Kabuki

Today I wanted to talk about Kabuki. Many of you may have heard of it, but have no idea what it actually is. I'll try to break it down so you can get a better understanding.

Kabuki (歌舞伎) is a traditional Japanese dance drama similar to a play.  Its characters are roughly translated to (歌)sing, (舞)dance, and (伎)skill. Kabuki started its origins with Izumo no Okuni who began performing dances in the riverbeds of Kyoto during the 17th century.

Kabuki began during the Edo Period. Quick history lesson here.

• The Edo period was headed by the Tokugawa Shogunate (a military government run by the shoguns).
• The Tokugawa clan ruled from the Edo castle located in Edo which is now present day Tokyo.

Kabuki first began with women who played both the roles of men and women. It's new way of telling stories with drama and dance brought the style to popularity. However, it's suggestive themes and raunchiness caused it to explode in the red-light districts. Many of the actresses were also subjected to prostitution which played in part to its eventual ban by the shoguns. Kabuki eventually fell in the hands of adult males who now had to perform both parts of men and women, this style is known as yaro-kabuki. 

Kabuki went through many changes through the years but drastically changed around 1868 when the Meiji Period began. Europe and the West started to take interest and greatly influenced the Kabuki theater with new ideas. After WWII Kabuki had a difficult time finding itself but had a rebirth in the Kansai region. Today many Kabuki actors show up on the stage and play pivotal roles in Television dramas. 

Thought I was done eh? Well no. There are a few more things to know about the structure of a Kabuki play. So next time you're at that party trying to impress your crush, you can bust out some Kabuki knowledge and really seal the deal. 

THE STAGE

The stage uses a structure known as the Hanamichi or flower path. The stage extends into the audience with pathways and walkways. This helps the actors to create dramatic entrances and create an overall immersive experience. You can see the Hanamichi here on the left of the picture.

Three Types of Plays

1. Jidaimono or History plays. These plays are usually about major events in Japanese history. Who would have knew? History plays about history? Get out of town.
2. Sewamono or domestic plays. These plays involved commoners.
3. Shosagoto or dance pieces. 

Length

Kabuki theater isn't your typical 2 or 3 hour play. Usually traditional theater is a whole day experience and can differ depending on the actors. Some plays may include scenes that are completely irrelevant to the story and are there to showcase the actor themselves. You had better clear your schedule if you want to watch one of these plays. 

Well I'm done talking...writing? Yeah. I hope you guys learned a few things. I know I did while reading wikipedia...I mean browsing endless upon endless books and historical references to get you the most accurate information possible. Yup, I'm that dedicated. Anyway here's a few photos of Kabuki makeup, actors and performances. 

Fuji-san, Iconic Nature

Konnichiwa,

If you were to ask someone to think about Japan, I'm positive Mt. Fuji would come up. And why wouldn't it? It's one of Japan's most iconic landmarks. It's a wonder to behold which is why it receives more than 300,000 tourists each year to climb its slopes. Many tourists will climb during the early morning in order to catch, what they call, Goraiko or the "arrival of light". This I hope to do at least once. 

Mt. Fuji goes by many names such as; Mount Fuji, Fuji-san, Fujiyama, and Mt. Fujiyama. Standing 3776 meters or 12,388 ft, Mt.Fuji stands on the southern end of Japan's main island "Honshu". For those of you who don't know Mt. Fuji is an active volcano and is part of a trio of mountains known as the "Three Holy Mountains", which include Mount Tate and Mount Haku. Mt. Fuji is classified as a Stratovolcano. This means that lava occasionally leaks out from the mountain and hardens causing it to layer. While still active, it is difficult to measure when it might erupt again. Speculations as early as September of 2012 suggests that the pressure is higher than it was when it last erupted in 1707. 

Mt. Fuji has been displayed in art, photography and writing for hundreds and hundreds of years. Katsushika Hokusai created a series of paintings known as the "36 views of Mount Fuji" which depicts Mt.Fuji in several several seasons and from varying locations. Here's a few of his works:

 "The Great Wave of Kanagawa"

 "Shore of Tago Bay, Ejiri at Tōkaidō"

"Tea house at Koishikawa. The morning after a snowfall"

Fuji-san, Fujiyama or even Mt.Fuji, this landmark has deeply rooted historical and cultural meaning to the Japanese. I'm looking forward to exploring it's hiking trails and learning about its lore. If I get the chance, Mt.Fuji is first on my list of places to visit...even if it is a "tourist attraction". 

Cheers,

Brian

The Art of Bowing

Hey All,

Everyday I'm getting closer and closer to my departure date and I thought I could use this time to study up on Japanese customs. I hope to give you and myself some insight into what I'll be experiencing. I have no way of knowing if this information is 100% accurate, but it's a start. I hope to cover everything from customs, transportation, food, landmarks, basic living, work and much much more. So let's get started with bowing in Japan.

THE ART OF BOWING

Bowing is one of the most integrated and ingrained social behaviors of eastern culture. To the Japanese, status is extremely important and bowing is a type of way to acknowledge the social hierarchy, show respect and humble oneself.

Before you can understand the complexities of bowing you have to know how to bow. Bowing is typically done with a straight back with your hands at your side. If you're a girl or woman you may also clasp your hands together in your lap. The bow is performed from the waist, with your eyes down toward the ground. The more you respect someone the longer and deeper you bow to them. Inferiors will bow much deeper than a superior, who will usually just give a nod of the head. Determining who is a superior and inferior is dependent on several factors such as; age, family status, and work status. As a foreigner, it is not expected of you to completely understand how the bowing and status system works. It is probably safer to bow lower than you think you should so as not to offend anyone.

There are several types of bowing in Japan depending on the situation and people involved.

1. Eshaku (会釈) or (えしゃく) - a slight bow or nod.  Eshaku usually occurs between friends or those you know pretty well. It is normally used as a greeting bow to acknowledge the other person. The bow is usually performed between 5-15 degrees. 

2. Keirei and  Saikeirei (最敬礼)  or ( さいけいれい)  -  "most respectful bow". This is performed between 30 and 45 degrees. Saikeirei is used to show extreme respect and can be used for apologizing or thanking someone. This bow is reserved for big mistakes or extreme thank yous. 














3. Dogeza  (土下座) - "sitting right on the ground". Not used very much anymore, dogeza is used in extreme apology or begging. The user will get on his/her hands and knees and bow their head to the floor, either touching the forehead to the floor or hovering it a few inches above. 



There is much more to bowing then what I've outlined, but these are the basics. I can't wait to learn more.

Brian

6 Weeks Until Departure

Hey guys,

It's six weeks until departure and I have done hardly anything to get ready. Hopefully this post will get me motivated to start getting myself together. I think my procrastination is due to nerves.

I've been trying to get a plane ticket ready, however, there's been some difficulty arranging it. NOVA says my apartment will be ready to move into on February 18th. This means that ideally I'll want to arrive that same day. The problem is arriving early enough so someone from the company can pick me up and show me to my apartment. Flights to Japan aren't arriving every 30 minutes, so finding an early enough time is extremely difficult, even for the travel agent. Hopefully I'll figure that out soon.

Monday, my mom and I will be driving over to Japanese Embassy in Detroit to apply for my Visa. There's a bunch of paper work and hoops to jump through, but I'll have my visa soon enough.

So here's a list of things I need to accomplish before 6 weeks time:

1. Confirm details with my bank. Making sure I have some Yen in my pocket and possibly a credit card.
2. Brush up on my Japanese. This means actually studying...who knew.
3. Make sure I have enough dress clothes. I'll be needing to dress up for work. None of that casual stuff.
4. Get my Visa
5. Look for an MP3 player...seems trivial, but my other one just broke T_T
6. Start the packing process. What is it I truly need? Quality over quantity is the name of the game here.

Well, I think that's all for now. I'll update again soon.

Brian

Certificate of Eligibility

Hello All,

I wanted to let you all know that I will begin work on February 19th. I'll most likely be flying out on the 16th and arriving in Japan on the 18th.

I just received my Certificate of Eligibility just moments ago and to say the least I am very excited. Here's a pic:

I really can't wait to start my new adventure!!

I'll update again when I know more.

Brian

My Journey Begins

Welcome,

This blog is dedicated to my 2013-2014 trip to Japan which will hopefully begin in mid February. I will be spending the next year in the Kanto region of  Japan where I will be teaching English at Jibun Mirai Associe Co., also known as NOVA. I will be in charge of teaching approximately 6 classes a day, each about 45 minutes long. Like I said, I will be stationed in the Kanto Region, my permanent address is to be announced. In my most recent email from them, I was told I would be flying into Narita International Airport located here. 

I still have several things I must do before I can travel. Here's a quick list of what I've had to go through in order for all this to happen.

1. Had interview on September 5th.

2. Told I got the job September 7th.

3. Required to sign the contract, medical form, background check form, visa application, passport, and have a copy of my transcript. Finished and were received by NOVA on October 25th.

4. Waited until December 30th to receive word about my Certificate of Eligibility (CoE). This is used to get my Work Visa.

Things I must do now before February.

5. Travel to Detroit to the Japanese Embassy to apply for my Visa.

6. Receive start date

7. Fly out

As you can see there were many steps to this process and while I've outlined it here, there was a lot of paperwork and a lot of waiting on things to get processed. However, it's been worth it and I can't wait. I'm very excited to travel and see the world and I look forward to sharing my experiences with you all.

Brian