銭湯(せんとう、Sentō), スーパー銭湯 ( Super Sentō)---- 日本の文化 (nihon no bunka) Japanese Culture 10

銭湯(せんとう、Sentō), スーパー銭湯(Super sentō)

 Sentō is a traditional neighborhood bathhouse open to the public for a fee. Sentō

The Entrance of Sento

flourished as public facilities necessary for a city and as places of social exchange for local residents. Now that Japanese houses have baths, they have been decreasing in numbers.

Sento

 Sentō are divided into two parts according to sex, and each part is equipped with a dressing room and a large bathtub along with one or two smaller ones. Though decreasing in number, sentō are still popular as a gathering place, particularly among senior citizens.

The Recreation of Grotta Azzurra at Spa World(Osaka)

 Today, bath houses with less pristine buildings or settings change into so called "Super Sentō" and try to offer a wider variety of services beyond the standard two or three bathtubs. They may include a variety of saunas, reintroduce steam baths, open-air-bathes include jacuzzis, and may even have a water slide. They may also offer services beyond mere cleansing, and turn into a spa, offering medical baths, massages, mud baths, fitness centers, etc.,

初詣 (はつもうで、Hatsumoude; First temple or shrine visit of the New Year) - 冬の風物詩（fuyu no fuubutsushi) 8 : Special Attractions of Winter 8

初詣(はつもうで、Hatsumode)

 Hatsumode is the first visit to a Buddhist temple or Shinto shrine in a new year.

 There is the custom in Japan of making visits to temples or shrines at New Year, even if people are not Buddhist or Shinto believers, in order to pray for health and happiness, in the new year. On the occasion of hatsumode, people give money offerings, draw lots for written oracles, and buy good luck charms.

絵馬（えま, votive picture）

The crowds at famous temples and shrines are huge and are always broadcast on television newscasts.

＊Top 10 popular temples and shrines for hatsumode.
1. Fushimi Inari Taisha (Shrine),   http://inari.jp/, http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3915.html
2. Meiji Jingu Shrine,   http://www.meijijingu.or.jp/english/
3. Heianjingu Shrine,  http://www.heianjingu.or.jp/, http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3904.html
4. Sumiyoshi TaishaShrine, http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e4007.html
5. Meguro Fdoson Ryusenji, http://park6.wakwak.com/~megurofudou/top.htm
http://www.mizuhiroba.jp/en/meisui/fudoson.html
6. Imamiya-ebisu Shrine,   http://www.osaka-info.jp/en/facilities/cat21/post_301.html
7. Kawasakidaishi Heikenji Temple,  http://www.jnto.go.jp/eng/location/spot/shritemp/heikenji.html
8. Shimogamo jinja,  http://www.shimogamo-jinja.or.jp/english.html
9. Tokyo Daijingu,  http://www.tokyodaijingu.or.jp/english/
10. Kitano Tenmangu Shrine,  http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3939.html

日本の洋菓子 (にほんのようがし) -- Japanese Pastry

 洋菓子 (ようがし)　　Pastry

Depa-chika-sweets

 While refferred to as "pastry", many so-called "Western-style" sweets have been arranged and evolved into the unique "Japanese-style pastry".

Baumkuchen

 Firstly, "Baumkuchen" , is a German variety of spit cake. The characteristic rings that appear when sliced resemble tree rings, and give the cake its German name, Baumkuchen, which translates to "tree cake".  Now it seems more popular in Japan as one of the standard gifts or common sweets than in the home country.

Maccha-flavored cream puff

 Another one is "Cream puff" or "Choux à la crème" called as "Shuukuriim" in Japan. The French choux pastry ball is filled with whipped cream, custard or ice cream, and in Japan the custard cream has been arranged into flavor with chocolate, maccha, yogurt and so on. There is a bite-size, too called "petit shoe".

Mont Blanc

  "Mon Blanc" was an Italian home confectionery prototype, what initially was a cold dessert with whipped cream and chestnut paste.
 A Japanese owner of a confectionery in Tokyo arranged it into Japanese taste by using kanroni (chestnut boiled with sugar), and the mixture was evolved into a baked confectionery which can be taken home.

歌舞伎 (かぶき, Kabuki) --- 日本の伝統芸能(でんとう げいのう) -- Japanese Traditional Performing Arts 1

歌舞伎(Kabuki)

Ebizo Ichikawa

Kanzaburo Nakamura

  Kabuki is a traditional stage drama performed exclusively by men to the accompaniment of songs and music. It is characterized by a combination of rhythmical words, dancing, elaborate costumes and other inventions such as Kabuki stage equipment.


 

Super Kabuki 
 
 There is another Kabuki called "Super Kabuki" which is the modern form with a variety of music from different genres, special effects, lighting and stage arts from Western theater. The most famous production of Yamato Takeru was produced by Ennosuke Ichikawa in 1986. The latest Super Kabuki, "One piece Super KabukiⅡ" is running at the Shinbashi-enbujo theater in Tokyo.

Ennosuke Ichikawa

プリクラ (Purikura) ---- 日本のサブカルチャー (nihon no sabukaluchaa) Japanese Subculture 6

Purikura Booth

 プリクラ (Purikura) 

 In Japan, Pruikura or プリクラ is the shortened form of the registered trademark Purinto Kurabu(プリント倶楽部) or Printo Club. It refers to a photo aticker booth or the product of such a photo booth.

Customizing the beauty

 The prikura activity is popular among Japanese school children and young adults, mainly girls, young women and young couples.

 Purikura booths let you take digital pictures with your friends which you can add frames, stamps, sparkles with a variety of pen colours and styles in addition to enlarging your eyes and smoothing your skin.

 Your finished pictures are then printed off on sticker papaer in multiple copies so you can cut them up share them out. Purikura pictures are often used to decorate stationery in school but you can use them anywhere.

N & G

かわいい、可愛い -- 日本の言葉 (にほんの ことば) と文化 (ぶんか)：A Japanese Word and Culture

かわいい、可愛い(kawaii)

赤ちゃん (a baby)

こいぬ (a puppy)

 

 When you visit Japan, you might hear the Japanese word, "Kawaii" here and there, especially at shops. The adjective is often used as an exclamation of delight whenever people see something cute, lovely, charming or adorable. 

おべんとう(a boxed lunch)

キティグッズ (Kitty goods)

 Japanese people are easily attracted with "kawaii" items. It is used not only to express the appearance but also to express one's character. "I want to be a kawaii obaachan in the future." means "I want to become a gentle and lovable old woman when I get aged.

  Every prefecture and many organizations have their own mascot character called "Yuru chara" to attract many people's attention.

タボくん(Tabo-kun- Shiga Pref.)

ぐんまちゃん(Gunma-chan-Gunma Pref.)

 Recently, it has developed as a word which expresses whatever Japanese young girls like - beautiful, fluffy, colorful, weird, pop, etc.  And now, due to this expression, new fashion genres are popping up, such as anime, mascots, nail art, sweets, and celebrity idols such as Kyary Pamyu Pamyu and AKB48, etc. There are no rules. Anything, anywhere can be kawaii.

キャリー・パミュパミュ (Kyary Pamyu Pamyu)

AKB48

かわいいおばあちゃん (a lovable old woman)

スマートフォンカバー (smartphone cover)

コスプレ (Cosplay) ------ Japanese Sub Culture 5

Cosplay (コスプレ kosupure)

Cosplay, a portmanteau of the words constume play, is a persormance art in which participants called cosplayers were costumes and fashion accessories to represent

a specific character or idea. Cosplayers often interact to create a subculture centered on role play and a broader use of the term "cosplay" applies to any costumed role play in venues apart from the stage. Any entity that lends itself to dramatic interpretation may be taken up as a subject and it is not unusual to see genders switched. Favorite sources are manga and anime,  comic books and cartoons, video games, and live-action films.



The rapid growth in the number of people cosplaying as a hobby since 1990 has made the phenomenon a significant aspect of popular culture in Japan and some other parts of Asia and in the Western world. Cosplay events are common features of fan conventions and there are also dedicated conventions and local and international competitions, as well as social networks, websites and other forms of media centered on cosplay activities. (Wiki)