Butoh

Kazuo Ohno. Photo by Arika Inoue (1992)

“He had a completely liberated soul and body on hand to exchange unseen energy with the audience…”

Seven Important Contemporary Japanese Artists

The Exhibit hosted by the Accademia Albertina di Belle Arti (January 14-February 14, 2010), features original works by seven important contemporary Japanese artists: ABe Yoshitoshi, Kugatsuhime, Kugatsuhime, Takada Akemi, Takada Minae, Terada Katsuya, Tsukishiro Yûko, Yamada Akihiro.

Japanese Robot Theater

First there were dancing robots, then house-sitting robots and now a new breed of acting robots is making its big debut on the Japanese stage. The play, which had its premiere at Osaka University, is one of Japan’s first robot-human theatre productions.

Kagura: Shinto Theatrical Dance (Video)

Kagura (神楽, かぐら, “god-entertainment”) is a Japanese word referring to a specific type of Shinto theatrical dance — with roots arguably predating those of Noh. Once strictly a ceremonial art derived from kami’gakari (神懸, かみがかり, “oracular divination”) and chinkon (鎮魂, ちんこん, “spirit pacification”), Kagura has evolved in many directions over the span of a millennium. Today it is very much a living tradition, with rituals tied to the rhythms of the agricultural calendar, as well as vibrant Kabuki-esque theatre, thriving primarily in parts of Shimane prefecture, and urban centers such as Hiroshima. (Wiki)

Blue Roses

Read about the technology behind blue roses and watch some AMVs with rosy songs 🙂

Taiko – Japanese Drumming Videos

These are some of the Taiko videos I liked 🙂

Bandō Tamasaburō V Performance and Interview

Bandō Tamasaburō V is a Kabuki actor and one of the most famous onnagata (actor specializing in female roles) currently. Watch his Sagi Musume (Heron Maiden) and one of his interviews.

Japan’s Design All Stars

The generation of young artists and designers working in Japan today have been inspired by half a century of their predecessors’ visionary work. A few of Japan’s phenomenally successfully designs since the 1950s

Bakumatsu Koshashin Image Generator

Bakumatsu (幕末) are the final years of the Edo period when the Tokugawa shogunate came to an end. It is characterized by major events occurring between 1853 and 1867 during which Japan ended its isolationist foreign policy known as sakoku and transitioned from a feudal shogunate to the Meiji government. (Wiki)

Uniqlock Sootballs and Dust Bunnies

Recently, I found about the Uniqlock website and was fortunate enough to witness a fun video clip that appears relatively rarely.