Lacquer ware

Lacquer ware is a craftwork made from wood or paper and its surface is covered with lacquer.

Lacquer ware is made in various countries of East Asia, but in English, porcelain is called china and lacquer ware is called japan, that is, lacquer ware is grasped as Japanese special product in Europe and America.

The feature of lacquer ware is nontoxic, antibacterial, lasting long and being tolerant of water and chemicals. 

So lacquer ware is the most suitable for tableware.

Coating film of lacquer ware’s surface is lustrous and if it is getting older, it is getting more beautiful.

There are more than 40 kinds of lacquer ware in Japan. 

For example, Aizu-shikki, Wajima-nuri, Kishu-shikki, etc. 

Gold lacquer is a unique Japanese technique.

It is drawing with a lacquer using a brush, and sprinkling gold dust over that. 

The bowl with which this technique was given is very beautiful.

Noh

Today, I introduce Noh to you.



Noh had been completed in Kamakura period by Kanami and Zeami.

It is evaluated highly and is recognized as representative Japanese traditional performance art internationally.

The origin of Noh is not uncovered clearly yet: It was influenced by traditional Chinese dance, dengaku (traditional Japanese performing arts) and any other traditional events. 

Noh is Japanese musical composed by Shite (a leading actor), Waki (a supporting actor), Jiutai (accompaniment), Hayashi (musical accompaniment), and so on.

 

They usually practice by all the members only one time.

I was surprised to hear that. Kanze Tetsunojo, famous Shite, said “Noh is played impromptu and knowing each other well is not good.” 

I think that this makes unique air. 

Japanese Tea Ceremony

In Kamakura period, powdered green tea was brought from China by Dogen and Eisai who was priest of Zen. 

And then, drinking tea custom had spread with cultivation of tea. 

Senno Rikyu who was a famous master of the tea ceremony completed “wabicha”. 

After the death of Rikyu, his pupils developed wabicha to the tea ceremony and it has been inherited till present day.

You may think that the tea ceremony is drinking tea and eating sweets. 

To tell the truth, I think so too. 

But the tea ceremony has lots of elements. 

People who enjoy the tea ceremony are very careful to arts, poems, calligraphy, flowers, tea cups…and of course tea. 

They also select sweets, dishes and implement depending on guests and a season. 

The guest feels host’s thoughtfulness and enjoys the mood. 

As mentioned above, we enjoy not taste of tea, but also atmosphere of a tearoom. 

And we will become polite if the tea ceremony is carried out. So recently, there are many women who learn the tea ceremony as refinement.

Pottery

In Japan, the earthenware of about 12,000 years ago was discovered. 

It is said that the world oldest. 

After that, Japanese pottery has developed under the Chinese or Korean culture. 

The typical thing is potter’s wheel.

There are many kinds of potteries in Japan. 

For example setoyaki, aritayaki, imariyaki, kutaniyaki,…etc. 

Each of them has various characteristics and is loved widely.

You may think that ceramic art is expensive but it isn’t true. 

Ceramic arts are have rooted in our everyday life strongly. 

Recently, a bowl sold for 100 yen is not so little.

Today, I will introduce about setoyaki one of the most famous Japanese pottery.

 

The word “setomono” means the whole Japanese pottery, that is, setoyaki is representative Japanese pottery. 

Setoyaki is produced in Seto city, Aichi prefecture. 

The history of setoyaki started in Kamakura period. 

For setoyaki, glaze was used for the first time in Japan, and it spread widely by this.

Waka (classic Japanese poem)

Waka is a Japanese poem composed by 31 syllables. 

It is very simple, so I think it is difficult to express our feelings and beautiful scene. 

It starts Heian period. 

It is said that screams and cheers from our excitement increasingly grew to be songs sung in festival and during labor. Bearers of waka have changed variously with the time.

 

Heian period: noble, commoner

↓

Kamakura period: samurai

↓

Nanbokucho period: samurai, priest

↓

Edo period ~: commoner

As described above, waka has been mainly composed by man of power. 

You think waka is not so popular these days but there are many poets of waka in our time. 

Here, I introduce my favorite poem composed by Fujiwarano Teika who is famous poet:
 

“There are no beautiful flowers and no colorful autumn leaves. 

I am standing alone on lonely sands and a mean hut is standing alone too.”

 ←Fujiwarano Teika


I think that this express loneliness in autumn dusk very well. 

Everyone who read this poet feels a little sad but he must be impressed by it.

This is very popular as “Sanseki no Uta”. 

“Sanseki no Uta” is consisted by three poems. 

All of these express autumn dusk.

Please search your favorite waka.