Tattoo Sleeves Instant Kabuki By toshidama The adjacent photograph shows a relatively new trend for very cheap, disposable tattoo sleeves… to what end, I’m not sure. I thought I’d try one on in the interests of researching the fashion in the kabuki theatre for representing heroes and villains illustrated in ukiyo-e prints and later imitated by huge [...]
Japanese God of Fortune and Ainu Kindness: Ebisu the Disabled Child Defeated Adversity Tomoko Hara Modern Tokyo Times Ebisu in old Japan was known by the name of Hiruko which means “leech child” and it is clear that during his early childhood he faced many severe problems. According to Japanese mythology Ebisu came into the [...]
Japanese Art and Yamamoto Shoun: Adorable Artist Born in Kochi (1870-1965) Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Meiji, Taisho and Showa periods of Japanese history were extremely dynamic and chaotic because you have many bright periods followed by dark moments in history. However, just like the phoenix rises, then in the final years of [...]
Japanese Art, Traditional Fashion and a Living Connection in Modern Japan Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Ukiyo-e art in Japan focused on many themes during its “golden period” in the Edo period and carried on into the Meiji era. The world of Japan comes alive visually within many areas of ukiyo-e art because of [...]
Agora Gallery in New York and the Exhibition of Fine Arts from Asia: East Meets West Tomoko Hara and Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Agora Gallery is holding three current art exhibitions whereby domestic and international artists are on show. Each exhibition appeals to three different themes which flow through the diversity of [...]
Japanese Art and the World of Yakusha-e: The Quiet Artist of the Utagawa School Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Utagawa Toyokuni changed the emphasis of his art from bijin-ga – images of beautiful ladies – to focusing on yakusha-e. It was his art of yakusha-e which opened up new doors and which he became [...]
Onnagata – A Woman’s Manner By toshidama Literally “woman’s manner” (onna kata), the use of male actors for female roles in kabuki theatre is one of the most confusing obstacles in viewing Japanese prints. In some prints the obvious theatricality; the exaggerated stage make-up and costume; the mie – the cross-eyed expression at the peak of [...]
Japanese Art in a Changing Environment: Kuniyoshi, Landscapes and Tranquility Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Utagawa Kuniyoshi is among the crème de la crème of ukiyo-e artists because his work was truly amazing and so powerful. Kuniyoshi, just like other famous Japanese artists like Ando Hiroshige and Katsushika Hokusai, was very diverse. Also, the winds of [...]
Japanese Art and the World of Ukiyo-e: International Impact and Pushing the Boundaries Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times The Japanese art form called ukiyo-e relates to many aspects of Japanese culture throughout the Edo and Meiji period. This is because this amazing art form was expansive and despite government interference from time to [...]
The Enigmatic Japanese Cuckoo By toshidama For those familiar with, or interested in Japanese woodblock prints, the image of the falling cuckoo (above) will perhaps be familiar but perplexing. This enigmatic bird, drawn identically each time, appears in woodblock prints from the early 1830’s right into the twentieth century. The bird is sometimes (as in the case [...]
Japanese Art, Sesshu Toyo and the Influence of China: Art, Zen Buddhism and Mystery Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times Sesshu Toyo (1420-1506) during his lifetime was highly revered in Japan and China because of his artistic talent related to the visual arts. He was educated with the intent of being a Rinzai Zen Buddhist [...]
Art and Fashion in the Eyes of Yōshū Chikanobu: Edo, Meiji and Western Influence Lee Jay Walker Modern Tokyo Times In modern day Japan the fashion scene is electric in major cities like Kobe, Osaka, and Tokyo. This applies to crème de la crème fashion and independent styles and the fusion of Japanese fashion, European [...]
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