 1970s, Japanese government and business people were very concerned that a rise in the value of the yen would hurt export growth by making Japanese products less competitive and would damage the industrial base. The government therefore continued to intervene heavily in foreign-exchange marketing (buying or selling dollars), even after the 1973 decision to allow the yen to float.

Despite intervention, market pressures caused the yen to continue climbing in value, peaking temporarily at an average of ¥271 per US$1 in 1973 before the impact of the 1973 oil crisis was felt. The increased costs of imported oil caused the yen to depreciate to a range of ¥290 to ¥300 between 1974 and 1976. The re-emergence of trade surpluses drove the yen back up to ¥211 in 1978. This currency strengthening was again reversed by the second oil shock in 1979, with the yen dropping to ¥227 by 1980.

Yen in the early 1980s

During the first half of the 1980s, the yen failed to rise in value even though current account surpluses returned and grew quickly. From ¥221 in 1981, the average value of the yen actually dropped to ¥239 in 1985. The rise in the current account surplus generated stronger demand for yen in foreign-exchange markets, but this trade-related demand for yen was offset by other factors. A wide differential in interest rates, with United States interest rates much higher than those in Japan, and the continuing moves to deregulate the international flow of capital, led to a large net outflow of capital from Japan. This capital flow increased the supply of yen in foreign-exchange markets, as Japanese investors changed their yen for other currencies (mainly dollars) to invest overseas. This kept the yen weak relative to the dollar and fostered the rapid rise in the Japanese trade surplus that took place in the 1980s.

Effect of the Plaza Accord
1977 Nishiki International
Ten speed road bike

Japanese bicycle brands such as Nishiki had enjoyed tremendous success during the United States' 1970's bike boom, only to suffer during the late 1980s Yen fluctuation. Because of the steep decline in the Yen's value, the manufacture of Nishiki bicycles was moved from Japan in 1989 to Giant Bicycles in Taiwan. The brand was ultimately absorbed by Derby International, which discontinued the brand in the United States in 2001.

In 1985 a dramatic change began. Finance officials from major nations signed an agreement (the Plaza Accord) affirming that the dollar was overvalued (and, therefore, the yen undervalued). This agreement, and shifting supply and demand pressures in the markets, led to a rapid rise in the value of the yen. From its average of ¥239 per US$1 in 1985, the yen rose to a peak of ¥128 in 1988, virtually doubling its value relative to the dollar. After declining somewhat in 1989 and 1990, it reached a new high of ¥123 to US$1 in December 1992. In April 1995, the yen hit a peak of under 80 yen per dollar, temporarily making Japan's economy nearly the size of the US.

Post-bubble years

The yen declined during the Japanese asset price bubble and continued to do so afterwards, reaching a low of ¥134 to US$1 in February 2002. The Bank of Japan's policy of zero interest rates has discouraged yen investments, with the carry trade of investors borrowing yen and investing in better-paying currencies (thus further pushing down the yen) estimated to be as large as $1 trillion. In February 2007, The Economist estimated that the yen is 15% undervalued against the dollar and as much as 40% undervalued against the euro.

Coins
Early 20 yen gold coin.

Coins were introduced in 1870. There were silver 5, 10, 20 and 50 sen and 1 yen, and gold 2, 5, 10 and 20 yen. Gold 1 yen were introduced in 1871, followed by copper 1 rin, ½, 1 and 2 sen in 1873.

Cupronickel 5 sen coins were introduced in 1889. In 1897, the silver 1 yen coin was demonetized and the sizes of the gold coins were reduced by 50%, with 5, 10 and 20 yen coins issued. In 1920, cupro-nickel 10 sen coins were introduced.

Production of silver coins ceased in 1938, after which a variety of base metals were used to produce 1, 5 and 10 sen coins during the Second World War. Clay 5 and 10 yen coins were produced in 1945 but not issued for circulation.

After the war, brass 50 yen, 1 and 5 yen were introduced between 1946 and 1948. In 1949, the current type of holed 5 yen was introduced, followed by bronze 10 yen (of the type still in circulation) in 1951.
Japanese 10 yen coin (obverse) showing Phoenix Hall of Byōdō-in

Coins in denominations of less than 1 yen became invalid on December 31, 1953, following enforcement of the Small Currency Disposition and Fractional Rounding in Payments Act (小額通貨の整理及び支払金の端数計算に関する法律, Shōgaku tsūka no seiri oyobi shiharaikin no hasūkeisan ni kan suru hōritsu?).

In 1955, the current type of aluminium 1 yen was introduced, along with unholed, nickel 50 yen. In 1957, silver 100 yen pieces were introduced. These were replaced in 1967 by the current, cupro-nickel type, along with the holed 50 yen coin. In 1982, the first 500 yen coins were introduced.

The date (expressed as the year in the reign of the current emperor) is on the reverse of all coins, and, in most cases, country name (through 1945, 大日本 or Dai Nippon, "Great Japan"; after 1945, 日本国, Nihon koku, "State of Japan") and the value in kanji is on the obverse, except for the present 5-yen coin where the country name is on the reverse.

As of September 4, 2009, 500 yen coins are the highest valued coins to be used regularly in the world (this place is typically taken by the 5 Cuban convertible peso coins), with values in the neighborhood of US$5.50, €3.90, £3.80 and CHF 5.80. The United States' largest-valued commonly-used coin (25¢) is worth ¥23; the Eurozone's largest (€2) is worth ¥255; the United Kingdom's largest (£2) is worth ¥260; and Switzerland's largest (CHF 5) is worth ¥430. Because of this high face value, the 500 yen has been a favorite target for counterfeiters. It was counterfeited to such an extent that in 2000 a new series of coins was issued with various security features. In spite of these changes, however, counterfeiting continues.[citation needed]

The 1 yen coin is made out of 100% aluminum.

On various occasions, commemorative coins are minted, often using gold and silver with face values as high as 100,000 yen. The first of these were silver ¥100 and ¥1000 Summer Olympic coins issued for the 1964 games. Recently this practice is undertaken with the 500 yen coin, first in commemoration of the Nagano Olympic games in 1998, and then the Aichi Expo in 2005. The current commemorative 500 and 1000 yen coin series began circulation in December, 2009, with 47 unique designs for each with only one available from banks in each prefecture. 100000 of each have been minted and they are all currently (as of February, 2010) still available in major banks at face value. Someone collecting one of each coin would need to invest 70500 yen, thus creating a major source of income for the Japanese government. Even though all commemorative coins can be used, they are not seen often in typical daily use and normally do not circulate.

The issuance of the yen banknotes began in 1872, two years after the currency was introduced. Throughout its history, the denominations have ranged from 10 yen to 10000 yen.

Before and during World War II, various bodies issued banknotes in yen, such as the Ministry of Finance and the Imperial Japanese National Bank. The Allied forces also issued some notes shortly after the war. Since then, the Bank of Japan has been the exclusive note issuing authority. The bank has issued five series after World War II. Series E, the current series, consists of ¥1000, ¥2000, ¥5000, and ¥10,000.

Determinants of value

Beginning in December 1931, Japan gradually shifted from the gold standard system to the managed currency system.

The relative value of the yen is determined in foreign exchange markets by the economic forces of supply and demand. The supply of the yen in the market is governed by the desire of yen holders to exchange their yen for other currencies to purchase goods, services, or assets. The demand for the yen is governed by the desire of foreigners to buy goods and services in Japan and by their interest in investing in Japan (buying yen-denominated real and financial assets).

Since the 1990s, the Bank of Japan, the country's central bank, has kept interest rates low in order to spur economic growth. Short-term lending rates have responded to this monetary relaxation and fell from 3.7% to 1.3% between 1993 and 2008. Low interest rates combined with a ready liquidity for the Yen prompted investors to borrow money in Japan and invest it in other countries (a practice known as carry trade). This has helped to keep the value of the Yen low compared to other currencies.

International reserve currency

The Special Drawing Rights (SDR) Valuation is an IMF basket of currencies, including the Japanese yen. The SDR is linked to a basket of currencies with 44% for the dollar, 34% for the euro, and 11% each for the yen and pound sterling. The exchange rate for the Japanese yen is expressed in terms of currency units per U.S. dollar; other rates are expressed as U.S. dollars per currency unit. The SDR currency value is calculated daily and the valuation basket is reviewed and adjusted every five years. The SDR was created in 1969 to support the fixed exchange system.

Critics worry that the SDR (Special Drawing Rights) or the amount of SDRs will not rival the dollar, euro or yen:

Far from becoming a separate international currency, the SDR will remain a derivative of the dollar and a few other major national currencies.

Also, the SDR does not contain the Chinese Yuan, Indian Rupee, Australian Dollar or Canadian Dollar, which are important benchmark or secondary global reserve currencies.
Main article: Reserve currency

Japanese School Uniforms

2010-04-18T20:43:00.000-07:00

Japan introduced school uniforms in the late 19th century. Today, school uniforms are almost universal in the Japanese public and private school systems. They are also used in some women's colleges. The Japanese word for this type of uniform is seifuku.

UsageIn the majority of elementary schools, students are not required to wear a uniform to school. Where uniforms are required, many boys wear white shirts, short pants, and caps. Young boys often dress more formally in their class pictures than they do other days of the school year. Girls' uniforms might include a gray pleated skirt and white blouse. Occasionally the sailor outfit is used for girls. The uniform codes may vary by season to work with the environment and occasion. It is common for both boys and girls to wear brightly colored caps to prevent traffic accidents. Also, it is normal for uniforms to be worn outside of school areas. This is going out of fashion and many students are wearing casual dress.

The Japanese junior- and senior-high-school uniform traditionally consists of a military style uniform for boys and a sailor outfit for girls. These uniforms are based on Meiji era formal military dress, themselves modeled on European-style naval uniforms. The sailor outfit replace the undivided hakama (andon bakama 行灯袴) designed by Utako Shimoda between 1920–30.[1] While this style of uniform is still in use, many schools have moved to more Western-pattern parochial school uniform styles. These uniforms consist of a white shirt, tie, blazer with school crest, and tailored trousers (often not of the same color as the blazer) for boys and a white blouse, tie, blazer with school crest, and tartan culottes or skirt for girls.

Regardless of what type of uniform any particular school assigns its students, all schools have a summer version of the uniform (usually consisting of just a white dress shirt and the uniform slacks for boys and a reduced-weight traditional uniform or blouse and tartan skirt with tie for girls) and a sports-activity uniform (a polyester track suit for year-round use and a t-shirt and short pants for summer activities). Depending on the discipline level of any particular school, students may often wear different seasonal and activity uniforms within the same classroom during the day. Individual students may attempt to subvert the system of uniforms by wearing their uniforms incorrectly or by adding prohibited elements such as large loose socks or badges. Girls may shorten their skirts; boys may wear trousers about the hips, omit ties, or keep their shirts unbuttoned.

Since some schools do not have sex-segregated changing- or locker-rooms, students may change for sporting activities in their classrooms. As a result, such students may wear their sports uniforms under their classroom uniforms. Certain schools also regulate student hairstyles, footwear, and book bags; but these particular rules are usually adhered to only on special occasions, such as trimester opening and closing ceremonies and school photo days.

Gakuran
Museum exhibit of the uniforms of the Ichikawa Gakuen school. The middle mannequin is displaying a gakuran.

The gakuran (学ラン?) or the tsume-eri (詰め襟?) are the uniforms for many middle school and high school boys in Japan. The color is normally black, but some schools use navy and dark blue as well.

The top has a standing collar buttoning down from top-to-bottom. Buttons are usually decorated with the school emblem to show respect to the school. Pants are straight leg and a black or dark-colored belt is worn with them. Boys usually wear penny loafers or sneakers with this uniform. Some schools may require the students to wear collar-pins representing the school and/or class rank.

The second button of the top of a male's uniform is often given away to a female he is in love with, and is considered a way of confession. The second button is the one closest to the heart and is said to contain the emotions from all three years attendance at the school. This practice was apparently made popular by a scene in a novel by Daijun Takeda.
Traditionally, the gakuran is also worn along with a matching (usually black) student cap, although this custom is less common in modern times.

The Gakuran is derived from Prussian army uniforms. The term is a combination of gaku (学) meaning "study" or "student", and ran (らん or 蘭) meaning Holland or, historically in Japan, the West in general; thus, gakuran translates as "Western student (uniform)". Such clothing was also worn by school children in South Korea and pre-1949 China.

Sailor outfit
Japanese junior high school students in sailor outfits

The sailor outfit (セーラー服, sērā-fuku?) is a common style of uniform worn by female middle school and high school students, and occasionally, elementary school students. It was introduced as a school uniform in 1920 in Heian Jogakuin (平安女学院?) and 1921 by the principal of Fukuoka Jo Gakuin University (福岡女学院?), Elizabeth Lee. It was modeled after the uniform used by the British Royal Navy at the time, which Lee had experienced as an exchange student in the United Kingdom

Much like the male uniform, the gakuran, the sailor outfit bears a similarity to various military styled naval uniforms. The uniform generally consists of a blouse attached with a sailor-style collar and a pleated skirt. There are seasonal variations for summer and winter: sleeve length and fabric are adjusted accordingly. A ribbon is tied in the front and laced through a loop attached to the blouse. Several variations on the ribbon include neckties, bolo ties, neckerchiefs, and bows. Common colors are navy blue, white, grey, light green and black.

Shoes, socks, and other accessories are sometimes included as part of the uniform. These socks are typically navy or white. The shoes are typically brown or black penny loafers. Although not part of the prescribed uniform, alternate forms of legwear (such as loose socks, knee-length stockings, or similar) are also commonly matched by more fashionable girls with their sailor outfits.

Cultural significance
Wikipe-tan clad in a Japanese school uniform, depicted in an anime art style

Various schools are known for their particular uniforms. Uniforms can have a nostalgic characteristic for former students, and is often associated with relatively carefree youth. Uniforms are sometimes modified by students as a means of exhibiting individualism, including lengthening or shortening the skirt, removing the ribbon, hiding patches or badges under the collar, etc. In past decades, brightly coloured variants of the sailor outfit were also adopted by Japanese yankee and Bōsōzoku biker gangs.

Because school uniforms are a popular fetish item, second-hand sailor outfits and other items of school wear are brokered through underground establishments known as burusera, although changes to Japanese law have made such practices difficult. The pop group Onyanko Club had a provocative song called "Don't Strip Off the Sailor Suit!" Sailor outfits, along with other styles of school uniform, play an undeniably large role in otaku culture and the Japanese sexual canon as evidenced by the large amount of anime, manga, and dōjinshi featuring characters in uniform, Sailor Moon being one of the most popular examples.

Chibi Maruko Chan

2010-04-16T22:12:00.000-07:00

Chibi Maruko-chan
From Wikipedia,
Manga
Author Momoko Sakura
Publisher Shueisha
Demographic Shōjo
Magazine Ribon
Original run August 1986 – April 2009
Volumes 16
TV anime Director Yumiko Suda, Tsutomu Shibayama
Studio Nippon Animation, Network Fuji Television, Animax
Original run January 7, 1990 – September 27, 1992
Episodes 142
Anime film
Chibi Maruko-chan: My Favorite Song
Released December 19, 1992
Runtime 93 minutes
TV anime Chibi Maruko-chan TV 2
Studio Nippon Animation, Network Fuji TV, Animax
Original run January 8, 1995 – ongoing
Episodes 757 (List of episodes)
TV drama
Chibi Maruko-chan (live-action special)
Network Fuji TV
Original run April 18, 2006, April 19, 2007 – ongoing
Episodes 3
TV drama Marumaru Maruko-chan, Network Fuji TV
Original run April 19, 2007 – February 28, 2008
Episodes 3
Anime and Manga Portal

Chibi Maruko-chan (ちびまる子ちゃん?) is a shōjo manga series by Momoko Sakura, later adapted into an anime TV series by Nippon Animation, which originally aired on Fuji Television from January 7, 1990 to September 27, 1992. The series depicts the simple, everyday life of a little girl nicknamed Maruko and her family in suburban mid-seventies Japan. The series is set in the former city of Shimizu, now part of Shizuoka City, birthplace of its author.

The first story under the title "Chibi Maruko-chan" was published in the August 1986 edition of the shōjo manga magazine Ribon. Other semi-autobiographical stories by the author had appeared in Ribon and Ribon Original in 1984 and 1985, and were included in the first "Chibi Maruko-chan" tankōbon in 1987. The author first began writing and submitting strips in her final year of senior high school, although Shueisha (the publisher of Ribon and Ribon Original) did not decide to run them until over a year later. The author's intent was to write "essays in manga form". Many stories are inspired by incidents from the author's own life, and some characters are based on her family and friends. The nostalgic, honest and thoughtful tone of the strip led to its becoming popular among a wider audience.

The Chibi Maruko-chan series has spawned numerous games, animated films and merchandising, as well as a second TV series running from 1995 to the present. Maruko's style and themes are sometimes compared to the classic comic Sazae-san. In 1989, the manga tied to receive the Kodansha Manga Award for shōjo. As of 2006, the collected volumes of the manga had sold more than 31 million copies in Japan, making it the fifth best-selling shōjo manga ever.
Contents

The trademark face fault of this series, the manga and anime and drama all, in reaction to an awkward "don't know what to say" situation (or sometimes, embarrassment) is the sudden appearance of vertical lines (黒い線, kuroi sen?) on a character's face, sometimes with an unexplained gust of wind blowing above that character's head.

Characters
Sakura family
Back row, from left: Hiroshi, Sumire, and Tomozo; middle row, from left: Sakiko and Kotake; and front row: Momoko (a.k.a. Maruko)

Momoko "Maruko" Sakura (さくらももこ, Sakura Momoko?)
Voiced by: Tarako
The title character, Maruko (born May 8, 1965) is a nine-year-old third-grade student raised in a relatively poor family of six. She is lazy, disorganized and usually late for school, in strong contrast with her neat, calm and tidy older sister (sixth-grader) who must share her room with her. Maruko, like many kids, tries to avoid homework and chores, and she takes advantage of her doting grandfather and squabbles with her sister. Nevertheless, she is a well-meaning child who tries to do good. She is similar to Calvin in Calvin and Hobbes in that she often uses adult-like language to express her child-like feelings. She has many food dislikes, including natto and tomatoes. She loves reading manga and is a good artist, and her stated goal is to become a manga artist when she grows up. It is implied that the show is drawn by Maruko herself. Maruko has a problem with her sister cooking and throws whirlwind tantrums. She knows a lot about her mother, father and grandmother.

Hiroshi Sakura (さくらひろし, Sakura Hiroshi?)
Voiced by: Yūsaku Yara
Maruko's father. He drinks every now and then but is a kind loving dad. His birthday is June 20, 1934, making him 40 years old during the series.

Sumire Sakura (さくらすみれ, Sakura Sumire?)
Voiced by: Teiyū Ichiryūsai
Maruko's mother. She tends to scold Maruko a lot. She is a strict mother but a very pleasant one. She's extremely focused on household finances, and shops mainly at department stores during bargain sales. Her birthdate is May 25, 1934, and her blood type is A. It is revealed in one episode that her maiden name is Kobayashi.

Sakiko Sakura (さくらさきこ, Sakura Sakiko?)
Voiced by: Yūko Mizutani
Maruko's older sister. She is clever and diligent, the exact opposite of the lazy Maruko. She and Maruko fight often but they get along fine. Her birthday is March 21, 1962, making her 12 in the series.

Tomozou Sakura (さくら友蔵, Sakura Tomozō?)
Voiced by: Kei Tomiyama (1990-1995), Takeshi Aono (1995-)
Maruko's kind but absent-minded grandfather. Naive and easily tricked, he keeps a pet turtle and loves watching TV with Maruko. When feeling distressed or nostalgic, he spontaneously retreats to a surreal inner world for a few seconds to improvise a sad yet comical haiku about his state of mind. His birthday is October 3, 1898, making him 76 in the series. The author has said that she used her own grandfather as the model for Tomozou, but that his personality is the opposite of Tomozou's.

Kotake Sakura (さくらこたけ, Sakura Kotake?)
Voiced by: Yūko Sasaki
Maruko's grandmother. She's wise and knows what's good for the human body. She was born on April 4, 1904. Her name of Kotake was never known in the series until it appeared in a 4-panel manga (Yonkoma) on July 1, 2007.

Maruko's friends

Tamae Honami (穂波たまえ, Honami Tamae?)
Voiced by: Naoko Watanabe

Maruko's best friend. She is intelligent and she does not include herself in other activities with maruko. Nicknamed Tama-chan.

Kazuhiko Hanawa (花輪和彦, Hanawa Kazuhiko?)
Voiced by: Masami Kikuchi

A really rich boy in Maruko's class who lives in a mansion his caretaker is Mr. Hediji . His mom is always away travelling and so he doesn't see her that often. He also has a butler who drives a limo and picks him up every day from school. His was born on August 7, 1965.

Sueo Maruo (丸尾末男, Maruo Sueo?)
Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita

Maruo is one of Maruko’s classmates and serves as the male class president and always wants to be admired by others. He has very thick glasses because he is a very serious student and studies very hard every day; black lines appear on his face nearly all of the time, especially when he seems euphoric. He is paranoid that his classmates are seeking to replace him as male class president and will target classmates that stand out and do well to discourage them from running against him. His birthday is December 31, thus giving rise to his name.

Noritaka Hamazaki (浜崎憲孝(はまじ), Hamazaki Noritaka (Hamaji)?)
Voiced by: Ai Orikasa→Tsutomu Kashiwakura

Hamaji is the most mischievous student in Maruko’s class. Despite this he is the class representative.

Tarō "Butaro" Tomita (富田太郎(ブー太郎), Tomita Tarō (Butaro)?)
Voiced by: Kazuyo Aoki (movie) Mami Matsui→Naomi Nagasawa

A boy in Maruko's class with a piglike face and ends his sentences with "buu" he is close friend of Hamaji as he always shown with him , a Japanese onomatopoeia for a pig snorting.

Hanako Migiwa (みぎわ花子, Migiwa Hanako?)
Voiced by: Miki Narahashi

She is crazy about Hanawa and does not like other girls being around with him and because Hanawa has a crush on Maruko, she is hard on Maruko. She is studying in standard 3 for the last five years because she is not good in her studies and fails every year. She is the female class president and like Maruo is pretty intent on maintaining her position, even promising along with Maruo to come in the morning to do cleaning and other work so their classmates don't have to.

Shinji Sekiguchi (関口しんじ, Sekiguchi Shinji?)

He seems kind of mean but actually he isn't. He even helped Maruko when she is learning how to bike.

Voiced by: Kyōsei Tsukui

Kimio Nagasawa (永沢君男, Nagasawa Kimio?)

His house was burned down during an accident and made his family poor in the episodes they always show a connection with fire of Nagasama. Therefore he always felt that nobody cares about him, and that everybody is out to laugh about him. He is thus became very aloof and does not talk much to other people except Fujiki, his best friend.

Voiced by: Chafūrin

Shigeru Fujiki (藤木茂, Fujiki Shigeru?)

He is very soft-spoken and is the best friend of Nagasawa he live alone in his home cause his parents go their offices early in the morning and comes late night.

Voiced by: Tomoko Naka

Shouta Yamada (山田笑太, Yamada Shouta?)

He laughs about anything good or bad, non-stop. He is also known as the "classroom idiot boy" (クラスのバカ男子)

Voiced by: Keiko Yamamoto

Kenichi Ono (大野けんいち, Ono Kenichi?)
Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi→Yūsuke Numata

He is Sugiyama Satoshi's best friend. Both of them love soccer.

Satoshi Sugiyama (杉山さとし, Sugiyama Satoshi?)
Voiced by: Ako Mayama

Kenichi's best friend. They are quite rude but very serious when they work. They form a good team and help each other.

Toshiko Tsuchihashi (土橋とし子, Tsuchihashi Toshiko?)

Toshiko is a very obedient and well-mannered girl. She always cares about others and also one of Maruko's and Tama's good friends.

Voiced by: Taeko Kawata

Misuzu Fuyuta (冬田美鈴, Fuyuta Misuzu?)

She has a crush on Ono Kenichi. She is a bit odd and likes to give cards to people depicting strange faces.

Voiced by: Sumie Baba

Yumiko Itō (伊藤由美子, Itō Yumiko?)
Voiced by: Masako Miura

This character only appeared in the first series and was in a trio with Maruko and Tamae.

Masaru Orihara (折原まさる, Orihara Masaru?)

A transfer student from Aichi. He appears Indian, initially resulting in rejection from his classmates.

Voiced by: Kappei Yamaguchi→Atsushi Kisaichi

Ebisu (えびす, Ebisu?)
Voiced by: Tsutomu Kashiwakura→Ai Orikasa

A likeable boy who was nominated by Sekiguchi to be male class president, but conceded the race when Maruo promised to come in and clean every morning so the class didn't have to.

Tsuyoshi Yamane (山根強, Yamane Tsuyoshi?)

He is a fan a Michiru Jo and has digestive problems.

Voiced by: Akio Suyama

Hutoshi Kosugi (小杉太, Kosugi Hutoshi?)
Voiced by: Teiyū Ichiryūsai

He's a fatty who eats a lot.

Osamu Nagayama (長山治, Nagayama Osamu?)
Voiced by: Yūko Sasaki

Hiromi Maeda (前田ひろみ, Maeda Hiromi?)

She is in charge of cleaning the classroom.

Voiced by: Megumi Urawa

Emiko Noguchi (野口笑子, Noguchi Emiko?)
Voiced by: Megumi Tano

She is very creepy and she always jokes. She also likes to make fun of others, especially Maruko. She will often spy on people.

Himeko Jyogasaki (城ヶ崎姫子, Jyogasaki Himeko?)

Sasayama's friend. She has alleged rivalry with Nagasawa.

Voiced by: Megumi Tano→Emi Motoi

Kazuko Sasayama (笹山かず子, Sasayama Kazuko?)

Fujiki's girlfriend and Himeko's friend.

Voiced by: Masako Miura

Watanabe (渡辺, Watanabe?)
Voiced by: Masami Kikuchi

Other characters

Hideyuki Togawa (戸川秀之, Togawa Hideyuki?)
Voiced by: Hirohiko Kakegawa

Maruko's homeroom teacher.

Mrs. Togawa (先生の妻?)
Voiced by: Mika Kanai

Oishi (大石, Oishi?)
Voiced by: Keiko Yamamoto

Principal (校長, Kōtyō?)
Voiced by: Ryōichi Tanaka

Hideji Saijō (西城秀治, Saijō Hideji?)
Voiced by: Chafūrin

Hanawa's butler. He is named after singer Hideki Saijo.

Shintarō Honami (穂波真太郎, Honami Shintarō?)
Voiced by: Kei Tomiyama→Nobuo Tobita

Shintarō is Tamae's father. He likes photography a lot and whenever he spots Tamae, takes a photo of her.

Mrs. Honami (たまえの母, Tamae no haha?)
Voiced by: Tomoko Naka

Tamae's mother.

Shigeo Sasaki (佐々木茂男, Sasaki Shigeo?)
Voiced by: Hirohiko Kakegawa

Sasaki is fond of trees and grows them. He is fondly called by Maruko- Sasaki Ojichan.

Mamoru Kawata (川田守, Kawata Mamoru?)

Voiced by: Kyōsei Tsukui

Midori Yoshikawa (吉川みどり, Yoshikawa Midori?)
Voiced by: Megumi Urawa

Tatsugorō Hamazaki (浜崎辰五郎, Hamazaki Tatsugorō?)
Voiced by: Nobuo Tobita

Noritaka's grandfather

Noritaka's Mother (憲孝の母, Noritaka no haha?)
Voiced by: Keiko Yamamoto

Mr. Tomita (太朗·とみ子の父?)
Voiced by: Hirohiko Kakegawa

Mrs. Tomita (太朗·とみ子の母?)
Voiced by: Ako Mayama

Tomiko Tomita (富田とみ子, Tomita Tomiko?)
Voiced by: Megumi Urawa

Tomiko is Tarō's younger sister

Kazuo Nagasawa (永沢一雄, Nagasawa Kazuo?)
Voiced by: Chafūrin

Kazuo is Kimio's father.

Mrs. Nagasawa (永沢の母?)
Voiced by: Yūko Mizutani

Tarō Nagasawa (永沢太郎, Nagasawa Tarō?)
Voiced by: Makiko Ōmoto

Tarō is Kimio's younger brother

Shosuke Noguchi (野口笑助, Noguchi Shosuke?)
Voiced by: Keiichi Sonobe

Fujio Noguchi (野口富士男, Noguchi Fujio?)
Voiced by: Kazunari Tanaka

Narration (ナレーション, Narration?)
Voiced by: Keaton Yamada

Media
Manga

The original Chibi Maruko-chan manga was serialized in the shōjo-oriented Ribon Magazine. 14 volumes were published from July 1987 to December 1996, with a 15th volume published in February 2003. On July 2007, a 4-frame version of Chibi Maruko-chan was published in every morning edition of several Japanese newspapers such as the Tokyo Shimbun and the Chunichi Shimbun.

The 16th volume of the manga was published on April 15, 2009.
TV series
First

Chibi Maruko-chan originally aired on Fuji Television. 142 episodes were broadcast, from January 1990 to September 1992. Maruko was voiced by Tarako; other voice actors included Kappei Yamaguchi and Hideki Saijo. Original manga author Momoko Sakura wrote the teleplay for most episodes. The first season was directed by Yumiko Suda and animated by Masaaki Yuasa (who later directed Mind Game in 2004). The series attained a TV viewer rating of 39.9%, the highest rating ever attained by an animated TV series in Japan at the time . The theme song Odoru Ponpokorin became a hit and was interpreted by several artists including the KinKi Kids and Captain Jack. The series was exported throughout Asia and was especially popular in Taiwan. In addition, 65 episodes were dubbed into Arabic (called maruko-alsaghera, which means Little Maruko), where it garnered attention from people of all ages. It also aired in Germany with the same title as the original. It airs weekdays on Nick India in India.

Opening theme:

1. "Yume Ippai" by Yumiko Seki (eps. 1-142)

Ending themes:

1. "Odoru Pompokolin" by B.B.Queens (eps. 1-66)
2. "Hashire Shoujiki-mono" by Hideki Saijou (eps. 67-142)

Second

A second series debuted in January 1995, in the 6pm time slot before Sazae-san on Sunday evenings. This series was also dubbed into German and broadcast by RTL II, Super RTL and Jetix in Germany.

Opening themes:

1. "Ureshii Yokan (Feeling Happy)" by Marina Watanabe (eps. 1-???)
2. "Humming ga Kikoeru (Hear the Humming)" by Kahimi Karie (eps. ???-179)
3. "Odoru Ponpokorin" by ManaKana & Shigeru Izumiya (eps. 180-253)
4. "KinKi no Yaru Ki Man Man Song" by KinKi Kids (eps. 254-294)
5. "Odoru Ponpokorin" by B.B.Queens (eps. 295-746)
6. "Odoru Ponpokorin (New Version)" by Kaela Kimura (eps. 747-)

* Ending themes:

1. "Hari-kiri Jiisan no Rock 'n' Roll" by Hitoshi Ueki (eps. 1-???)
2. "Akke ni torareta toki no uta" by Tama (eps. ???-179)
3. Jaga Buttercorn-san" by ManaKana (eps. 180-230)
4. "Chibi Maruko Ondo" by ManaKana (eps. 231-340)
5. "Kyuujitsu no Uta (Viva La Viva)" by Delighted Mint (eps. 341-416)
6. "Uchuu Dai Shuffle (Shuffle in Outer Space)" by Love Jets (eps. 417-481)
7. "Arara no Jumon" by Chibi Maruko-chan with Bakuchu Mondai (eps. 482-current)

Live action

A live action series is currently airing on Fuji Television in the 7pm slot; it had its first broadcast on April 18, 2006. The series is being created to commemorate Chibi Maruko-chan's 15th anniversary and will have a total of 3 episodes. The episodes will air weekly, for 2 hours each. All costumes and hairstyles are extremely faithful to the original manga settings.

Both the second television series and the live action series are now broadcast in 1080i HDTV. Due to its popularity the live action series is now regularly aired after Quiz$Millionaire. Its title is Maru Maru Chibi Maruko-chan.
Movies

* Chibi Maruko-chan (Toho, 1990)
* Chibi Maruko-chan: My Favorite Song (1992)

Games

(The first sixteen games have been released in Japan only)

* Chibi Maruko-chan: Uki Uki Shopping (Famicom, 1990)
* Chibi Maruko-chan: Okozukai Daisakusen (Game Boy, 1990)
* Chibi Maruko-Chan 2: Deluxe Maruko World (Game Boy, 1991)
* Chibi Maruko-chan: Harikiri 365-Nichi no Maki (Super Famicom, 1991)
* Chibi Maruko-Chan 3: Mezase! Game Taishou no Maki (Game Boy, 1992)
* Chibi Maruko-chan 4: Korega Nihon Dayo Ouji Sama (Game Boy, 1992)
* Chibi Maruko-Chan (TurboGrafx 16, 1992)
* Chibi Maruko-chan: Waku Waku Shopping (Mega Drive, 1992)
* Chibi Maruko-chan: Maruko Deluxe Quiz (Game Boy/Neo-Geo, 1995)
* Chibi Maruko-chan: Mezase! Minami no Island (Super Famicom, 1995)
* Chibi Maruko-chan no Taisen Puzzle Dama (Sega Saturn, 1995)
* Chibi Maruko-Chan: Maruko Enikki World (Sony Playstation, 1995)
* Chibi Maruko-Chan: Go Chounai Minna de Game Dayo! (Game Boy Color, 2001)
* Chibi Maruko-chan DS Maru-chan no Machi (Nintendo DS, 2009)

sumo wrestling

2010-04-15T03:20:00.000-07:00

sumo is one of japanese sports this video i had in youtube from national geografic channel. i hope you enjoy it

Mount Fuji

2010-04-12T04:16:00.000-07:00

Mount Fuji at sunrise Lake Kawaguchi
Elevation 3,776 m (12,388 ft)
Prominence 3,776 m (12,388 ft) Ranked 35th
Listing Country high point
Ultra
Location Japan

Mount Fuji (富士山, Fuji-san?, IPA: [ɸɯꜜdʑisaɴ] ( listen)) is the highest mountain in Japan at 3,776 m (12,388 ft). Along with Mount Tate and Mount Haku, it is one of Japan's "Three Holy Mountains" (三霊山 Sanreizan). An active volcano that last erupted in 1707–08, Mount Fuji is just west of Tokyo, and can be seen on a clear day. Mount Fuji's exceptionally symmetrical cone is a well-known symbol of Japan and it is frequently depicted in art and photographs, as well as visited by sightseers and climbers.
Contents

Mount Fuji is not only called Mount Fuji it is also called Fujiyama and Fuji-san.

Etymology

The current kanji for Mount Fuji, 富 and 士, mean wealth or abundant and a man with a certain status of respectively. However, these characters are probably ateji, meaning that the characters were likely selected because their pronunciations match the syllables of the name but do not carry a particular meaning.

The origin of the name Fuji is unclear. A text of the 10th century Tale of the Bamboo Cutter says that the name came from "immortal" (不死, fushi, fuji?) and also from the image of abundant (富, fu?) soldiers (士, shi, ji?) ascending the slopes of the mountain. An early folk etymology claims that Fuji came from 不二 (not + two), meaning without equal or nonpareil. Another claims that it came from 不尽 (not + exhaust), meaning neverending. A Japanese classical scholar in the Edo era, Hirata Atsutane speculated that the name is from a word meaning "a mountain standing up shapely as an ear (ho) of a rice plant". A British missionary John Batchelor (1854–1944) argued that the name is from the Ainu word for 'fire' (fuchi) of the fire deity (Kamui Fuchi), which was denied by a Japanese linguist Kyōsuke Kindaichi (1882–1971) on the grounds of phonetic development (sound change). It is also pointed out that huchi means an 'old woman' and ape is the word for 'fire', ape huchi kamuy being the fire deity. Research on the distribution of place names that include fuji as a part also suggest the origin of the word fuji is in the Yamato language rather than Ainu. A Japanese toponymist Kanji Kagami argued that the name has the same root as 'wisteria' (fuji) and 'rainbow' (niji, but with an alternative word fuji), and came from its "long well-shaped slope".

Variations

Fuji-san is often referred to in Western texts as Fujiyama or even, redundantly, as Mount Fujiyama, but this reading is not correct in standard Japanese.[citation needed]

In Nihon-shiki and Kunrei-shiki romanization, the name is transliterated as Huzi. Other Japanese names for Mount Fuji, which have become obsolete or poetic, include Fuji-no-Yama (ふじの山, the Mountain of Fuji), Fuji-no-Takane (ふじの高嶺, the High Peak of Fuji), Fuyō-hō (芙蓉峰, the Lotus Peak), and Fugaku (富岳 or 富嶽, the first character of 富士, Fuji, and 岳, mountain).

History

Mount Fuji wreathed in clouds

Mount Fuji is an attractive volcanic cone and a frequent subject of Japanese art. Among the most renowned works are Hokusai's 36 Views of Mount Fuji and his One Hundred Views of Mount Fuji. The mountain is mentioned in Japanese literature throughout the ages and is the subject of many poems.

It is thought that the first ascent was in 663 by an anonymous monk. The summit has been thought of as sacred since ancient times and was forbidden to women until the Meiji Era. Ancient samurai used the base of the mountain as a remote training area, near the present day town of Gotemba. The shogun Minamoto no Yoritomo held yabusame in the area in the early Kamakura period.

The first ascent by a foreigner was by Sir Rutherford Alcock in September 1860, from the foot of the mountain to the top in eight hours and three hours for the descent.:427 Alcock's brief narrative in The Capital of the Tycoon was the first widely disseminated description of the mountain in the West.:421-7 Lady Fanny Parkes, the wife of British ambassador Sir Harry Parkes, was the first non-Japanese woman to ascend Mount Fuji in 1867. Photographer Felix Beato climbed Mount Fuji in that same year.

Today, Mount Fuji is an international destination for tourism and mountain-climbing. In the early 20th century, populist educator Frederick Starr's Chautauqua lectures about his several ascents of Mount Fuji—1913, 1919, and 1923—were widely known in America. A well-known Japanese saying suggests that anybody would be a fool not to climb Mount Fuji once—but a fool to do so twice. It remains a popular meme in Japanese culture, including making numerous movie appearances, inspiring the Infiniti logo, and even appearing in medicine with the Mount Fuji sign.

In September 2004, the manned weather station at the summit was closed after 72 years in operation. Observers monitored radar sweeps that detected typhoons and heavy rains. The station, which was the highest in Japan at 3,780 metres (12,400 ft), was replaced by a fully-automated meteorological system. As of 2006, the Japan Self-Defense Forces and the United States Marine Corps continue to operate military bases near Mount Fuji.

Geography
Mount Fuji as viewed across the Tokyo skyscape

Mount Fuji is a distinctive feature of the geography of Japan. It stands 3,776 m (12,388 ft) high and is located near the Pacific coast of central Honshū, just west of Tokyo. It straddles the boundary of Shizuoka and Yamanashi prefectures. Three small cities surround it: Gotemba to the south, Fujiyoshida to the north, and Fujinomiya to the southwest. It is also surrounded by five lakes: Lake Kawaguchi, Lake Yamanaka, Lake Sai, Lake Motosu and Lake Shoji. They, and nearby Lake Ashi, provide excellent views of the mountain. The mountain is part of the Fuji-Hakone-Izu National Park. It can be seen more distantly from Yokohama, Tokyo, and sometimes as far as Chiba, Saitama, and Lake Hamana when the sky is clear.

The climate is very cold due to the altitude, and the cone is covered by snow for several months of the year. The lowest recorded temperature is −38.0 °C while on June 2008 the highest temperature was recorded at 17.8 °C.
A ukiyo-e print of Mount Fuji from Ogata Gekkō's Views of Mount Fuji.

Aokigahara
The forest at the base of the mountain is named Aokigahara. Folk tales and legends tell of demons, ghosts, and goblins haunting the forest, and in the 19th century, Aokigahara was one of many places poor families abandoned the very young and the very old. Aokigahara is the world’s second most popular suicide location after San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge. Since the 1950s, more than 500 people have lost their lives in the forest, mostly suicides. Approximately 30 suicides have been counted yearly, with a high of nearly 80 bodies in 2002. The recent increase in suicides prompted local officials to erect signs that attempt to convince potential suicides to re-think their desperate plans, and sometimes these messages have proven effective. The numbers of suicides in the past creates an allure that has persisted across the span of decades.

Due to the dense forest and rugged inaccessibility, the forest has also attracted thrill seekers. Many of these hikers marked their travelled routes by leaving coloured plastic tapes behind, causing concerns from prefectural officials with regard to the forest's ecosystem.

Transportation

The closest airport with scheduled international service is Mt. Fuji Shizuoka Airport. It opened in June 2009. It is about 80 kilometres (50 mi) from Mount Fuji.[31] The major international airports serving Tokyo, Tokyo International Airport (Haneda Airport) in Tokyo and Narita International Airport in Chiba, are some hours from Mount Fuji.

On 5 March 1966, BOAC Flight 911, a Boeing 707, broke up in flight and crashed near Mount Fuji Gotemba New fifth station, shortly after departure from Tokyo International Airport. All 113 passengers and 11 crew members were killed in the disaster, which was attributed to extreme clear air turbulence caused by lee waves downwind of the mountain. There is now a memorial for the crash a little way down from the Gotemba New fifth station.

Climbing routes
Sunrise on Mount Fuji

An estimated 200,000 people climb Mount Fuji every year, 30 percent of whom are foreigners. The most popular period for people to hike up Mount Fuji is from 1 July to 27 August, while huts and other facilities are operating. Buses to the fifth station start running on 1 July. Climbing from October to May is very strongly discouraged, after a number of high-profile deaths. Some climb the mountain at night in order to be in a position at or near the summit when the sun rises.

There are four major routes from the fifth station to the summit with an additional four routes from the foot of the mountain. The major routes from the fifth station are (clockwise) the Lake Kawaguchi, Subashiri, Gotemba, and Fujinomiya routes. The routes from the foot of the mountain are the Shojiko, Yoshida, Suyama, and Murayama routes. The stations on different routes are at different elevations. The highest fifth station is located at Fujinomiya, followed by Kawaguchi, Subashiri, and Gotemba.

Even though it is only the second highest fifth stations, the Kawaguchiko route is the most popular route because of its large parking area and many large mountain huts where a climber can rest or stay. During the summer season, most Mount Fuji climbing tour buses arrive there. The next popular is the Fujinomiya route which has the highest fifth station, followed by Subashiri and Gotemba.
Switchbacks and retaining walls along the trail reduce erosion from the large number of climbers.

Even though most climbers do not climb the Subashiri and Gotemba routes, many descend these because of their ash-covered paths. From the seventh station to near the fifth station, one could run down these ash-covered paths in approximately 30 minutes. Besides these routes, there are tractor routes along the climbing routes. These tractor routes are used to bring food and other materials to huts on the mountain. Because the tractors usually take up most of the width of these paths and they tend to push large rocks from the side of the path, the tractor paths are off-limits to the climbers on sections that are not merged with the climbing or descending paths. Nevertheless, one can sometimes see people riding mountain bikes along the tractor routes down from the summit. This is particularly risky, as it becomes difficult to control speed and may send some rocks rolling along the side of the path, which may hit other people.

The four routes from the foot of the mountain offer historical sites. The Murayama is the oldest Mount Fuji route and the Yoshida route still has many old shrines, teahouses, and huts along its path. These routes are gaining popularity recently and are being restored, but climbing from the foot of the mountain is still relatively uncommon. Also, bears have been sighted along the Yoshida route.

The ascent from the new fifth station can take anywhere between three and eight hours while the descent can take from two to five hours. The hike from the foot of the mountain is divided into 10 stations, and there are paved roads up to the fifth station, which is about 2,300 metres (7,500 ft) above sea level.
Paraglider at South side, view from Gotenba

Huts at and above the fifth stations are usually manned during the climbing season, but huts below fifth stations are not usually manned for climbers. The number of open huts on routes are proportional to the number of climbers—Kawaguchiko has the most while Gotemba has the least. The huts along the Gotemba route also tend to start later and close earlier than those along the Kawaguchiko route. Also, because Mount Fuji is designated as a national park, it is illegal to tent above the fifth station.

There are eight peaks around the crater at the summit. The highest point in Japan is where the Mount Fuji Radar System used to be. Climbers are able to visit each of these peaks.

Paragliding

Paragliders take off in the vicinity of the fifth station Gotemba parking lot, between Subashiri and Hōei-zan peak on the south side from the Mountain, in addition to several other locations depending on wind direction. Several paragliding schools use the wide sandy/grassy slope between Gotenba and Subashiri parking lots as a training hill.

Geology
Aerial view of the peak of Mount Fuji
Further information: Historic eruptions of Mount Fuji and List of volcanoes in Japan

Mount Fuji is located at the triple junction where the Amurian Plate, the Okhotsk Plate, and the Philippine Sea Plate meet. Those plates form the western part of Japan, the eastern part of Japan, and the Izu Peninsula respectively.

Scientists have identified four distinct phases of volcanic activity in the formation of Mount Fuji. The first phase, called Sen-komitake, is composed of an andesite core recently discovered deep within the mountain. Sen-komitake was followed by the "Komitake Fuji," a basalt layer believed to be formed several hundred thousand years ago. Approximately 100,000 years ago, "Old Fuji" was formed over the top of Komitake Fuji. The modern, "New Fuji" is believed to have formed over the top of Old Fuji around 10,000 years ago.[35]

The volcano is currently classified as active with a low risk of eruption. The last recorded eruption was the Hōei eruption which started on December 16, 1707 (Hōei 4, 23rd day of the 11th month) and ended about January 1, 1708 (Hōei 4, 9th day of the 12th month) during the Edo period.The eruption formed a new crater and a second peak (named Hōei-zan after the Hoei era) halfway down its side. Fuji spewed cinders and ash which fell like rain in Izu, Kai, Sagami, and Musashi. Since then, there have been no signs of an eruption.

kimono rabbit doll

2010-04-06T02:09:00.000-07:00

Japanese really like rabbits. There are so many rabbit dolls in Japan, and kimono-wearing rabbit dolls are very popular.
The colorful Kimono is very bright and attractive in the pure white of rabbits. Besides standing-straight ears and cute face suit the colorful Kimono.

japanese kimono dance part 1

2010-04-06T01:35:00.000-07:00

i found it on youtube, check this out... you can find 5 part on youtube

The Fire Kimono

2010-04-06T01:24:00.000-07:00

The Fire Kimono is a 2008 mystery novel written by Laura Joh Rowland, set in the Genroku period (AD 1688–1704) in Japan. It is the 13th book in the Sano Ichiro series.

This time, Sano was assigned to a sensitive murder investigation more than four decade old involving a member of the Tokugawa clan, cousin to his lord Shogun Tokugawa Tsunayoshi. The murder apparently occurred during the historical Great Fire of Meireki the destroyed much of Edo city that took the lives of many people in the confusion. Sano was shocked when his mother became embroiled in the case as a primary suspect and learned there were much more to her than he had ever imagined.

Meanwhile, the tension between Sano and Lord Matsudaira reached a boiling point and they were on the verge of open warfare, a situation brought about by the manipulation of Yanagisawa Yoshiyasu who had earlier escaped from exile.
[edit] Plot Summary

In the prologue, a Shinto priest passing by discovered remains of a human unearthed when strong winds toppled an oak tree near the Inari Shrine.

Since his return from Ezogashima, there had been increased in attacks against Sano and against Matsudaira, the attackers wearing insignias from each other's houses. Just as Sano confronted Matsudaira about the latest attack on Sano's wife, Reiko, which Matsudaira flatly denied, both men were summoned by the Shogun.

The shogun informed them that the skeleton of his long lost cousin, Tokugawa Tadatoshi, who was thought to have perished during the Great Fire of Meireki, and charged Sano with the investigation.

Sano barely had time to plan his investigation when his mother, Etsuko, was arrested by Matsudaira's men as the suspect for murdering Tadatoshi. The witness was a Colonel Doi Naokatsu in the service of Matsudaira. Doi was also apparently once Tadatoshi's bodyguard, and Etsuko was a lady-in-waiting to Tadatoshi's household women. Sano was shocked that his mother was not a humble commoner as he had thought, but a scion of the Kumazawa clan, a respected hereditary Tokugawa vassal. Doi claimed to have heard Etsuko plotting with Egen against Tadatoshi, Egen being a monk and Tadatoshi's tutor.

Sano was able to convinced the shogun to allow him bring Etsuko home to facilitate the investigation, but he was dismayed to find his mother less than cooperative. As more and more of the past were uncovered, his mother's position became more and more unfavourable.

Meanwhile, confined to the security of the house due to danger of attacks, Reiko was at last able to help in the investigation by trying to get more information from Etsuko, and from Etsuko's loyal longtime maid, Hana. Reiko was also struggling to win back her young daughter, Akiko, who became alienated from Reiko when Reiko left her behind to go to Ezogashima to rescue her son, Masahiro, as told in the previous novel.

Hirata too had returned from an even longer absence to find that his wife and children had become strangers to him.

Amidst the investigation, Yanagisawa plotted with his son Yoritomo to bring down both Sano and Matsudaira.

Tokamachi Kimono Festival

2010-03-31T21:26:00.003-07:00

In front of a signboard of a coming-of-age ceremony, standing are those whose coming-of-age celebrations were held quite long ago.

Actually, of these three, two are 20 years old.

Walking along a temporary pedestrian street where carp streamers are flying

Matsunoi and Tenjinbayashi, locally brewed sake of Tokamachi City

From May 2 to 4, we stayed in Tokamachi City, which is famous of kimono. On May 3, they held Tokamachi Kimono Festival. At the same time, they also held a coming-of-age ceremony for those who became or would become 20 years old this year. Many of the new grown-up people were decently clad in kimono. Many of the female grown-up wearing furisode, a kimono whose sleeves hung down almost to the ground, can be seen here and there on streets. Also, those who were wearing kimono were provided with some privileges in some events.

The main street of the city was turned into a pedestrian precinct this day. Above the street carp streamers, ornament for Children's Day, another festival that would be held on May 5, were flying. If you were wearing kimono, you could be photographed and given the printed photo for free. Matsunoi and Tenjinbayashi, locally brewed sake of Tokamachi City, were provided for pedestrians, which I drank a lot.

Since my kimono friend was walking with an incredibly flashy peppermint-green wig, people in Tokamachi City and turists were watcing her in open-mouthed surprise. We were photographed by many people.

This day, it was very hot in Tokamachi, and we needed to run into a cool place soon after we walked just a few minutes. In such cases, a mug of beer is a relief.

Japan Film Festival Los Angeles 2010

2010-03-31T21:07:00.000-07:00

Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles, JFFLA, is a non-profit organization dedicated to delivering a better appreciation of contemporary Japanese culture to the Los Angeles community. Cinema is the bridge that connects us all! We are convinced that through this festival we can inspire open communication and the exchange of ideas between Japan and the U.S.

The third annual Japan Film Festival–Los Angeles will be held in April 2010. With the support of the Japanese Consulate General, the Japan Foundation of Los Angeles, numerous corporations and much of the Japan media in the Los Angeles area, we hope to continue to develop and grow together. The success of JFFLA is due to the passion and energy of all our dedicated committee members that volunteer their time thoughout the year. We’d also like to thank our volunteers, sponsors and the audience, without you, this festival would not be possible.
Please join us for a wide range of films; new and old, sad and joyful, scary and funny, and to share some good times with everyone!

japanese holidays

2010-03-28T19:12:00.000-07:00

The following are Japanese national holidays and some of the most important other annual nationwide events. In addition, there are countless local annual festivals. Our event calendar can be consulted for exact dates.

January 1 (national holiday)
New Year (shogatsu):
This is the most important holiday in Japan. While only January 1 is designated as a national holiday, many businesses remain closed through January 3. More information is available on the New Year page.

Second Monday of January (national holiday)
Coming of Age (seijin no hi):
The coming of age of 20 year old men and women is celebrated on this national holiday. More information is available on the Coming of Age page.

February 3
Beginning of spring (setsubun):
Setsubun is not a national holiday, but celebrated at shrines and temples nationwide. More information is available on the Setsubun page.

February 11 (national holiday)
National Foundation Day (kenkoku kinenbi):
According to the earliest Japanese history records, on this day in the year 660 BC the first Japanese emperor was crowned.

February 14
Valentine's Day:
In Japan, women give chocolates to men on Valentine's Day. It is not a national holiday. More information is available on the Valentine's Day page.

March 3
Doll's Festival (hina matsuri):
Also called girl's festival. More information is available on the Doll's Festival page.

March 14
White Day:
The opposite of Valentine's Day: Men give cakes or chocolates to women. It is not a national holiday. More information is available on the White Day page.

Around March 20 (national holiday)
Spring Equinox Day (shunbun no hi):
Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day.

April 29 (national holiday)
Showa Day (Showa no hi):
The birthday of former Emperor Showa. Before 2007, April 29 was known as Greenery Day (now celebrated on May 4). Showa Day is part of the Golden Week.

May 3 (national holiday)
Constitution Day (kenpo kinenbi):
A national holiday remembering the new constitution, which was put into effect after the war. More information is available on the Golden Week page.

May 4 (national holiday)
Greenery Day (midori no hi):
Until 2006, Greenery Day was celebrated on April 29, the former Emperor Showa's birthday, due to the emperor's love for plants and nature. It is now celebrated on May 4 and is part of the Golden Week.

May 5 (national holiday)
Children's Day (kodomo no hi):
Also called boy's festival. More information is available on the Golden Week page.

July/August 7
Star Festival (tanabata):
Tanabata is a festival rather than a national holiday. More information is available on the Tanabata page.

Third Monday of July (national holiday)
Ocean Day (umi no hi):
A recently introduced national holiday to celebrate the ocean. The day marks the return of Emperor Meiji from a boat trip to Hokkaido in 1876.

July/August 13-15
Obon:
Obon is a festival to commemorate deceased ancestors. More information is available on the Obon page.

Third Monday of September (national holiday)
Respect for the Aged Day (keiro no hi):
Respect for the elderly and longevity are celebrated on this national holiday.

Around September 23 (national holiday)
Autum Equinox Day (shubun no hi):
Graves are visited during the week (ohigan) of the Equinox Day.

Second Monday of October (national holiday)
Health and Sports Day (taiiku no hi):
On that day in 1964, the Olympic games of Tokyo were opened.

November 3 (national holiday)
Culture Day (bunka no hi):
A day for promotion of culture and the love of freedom and peace. On culture day, schools and the government award selected persons for their special, cultural achievements.

November 15
Seven-Five-Three (shichigosan):
A festival for children, Shichigosan is not a national holiday. More information is available on the Shichigosan page.

November 23 (national holiday)
Labour Thanksgiving Day (kinro kansha no hi):
A national holiday for honoring labour.

December 23 (national holiday)
Emperor's Birthday (tenno no tanjobi):
The birthday of the current emperor is always a national holiday. If the emperor changes, the national holiday changes to the birthday date of the new emperor.

December 24-25
Christmas:
Christmas is not a national holiday, but it is celebrated by an increasing number of Japanese. More information is available on the Christmas page.

December 31
New Year's Eve (omisoka):
December 31 is not a national holiday. More information is available on the New Year page.

If a national holiday falls on a Sunday, the following Monday will also be a holiday. If a day lies between two national holidays, the day will also be turned into a holiday.

Tokyo City

2010-03-28T19:06:00.001-07:00

Tokyo is Japan's capital and the country's largest city.

Tokyo is also one of Japan's 47 prefectures, but is called a metropolis (to) rather than a prefecture (ken). The metropolis of Tokyo consists of 23 city wards (ku), 26 cities, 5 towns and 8 villages, including the Izu and Ogasawara Islands, several small Pacific Islands in the south of Japan's main island Honshu.

The 23 city wards (ku) are the center of Tokyo and make up about one third of the metropolis' area, while housing roughly eight of Tokyo's approximately twelve million residents.

Prior to 1868, Tokyo was known as Edo. A small castle town in the 16th century, Edo became Japan's political center in 1603 when Tokugawa Ieyasu established his feudal government there. A few decades later, Edo had grown into one of the world's most populous cities.

With the Meiji Restoration of 1868, the emperor and capital were moved from Kyoto to Edo, which was renamed Tokyo ("Eastern Capital"). Large parts of Tokyo were destroyed in the Great Kanto Earthquake of 1923 and in the air raids of 1945.

Robo-Geisha is one crazy movie

2010-03-27T23:05:00.000-07:00

Bit NSFW. Well, I’ve never been one to shy away from crazy Japanese cult movies. As a matter of fact, I didn’t think I would find one that topped Tokyo Gore Police. Silly me. Leave it to the minds that created Machine Girl and Tokyo Gore Police to team up and create this over the top movie called Robo-Geisha. Words can’t begin to describe this… well… maybe the announcer does a good job in the trailer.

Papercraft Summer Kimono

2010-03-27T23:03:00.000-07:00

this is awesome papercraft made by someone creative guy

PaperKraft.net caught a great piece of paperkraft that’s very fitting for the Japanese summer. This papercraft female is wearing a kimono thats 100% made of paper. If you have never head of papercraft before, it’s sort of like origami for the 21st century. PaperKraft.netÂ houses an amazing collection of papercraft from movie characters and props, to moe anime characters and objects.

Samurai Clothing

2010-03-27T19:51:00.000-07:00

As may be expected, the basic clothing item in a samurai's 'everyday' wardrobe was the kimono, which for men normally consisted of an outer and inner layer. Heavier kimonos were worn in the winter, while lighter examples (those made of finer silk, for instance) were worn in the summer. In fact, there was a ceremonial day where winter kimonos were exchanged for their summer counterparts, traditionally on the 1^st day of the Fourth Month (by our reckoning, in the first week of May). A samurai's kimono would normally be made of silk, a material considered superior to cotton and hemp not only for its feel and appearance but for it's relative coolness in the hot Japanese summer. (Incidentally, kimono makers traditionally reckoned on one roll of silk measuring about two feet by 20 yards for one kimono). Naturally, the quality of a kimono a given samurai might wear largely depended on his personal station and income, though, at least prior to the Edo Period, there were no hard and fast rule in this regard. Hojo Soun, for instance, touches on the matter of clothing in his 21 Articles, "Don't think your swords and clothing should be as good as those of other people. Be content as long as they don't look awful. Once you start acquiring what you don't have and become even poorer, you'll become a laughingstock."¹ Exceptionally bright colors and outlandish patterns were typically avoided or sneered upon as a show of immodesty or conceit. On the same token, women of samurai families tended to wear kimono layers and colors dependant upon the station and/or power of their husband. Samurai children, however, were dressed rather flamboyantly, and a more subdued appearance was one of the results of the coming-of-age ceremony. Older samurai tended towards shades of gray or brown, in keeping with their dignified age.

Beneath the kimono, a loincloth (fundoshi) was worn, of which there were two varieties. One was essentially a wrap that, for lack of a better description, resembled a diaper (familiar to anyone who has witnessed or seen footage of some of modern Japan's more esoteric festivals); the other type (more often worn under armor) was a long piece of material worn down the front of the body. A loop slung around the neck fastened the top of the loincloth while the other end was pulled up around the other side of the abdomen and tied around the front of the lower waist with cords. Samurai had the option of wearing socks, called tabi, which included a space to separate the big toe from the other toes (to facilitate the wearing of sandals). Tabi worn in an everyday capacity were normally white and were tailored to the season.

Footwear generally consisted of sandals (waraji) and wooden clogs (geta). Sandals were made from various sorts of material, including straw, hemp, and cotton thread. Clogs were generally associated with the lower classes (geisha, for instance, and kabuki actors are often depicted wearing geta) though samurai wore them from time to time. The Tale of the Heike, for instance, mentions that the powerful Taira Kiyomori wore clogs, though it was considered sufficiently unusual to find its way into puns composed by his rivals. Bearskin boots were at one time popular, especially with armor, but by the 16^th Century had come to be considered archaic.

For rainy days, samurai, like everyone else, wore raincoats made out of straw (kappa) and availed themselves of folding umbrellas (which looked rather like Victorian era parasols, complete with decoration).

Between the 12^th and 17^th Century, the hitatare style of dress was popular. Unlike the common kimono, hitatare was a two-piece costume, though comparably flowing and ample (Yoroi hitatarewas a snugger version for use under armor). This costume, for a possible frame of reference, is what most of the samurai wear in Japanese movies set prior to the Edo Period (the oft-mentioned Kagemusha, Ran, Throne of Blood, Heaven and Earth, ect…). Generally worn when in some 'official' capacity, the hitatare were normally adorned with the crest (or mon) of their immediate family or clan, or, in the case of relatives or direct retainers of the lord, the crest of the daimyô or shugo. Decorative bows also often adorned hitatare, normally worn on the breast.

As with the standard kimono, the samurai's swords were normally thrust through a belt (obi) worn wrapped around the waist and tied in front. Alternatively (and again in 'official' circumstances) the main sword could be slung by cords from the obi (in a fashion more akin to a western dress uniform convention) while the short sword (Wakizashi) or knife (tanto) was worn through the Obi. Regardless, the sword was ALWAYS worn on the left side, probably a case of a practical consideration (ease of drawing) that became more fashion oriented (after all, there were certainly some left-handed samurai…).

Indoors, the samurai might dispense with his long sword, but always kept some form of weaponry on his person, even if the simple dagger. A daimyô could expect a page to carry his sword for him, though typically only in the most formal of circumstances. (Traditionally, pages or trusted or honored men would carry a lord's sword and bow for him, especially in ceremonial circumstances. By the 16^th Century, few daimyô bothered with keeping bows around their person, even for formalities.). In addition, a simple folding fan might be tucked in the obi, as well, perhaps, as a few tissues.

The hitatare could be worn 'half-off', that is, the upper half was allowed to hang about the waist, and this would be done when engaging in impromptu wresting matches or, occasionally, shows of swordsmanship or archery (in other words, for martial purposes).

By the Edo Period, the hitatare gave way to the kamishimo. The kamishimo consisted of a two-piece costume worn over a kimono. This is probably the most well known samurai dress. The upper piece was called the kataginu, and was essentially a sleeveless jacket or vest with exaggerated shoulders. Alternatively, a long sleeved coat, the haori , could be worn, especially when traveling or in bad weather. The lower piece was the hakama: wide, flowing trousers somewhat like those found in the older hitatare. The kamishimo would normally be composed of the same material, and was more likely to reflect the status of its wearer than not. The Edo Period was an extremely status-conscious time in Japanese history and this was nowhere more the case then among the samurai. Style was, as always, important, but subject to much greater regulation.

The kamishimo was normally worn outside of the house, or when expecting visitors. Otherwise, the trusty kimono would do.

The samurai's hair was an important part of his appearance, and most texts and house-codes of the samurai make reference to the importance of its neat appearance. The traditional hairstyle (for the better part of a thousand years) was the topknot, a fashion by no means exclusive to the samurai. Nearly everyone, with the exception of Buddhist priests, wore topknots, making the genesis of this style nearly impossible to guess at it with authority. There is reference to the use of topknots in ancient China, and it might have been one of the many cultural imports introduced to Japan between the Asuka-Nara and Heian Periods. Needless to say, there was any number of styles of topknot by the Edo Period. The chasen-gami , for instance, was produced by wrapping a piece of string around the length of the topknot, producing a spray of hair at the end that resembled a tea wisk. The topknot would then either be worn back or forward, hanging over the center of the head. The mitsu-ori was a style popular in the later 16th Century. The hair was well oiled and formed into a queue and folded forward on the head, then back again, and was tied in place. An abbreviated version, the futatsu-yori, was only folded forward before being tied, and was trimmed with a razor to give the front an almost solid appearance. Interestingly, these styles were not uncommon among the lower classes.

The style of shaving part of the frontal part of one's head was supposedly developed as making helmet wear more comfortable. By the early Edo Period it had become a simple fashion, and was adopted by many outside the samurai class. There seems to have been no special ordnances or something of the sort regarding the wear of one's hair, though doubtlessly 'house rules' applied.

Facial hair was common prior to the Edo Period, and was, unsurprisingly, a show on manliness on the part of the wearer. Moustaches were popular, and among generals these could become quite distinctive. Beards (while typically thin) were also worn, particularly because they made wearing helmet cords more comfortable (as anyone who has worn a military helmet for an extended period of time might sympathize with). Beards appear to have fallen out of favor and/or popularity in the Edo Period, and to this day they are rather rare among Japanese men.

For headgear out of armor, powerful samurai (daimyô/shugo or their important retainers) would wear eboshi, a cap of black silk gauze stiffened with a black lacquered paper lining. The cap was held in place either by a white cord, or was pinned to the samurai's topknot. The size and shape of the cap was largely dependant on the samurai's rank, though the use of eboshi was reserved for only the most formal of events by the 16^th Century.

The Japanese Tea Ceremony

2010-03-26T02:44:00.000-07:00

The Japanese tea ceremony is a traditional ritual influenced by Zen Buddhism in which green tea known as matcha is prepared and ceremoniously served by a skilled practitioner to a small group of guests in a tranquil setting such as a garden tea house. Chanoyu which means “hot water for tea” refers to a single ceremony that involves only tea, while the longer version known as Chaji “tea meeting” entails a full tea ceremony in which a light meal is also served, and can last up to four hours. Mastering the art of the tea ceremony includes years of study that can last a lifetime, as the student must be familiar with several interrelated disciplines such as flower arranging, calligraphy, ceramics, incense, and the proper technique for wearing kimono. Guests who participate in the ritual must also be aware of the proper conduct in regard to utilizing certain phrases and gestures required to maintain the integrity of the ceremony.

If tea is to be served in a tea house guests will initially be shown to a waiting room called a machiai, which is usually a separate structure such as a simple gazebo. After being summoned by the host they purify themselves by rinsing their mouths and hands with water from a small stone basin known as tsukubai, and then continue through the garden to the tea house. Removing their shoes they proceed through a small sliding door that is only thirty six inches high, thus symbolizing that all who enter are equal in stature irrespective of status or social position. The roomis not decorated save for a scroll painting called kakemono, which has been selected by the host and reveals the theme of the ceremony. The Buddhist scripture on the scroll is called bokuseki (ink traces) and is admired by each guest in turn before being seated seiza style on the tatami mat floor.

If a meal is not served the host will present each guest with small sweets eaten from special paper known as kaishi, which each person carries in a decorative wallet tucked in the breast of the kimono. All utensils to be used in the ceremony such as tea bowl, tea scoop, and whisk, are ritualistically cleansed in the presence of the guests in a precise manner and order before being fastidiously arranged according to the ceremony being performed. Upon completion of cleaning and preparing the utensils, the host will place a carefully measured proportion of green tea powder in a bowl along with the appropriate amount of hot water, and then whisk the tea using a precise set of movements. Guests relax and enjoy the atmosphere of the simple surroundings and conversation is kept to a minimum. The host then serves the bowl to the guest of honor, bows are exchanged, and the bowl is raised to the host in a gesture of respect. The bowl in then rotated by the guest to avoid drinking from it's front, a sip is taken followed by a prescribed phrase, the bowl's rim is wiped and rotated back to its original position, and is then passed on to the next guest with a bow. The protocol is repeated until all guests have tasted the tea from the same bowl, and it is then returned to the host who rinses it. The scoop and tea container are then offered to the guests for examination, each item being treated with extreme care and reverence as they may be irreplaceable handmade antiques passed down for generations. The host then collects the utensils, and as the guests leave the tea house bows as a sign that the ceremony has officially come to an end.

How to make Washi doll (step by step)

2010-03-26T02:39:00.001-07:00

#

Cut a circle approximately three times the size of your Styrofoam ball from the white paper. Paint one side of the paper with white glue using a 1/4-inch artist brush. Place the ball in the center of the glued side and wrap as much of the paper around it as you can without creating folds. Make small v-shaped cuts in the paper to ease the remainder of the paper around the ball. Trim any excess.

Step 2

Press straight pins through the paper and into the ball to hold the paper in place while it dries. Wrap a rubber band around the ball to help accomplish this. Set your paper-covered head aside.

Step 3

Cut a circle of white art board that is 1 1/2 inches in diameter. Select a wood dowel that is 1/8-inch diameter and 3-inches long. Sharpen one end of the dowel with a pencil sharpener. Glue the blunt end of the dowel to the center of the art-board circle and set it aside to dry.

Step 4

Select a sheet of patterned origami paper that measures 3 inches by 9 (or more) inches. Fold the paper in half so that it measures 1 1/2 inches in width. Fold the paper in half again, and then again. You should have a strip that is 3/8-inch wide.

Step 5

Find the center of the folded paper, lengthwise, and make a small mark. Pinch the folded paper together a half-inch to the left of this mark. Take the paper to the left of your pinched fingers and bend it toward you. Unfold the paper end by one fold and bring the unfolded paper back toward the center. Repeat this on the right side. You should end up with what looks like a scarf hanging down on both sides. This is the basic obi.

Step 6

Remove the pins and rubber bands from the head. Decide which half of the ball to cover with hair (this will allow you to cover any cut marks). Cut a piece of black paper to 1 and 1/2-inch by 6-inches long. Apply a bead of glue along the 6-inch side and wrap the glued paper around the head. Continue to glue over the black paper once you have gone around the diameter of the head once. (6 inches of black paper should wrap the head 2+ times.) Use small scissors to trim bangs or shape the hairstyle. The white glue should dry invisible.

Step 7

Press the sharpened dowel into the head where you think the doll neck should be. Wrap the scarf-like obi around the doll and glue it to the dowel. Fold a 1-inch by 6-inch sheet of patterned paper to form a sash. Tie the sash at the back and tuck the ends around the sash once to make a bundle.

Step 8

Cut 1-inch by 2-inch rectangles of patterned paper. Fold the paper in half to form a 1-inch square. Glue the folded paper together to form sleeves (this allows the pattern to be on both sides of the sleeve). Glue one edge of each sleeve to the obi and sash.

Step 9

Gather the hair together (you can cut it into frayed ends if you like the look) and tie it with embroidery floss. Uncut hair can be shaped into a bun (with a few drops of glue) and the floss wraps around and ties to the side. This adds a finished look to the hair.

How to make Washi doll

2010-03-26T02:36:00.000-07:00

i hope this video wwould help you to make washi doll. ^_~
Japanese washi ningyo (paper dolls) are traditional dolls made from a Japanese paper called washi. These dolls, which can range from simple to elaborate, incorporate a lot of detail to capture classic Japanese clothing styles and shapes. A simple washi doll can be constructed with a few pieces of paper and a few simple tools.

My kimono sensei started our first lesson with that. She said this simple origami represents a person wearing a kimono.
It's very easy, please, try it!

Japanese Bliss: Kimono show

2010-03-26T00:39:00.001-07:00

This is the show footage I worked for as a switching director. Thanks to a splendid and exceptional switcher, it turns out the greatest Kimono show in Los Angeles. If you like it, let's collaborate!!

Japanese Clothing Blended With Traditional and Westernized Designs

2010-03-24T07:06:00.000-07:00

Japan, the land of rising sun, is considered as one of the richest countries of the world. It is also considered as one of the most treasured places for visitors due to the availability of buying diversified ranges of clothing made in accordance with the Japanese customs and traditions. Japanese clothing evidently depicts rich culture and heritage of Japanese people. The unique designs and styles are capable to lure attention of not only local people, but also of the entire world.

Unique forms of Japanese clothing

Although, Japanese clothing differs on various parameters such as wearer’s age, marital status, varied weather conditions, but the thing which is common in all the clothing is traditionality. The traditional clothes wear by Japanese people comprises of Kimono, Junihitoe, and Yukata. Kimono is one such clothing which is though expensive, but can be worn by both men and women on various occasions during spring time. It is made up of silk and is available in various attractive designs and lavishing styles.

Junihitoe is another form of Japanese clothing, which is classic and modernized version of kimonos. Generally, it is worn by only those Japanese ladies that belong to elite and privileged segments of the society. Junihitoe are designed artistically and are available in various eye-catchy colors. Because of the non availability of this traditional, Japanese clothing outside Japan makes it expensive. Yukata is other the most renowned Japanese clothes worn by both men and women. It is usually worn in summer season on various auspicious occasions. Previously, it was prepared from indigo dyed cotton, but now it is made from cotton and is available in elegant designs and colors.

Japanese people look quite impressive and appealing not only in informal wears such as Kimono, Junihitoe and Yukata, but also in westernized outfits such as shirts, trousers, etc. Generally in summers, cotton clothes are worn and in winters, clothes made on the pine tree or bamboo pattern designs are worn. Either you are shopping for dirt cheap electronic products or traditional and westernized clothes; you will surely have a whale of time.

In order to gain more valuable information about varied styles of Japanese clothing, you can visit the various online auction websites. These websites, on your behalf, provide bidding services for your desired clothes and send to the customer the required product or an item safely via ship route.

kimono wedding ceremony

2010-03-24T06:53:00.000-07:00

For a young women having a traditional Japanese wedding, they wear the most gorgeous Kimono called Uchikake. Most people rent this kimono, however the rental still costs around A$5000. The white Uchikake (pictured on the left) is just part of the elaborate Japanese wedding ceremony.

If you look carefully you will be able to see how the Uchikake is very long and would touch the ground if it was not held up. Unlike traditional Western wedding dresses, that have train or material that flows along the ground at the back of the dress, the Uchikake is long all the way around. The bride has to be assisted by one of her attendants to walk in this kimono.

You can see the additional photos of wedding kimonos and traditional Japanese weddings in the Japan Picture Gallery.

learning japanese language

2010-03-24T06:47:00.001-07:00

"IMPOSSIBLE," you say? Not necessarily. Why, if you think about it you may already know some words in Japanese, such as kimono and sake (rice wine)! Did you know that if you say the English pronoun "I," it sounds as if you are saying "love" in Japanese (ai)? Or that if you say "cow" in English, the same pronunciation means "to buy" in Japanese (kau)?

Some claim that a person can learn Japanese overnight merely by poring over a 'How-to-Learn' book. Though it is not quite that easy, one can quickly master enough Japanese to have an enjoyable time visiting Japan as a tourist.

From Where?

Even more complicated than the Japanese language itself are various ideas regarding its origin. Two decades ago, Leptcha, a language spoken in a valley of the Himalaya mountains, was found to be closely related to Japanese. Others claim that Japanese bears greater affinity to Korean than to any other language.

What is the relationship between Japanese and Chinese? Due to the use of Chinese ideographic script, which we call "Kanji," Japanese is often thought to have close connections with Chinese. But the differences are considerable. Chinese is a "monosyllabic" language, containing words of only one syllable. Japanese, however, is "polysyllabic," having numerous words of two or more syllables. In Chinese, word meaning is conveyed by pitch and word order, while in Japanese the meaning is conveyed by the words themselves and by the word endings.

Nearly 2,500 years ago, the Japanese language had, basically, the same grammar as that used today. But by the end of the ninth and tenth centuries, changes began taking place. This made it necessary to know one set of words for reading and another set for speaking. The result was that until the end of World War II, one had to know 3,000 to 5,000 Chinese characters and two sets of syllabaries of 50 characters each in order to read any weighty material.

Since 1945, however, the essential Kanji have been somewhat simplified and reduced to a little less than 2,000. The language also has adopted many English words. Nowadays, besides these Kanji characters, schoolchildren are taught two sets of romanization. This requires hours of work at memorizing as well as writing practice until, by the end of grammar school, children have learned 881 Kanji, and, by the end of high school, 1,850. Reading college textbooks, however, requires knowledge of about 3,000 Kanji.

Let's Say Something in Japanese

Perhaps you are anxious to test your ability at speaking Japanese. The pronunciation is easy enough, as there are, basically, only 50 different sounds possible. What presents the biggest problem is grammar. But for now, we'll stick to simpler matters.

To begin with, there are five vowel sounds, all pronounced as in Italian: A as in far, I as e in me, E as in nest, O as in old, U as in push, when the U is a short vowel; when long, the U is as oo in soon. It is very important to learn the short and the long vowel sounds. A rather frequent mistake made by missionaries is confusing so shi ki (organization) with sM shi ki (funeral). Not a few audiences have been shocked at hearing about God's great heavenly funeral, rather than God's great heavenly organization. Another easy mistake is that of calling a young girl shM jM (orangutan) rather than shM jo (young girl). Clearly, both the learner of Japanese and the listener are benefited by having a sense of humor.

Often the same vowel, or phonetic sound, is used consecutively, as in a ta ma (head), ko ko ro (heart), or to ko ro (place). Sometimes a phonetic sound is lost through contraction when saying certain words. For instance, when pronouncing kM fu ku (happy), one drops the middle u and slurs the f and k together. This results in the pronunciation kM f'ku. Practice saying it several times and you will see how easily the Japanese rolls off your tongue! Another basic word is the pronoun "I," which in Japanese is wa ta ku shi. It is pronounced correctly wa ta k'shi, with the loss of a u and the slurring of the k into the shi sound. In recent years "I" has been still further abbreviated to become wa ta shi.

Consonants can be tricky too. For example, the single-consonant "k" in the word kM ka gives us "school song," while the double consonant in the word kok ka makes it "national anthem."

Are there any rules as to which syllable should receive accent? Authorities differ, but some agree that it is better not to accent any syllable than to accent the wrong one. For example, the city of Numazu is pronounced nu ma zu, with equal emphasis on each syllable.

Especially since the seventeenth century, Japanese has borrowed many words from European languages. For instance, the Portuguese word "pao" (bread) becomes pan in Japanese. The Dutch "blik" (tin) is bu ri ki. "Butter" in English becomes ba ta. Another English word, "strike," expands to five syllables, with two different meanings. It is su to ra i ku in baseball jargon, but when some want better pay or working conditions, the word becomes su to ra i ki.

Other Things of Interest

One must realize that Japanese word order differs from that in most other languages. On a visit to Japan, you might say in English: "I would like to visit Mount Fuji." In Japanese you would say, "Watak'shi wa Fuji San o hMmon shitai desu." The literal word order is: "I Fuji Mount visit want." In Japanese the verb always comes at the end of the sentence. As noted above, verb endings are also most important. To know whether an expression is in the present or the past tense, or whether it is a positive or negative response to a previous question or statement, one must listen to the very last syllable of a sentence.

An unusual feature of the Japanese language is its system of honorifics or keigo. All conversations must take into consideration three things: the speaker, the one spoken to and the person spoken about. Besides these, the speaker must consider the respective positions, ages, belongings, families, friends and social groups embraced by the conversation. These factors affect-to name just a few-vocabulary, suffixes, prefixes and verb endings used in conversation. The pronoun "you," for example, is represented by many different Japanese words, according to the status of the person addressed. The polite way is often to use the person's name instead, or to omit the "you" altogether. One making one's residence in Japan should be determined to learn the various forms of address. The visitor on a temporary basis, however, will be forgiven blunders of this type. The Japanese, as a whole, are delighted to hear people make the effort to speak their difficult tongue.

Let's Read Kanji

Even though you may not know the correct pronunciation of a Kanji character, you often can know its meaning. Do not be afraid of what may appear at first sight to be "chicken scratches" all up and down a page. Although opinions vary, there is a fairly easy way to learn to read Kanji. This system of writing has, basically, 300 "building blocks." By combinations of these, all the thousands of Kanji are formed. Shall we try a few?

The character for ka wa (river) comes from the flowing river [Artwork-River Drawing] and looks like this [Artwork-River Drawing]. Now, if you squeeze that river [Artwork-River Drawing], what do you have but the character for water [Artwork-Japanese Characters], mi zu?

A traveler in Japan will find it helpful to know the characters for "entrance" and "exit" that are in train stations and other public places. First take a mouth [Artwork-Mouth Drawing], form it into [Artwork-Japanese Characters] and pronounce it ku chi. Now picture a small river running into a large river [Artwork-River Drawing], square it up [Artwork-Japanese Characters], and you have hai ru or iru, meaning "to enter." Put the two together [Artwork-Japanese Characters], smooth out the pronunciation, and you have the word for entrance, i ri gu chi, or, literally, 'enter mouth.' To leave the station, you must know another character. So think of a flower growing out of the ground [Artwork-Flower Drawing]. Shape it up a bit [Artwork-Japanese Characters], and you have the character for de ru (to leave). Put [Artwork-Japanese Characters] with [Artwork-Japanese Characters] and you have [Artwork-Japanese Characters], meaning 'coming out mouth,' or exit, pronounced de guchi. That wasn't nearly as hard as you expected, was it?

Many of the characters tell a story, as does the man [Artwork-Man Drawing] [Artwork-Japanese Characters], standing by a tree [Artwork-Tree Drawing], which becomes [Artwork-Japanese Characters]. The two together [Artwork-Japanese Characters] constitute the Kanji for vacation, pronounced ya su mi. How about a man leaning on a shovel [Artwork-Man Drawing], next to his horse [Artwork-Horse Drawing]? Put them together and you have e ki, or station [Artwork-Japanese Characters], as in "Tokyo Eki," where you can catch the bullet train.

There are many, many more to learn, and while requiring effort, it is a thoroughly fascinating and entertaining study. Over the years the writing of Kanji is being progressively simplified. As the older and younger generations differ in their way of writing Kanji, often a letter received from a grandmother or grandfather will have to be read and "translated" by someone living nearby who is in the same age group as the writer of the letter.

Some Reasons for Learning Japanese

There are many reasons that may prompt persons to learn Japanese. With some individuals, it may be simply a hobby that helps to broaden their views of people from a different culture and environment. Others will want to learn Japanese for business reasons. Tourists will enjoy their visit to Japan all the more if they know some basic Japanese. But to gain a real working knowledge of Japanese, one would have to live in this country for some years.

If you wish to learn Japanese, you can visit our site learn japanese. Our word of advice is: "Ganbatte kudasai!," that is, "Stick to it!"

wedding kimono dress

2010-03-24T06:43:00.001-07:00

White is often regarded as pelambang color purity. No wonder so many brides choose white wedding dress. As an alternative fashion to say the ceremony, the white color represents purity of intention of the bride and the sacred promise that will *** capkan. Marriage is one of the most sacred events in human life, other than the birth and death. In every culture, marriage was always conducted with a "festive" and the celebrations full of symbolic things. Traditional cultural symbols and are then gave variations on the fashion and bridal jewelry. Color and shape patterns, is one of the many things that are often used as a symbol, a variety of meanings attached. For example, a Chinese bride wearing a traditional red, because red is a symbol of luck; or medieval bride using a blue dress as a symbol kesucian.Tradisi dress or a white wedding kebaya imitated the women and continue to be preserved. Then not only the plain white color are selected for color wedding dresses, but also nuance creme shades of white, champagne, broken-white, off white and ivory. But do not get wrong, the white color is also associated as the color of mourning. white color symbolizes mourning worn during "resist the temptation to enjoy the worldly things" during the mourning period, as a reward for those who died. Indeed, on the one hand, the white color is also associated as a symbol of purity and virginitas. Until now, the white remain stable among the women as a color choice of dress or bridal kebaya. White became the color of the bride's privilege to appear different and elegant in her wedding day. As if there is stamped "ONLY FOR Bride," which accompanies the white color selection for the bridal dress. This is not an official rule, because many brides today are choosing colors other than white for her trousseau, it's just more white felt "very-bride", which signifies the wearer as "this is the bride" on that special day, not just the modern wedding dress western style of wearing white only as "the official color"; in some countries, the wedding dress custom shades such as kebaya, baju kurung, cheongsam contribute kimonos and white adopted, because the meaning of holiness was carrying.

Yukata buying tips

2010-03-24T06:39:00.001-07:00

Yukata is a type of Japanese Traditional Clothing, commonly known as Kimono.Yukata is considered as a Summer Kimono and it is the most casual Kimono. Even though Kimono has changed from everyday clothing to a ceremonial clothing, Yukata is still the most popular type of Kimono and worn by many Japanese and foreigners today. The reasons for its popularity are probably because it is easy to wear, relatively inexpensive, requiring fewer items, and requiring fewer rules to follow.
If you are interested in Japanese Kimono, Yukata is always the best one to start with.

Here is what you may want to know before purchasing a Yukata.

1. Fabric
If you already started to search for Yukatas, you might have come across with Yukatas (so they call) with satin like fabric. Those are NOT Japanese Yukatas. There were some silk yukatas back in a day however, cotton, linen, polyester blend are the ones we see today. So watch out for shiny satin like Yukatas (?) !! Yet, please note that most (but not all) of the Yukatas in the market today are patterned in foreign countries using Japan made fabric under Japanese Company’s supervision. I would still considered this type of Yukata authentic since they are distributed to Japanese market and worn by many Japanese just like other Made in Japan Yukatas.

2. Items Need
Unlike all other types of Kimonos, the numbers of items (accessories) you will need in order for you to wear a Yukata is just a few.
*** Yukata
*** Koshi Himo (2) (cloth string to adjust and stable the Yukata length)
*** Obi (Hanhaba Obi or Pre-tied Obi)
*** Geta (Sandals for Yukata and Kimono)
and that’s it !!

The additional items you could use are:
***Kanzashi (Hair Piece)
***Erishin (Collar piece to make the collar shape nice)
***Datejime / Magic Belt (Wide flat belt to stable the Yukata or Kimono)
***MaeIta / ObiIta (Flat plate used to make the Obi look neat)
***Kinchaku Bag (Small hand hold bag for Yukata)
and so on… but they are optional.

3.   Size
Yukata size is much flexible compared with western clothing because you can adjust its total length and Ohashori (folded Yukata fabric area under the Obi Belt) length by using koshihimo.
Women’s Yukata sizes are based on the height and they are normally these three.

Petite (S)       4'9" ~ 5’3”
Regular (M)   5’ ~ 5’6”
Tall (L)            5’5” ~ 5’9”

If your height runs into two sizes, pick smaller one if you are slim or medium build and pick larger one if you are large build.

4. Design
Yukata shapes are all the same. It is not like western clothing where there are round neck, v-neck, turtle neck, short sleeve, long sleeve, boots fit to skinny fit…. So enjoy the styling by picking the color and design you love !!
Many Kimono masters believe 3-1 rules. 3 Obis for 1 Kimono (Yukata). The different Obi could give your Yukata a totally fresh look ! After you get your Yukata, find more Obi, Obi, and more Obi !!

5. Price
All the kimono related items are relatively expensive. Many ceremonial Kimonos can be easily over $10,000. Even though Yukata is considered reasonable, the average single Yukata price range would be somewhere from
$70 ~ $ 800. I understand there is a big difference in $70 and $ 800. Yukatas around $70 is probably the good quality non-brand items and the Yukatas around $800 is the name brand Yukatas which are made using well-known weaving or dyeing technique. So below this range, you will probably get what you pay for…

6. Dressing
One problem all the kimono starter may face is to dress the yukata. Luckily, Yukata dressing is not as complicated as other types of Kimonos because you do not have to wear layers of Kimonos and also you don’t need much dressing items. However, it will not be like western clothing where you just have to put your head, arms, and legs and ready to go. You will need some practice especially if you never worn a Yukata before. If you are planning to wear your Yukata for certain occasion or event, my advice is to purchase it in advance so that you have time to practice dressing. Oh!! and if you want to wear a yukata but don’t have time to learn or don’t want to spend time on tying your Obi, look for pre-tied Obi which has a pre-tied Obi knot. This is especially handy for yukata/Kimono starters.

I hope you will find the Yukata that you really love and enjoy your Kimono Life !!

Interesting Facts About Kimonos

2010-03-24T06:37:00.002-07:00

A Kimono is one of Japan's most beautiful treasures. This reflects the society and culture of Japan. The history of this traditional dress has changed with the passing of time.

A Kimono is a Japanese dress. It is considered as one of Japan's most stunning treasures. It is pronounced as kee-mo-no. This clothing has a long history and has changed with time. Kimono reflects the society and culture of Japan.

Before, Kimono was an elaborated, intricate wear. Layers of colored Kimono robes became known with Japanese women then. The Jun-hitoe is a 12 unlined robe. This is often worn with the edges of sleeves and collars showing the shades of every kimono. People of the royal court wore up to sixteen kimono layers.

Now, Japanese woman owns only one kimono. Usually, a garment called "furosode kimono" is worn on the coming of age ceremony. This is worn on the Japanese woman's 19th birthday. Bridal kimonos for weddings are more often rented.

Kimonos are not worn as everyday clothing these days. Elders in the rural town of Okinawa still wore traditional kimonos everyday. Japanese traditional clothing like U.S. clothing is worn in order to compliment the season. WAFUKU is the traditional form of Japanese clothing. Japanese clothing is worn according to the person's age or events.

Conventional Japanese clothing like Kimono for women are not only worn based on the person's age. It was also worn because of their marital status. For young single women, they wear long sleeves kimonos with vibrant, colorful, and rich designs. For married women or older women, they wear simple, subdued clothes.

WAFUKU, the Japanese traditional clothing can be categorized into:

Kimono - basic Japanese clothing
Yukata - kimono for summer season
Nagajugan - under wear or garments

For clothing accessories (obi, shoes, socks and others)

Haori - short jacket made of silk
Michiyuki - overcoats
Hakama - Japanese pants
Uchikake - the most formal kimono
Shiro-maku - the wedding kimono

Yukata is one of the categories of kimonos. It is a Japanese cotton kimono for summer season. Yukata is worn by Japanese men and women. The word Yukata comes from "yu" meaning bath and "katabira" meaning under clothing.

In the earlier times, Court Nobles wore the "yukatabira", a linen kimono. It was eventually worn by Japanese warriors. Then later, it became known to the general public. Now, Japanese Yukata is widely used for:

- Festivals
- Ryokan
- summer daily wear
- night attire

Yukata is the most popular daily wear in Japan now. This is the most liked clothing because of its lightweight cotton fabric. The design of the fabric varies with conventional cross original patterns to more colorful scenery designs.

There are many matching accessories that you can buy for Yukata. When you a buy Yukata, it has two inches and a sash made of the same fabric that comes from the manufacturer.

You can use the cotton sash for daily or night attire. A larger wider Yukata belt is used for appearing more formal for festivals or public occasions.

You can simply wrap the belt into the waist and tuck it at the edge. You can also use an Obi belt with the cotton Yukata. To complete the attire, match it with a purse, tabi socks and Japanese sandals.

In using Obi sash belt, there are instructions to follow on how to tie the belt over the kimono. These are:

1. Initially pull up the kimono fabric so that the length is at the ankle. The length of the dress is always adjusted.

2. Hold the extra cloth above the waist. Tie the koshi-himo belt under the excess material. Cross the belt at the back, and then tie it in front.

3. Straighten out the excess fabric onto the side. This is to smoothen the back and front of the kimono.

4. To cover the belt, bring down the excess cloth.

5. Wrap the date-jime belt around your waist. This is done to cover the koshi-himo belt. You should tie the so-called "date-jime belt" which is along the front part. Leave the fabric of this "overlapping" kimono visible under. The excess of the fabric should be hanging evenly underneath the belt.

The conventional long obi is difficult to tie. It depends on the style of bow made. Sometimes you need another person to do it for you.

Japanese popular culture

2010-03-24T06:37:00.000-07:00

Japanese popular culture not only reflects the attitudes and concerns of the present but also provides a link to the past. Japanese cinema, cuisine, television programs, manga, and J-pop all developed from older artistic and literary traditions, and many of their themes and styles of presentation can be traced to traditional art forms. Contemporary forms of popular culture, much like the traditional forms, provide not only entertainment but also an escape for the contemporary Japanese from the problems of an industrial world. When asked how they spent their leisure time, 80 percent of a sample of men and women surveyed by the government in 1986 said they averaged about two and one-half hours per weekday watching television, listening to the radio, and reading Japanese newspapers or magazines. Some 16 percent spent an average of two and one-quarter hours a day engaged in hobbies or amusements. Others spent leisure time participating in sports, socializing, and personal study. Teenagers and retired people reported spending more time on all of these activities than did other groups.

In the late 1980s, the family was the focus of leisure activities, such as excursions to parks or shopping districts. Although Japan is often thought of as a hard-working society with little time for pleasure, the Japanese seek entertainment wherever they can. It is common to see Japanese commuters riding the train to work, enjoying their favorite manga or listening through earphones to the latest in popular music on portable music players.

A wide variety of types of popular entertainment are available. There is a large selection of music, films, and the products of a huge comic book industry, among other forms of entertainment, from which to choose. Game centers, bowling alleys, and karaoke parlors are well-known hangout places for teens while older people may play Shogi or Go in specialized parlors.

Kawaii

Kawaii is a Japanese term which means "cute". Cuteness seems to be a highly valued aesthetic quality in Japanese society and particularly Japanese pop culture, and overpowering cuteness seems to carry less of the stigma of infantilization as it does in many other cultures. Kawaii is pronounced Ka-wa-ee (not to be confused with kowai, Ko-wai, the Japanese term for "scary"). Kawaii can be used to describe animals and people, including fully grown adults; while attractive women are usually described as kawaii, young men are more likely to be described as kakoii, Ka-ko-ee, which is "good looking" or "cool". Kawaii is also used to describe some men who are considered to have "cute" personalities.

Geinōkai

Geinōkai is the world of Japanese entertainment, encompassing everything from movies and television (including talk shows, music shows, variety shows, etc.) to radio and now the Internet. Geinōjin is a term, often used interchangeably with tarento, which refers to members of the Geinōkai. Tarento is an adaptation of the English word 'talent' and refers to a rather large group of people who appear on television from night to night, but cannot be quite classified as actors, singers, or models (and are thus given the more vague appellation of "talent" instead). Tarento usually appear on variety shows, talk shows and may later

The Art And Mystery Of The Kimono

2010-03-24T06:33:00.001-07:00

History

The Japanese kimono was adopted in the 8th century A.D from the Chinese. The overlapping collar was used primarily by women. During the Heian period the kimono became increasingly fancy and a ½ apron, called a mo, was worn over it. In the Muromachi Age, the single kimono was starting to be seen without the overskirt or trousers under it. When the Edo period came to pass, the sleeves began to get longer. This was especially true for unmarried women whose sleeves sometimes will reach to the floor. The obi also got wider still and new ways of tying it came into fashion. Today's kimono is essentially unchanged from the Edo period one hundred and fifty years ago.

How is the kimono made?

The best kimonos are still made from a single bolt of silk. Today you can get a kimono made from fabric that is easier to care for such as rayon and cotton. These easier care kimono are not to be used for formal wear however and a real kimono can cost around ten thousand dollars USD. The price is well worth it as a formal kimono is made from hand-dyed silk. They are all completely hand sewn and to wash them correctly they must be taken apart.

How to wear a kimono

While traditionally the art of wearing a kimono was passed down from mother to daughter that has changed and today there are actually schools you may attend to learn to wear this difficult, yet beautiful, item of clothing.

The first step in putting on a kimono is the juban or under slip. This used to be a full kimono in its own right but most women today just wear a collar to resemble it for comfort as the juban is very hot when layered with the kimono itself.

Once you have put on the juban you will want to put on the tabi--or socks--as bending over in a kimono with the obi on is difficult. Then you will put on the kimono, making sure that the back seam is centered. You must wrap the right side over the body first as only the dead wear a kimono wrapped from the left. Then adjust the juban to show evenly around the collar. Now you will tie your obi.

The kimono is a truly lovely item of clothing steeped in history and for the Western woman, mystery. Today many women must use a professional kimono dresser to wear this outfit. I hope the art is never lost.

Traditional clothing of japan

2010-03-24T06:30:00.001-07:00

Traditional Japanese clothing distinguishes Japan from all other countries around the world. The Japanese word kimono means "something one wears" and they are the traditional garments of Japan. Originally, the word kimono was used for all types of clothing, but eventually, it came to refer specifically to the full-length garment also known as the naga-gi, meaning "long-wear", that is still worn today on special occasions by women, men, and children. Kimono in this meaning plus all other items of traditional Japanese clothing is known collectively as wafuku which means "Japanese clothes" as opposed to yofuku (Western-style clothing). Kimonos come in a variety of colors, styles, and sizes. Men mainly wear darker or more muted colours, while women tend to wear brighter colors and pastels, and, especially for younger women, often with complicated abstract or floral patterns.

The kimono of a woman who is married (Tomesode) differs from the kimono of a woman who is not married (Furisode). The Tomesode sets itself apart because the patterns do not go above the waistline. The Furisode can be recognized by its extremely long sleeves spanning anywhere from 39 to 42 inches, it is also the most formal kimono an unwed woman wears. The Furisode advertises that a woman is not only of age but also single.

The style of kimono also changes with the season, in spring kimonos are vibrantly colored with springtime flowers embroidered on them. In the fall, kimono colors are not as bright, with fall patterns. Flannel kimonos are ideal for winter, they are a heavier material to help keep you warm.

One of the more elegant kimonos is the uchikake, a long silk overgarment worn by the bride in a wedding ceremony. The uchikake is commonly embellished with birds or flowers using silver and gold thread.

Kimonos do not come in specific sizes as most western dresses do. The sizes are only approximate, and a special technique is used to fit the dress appropriately.

The obi is a very important part of the kimono. Obi is a decorative sash that is worn by Japanese men and women, although it can be worn with many different traditional outfits, it is most commonly worn with the kimono. Most women wear a very large elaborate obi, while men typically don a more thin and conservative obi.

Most Japanese men only wear the kimono at home or in a very laid back environment, however it is acceptable for a man to wear the kimono when he is entertaining guests in his home. For a more formal event a Japanese man might wear the haori and hakama, a half coat and divided skirt. The hakama is tied at the waist, over the kimono and ends near the ankle. Hakama were initially intended for men only, but today it is acceptable for women to wear them as well. Hakama can be worn with types of kimono, excluding the summer version, yukata. The lighter and simpler casual-wear version of kimono often worn in summer or at home is called yukata.

Formal kimonos are typically worn in several layers, with number of layers, visibility of layers, sleeve length, and choice of pattern dictated by social status, season, and the occasion for which the kimono is worn. Because of the mass availability, most Japanese people wear western style clothing in their everyday life, and kimonos are mostly worn for festivals, and special events. As a result, most young women in Japan are not able to put the kimono on themselves. Many older women offer classes to teach these young women how to don the traditional clothing.

Happi is another type of traditional clothing, but it is not famous worldwide like the kimono. A happi (or happy coat) is a straight sleeved coat that is typically imprinted with the family crest, and was a common coat for firefighters to wear.

Japan also has very distinct footwear. Tabi, an ankle high sock, is often worn with the kimono. Tabi are designed to be worn with geta a type of thonged footwear. Geta are sandals mounted on wooden blocks held to the foot by a piece of fabric that slides between the toes. Geta are worn both by men and women with the kimono or yukata.

Ikebana

2010-03-24T06:29:00.001-07:00

Ikebana

Ikebana (生花 )is the Japanese art of flower arrangement. It has gained widespread international fame for its focus on harmony, color use, rhythm, and elegantly simple design. It is an art centered greatly on expressing the seasons, and is meant to act as a symbol to something greater than the flower itself. Traditionally, when third party marriages were more prominent and practiced in Japan, many Japanese women entering into a marriage learned to take up the art of Ikebana to be a more appealing and well-rounded lady. Today Ikebana is widely practiced in Japan, as well as around the world.

Japanese Calligraphy

2010-03-24T06:28:00.001-07:00

The flowing, brush-drawn Japanese language lends itself to complicated calligraphy. Calligraphic art is often too esoteric for Western audiences and therefore general exposure is very limited. However in East Asian countries, the rendering of text itself is seen as a traditional artform as well as a means of conveying written information. The written work can consist of phrases, poems, stories, or even single characters. The style and format of the writing can mimic the subject matter, even to the point of texture and stroke speed. In some cases it can take over one hundred attempts to produce the desired effect of a single character but the process of creating the work is considered as much an art as the end product itself.

This art form is known as ‘Shodo’ (書道) which literally means ‘the way of writing or calligraphy’ or more commonly known as ‘Shuji’ (習字) ‘learning how to write characters’.

Commonly confused with Calligraphy is the art form known as ‘Sumi-e’ (墨絵) literally means ‘ink painting’ which is the art of painting a scene or object.

japanese painting

2010-03-24T06:27:00.000-07:00

Painting

ainting has been an art in Japan for a very long time: the brush is a traditional writing tool, and the extension of that to its use as an artist's tool was probably natural. Chinesepapermaking was introduced to Japan around the 7th century by Damjing and several monks of Goguryeo, later washi was developed from it. Native Japanese painting techniques are still in use today, as well as techniques adopted from continental Asia and from the West.

How to put on a kimono

2010-03-24T06:21:00.001-07:00

One of the first things that a visitor might want to do when visiting Japan is to try on a kimono. Considering how difficult it looks and how long it takes to put one on, a lot of people give up within a few frustrated minutes. It's reassuring to know that instructional videos do exist that show you exactly how to go about getting properly done up in one. I know of a couple of non-Japanese female friends that really wanted to try a kimono on but were too embarrassed to ask for help. Well, maybe these simple 6 steps in order to make the process a lot easier for those of you who would like to give it a try.

* l The first thing that you should do is put on the white tabi socks. It may sound strange to go to the effort of putting on the socks first but you'll be a lot happier not having to bend over once you've got the kimono properly in place.

* l Next, put on the white undershirt and skirt, or the juban. Or if you find those to be too hot or uncomfortable, you can cheat by simply wearing a white collar called the eri-sugata.

* l Now it's time to put on the kimono. Make sure that the back seam is centered and the kimono itself is evenly balanced on your shoulders.

* l This step is very important and applies to both men and women! Be absolutely sure that you wrap the right side of the kimono around your body, and then use the left side to overlap it. If you were to do this in reverse (wrapping the left first and then overlapping with the right) it would mean that you are dressing a corpse for burial. And you don't want to make that mistake I'm sure.

* l Fix the white collar so that it is evenly displayed around the neck, below the kimono.

* l Tie the obi (the great big sash) into a bow (there are many different types of bows so you can decide which suits you best) and turn it around to the back. Alternatively, you can buy an obi which has already been permanently stitched together into a bow so you only need to tie it. And you're done!

Now all you need to do is grab a set of getas (wooden sandals), and a matching drawstring bag, and you're off!

looks beauty with a kimono

2010-03-24T06:19:00.001-07:00

Be a beautiful woman at a party by wearing kimono. with kimono you will be different with other women. You can choose a suitable type of kimono to a party, such as a short-sleeved kimono. using the kimono will be warmer during cold weather, because the kimono has a thick material.

be the center of attention with a kimono style, and follow the trends of today. you do not need to change your hair style as a kimono can be combined with any hair style model. women can be proud of your boyfriend ^_~

How difficult to wearing kimono

2010-03-24T05:41:00.000-07:00

Today I walk with the pack and pack roy darlis to Kumamoto Castle. Fair tour around the castle, while the photographs. After the castle tour we went to the Japanese cultural festival in the Castle. Wah kok many wearing Kimono yes, and found the average foreigner (except nihon jin), like Indonesia, pakistan, arab and also there seems to be that of the United States.
One of my dreams coming to Japan is that I have managed to try Kimono (Japanese traditional dress). Praise in the existence of Fairs cuman 2 times a year we could try a kimono (jalan2 lucky day yes, so you can follow-up festival).
After the list on the receptionist (5th floor) we were given a queue number. Place male and female separately. We're into the locker room, there were many Japanese people whose job it helps Foreigner using a kimono. Before you enter this room (actually before leaving for Japan) I dah husband asked permission to buy Kimono. It turned out that she knew how to wear Kimono Kimono purchasing intentions disappear. Kimono sesimple not what I imagined. There are many layers are used.

   1. Innermost layer (white color and there are 2 piece, top and bottom). Hm .... sorry to say that underwear times yes (if modern man in shirt and under her skirt.) But not from jersey fabric, from fabric such as mori.
   2. Smocks (models like pajamas to bottom)
   3. scarves
   4. ropes
   5. pins and his friends
How to use:
1. Wear layers of, connected with string.
2. Wear out, and then order and neatly tie up around the abdomen.
3. add a scarf in the stomach, proceed to make such a bag behind (the hardest part, can not be done alone)
4. Use a rope to glue, so neat layout kimono.
Here is a picture that I can from the internet on how to wear a kimono.
This is the documentation usage kimono atmosphere in the dressing room.

how to make silk Kimono

2010-03-24T05:38:00.000-07:00

You often see beautiful Asian women wearing long silk kimonos, but rarely see them in stores. Finding out where to purchase a kimono can be complicated, depending on what part of the country you live in. Even if you do find a place to purchase them, you might find that they are expensive. If you have a sewing machine, you could probably make one on your own, using a few instructions.

Instructions

Things You'll Need : Scissors Silk cloth Sewing machine Needle and thread Measuring tape Straight pins Hemming tape (optional) Hook and eye closure

      Step 1

      Measure the thickest part of your torso around. Add 10 inches to the number. Divide this number in two and you have the width of your center panels. For instance, if your measurement is 36 inches, add 10 inches to get 46 inches total. Divide by 2 and you have 23 inches for the torso panel width. Measure from the top of your shoulders to the top of your ankles to get the length.

      Step 2

      Stretch your arm out straight and measure from the tip of your shoulder out to the edge of your knuckles. This is the width of your sleeve panels. To find the length, double that number. So if your sleeve width is 16 inches, your length would be 32 inches. You will need two of these panels, preferably connected by a fold at the top.

      Step 3

      Lay out your silk cloth so that it is folded in half lengthwise. Mark out one of the sleeves by measuring the width along the fold and then straight down the length you measured. Pin the two sides of material together and then cut out. Do the same for the second sleeve.

      Step 4

      Cut out your torso panels by again folding the material so that it is folded in half lengthwise. Measure the width of the torso panel along the top of the fold. Mark it with pins, going through both sides of the material. Mark the length of your torso panel from Step 1and pin it together. Place a pin every 6 inches so the material does not slide. Cut the panel out.

      Step 5

      Pin the sleeve panels to the torso panel, aligning the fold on each, and keeping the right sides together. Sew them together in one long seam of about 1/2 inch width on each side.

     Step 6

      Hem the bottom of both sleeves. Fold the kimono in half lengthwise with the right sides together, and sew up the seams from the bottom up, leaving a 10-inch opening at the top for the sleeve hole. Do the same thing for the other side.

      Step 7

      Cut a T-shaped opening at the top center of the kimono front. It should be 12 inches wide and the front slit about 6 inches. Finish the edge with a slip stitch or hemming tape on the inside. Hem the bottom of the kimono in the same manner. A hook and eye can be sewn on at the nape of the throat, if desired, for a neat closure.

yukata

2010-03-24T05:01:00.001-07:00

A yukata (浴衣^?) is a Japanese garment, a casual summer kimono usually made of cotton. People wearing yukata are a common sight in Japan at fireworks displays, bon-odori festivals, and other summer events. The yukata is also frequently worn after bathing at traditional Japanese inns. Though their use is not limited to after-bath wear, yukata literally means bath(ing) clothes.
Like other forms of traditional Japanese clothing yukata are made with straight seams and wide sleeves. Unlike formal kimono, which are made of silk, yukata are typically made of cotton or synthetic fabrics, and are unlined.
Traditionally yukata were mostly made of indigo-dyed cotton but today a wide variety of colors and designs are available. As with kimono, the general rule with yukata is that younger people wear brighter colors and bolder patterns than older people. A child might wear a multicolored print and a young woman, a floral print, while an older woman would confine herself to a traditional dark blue with geometric patterns. Since the late 1990s, yukata have experienced a revival.

Textiles and manufacture

2010-03-24T05:00:00.000-07:00

Kimonos for men are available in various sizes and should fall approximately to the ankle without tucking. A woman's kimono has additional length to allow for the ohashori, the tuck that can be seen under the obi which is used to adjust the kimono to the individual wearer. An ideally tailored kimono has sleeves that fall to the wrist when the arms are lowered.

Kimonos are traditionally made from a single bolt of fabric called a tan. Tan come in standard dimensions—about 14 inches wide and 12½ yards long—and the entire bolt is used to make one kimono. The finished kimono consists of four main strips of fabric—two panels covering the body and two panels forming the sleeves—with additional smaller strips forming the narrow front panels and collar. Historically, kimonos were often taken apart for washing as separate panels and resewn by hand. Because the entire bolt remains in the finished garment without cutting, the kimono can be retailored easily to fit a different person.

The maximum width of the sleeve is dictated by the width of the fabric. The distance from the center of the spine to the end of the sleeve could not exceed twice the width of the fabric. Traditional kimono fabric was typically no more than 36 centimeters (14 inches) wide. Thus the distance from spine to wrist could not exceed a maximum of roughly 68 centimeters (27 inches). Modern kimono fabric is woven as wide as 42 centimeters (17 inches) to accommodate modern Japanese body sizes. Very tall or heavy people, such as sumo wrestlers, must have kimono custom-made by either joining multiple bolts, weaving custom-width fabric, or using non-standard size fabric.

Traditionally, kimonos are sewn by hand, but even machine-made kimonos require substantial hand-stitching. Kimono fabrics are also frequently hand made and hand decorated. Various techniques such as yūzen dye resist are used for applying decoration and patterns to the base cloth. Repeating patterns that cover a large area of a kimono are traditionally done with the yūzen resist technique and a stencil. Over time there have been many variations in color, fabric and style, as well as accessories such as the obi.

The kimono and obi are traditionally made of silk, silk brocade, silk crepes (such as chirimen) and satin weaves (such as rinzu). Modern kimonos are also widely available in less-expensive easy-care fabrics such as rayon, cotton sateen, cotton, polyester and other synthetic fibers. Silk is still considered the ideal fabric.
File:Shiboriexample.jpg
Shibori Textile Haori - Japanese Kimono Jacket.
Modern styles of furisode

Customarily, woven patterns and dyed repeat patterns are considered informal; Formal kimonos have free-style designs dyed over the whole surface or along the hem. During the Heian period, kimonos were worn with up to a dozen or more colorful contrasting layers, with each combination of colors being a named pattern. Today, the kimono is normally worn with a single layer on top of one or more undergarments. The pattern of the kimono can also determine in which season it should be worn. For example, a pattern with butterflies or cherry blossoms would be worn in spring. Watery designs are common during the summer. A popular autumn motif is the russet leaf of the Japanese maple; for winter, designs may include bamboo, pine trees and plum blossoms.

A popular form of textile art in Japan is shibori (intricate tie dye), found on some of the more expensive kimonos and haori kimono jackets. Patterns are created by minutely binding the fabric and masking off areas, then dying it, usually done by hand. When the bindings are removed, an undyed pattern is revealed. Shibori work can be further enhanced with yuzen (hand applied) drawing or painting with textile dyes or with embroidery; it is then known as tsujigahana. Shibori textiles are very time consuming to produce and require great skill, so the textiles and garments created from them are very expensive and highly prized.

Old kimonos are often recycled in various ways: altered to make haori, hiyoku, or kimonos for children, used to patch similar kimono, used for making handbags and similar kimono accessories, and used to make covers, bags or cases for various implements, especially for sweet-picks used in tea ceremonies. Damaged kimonos can be disassembled and resewn to hide the soiled areas, and those with damage below the waistline can be worn under a hakama. Historically, skilled craftsmen laboriously picked the silk thread from old kimono and rewove it into a new textile in the width of a heko obi for men's kimono, using a recycling weaving method called saki-ori.

Woman Kimono

2010-03-24T04:58:00.000-07:00

The selection of the appropriate kimono requires knowledge of the symbolism and subtle cues that contained each type of kimono. The level of formality is determined by the woman's kimono fabric patterns and colors, ranging from the most formal kimono to kimono casually. Based on the type worn kimono, kimono can show the user age, marital status, and level of formality of the event attended.

    * Kurotomesode

    Tomesode is the most formal kimono for married women. If the black robe of this type is called kurotomesode (literally: black tomesode). Family symbol Kurotomesode (kamon) in three places: 1 in back, 2 in the upper chest (right / left), and 2 rear arm (right / left). Characteristic motifs kurotomesode is beautiful on suso (the bottom around the foot) front and rear. Kurotomesode used to attend wedding receptions and events that are formal.
The girl wore furisode

    * Irotomesode

    Tomesode made of colored cloth called irotomesode (literally: tomesode color). Depend on the level of formality of the event, the user can select the number of family coat of arms on a kimono cloth, ranging from one, three, up to five pieces for a very formal event. This type of kimono worn by adult women who have / have not married. Kimono irotomesode type used to attend an event that does not allow guests to come wearing kurotomesode, such as a reception at the imperial court. Just as kurotomesode, irotomesode characteristic is beautiful in suso motive.

    * Furisode

    Furisode is the most formal kimono for young women who have not married. Material brightly colored with conspicuous pattern throughout the fabric. Furisode characteristic is part of a very wide sleeves, and hanging down. Worn when attending Furisode permission shiki ceremony, attended a friend's wedding reception, graduation ceremony, or Hatsumōde. Trousseau called hanayome ishō including one of furisode.

    * Homongi

    Hōmon-gi (literally: a dress for a visit) is a formal kimono for women, married or not married. Users are free to choose to wear featuring material family emblem or not. Homongi are characteristic motifs in all parts of the cloth, front and rear. Homongi used as a guest of a wedding reception, tea ceremony, or celebrate the new year.

    * Iromuji

    Iromuji is semiformal kimono, but it could be a formal kimono if it has the symbol iromuji family (kamon). In accordance with the level of formality kimono, coat of arms could have 1, 3, or 5 places (the back, the arms, and the chest). Iromoji not made of patterned and colored materials soft, pink, light blue, or pale yellow or soft colors. Iromuji with the family coat of arms can be worn 5 places to attend the wedding. When you attend a tea ceremony, is used iromuji with a coat of arms.

    * Tsukesage

    Tsukesage is semiformal kimono for women who have or have not married. According to the level of formality, tsukesage position just below homongi level. This type of kimono has no coat of arms. Tsukesage charged to attend the tea ceremony is not so formal, wedding, formal party, or celebrating the new year.

    * Komon

    Komon is relaxed kimono for women who have or have not married. Characteristic of this type of kimono is a simple motive and the small size of berulang.Komon charged to attend the reunion party, dinner, meet friends, or watching a show at the building.

    * Tsumugi

    Tsumugi is relaxed kimono for everyday wear at home by a woman who has or has not married. However, this type of kimono worn allowed to leave the house such as shopping and a walk. The material used is a simple-woven fabrics of cotton or silk yarn thick low class and rude. This type of kimono durable, and was once worn to work in the fields.

    * Yukata

    Yukata is a casual kimono made of light cotton fabric without coating for a chance to relax in the summer.

what is kimono?

2010-03-24T04:53:00.000-07:00

kimono is Japanese traditional clothes. Literal translation of kimono dress or something worn (ki means life, and mono means goods).
In the current era, kimono-shaped like the letter "T", like a coat with long sleeves and collar. Length kimono made up to the ankle. Woman wearing a kimono-shaped overalls, while a man wearing a kimono-shaped suit. The collar of the right must be under the left collar. Cloth belt, called obi tied around the abdomen / waist, and tied at the back. Footwear when wearing a kimono is Zōri or geta.
Kimono now more often worn on special occasions women. Unmarried women wore a kind of kimono called furisode. Furisode characteristic is the wide arm almost touching the floor. Women who completed 20 years of age wearing furisode shiki permission to attend. Man wearing a kimono at the wedding, tea ceremony, and other formal events. When he appeared outside the sumo arena, professional wrestlers are required to wear a kimono. Children wearing a kimono while attending the celebration Shichi-Go-San. In addition, workers wear a kimono industry and tourism services, restaurant waitress traditional (ryōtei) and employees of traditional inns (Ryokan).
Traditional trousseau Japan (hanayome ishō) consists of furisode and uchikake (coat worn over furisode). Furisode for the bride to furisode different from young women who have not married. Materials to be furisode wedding motif that is believed to invite luck, such as level of bird images. Color furisode bride furisode brighter than usual. Shiromuku is the name for the traditional bride's dress of white furisode clean with a motif fabric also white.
As a differentiator from Western clothing (yōfuku) is known since the Meiji era, Japanese people refer to traditional Japanese clothing as wafuku (Japanese clothes). Before the familiar Western clothes, all clothing worn is called Japanese kimonos. Another term for the kimono is gofuku. Gofuku term originally used to describe the clothing of the state of Wu Dong (Japanese: Go country) who arrived in Japan from mainland China.