Japanese Arts & Crafts (Part 3 and last)
This is the last part of Japanese Arts & Crafts
15. Byobu
Byobu are Japanese folding screens that were historically used to partition rooms for privacy. They are typically adorned with shodo or landscape paintings.
16. Gyotaku
Gyotaku is the Japanese art of fish printing that evolved as a way for fishermen to record their impressive catches.
17. Samurai Masks
Samurai Masks, known as Mempo, are a type of battle armor designed to protect the face and strike fear into the heart of an opponent. They were designed by special craftsmen to reflect the personality and preferences of each Samurai.
18. Japanese Cinema
Japan has one of the world’s biggest and oldest film industries with a history of over 100 years. The country currently produces more than 400 films a year. In most years, Japanese films do slightly better at the box office in Japan than foreign films. Countless Japanese films have received international awards and recognition with several considered amongst the top films of all time.
19. Netsuke
Kimonos don’t have pockets. This historically posed a problem, particularly for men who tended to travel light. A solution evolved in the Edo-era whereby men hung decorative containers known as netsuke from the obi of their kimono. These containers, known as netsuke, were typically hand crafted sculptures that depicted historical scenes, myths, lucky symbols, women and other themes that Edo-era men found interesting. Many are comical with a double or hidden meaning.
20. Contemporary Japanese Art
Creative professions are extremely popular amongst young generations of Japanese students. Art programs at colleges and universities are thriving. Creative professions are extremely competitive in Japan but many graduates manage to find a niche and pursue a productive career as an artist. Any art that doesn’t follow an established tradition tends to be heaped together and categorized as contemporary art. This is an extremely broad category of art that’s ever expanding.
21. Washi Eggs
Washi Eggs are a somewhat rare craft in Japan that are produced by removing the contents of an egg and covering it in washi paper.
22. Rice Paddy Art
Rice paddy art is a picture made completely of different varieties of rice plant. It’s a relatively new tradition that began in the 1990s in Inakadate, a small northern town that was looking for a way to boost the local economy. The town of 8000 residents involves more than 1000 people in the rice art planting. Each year the art attracts more than 200,000 tourists. The success of the program has led to rice art in other northern communities.