The Japan Traditional Craft Center just west of Tokyo's Ikebukuro station is a must-see for anyone interested in Japanese arts and crafts.
The objects on display and sale in the Center must fulfil a number of strict rules, among them being that the article is used mainly in everyday life, is primarily manufactured by hand, is manufactured using traditional techniques that are at least a century old, is formed mainlyof traditional materials, and is of a regional nature.
The Center is operated by the Association for the Promotion of Traditional Craft Products, which is made up of local craft associations and local governments.
It has a library that is free of charge for study and reference, stocked with books, periodicals, and even films, on traditional Japanese crafts.
Best of all, the Center often features an actual craftsperson who can be seen working at his craft (see picture above of a Buddhist altar carver).
Both the items on sale and the permanent display change regularly, and feature such things as textiles, ceramics, lacquerware, bamboo ware, wood craft, metalwork, Japanese paper, household Buddhist altars, stationery, fans, dolls, stonework, folding screens (byobu), and more. It is the ideal place for that something special, and the price range allows for almost any budget.
On the second Friday of every month, you can even have a kimono-wearing lesson (reservations required.)
The Japan Traditional Craft Center
1st to 3rd floor, Metropolitan Plaza Building,
1-11-1 Nishi Ikebukuro, Toshima-ku,
Tokyo 171-0021, Japan.
Tel. 03-5954-6066 Fax. 03-5954-6036
http://www.kougei.or.jp/english/index.html
Hours: 11am - 7pm, every day. (Closed Dec 31 - Jan 3)
Admission: Free
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全国伝統的工芸品センター
Arimatsu Matsuri Parade
18:29
有松山車祭り
I went back to see the Arimatsu Festival yesterday, as the main parade was washed out and was rearranged for yesterday.
I'm glad I made the effort as the festival was a lot of fun especially the amazing karakuri mechanized puppets on top of the huge floats. The old man karakuri sticking out his tongue was amusing.
Arimatsu is a small post-town on the ancient Tokaido highway (now National Route 1)between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) and is well-known for its high quality shibori (tie-dye) products including happi coats, kimono, bags and handkerchiefs.
Arimatsu Festival is held on the first Sunday of October each year and rearranged for the following Sunday in case of rain. To get to Arimatsu take a Meitetsu train from Nagoya, Kanayama or Horita stations.
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Arimatsu Japan festival Nagoya
I went back to see the Arimatsu Festival yesterday, as the main parade was washed out and was rearranged for yesterday.
I'm glad I made the effort as the festival was a lot of fun especially the amazing karakuri mechanized puppets on top of the huge floats. The old man karakuri sticking out his tongue was amusing.
Arimatsu is a small post-town on the ancient Tokaido highway (now National Route 1)between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) and is well-known for its high quality shibori (tie-dye) products including happi coats, kimono, bags and handkerchiefs.
Arimatsu Festival is held on the first Sunday of October each year and rearranged for the following Sunday in case of rain. To get to Arimatsu take a Meitetsu train from Nagoya, Kanayama or Horita stations.
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Arimatsu Japan festival Nagoya
今週の日本
1 American, 2 Japanese Share Nobel Physics Prize.
NY Times
Hope fades for disposable workers.
NY Times
Yamato Life collapses amid falling stock prices.
Asahi
27％ of inns shun foreign guests.
Asahi
Studying Japan's Dark Decade to See How U.S. Might Fare.
Washington Post
Obituary: Ken Ogata
Guardian
Nikkei tanks as fear grips Asia.
Japan Times
Monkeys work at Japanese restaurant
BBC
Fernando Alonso wins Japanese Grand Prix.
Guardian
Naked tourist in Japanese moat.
BBC
Downturn in economy stirs Japan suicide fears.
BBC
Dice-K works his magic for Red Sox.
Yahoo! Sports
Last week's Japan news
Japan Statistics
Exports as a percentage of GDP.
Vietnam: 76.8%
Taiwan: 73.8%
South Korea: 45.6%
China: 40.7%
Indonesia: 29.4%
India: 21.2%
Japan: 17.6%
Source: Asian Development Bank
World market share of solar panels by company:
QCells (Germany): 9.1%
Sharp (Japan): 8.5%
Suntech (China): 7.9%
Kyocera (Japan): 4.8%
First Solar (USA): 4.7%
Motech (Taiwan): 4.1%
Solar World (Germany): 4%
Mitsubishi (Japan): 3.9%
Other: 53%
Source: Asahi Shinbun
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Japan Crime Japan News Japan Statistics politics
1 American, 2 Japanese Share Nobel Physics Prize.NY Times
Hope fades for disposable workers.
NY Times
Yamato Life collapses amid falling stock prices.
Asahi
27％ of inns shun foreign guests.
Asahi
Studying Japan's Dark Decade to See How U.S. Might Fare.
Washington Post
Obituary: Ken Ogata
Guardian
Nikkei tanks as fear grips Asia.
Japan Times
Monkeys work at Japanese restaurant
BBC
Fernando Alonso wins Japanese Grand Prix.
Guardian
Naked tourist in Japanese moat.
BBC
Downturn in economy stirs Japan suicide fears.
BBC
Dice-K works his magic for Red Sox.
Yahoo! Sports
Last week's Japan news
Japan Statistics
Exports as a percentage of GDP.
Vietnam: 76.8%
Taiwan: 73.8%
South Korea: 45.6%
China: 40.7%
Indonesia: 29.4%
India: 21.2%
Japan: 17.6%
Source: Asian Development Bank
World market share of solar panels by company:
QCells (Germany): 9.1%
Sharp (Japan): 8.5%
Suntech (China): 7.9%
Kyocera (Japan): 4.8%
First Solar (USA): 4.7%
Motech (Taiwan): 4.1%
Solar World (Germany): 4%
Mitsubishi (Japan): 3.9%
Other: 53%
Source: Asahi Shinbun
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Arimatsu Festival
9:14
有松祭り
Last Sunday I went to see the annual Arimatsu Festival, though the main parade was washed out and has been rearranged for tomorrow.
Arimatsu is a small post-town on the ancient Tokaido highway between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) and is famous for its high quality shibori (tie-dye) products. Some beautiful historic merchant houses still remain, which are used as showrooms for Arimatsu shibori fabrics.
The festival consists of a procession of large, ornate floats pulled through the streets, accompanied by flute and drum music. The floats have intricately-made karakuri dolls attached to them and "dance" in time to the music. The locally produced karakuri automatons are a testament to the engineering skills of the Chubu area (Toyota cars are made here & the Zero Sen plane in WWII) and remain the main attraction of the festival. The dolls, one of which can even write, are operated by unseen hands within the float.
Arimatsu Festival is held on the first Sunday of October. To get to Arimatsu take a Meitetsu train from Nagoya, Kanayama or Horita stations.
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Arimatsu Japan festival Nagoya
Last Sunday I went to see the annual Arimatsu Festival, though the main parade was washed out and has been rearranged for tomorrow.
Arimatsu is a small post-town on the ancient Tokaido highway between Kyoto and Edo (Tokyo) and is famous for its high quality shibori (tie-dye) products. Some beautiful historic merchant houses still remain, which are used as showrooms for Arimatsu shibori fabrics.
The festival consists of a procession of large, ornate floats pulled through the streets, accompanied by flute and drum music. The floats have intricately-made karakuri dolls attached to them and "dance" in time to the music. The locally produced karakuri automatons are a testament to the engineering skills of the Chubu area (Toyota cars are made here & the Zero Sen plane in WWII) and remain the main attraction of the festival. The dolls, one of which can even write, are operated by unseen hands within the float.
Arimatsu Festival is held on the first Sunday of October. To get to Arimatsu take a Meitetsu train from Nagoya, Kanayama or Horita stations.
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Arimatsu Japan festival Nagoya
新宿 二丁目 らあめん屋
Shinjuku Ni-Chome (i.e. the “Shinjuku No.2 District”) is home to the main Tokyo gay and lesbian scene.
Weekdays in Ni-Chome are by no means empty, but are pretty quiet compared with weekends. But on any day of the week, it is a nighttime scene, meaning that there are also a lot of restaurants and small eateries in the area who rely on hungry gay boys’ and girls’ nighttime appetites for a lot of their business.
There is the Uoya-Itcho Japanese-style izakaya in the BYGS Building, and several ethnic restaurants, including Chinese and Indian. The 24-hour MOS Burger store across Shinjuku-dori Avenue is a popular late night hangout for the gay party crowd, and features particularly gay-friendly staff.
However, one of the most photogenic is the raamen store, also on Shinjuku-dori Avenue featured in the above photo, with its cute ceramic rendition of the main meat ingredient in this particular store’s noodles: a porky pig.
No good drinking to excess on an empty stomach - and certainly no excuse to do so in Shinjuku Ni-Chome.
Read more about gay Shinjuku Ni-Chome here.
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Japan Tokyo gay food Ni Chome
Shinjuku Ni-Chome (i.e. the “Shinjuku No.2 District”) is home to the main Tokyo gay and lesbian scene.
Weekdays in Ni-Chome are by no means empty, but are pretty quiet compared with weekends. But on any day of the week, it is a nighttime scene, meaning that there are also a lot of restaurants and small eateries in the area who rely on hungry gay boys’ and girls’ nighttime appetites for a lot of their business.
There is the Uoya-Itcho Japanese-style izakaya in the BYGS Building, and several ethnic restaurants, including Chinese and Indian. The 24-hour MOS Burger store across Shinjuku-dori Avenue is a popular late night hangout for the gay party crowd, and features particularly gay-friendly staff.
However, one of the most photogenic is the raamen store, also on Shinjuku-dori Avenue featured in the above photo, with its cute ceramic rendition of the main meat ingredient in this particular store’s noodles: a porky pig.
No good drinking to excess on an empty stomach - and certainly no excuse to do so in Shinjuku Ni-Chome.
Read more about gay Shinjuku Ni-Chome here.
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A couple of weeks ago we looked at the numbers in Japanese.
If you know the numbers in Japanese, it's easy to form the months of the year.
Listen to the months of the year in Japanese and the days of the week
January is literally "one month", February "two month", March "three month" and so on. Just combine the numbers from 1 to 12 with gatsu (month). The kanji for "month" or "moon" can be read as gatsu, getsu or tsuki (月) .
January is ichi (one) + gatsu (month) = 一月
February is ni (two) + gatsu (month) = 二月
March is san (three) + gatsu (month) = 三月
April is shi (four) + gatsu (month) = 四月
May is go (five) + gatsu (month) = 五月
June is roku (six) + gatsu (month) = 六月
July is shichi (seven) + gatsu (month) = 七月
August is hachi (eight) + gatsu (month) = 八月
September is kyuu (nine) + gatsu (month) = 九月
October is jyuu (ten) + gatsu (month) = 十月
November is jyuuichi (eleven) + gatsu (month) = 十一月
December is jyuuni (twelve) + gatsu (month) = 十二月
As for the days of the week, well you'll just have to memorize them. The word for a day of the week is youbi (曜日). So:
Monday is getsuyoubi - lit. "Moon day" (月曜日)
Tuesday is kayoubi - lit. "Fire day" (火曜日日)
Wednesday is suiyoubi - lit. "Water day" (水曜日)
Thursday is mokuyoubi - lit. "Wood day" (木曜日)
Friday is kinyouboubi - lit. "Silver day" (金曜日)
Saturday is doyoubi - lit. "Earth day" (土曜日)
Sunday is nichiyoubi - lit. "Sun day" (日曜日)
New Year is oshougatsu - お正月.
Last week's Japanese lesson
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Japanese language numbers
If you know the numbers in Japanese, it's easy to form the months of the year.
Listen to the months of the year in Japanese and the days of the week
January is literally "one month", February "two month", March "three month" and so on. Just combine the numbers from 1 to 12 with gatsu (month). The kanji for "month" or "moon" can be read as gatsu, getsu or tsuki (月) .
January is ichi (one) + gatsu (month) = 一月
February is ni (two) + gatsu (month) = 二月
March is san (three) + gatsu (month) = 三月
April is shi (four) + gatsu (month) = 四月
May is go (five) + gatsu (month) = 五月
June is roku (six) + gatsu (month) = 六月
July is shichi (seven) + gatsu (month) = 七月
August is hachi (eight) + gatsu (month) = 八月
September is kyuu (nine) + gatsu (month) = 九月
October is jyuu (ten) + gatsu (month) = 十月
November is jyuuichi (eleven) + gatsu (month) = 十一月
December is jyuuni (twelve) + gatsu (month) = 十二月
As for the days of the week, well you'll just have to memorize them. The word for a day of the week is youbi (曜日). So:
Monday is getsuyoubi - lit. "Moon day" (月曜日)
Tuesday is kayoubi - lit. "Fire day" (火曜日日)
Wednesday is suiyoubi - lit. "Water day" (水曜日)
Thursday is mokuyoubi - lit. "Wood day" (木曜日)
Friday is kinyouboubi - lit. "Silver day" (金曜日)
Saturday is doyoubi - lit. "Earth day" (土曜日)
Sunday is nichiyoubi - lit. "Sun day" (日曜日)
New Year is oshougatsu - お正月.
Last week's Japanese lesson
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サルのウェイター
These Japanese macaque monkeys are working in a Japanese izakaya in Tokyo serving hot towels and beer to customers. The monkeys - Yat-chan and Fuku-chan - are rewarded with soya beans as tips.
The monkeys work in two-hour shifts and are certified employees. The owner of the pub is hoping to breed more monkeys to increase his simian staff.
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Japanese monkeys izakaya
These Japanese macaque monkeys are working in a Japanese izakaya in Tokyo serving hot towels and beer to customers. The monkeys - Yat-chan and Fuku-chan - are rewarded with soya beans as tips.
The monkeys work in two-hour shifts and are certified employees. The owner of the pub is hoping to breed more monkeys to increase his simian staff.
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Japanese monkeys izakaya