Bonsai: The Art of Miniature Tree Cultivation

Bonsai (tray cultivation) is an ancient Japanese art of growing miniature trees by using containers. Dwarfing is often confused with this practice. However, dwarfing is actually a practice that is used for research purposes to create miniatures of plant species. Bonsai grows smaller trees from normal seeds and stock. Pruning, potting, root reduction, grafting, and defoliation are techniques that Bonsai artists use to create trees that have similar shapes and styles of full-sized mature trees.

There are many different styles of bonsai trees. The distinctions come from the different shapes that are formed by the trees' branches and all have different names. Many of these styles are shaped to imitate features of the natural world, like cascades and waterfalls. Bonsai is meant to be used to encourage contemplation, instead of being used to produce food, medicine, or yard or park-sized landscapes, like most other practices of plant cultivation. Bonsai's focus is on growing and shaping trees in containers over long periods of time. It is an art that can take a good deal of time and training to master.. 

During the 1970s, Bonsai experienced a resurgence in global popularity. Three periodicals began publication at this time. These magazines were called Bonsai Sekai, Shizen to Bonsai, and Satsuki Kenkyu. The first Gafu-Ten (Elegant-Style Exhibition) was held in 1975 and helped to promote Bonsai to regular people. This was the same year that another convention called the Sakufu-ten (Creative Bonsai Exhibit) was held. The Sakufu-ten was the first of its kind as it allowed the actual growers of the bonsai trees to display their work to the attendees of the exhibition event and be credited by their own names. This show was organized by a man named Hideo Kato and was held at Tokyo's Daimaru Department Store. The first World Bonzai Convention was held in 1980 in the city of Osaka. These events lead to global acceptance of the art of Bonzai. Today, there are more than one thousand books on the subject. They are published in over twenty-six languages and can be found in more than ninety nations around the globe. It is also the subject of dozens of magazines and the basis for many clubs and organizations. 

Bonsai is accepted as a beautiful art form and a great way to find relaxation and refocus the mind.  It is a unique art that is enjoyed by many people in Japan and around the world.

Source: facts-about-japan

Does One Piece Rip Off Disney? Only with the Best of Intentions

I remember reading the first few chapters of One Piece and being surprised to see a giant sea serpent that looked suspiciously similar to the moray eels Flotsam and Jetsam from Disney’s The Little Mermaid.

Apparently I wasn’t the only one who thought so, and apparently that wasn’t the last time a Disney “rip off” appeared in the series.

A very large image recently surfaced on 2ch, Japan’s largest internet message board, providing “Concrete Examples of One Piece’s Plagiarism.”

You can see the image broken up into digestible bits below, and looking at the side-by-side comparisons could be a little shocking for the devout One Piece fan.

But it’s probably nothing to get defensive over: as several 2ch viewers comment, One Piece creator Eiichiro Oda has admitted that he occasionally models characters after other works as an expression of admiration.

This isn’t a rip-off, it’s an homage.

Source: Rocket News 24

Origami

Origami, the art of folding paper to create objects or animals, is a Japanese tradition that is important in many celebrations. The true origin of origami is the subject of much speculation. Although the practice was the most extensive in Japan, there is evidence supporting a tradition of paper folding as an art form in China, Spain, Germany, and many other countries. Direct evidence is difficult to find as paper is very quick to decompose, so references in the published materials of the times have to be trusted.
The earliest pieces of evidence that can be found to suggest paper folding existed and was practiced in Europe are the picture of the tiny paper boat that exists in the Tractatus de Sphaera Mundi (1490).  Western paper folding is thought to have been started by the race known as the Moors. Whether this knowledge was obtained on the silk route or independently-acquired is unknown.
The earliest reference that clearly supports paper folding in Japan is the short poem written in 1680 by Ihara Saikaku. This poem describes a dream that involves paper butterflies. These paper butterflies were made with the technique of origami to symbolize the brides and grooms in Shinto wedding organizations. This type of paper folding had become part of these important ceremonies by Japan's Heian Period, which lasted from the end of the eight century to the end of the twelfth century. Samurai warriors also exchanged origami in the form of folded paper strips, called Noshi, which were tokens of good luck.
Akita Yoshizawa devised a large number of origami innovations in the early 1900s. These innovations included the Yoshizawa-Randlett diagramming system and the wet-folding technique. He spoke openly about the profound way in which he viewed the art of origami, saying he wished "to fold the laws of nature, the dignity of life, and the expression of affection into my work." His work inspired a great resurgence of the art. This resurgence in popularity lasted until the 1980s, when origami experienced another boost in popularity. During the 1980s, it was trendy to study the folded forms' mathematical properties in an academic way. This led the way to origami models that exhibited greatly-increased complexity. This trend continued into the 1990s. After this time, many origami artists embraced a return to simpler forms of folded paper artwork.  With the advent of the Internet, it has become possible for people around the world to find instructions and step-by-step visual examples of how to fold different shapes out of paper.  This has made it easier for anyone to become somewhat proficient in the art of origami, provided they put in the proper amount of time and practice. It has also led to yet another resurgence in origami's  popularity.
The art of origami is still alive and inspiring people to create beautiful forms from paper.

Source: facts-about-japan

Japanese Painting

Painting is an ancient and refined art in Japan encompassing a wide variety of styles and genres. Paintings of crude stick figures and geometric designs have been found on bronze dotaku bells and pieces of pottery that date back to between 300 BC and 300 AD. Murals have been found dated between 300 and 700 AD. It became very popular to paint Buddhist imagery in the sixth century. These works were commissioned by the ruling classes, who were erecting a large number of temples at the time. The early murals that survived from this time period include those painted on walls at the Horyu-ji Temple in Ikaruga, Nara. These depict episodes in the Buddha and minor deities' lives. They are painted in a style similar to paintings from China's Sui Dynasty.

The painting style of the Tang Dynasty became extremely popular by the middle of the Nara period. These paintings include murals that are found in the Takamatsuzuka Tomb, painted around the year 700 AD. This Tang Dynasty-influenced style eventually evolved into the Kara-e genre of painting. This genre held in popularity into the early part of the Heian period. Most of the Nara paintings are religiously-themed and painted by artists who retained their anonymity. Many pieces from this period are collected at the Shosoin Storehouse, which is controlled by the Imperial Household Agency. The popularity of the Tendai and Shingon Buddhist sects brought about many religious paintings in eighth and ninth century Japan. As Japanese Buddhism progressed in the tenth century, The Raigozu was born. This depicts Buddha Amida's arrival at the Western Paradise. An early piece from 1053 can still be found in the Byodo-in Temple that still stands in Uji, Kyoto.

During the middle of the Helan period, the Chinese Kara-e painting style was replaced by the Yamato-e as the popular style of the time. This newer style was primarily used to illustrate folding byōbu screens and sliding screen doors. Over time, Yamato-e began to be seen on other interesting mediums including the Emakimono hand scroll. The Emaki artists were able to devise illustrative conventions to convey very emotional scenes in their paintings. Of the different E-maki genres, Genji Monogatari was unique in that it was organized into separate episodes, whereas Ban Dainagon Ekotoba was more lively and used continuous illustrations to emphasize the figures in active motions with vibrant thin colors and rapid brush strokes. A very famous example of this painting style is The Seige of the Sanjō Palace. E-maki are the greatest and earliest examples of Otoko-e, which are paintings of men, and Onno-e, which are paintings of women. There are minor stylistic differences between the two genres. The Onna-e style is best represented by the hand scroll painting of The Tale of Genji. Court life and romance are the central themes of this painting style. Otoko-e focused more on recording historical battles and other important events.

Japanese painting has had a rich history. Many of today's Japanese painters work in styles that are heavily influenced by popular culture and anime. The most popular and well-known of these contemporary painters is probably Takashi Murakami. He is part of a studio collective, which is called Kaikai Kiki. His work focuses on Japanese society in the post-war period. One of the intentions of his art is to blur the lines that separate fine art from its commercial counterpart.

Japanese painting has a unique and colorful history.  The creative innovation of modern artists melding popular and fine art points to an interesting future for painting in Japan.

Source: facts-about-japan

Pop-Up Book made from LEGO!!

LEGO the wordwide know toy is now going up another further step with so called Pop-Up Book made from LEGO!!

Wow... Japanese never stop to surprise me, really

Source: http://hotshotdeal.com/

Order in English and Your Coffee is Free at Rosetta Stone’s Language Cafe

Japanese people often get a hard time for their lack of English language skills. But with so few Japanese ever setting foot outside their own country, it’s little wonder that one of the most frequently heard reasons given for struggling with the language is the lack of opportunity to use it.

Just last night, in fact, I was completely caught off guard when a teenage girl in my local convenience store seized the opportunity to break out her English and asked me whether I needed a plastic bag. Unfortunately, I was completely unprepared for the question and it was only after she had repeated herself three times that I realised that a) she was speaking English and b) I’d probably just ensured that she never dare to do so ever again.

But perhaps the prospect of a free cup of coffee would rekindle her enthusiasm for language?

As part of a promotional campaign for the launch of its new ReFLEX language learning software, Rosetta Stone is opening a special limited-time-only cafe in a Shinjuku book store, giving customers the chance to use their English, and doling out free cups of coffee to those who can.

For just two days next week, visitors to Shinjuku’s Kinokuniya Shoten will be able to try out their English for free when the mock cafe opens its doors on the first floor of the store.

The Rosetta Stone Language Cafe is staffed entirely by native English speakers, meaning that Japanese hoping to grab a free cup of joe will be forced to steel their nerves and bust out their best English. And if they can’t? Well, it just so happens that a certain company has a new language learning program to help with that…

Visitors to the cafe will also be able to try out the company’s new ReFLEX software, which – with its focus on real-life scenarios and audio-visual cues – will come as quite a surprise to many Japanese whose English language education is heavily grammar-focused.

The company is hoping that this year’s language cafe will be as big a success as it was during a similar promotional event held last year, which saw long lines of people waiting their turn from the moment the doors opened. Whether they were there for the chance to practice their English or just for the free coffee, we’re still not sure…

The Rosetta Stone ReFLEX Language Cafe will be open from 1 ~ 7 p.m., Saturday 24th and Sunday 25th November.

Source: Roocket News 24

Ten Best Finances Travel Guidelines For Tokyo and Japan

Rather, get your souvenirs at the Oriental Bazaar or the Nakamise arcade in Asakusa, or pay a visit to Tokyo's only open air sector, Ameyoko, in Ueno.

When traveling to Asia, there are several alternatives to selected from. A visitor can come across something from significant urban cities to quieter countryside towns with astounding views. One selection for an Asian getaway is Tokyo, found in Japan.

With a population of about 8 million, Tokyo is the second most significant city in Japan. Flying there from New York Metropolis requires around 13 hrs. Tokyo has two airports, Narita Airport (where by most worldwide flights fly in an out of), and Haneda Airport (which handles generally domestic flights). In terms of finding all-around locally, there is a subway, buses, and taxis. Japan is also served by a bullet train.

When remaining in Tokyo, there are accommodations for every value assortment. There are posh high end motels, extra price range-pleasant motels, and hostels. Note that the Pass can only be bought from your residence nation in advance of landing in Japan. The good advantage of a Rail Pass is that it can be utilised on the shinkansen/bullet train along with all other JR lines this includes neighborhood. Shell out a single value and have access to unlimited travel for 1, 2 or three weeks.

a hundred Yen Suppliers - The one hundred yen retail store is the equivalent of a dollar or pound retail store. You can buy a multitude of items here. Pick up your souvenir presents and also stock up on any treats this sort of as crisps or chocolate. 

Izekayas - If you want a superior evening out without spending a fortune, an izekaya is the best and most entertaining way to go. On top of that you will get a flavor of serious Japanese culture in action and see the locals seriously permit their hair down as they socialize outdoors the rigidity of their usual organization lives. 

Capsule Hotel - Capsule hotels are a terrific way to save revenue - mainly if you're a man. Why guys? Many hotels are nonetheless adult males only, even though there are some that now make it possible for girls as well. Normal cost in Tokyo is about three,000 to five,000 yen per night time. This is approximately 15 - 25 pounds or 28 - 47 US bucks. 

Organization Hotel - Some hotels are acknowledged as small business motels as they do not have the similar luxury of area as some of the even bigger chains. If you do not fancy remaining in a capsule hotel you should consider the company hotel different. Prices usually commence from close to seven,000 yen and go to 15,000 yen per evening. 

Museums - It is really worth including some museums on your itinerary as they are not high priced in Japan in contrast to several other nations. Some are even free of charge! Pick from science, historical past, artwork or technologies museums and far more. 

Kaiten-Zushi - Sit at a revolving conveyor belt and eat to your hearts content. Recognize that there are commonly four or five distinctive colours of plate. The purpose is that just about every colour is a unique cost. Check out how significantly they are and decide on the ones that match your price range. Continue to keep each and every plate immediately after ingesting and then include them up for your bill. 

Noodles and Ramen - Stand up with the locals and enjoy a tasty bowl of noodles or ramen at a single of the quite a few eating places dotted all over. Locate them both inside of, or in shut proximity to, the two subway and overland train stations. 

Lunch - At lunchtimes get advantage of the variety of set menus that are available, equally Japanese and worldwide. A lot of spots in the middle of Tokyo provide an all you can consume selection for one,000 yen - 5 lbs or ten US bucks. 

Want to know far more about the town of Tokyo. Look at out the hyperlink.

As one of the world's primary metropolises Tokyo has a excellent diploma of attraction for travelers. It is a mixture of regular Japanese and fashionable engineering.