ayu schattenjager19

three words; me, myself and i...

Tuesday, November 28, 2006



Wedding Kimono the Japanese Wedding Dress

The traditional white japanese wedding kimono is called shiro-maku. Shiro meaning white and maku meaning pure. The wedding kimono actually consists of two different kimono. The white wedding kimono is worn for the wedding ceremony and an elaborate rich patterned silk brocade kimono called uchikake is worn over the white kimono at the wedding reception.

The bright and colorful uchikake kimono originated in the Edo era and originally only worn by court nobles. The kimono is made of silk and silk brocade. Rich in fine embroidered patterns, the uchikake is embellised with scenes of flowers, cranes, pines, flower carts or nature motifs. While red is the most popular color for the uchikake kimono, there are many different colors available from a stunning imperial purple to sea green. The bridal kimono is sometimes handed down in the family or made into futon bedding later in life.
In a traditional Japanese wedding, the brides hair is also styled in the traditional hair style called bunkin-takashimada and adorned with beautiful gold combs and accessories called kanzashi. A white wedding hood called tsuno kakushi is meant to hide two front golden "tsuno" or horns during the wedding ceremony to symbolize obedience.
Like American weddings, there are traditional wedding accessories that are worn for tradition and are said to bring good luck. The bride carries a small purse style sack called hakoseko and a small encased sword called kaiken. Lastly, a fan is worn in the obi belt for tradition holds that the gradual widening of the open fan implies happiness and thus brings a happy future.
JapaneseWeddingFavors.com carries a wonderful selection of Japanese wedding favors, wedding presentation ideas and information on Japanese wedding and Japanese wedding traditions.

http://www.japanesekimono.com/


What is the tea ceremony?
Called chado or sado, the Zen Buddhist-influenced Japanese tea ceremony is the ritual of preparing and serving powdered green tea in the presence of an audience. Tea ceremony has been a part of Japanese culture since the 14th century. It is nearly always practiced in a dedicated teahouse, and participants sit on tatami mats as the host or hostess uses the tea utensils to whisk the powdered green tea and hot water into a frothy beverage. The host or hostess of the ceremony engages in creating an environment of aesthetic, intellectual and physical enjoyment for the guests and in turn, guests focus on the beauty of the objects—tea utensils, symbols of nature—that surround them. The objective of such a ceremony follows the concept of Zen Buddhism, which is to focus on the moment and one’s surroundings. Currently, many different schools practice and teach tea ceremony throughout Japan.

http://web-japan.org/museum/tea/teat.html



Japanese Animated Films

Japanese animated films, called “anime” (or “Japanimation” in the United States ), first appeared on Japan’s cinematic scene in the 1960’s. Currently, anime represents approximately one-third of the box office earnings of Japanese movies. Today’s anime have gained significant popularity abroad and are famous for their combination of artistry, computer technology, and storylines that appeal to numerous audiences. One of Japan’s most successful animation directors is Mr. Hayao Miyazaki, who has won wide acclaim for several of his animated films, including Tonari no Tottoro (My Neighbor Tottoro, 1988), Mononoke Hime (Princess Mononoke, 1997) and Oscar winner Sen to Chihiro no Kamikakushi (Spirited Away, 2001).

"Spirited Away" was first released in Japan in July 2001. It became a major box office hit in Japan breaking attendance and box office records. In America, the movie was released in September 2002. It became a big hit in the U.S. and received the Academy Award as the Best Animated Feature Film.