Japan Video Topics 2007/11
Yokohama - Japan's First Modern City
Over the last century and a half, Yokohama grew from a small village into one of the world's greatest port cities. Yokohama was the first gateway Japan opened to the world after ending centuries of self-imposed isolation, and Western ideas, culture and goods flowed through the port to stimulate the nation's modernization. Today's Yokohama combines historic areas where we can still see the beginnings of industrial Japan with futuristic modern districts that continue to influence and lead the nation's development.
01 ( Pan L over city)
Yokohama, Japan's greatest trading port. As the nation's gateway to the outside world, Yokohama was where the Japanese first experienced modern western culture, customs and goods.
02 (Old ships photo)
It started in 1853, when a squadron of US warships appeared unexpectedly in Tokyo Bay. Their objective was to persuade Japan to abandon its policy of isolation from the world.
This led to the opening of the port of Yokohama, the end of the samurai era and the start of Japan's transformation into a modern state.
03 (Long shot - park)
From Yokohama, western culture spread to the rest of the country.
Yokohama was the site of Japan's first railway, its first iron bridge and gas street lighting, and this was where the first Japanese beer and ice cream were manufactured.
04 (Port from above)
In Yokohama today, historical areas stand side by side with ultra-modern zones
05 (Minato Mirai from sea)
Minato Mirai 21 is a waterfront district of futuristic high-rise complexes that also includes many tourist attractions.
06 (Pan L from sea to park)
Yamashita Park was Japan's first seaside park. This is a favorite area for locals and tourists, with fine views of the bay and surrounded by streets of classical European buildings.
07 (Shopping street)
The Motomachi shopping district originally developed to serve the port's early foreign residents. Its old family-run shops are now a Yokohama tradition, selling renowned local brands.
08 (Church)
The early foreigners built homes in the pleasant hillside Yamate area of Yokohama. Yamate's old western style buildings, many now converted to fashionable cafes and restaurants, make this a popular sightseeing spot. Yamate is also known for its panoramic views over the city.
09 (Chinatown)
Yokohama has one of the world's largest Chinatowns, built by the many Chinese brought here in the 19th century by western trading companies based in China.
Over 500 typically Chinese restaurants, tea shops and stores line its narrow streets.
10 (Zoom in on old photo)
150 years ago, Yokohama was a small fishing village. Thanks to its role as Japan's gateway to the west, it grew into one of the world's great cities.
The port also has a comprehensive selection of modern convention and exhibition facilities. These attract many international conferences such as the upcoming TICAD IV, the 4th Tokyo International Conference on African Development.
11 (Night)
Yokohama's many distinctive areas tell the story of Japan's modernization, the fascinating history of a fascinating city.
Contact list
Yokohama - Japan's First Modern City
Landmark Plaza (Public Relations Office)
2-2-1 Minato Mirai 15F, Nishi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 220-8172 Japan
TEL +81-45-224-2247
FAX +81-45-224-2249
Kitamura Co., Ltd.
3-126 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0861 Japan
TEL +81-45-663-7398
FAX +81-45-664-1791
Takarada Shoten Corp.
3-118 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0861 Japan
TEL +81-45-641-0057
FAX +81-45-681-7660
Fukuzo Inc.
3-127 Motomachi, Naka-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 231-0861 Japan
TEL +81-45-651-2801
FAX +81-45-641-5422
Traditional Art Meets Pop Culture
Noh is one of Japan's oldest and most famous dramatic arts, while manga cartoon books are currently at the leading edge of pop culture world wide. In a curious twist, a new Noh play has recently been composed that takes its theme from a popular manga. The Crimson Goddess was inspired by a play within the manga The Glass Mask, a long-running serial story that has topped the charts for 30 years. The outcome of the play in the manga is still undecided, just like a Noh play, where storylines grow and change over generations.
01 ( Manga books)
"The Glass Mask," a series of manga cartoons aimed at teenaged girls, has been a best-seller for over 30 years.
It tells the story of an aspiring young actress called Maya and her quest to become the star of the play Kurenai Tennyo, or the Crimson Goddess.
Now, this fictional play from a manga has been made into a Noh drama, as the world of traditional arts finds new inspiration in pop culture.
02 ( Noh actors dressing)
Noh is a uniquely Japanese dramatic tradition, created about 700 years ago.
03 Interview (M) Rokuro Umewaka
"Manga operate in the world of the imagination, the world of our dreams. Because of this, the manga way of expressing ideas is very similar to the way we do it in the Noh drama."
04 Interview (F) Suzue Miuchi
"My readers each had their own image of the play, and I was sure that whatever kind of stage play was made there would be many complaints. But in fact when it was announced that it would be a Noh play, although everyone was surprised they also immediately agreed that this was a good idea. I didn't expect this reaction and was quite surprised myself.
Noh is one of our oldest traditional arts, but I think this makes it feel brand new."
05 (Manga page - scroll down)
The Glass Mask series is still continuing. Even author Suzue Miuchi doesn't know the final outcome of the play within her story, the Crimson Goddess.
06 Interview (M) Rokuro Umewaka
"How will audiences see the Crimson Goddess in 50 or 100 years from now?
Of course, Noh plays evolve like living creatures and so we'll probably still be making changes to it in 100 years time."
07 (Manga covers)
The reverse has also happened - a manga story based on Noh.
The manga Hana yorimo Hana no Gotoku paints a realistic picture of the strict training and harsh life of the world of Noh, through the adventures of a young actor.
08 (Actor putting on mask)
Experiments in combining Japan's old and modern cultures continue to inspire fascinating and unexpected new approaches to art.
Contact list
Umewaka Noh Academy Hall
2-6-14 Higashinakano, Nakano-ku, Tokyo 164-0003 Japan
TEL +81-3-3363-7748
FAX +81-3-3363-7749
The National Noh Theater
4-18-1 Sendagaya, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0051 Japan
TEL +81-3-3423-1331
FAX +81-3-3423-6833
http://www.ntj.jac.go.jp/
Suzue Miuchi
Bell Studio, 609 Sunroad Diapalace, 1-11-30 Kichijoji Honcho,
Musashino, Tokyo 180-0004 Japan
A Challenge of Skills
The 39th World Skills Competition was held in Shizuoka in November 2007. It's completely fitting that Japan should be host for this international contest of technical and vocational skills for youths under 23, since Japan built its current prosperity on a long tradition of nurturing and respecting the old craft industries that formed the foundation for its modern manufacturing base. We see two young Japanese landscape gardeners as they train hard for the contest, and eventually win the Gold medal in their category.
01 (City view)
In Shizuoka City, two young people are learning the trade of landscape gardening.
02 (Chipping stone)
Kumina Watanabe and Akimasa Saotome are preparing to challenge other young gardeners from around the world in an international competition of vocational skills.
03 Interview (M)
"In Japan we have a tradition of scrupulous attention to detail when making things. In this contest, the world will be watching and I hope we can show them something beautiful."
04 (Exterior - building & flags)
The 39th WorldSkills Competition was held in Shizuoka in November 2007.
05 (Interior - opening ceremony)
The contest, limited to those under 23, promotes youth technical training and helps raise worldwide competency levels. Competitors entered from 46 different countries and regions, including 51 from Japan.
06 (Red lacquer trays)
Traditional craft skills formed the base of Japan's modern manufacturing industry and its prosperity, and as the host, Japan hopes to promote respect for manufacturing and technical careers.
07 (Mt Fuji and various contest scenes)
There were 47 skill categories, ranging from car painting to robotics, from confectionary making to beauty therapy.
08 (Worker in cap and gloves)
In the sheet metal technology category, a flat sheet of metal had to be bent and shaped into a three-dimensional product.
Each bend affects the whole item, so skill is needed to preserve overall precision.
09 (Car bodies)
In the car painting category, entrants mixed paint to match a set color.
This required excellent ability to judge colors by eye.
10 (Flag)
This year Japanese entrants won medals in a broad range of categories, as well as traditionally strong fields like autobody repair.
11 (Landscape gardening area)
In the landscape gardening contest, entrants were given four days to arrange rocks and vegetation to match a set theme. They were judged both on the precision of their arrangements and on artistic impression.
12 (Continue above)
This was the challenge the Japanese team of Saotome and Watanabe had been training for.
13 Interview (M)
"There are more points for vegetation than for rock and pavement arrangement, so we spent most time on that, aiming for the best overall effect."
14 ( Award ceremony)
After two days for judging, it's time for the final results.
15 (Zoom in on crowd)
Bronze, Silver and Gold winners are cheered by the crowd.
16 (Continue from above)
And it's a Gold for the Japanese landscape gardening team!
17 (Japanese flag)
Japanese entrants exhibited very high levels of skill to win a total of 16 gold medals, three times more than in the previous competition.
18 (Sign - Skills 2007)
These Japanese youths proved themselves worthy successors to a proud manufacturing tradition.
Contact list
Japan Organizing Committee for the International Skills Festival for All, Japan 2007
1-4-1 Koishikawa, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 112-8503 Japan
Tel: +81-3-3815-5089
http://www.skillsfestival2007.or.jp/
Kosugi Landscape Gardening Co., Ltd.
1-7-5 Kitazawa, Setagaya-ku, Tokyo 155-0031 Japan
TEL +81-3-3467-0525
http://kosugi-zohen.co.jp/
Never Too Old to Play
It used to be true that Japanese workers focused on their careers to the exclusion of almost everything else, but times have changed and many middle-aged workers are now devoting serious amounts of spare time to hobbies such as making music. Across the nation, "jukunen" (middle-aged) groups of people in their 50s and up are forming bands and discovering the rewards and excitement of performing just for pleasure. There are also those who become professionals in mid life, determined not to waste their musical talents.
01 (Interior - musicians)
Bands composed of "jukunen" or middle-aged amateur musicians are a growing phenomenon in Japan. It used to be true that the Japanese focused on their careers to the exclusion of almost anything else, but times have changed and many middle-aged workers are now devoting serious amounts of spare time to hobbies such as making music.
02 (Men entering studio)
Seen here at their rehearsal studio is a group called Otona no Bukatsu. Its members come from many backgrounds - there's an executive with an insurance firm, a company manager, a copywriter, and even one professional musician. The current group are mostly in their 50s, but they welcome all ages.
03 Interview (M)
"The way I look at it, this is something like grass-lot baseball. We're a grass-lot band."
04 (Drummer)
To have a good time playing the music they like - that's the only goal of this band.
05 (Exterior - man on street)
There are also people who decide to become professional musicians late in life.
Seiji Morinaga turned pro at age 45. He's now 53, with a growing reputation for his blues singing among fans. He has already released two CDs.
06 Interview (M)
"I felt I couldn't just go through life ignoring my musical talent.
Even when you're over 80, you can still sing the blues."
07 (Live)
Being a musician is not the easiest of lives, but it brings you things money just can't buy.
08 (Night exterior)
The Yamana Band is a big one, with 11 members. It's named after their leader Yoshitaka Yamana, who is an event and concert producer.
These musicians are mostly 50 year-olds, but some are in their 30s and some in their 60s.
09 Interview (M)
"People in their 30s and 40s are pretty much completely tied up in their work. But after we pass 50, many of us find we can start having some time for ourselves."
10 (Musicians playing)
Japan's new generation of middle-aged musicians take delight in being able to pursue their hobby.
Performing brings back the excitement of your younger days, and you can look cool on stage whatever what age you are.
11 Interview (M)
"Ranks and positions don't count when you're playing - music makes everyone equal."
12 (Playing)
Inspired afresh in middle-age, these passionate musicians intend to keep on playing long into the future.
Contact list
Hagiwara Music Video Production Co., Ltd.
Kamakurabashi Bldg. B2,1-7-1 Uchikanda, Chiyoda-ku, Tokyo 101-0047 Japan
TEL +81-3-5283-1475
FAX +81-3-5283-1476
http://www.hmvp.net/
Rooster Northside
Kyoritsu Bldg B1, 1-24-21 Kamiogi, Suginami-ku, Tokyo 167-0043 Japan
TEL +81-3-5397-5007
Sound Studio Noah
4-36-18 Yoyogi, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 151-0053 Japan
TEL +81-3-3373-3711
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