Arts of Japan

East Asian Arts

 Japan
Japan, island country lying off the east
coast of Asia. It consists of a great string
of islands in a northeast-southwest arc
that stretches for approximately 1,500
miles (2,400 km) through the western
North Pacific Ocean. Nearly the entire
land area is taken up by the country’s
four main islands; from north to south
these are Hokkaido (Hokkaidō), Honshu
(Honshū), Shikoku, and Kyushu (Kyūshū).
 01
Origami
ART
 Origami
Origami is the art of paper-folding.
Its name derives from Japanese
words ori (“folding”) and kami
(“paper”). Traditional origami consists
of folding a single sheet of square
paper (often with a colored side) into
a sculpture without cutting, gluing,
taping, or even marking it.
 History of Origami
Paper was introduced to Japan in the
6th century. During this time, the
practice of paper-folding emerged as
a ceremonial Shinto ritual. It was not
until Japan's Edo Period (1603 –
1868) that origami would also be
viewed as a leisurely activity and art
form.
 History of Origami
Like Japanese woodblock prints—an art form
that also saw popularity during this
time—origami works often featured flowers,
birds, and other nature-based motifs. These
subjects are also prevalent in contemporary
origami, which remains true to the traditional
Japanese practice in all ways but one:
originally, the practice allowed artists to
strategically cut the sheets of paper. Today,
however, true origami is sculpted entirely
through folds—an attribute the Japanese
adopted from Europe.
 Famous artist of Origami
● Akira Yoshizawa

-Akira Yoshizawa was a Japanese origamist,

considered to be the grandmaster of origami.
He is widely recognized for his work in raising
origami from a craft to a living art form.
Yoshizawa devised many new folding
techniques during his lifetime. According to
his own estimation made in 1989, he created
more than 50,000 models, of which only a
few hundred designs were presented as
diagrams in his 18 books.
 Famous artist of Origami
● Akira Yoshizawa

-Yoshizawa acted as an international

cultural ambassador for Japan throughout
his career. In 1983, Japanese emperor
Hirohito named him to the Order of the
Rising Sun, one of the highest honors that
can be given to a Japanese citizen.
 02
Woodblock Painting
ART
 Woodblock Printing
Celebrated for their one-of-a-kind
process and distinctive aesthetic,
woodblock prints have become a widely
recognized and iconic form of Japanese
art. Along with paintings, prints produced
from the 17th century through the 19th
century captured the spirit of ukiyo-e, a
genre that presented “pictures of the
floating world” to the public.
 History of Woodblock Printing
Introduced during China's Han Dynasty,
which lasted from 206 BCE to 220 CE,
the art of woodblock printing was not
popularized in mainstream Japan until its
Edo period, an era denoting 1603
through 1868. Initially, the woodblock
printing process was used to reproduce
traditional hand-scrolls as affordable
books. Soon, however, it was adapted and
adopted as a means to mass produce
prints.
 History of Woodblock Printing
While woodblock printing was eventually
replaced by methods of moveable type
(in terms of text), it remained a preferred
and popular method among Japanese
artists for decades—namely, those
working in the ukiyo-e genre. Japanese
masters like Andō Hiroshige, Katsushika
Hokusai, and Kitagawa Utamaro helped
elevate the practice with their “floating
world prints,” which are considered
world-class works of art today.
Famous Artists of Woodblock Printing
● Kitagawa Utamaro (1753–1806)

One of the first great masters of the ukiyo-e

genre, Utamaro produced depictions of bijin,
the beautiful women of the tea houses and
pleasure quarters of Edo, that represented the
very essence of the "floating world." He also
produced a great many shunga prints, and
was imprisoned in 1804 for an image of
historical hero Toyotomi Hideyoshi with a
group of concubines.
Famous Artists of Woodblock Printing
● Katsushika Hokusai (1760–1849)

When thinking of Japanese woodblock prints,

the first image that springs into the minds of
most will be Hokusai's Great Wave off
Kanagawa. He is famed for his many
landscapes showing waterfalls, bridges, and
mountains—especially Mount Fuji—but also
produced many pictures of ghosts, wildlife,
and erotic imagery. He helped sow the seeds
of the manga tradition with his illustrations for
the yomihon, or historical narratives, of
Kyokutei Bakin and Ryūtei Tanehiko.
Famous Artists of Woodblock Printing
● Utagawa Hiroshige (1797–1858)

Hiroshige captured the landscapes and

customs of Edo with a degree of poetry that
rendered the exotic somehow familiar and had
a huge influence on Western artists including
Monet, Van Gogh, Cezanne and Whistler. His
collection One Hundred Famous Views of Edo
remains a fascinating historical document, as
well as one of the masterpieces of ukiyo-e.
 03
Costume and Traditional Attire
 Kimono - Nara Period
Originally, "kimono" was the Japanese word
for clothing. However, in recent years, the
word has been used to refer specifically to
traditional Japanese clothing. Kimono as we
know them today came into the form during
the Heian period (794-1185).

From ancient times, and all the way through

the Nara period (710-794), Japanese people
typically wore either ensembles consisting of
separate upper and lower garments (trousers
or skirts), or one-piece garments.
 Kimono - Heian Period
In the Heian period (794-1185), a new
kimono-making technique was developed. Known as
the straight-line-cut method, it involved cutting
pieces of fabric in straight lines and sewing them
together. With this technique, kimono makers did
not have to concern themselves with the shape of
the wearer's body.

Straight-line-cut kimono were suitable for all

weather: they could be worn in layers to provide
warmth in winter, and kimono made of breathable
fabric such as linen were comfortable in summer.
These advantages helped kimono become a part of
Japanese people's everyday lives.
 Kimono - Kamakura Period
During the Kamakura period (1185–1333) and the
Muromachi period (1336–1573), both men and
women wore brightly colored kimono. As the
warrior class grew in power, they would take to the
battlefield dressed in gaudy colors that represented
their leaders.
 Kimono - Edo Period
During the Edo period (1603–1867), the Tokugawa
warrior clan ruled over Japan. The country was
divided up into feudal domains ruled by lords. The
samurai of each domain wore "samurai uniforms,"
which consisted of a kimono and a kamishimo worn
over the kimono, and were identified by the patterns
on the kamishimo.A kamishimo is the combination
of an upper sleeveless garment that was made of
linen, starched to make the shoulders stand out, and
a hakama, a type of skirt-like trousers. As the
techniques of making kimono rapidly developed,
kimono grew into an art form. Kimono became
more valuable, and parents handed them down to
their children as family heirlooms.
 Kimono
Nowadays, Japanese people rarely wear kimono in
everyday life, reserving them as haregi (formal
clothing) for occasions including wedding
ceremonies, funerals, and university graduation
ceremonies. They are also worn for tea ceremonies
and other special events, such as summer festivals
and tanabata.
 04
Architecture
 Characteristics of Japanese Architecture

Japanese architecture has developed with

influences from China and the Korean Peninsula.
Since the modern era, western culture has also
had an influence, but at the same time, a unique
Japanese style of architecture has developed that
is integrated with the natural environment and
culture of Japan.
 Characteristics of Japanese Architecture

Japanese architecture, which mainly uses posts

and beams, differs from Western architecture of
bricks and stones, and traditional Japanese
architecture gained attention in 20th century
architectural modernism since it was ahead of its
time in the use of modern architectural concepts.
 Shrine - Nikko Tosho-gu
The most renowned shrine of “the Shrines and
Temples of Nikko”-a UNESCO world heritage site
where Ieyasu Tokugawa, the great Shogun who
started the Edo Period, is enshrined. Most of the
shrine complex you see today was rebuilt in 17th
century. The shrine contains 55 buildings
including 8 national treasures and 34 listed
buildings. The highlights are many colorful
buildings which are richly decorated with
gorgeous carvings.
 Temple - Todaiji
Todaiji (東大寺, Tōdaiji, "Great Eastern Temple")
is one of Japan's most famous and historically
significant temples and a landmark of Nara. The
temple was constructed in 752 as the head
temple of all provincial Buddhist temples of Japan
and grew so powerful that the capital was
moved away from Nara in 784 in order to lower
the temple's influence on government affairs.
 Temple - Todaiji
Until recently, Todaiji's main hall, the Daibutsuden
(Big Buddha Hall), held the record as the world's
largest wooden building, despite the fact that the
present reconstruction of 1692 is only two thirds
of the original temple hall's size. The massive
building houses one of Japan's largest bronze
statues of Buddha (Daibutsu). The 15 meters tall,
seated Buddha represents Vairocana and is
flanked by two Bodhisattvas.
 Pagoda - Ruriko-ji
Ruriko-ji Temple is home to one of the three most
famous pagodas in Japan. With its cypress bark roof and
silhouette that grows slimmer towards its upper levels,
this beautiful pagoda has been designated a National
Treasure, one of a few exceptionally constructed
buildings from the mid-Muromachi Period (1333-1573)
(After samurai leader Ouchi Yoshihiro died fighting
then-shogun Ashikaga Yoshimitsu, the pagoda was
constructed in 1442 by his younger brother, Moriharu to
pray for Yoshihiro's happiness in the next life). The
image of the pagoda with the pond before it attracts
many photographers, and the temple is popular not just
for its cherry blossoms and fall leaves, but on winter
days when snow falls.
 Palace - Kyoto Imperial Palace
Rich in tradition, Kyoto Imperial Palace preserves the look and ambiance of the Palace as it had been in the
time of Japan's ancient imperial dynasties. The current Palace was rebuilt in 1855 and comprises several
structures--including the Shisinden, the Seiryoden, the Kogosyo, the Ogakumonjyo, and the
Otsunegoten--that reflect the architectural styles of various periods.
 Palace - Kyoto Imperial Palace
The city of Kyoto was home to the Imperial Residence
since the relocation of the capital by Emperor Kanmu in
794. The present Kyoto Imperial Palace had been used
as the residence of Emperors for 500 years since 1331
until the capital moved to Tokyo in 1869. The palace
was repeatedly plagued by fire and was rebuilt each
time. Most of the present buildings were rebuilt in 1855.
One can observe the transition of the architectural style
through the buildings that encompass features of
multiple eras from the 8th century.
 Castle - Himeji
Himeji Castle (姫路城, Himejijō), also known as White
Heron Castle (Shirasagijo) due to its elegant, white
appearance, is widely considered Japan's most
spectacular castle for its imposing size and beauty and
its well preserved, complex castle grounds. The castle is
both a national treasure and a world heritage site. Unlike
many other Japanese castles, it was never destroyed by
war, earthquake or fire and survives to this day as one
of the country's twelve original castles.
 Castle - Himeji
Himeji Castle lies at a strategic point along the
western approach to the former capital city of Kyoto.
The first fortifications built on the site were completed
in the 1400s, and were gradually enlarged over the
centuries by the various clans who ruled over the
region. The castle complex as it survives today was
completed in 1609. It is made up of over eighty
buildings spread across multiple baileys, which are
connected by a series of gates and winding paths.
 05
Painting
 Sumi-e
Sumi-e is commonly described
as art done in monochrome, with
the use of sumi ink and
handmade paper: Sumi-e means
black ink painting (sumi 墨 =
black ink, e 絵 = painting).
 Sumi-e
Throughout the long history of China,
the work of scholars included the
transcribing of documents and the
writing of literature. These gentlemen of
letters were accustomed to using brush
and ink on paper, and especially during
the Southern Song dynasty, many
began to add simplified artwork to their
poetry. Their simple but sometimes bold
use of the brush would often capture
the spirit of the subject, and would
convey a wide range of expression,
from dynamic power to elegance and
tranquility.
 Sumi-e
Zen Buddhist monks from China
introduced this style of ink art to Japan
in the fourteenth century where over
time the brush strokes were reduced in
number and simplified and were often
combine with poetry to create the
sumi-e style that we know today. The
focus of the art of ink painting since its
inception has been on the quality of the
line; this is what captures the form.
 Yamato-e
Yamato-e is a genre of painting that
first flourished during Japan’s Heian
period (794–1185). Following several
centuries of cultural exchange with
China, in the late ninth century the
imperial court of Japan ceased official
trade missions with the mainland and
turned its attention inward to focus
upon national matters. The Heian period,
literally “the period of calm and
tranquility,” was a peaceful era during
which the court was the center of rich
cultural activity, including the spawning
of new trends in painting and literature.
 Yamato-e
The term yamato-e, literally meaning
“Japanese painting,” was coined during
this period. At the time, the term was
meant to distinguish paintings
concerned with Japanese subject matter
from those featuring themes imported
from China, which were known as
kara-e, literally “Tang painting,” referring
to the Tang dynasty (618–907) of
China. Japanese subjects included tales
from Japanese literature and history, as
well as activities and motifs associated
with the four seasons in Japan. Such
paintings depicted Japanese locales,
typified by the soft, rolling hills of the
Kyoto countryside.
Emakimono (an illustrated scroll) is a
kind of Japanese style painting
composed of series of illustrated scenes
Emakimono
or stories on a horizontally long screen
made up of multiple sheets of
rectangular paper (or silk cloth)
connected side by side.

It is also called as 'emaki.'

Many emakimono have numbers of

pictures and captions (narrative texts),
alternately arranged for each text to
explain what its relevant picture depicts,
but there are also some emakimono
with pictures only. Emakimono was
originated in Chinese gakan (illustrated
handscrolls), but later developed
independently in Japan.
 Emakimono

The first emakimono painted in Japan is

reportedly the "E Ingakyo" (literally, an
illustrated sutra of the past and present
causes and effects) produced in the
Nara period. On this emakimono, sutras
are described on the lower stand while
pictures used to explain the sutras are
laid out at upper stand above related
texts.
 06
Calligraphy
 Japanese Calligraphy
Calligraphy (書道, shodō: "the way of
writing") is the art of writing
beautifully. Most children in Japan learn
calligraphy in elementary school, and it
is also a popular hobby among adults.
An interesting aspect of Japanese
writing that carries over to calligraphy
is the importance that is placed on the
order in which the strokes of characters
are drawn.
 Japanese Calligraphy
There are three main styles of writing. The block (kaisho) style is the most basic form and the easiest to
write, so beginners usually learn this style first. Upon mastering this style, practitioners then usually move up
to practice the semi cursive (gyosho) style, before finally moving on to the cursive (sosho) style. Becoming
skilled at the sosho style typically takes a lot of practice.

Block style (kaisho) Semi cursive style Cursive style (sosho)

(gyosho)
A calligraphy set consists of:

● Shitajiki: Soft mat. It provides a

Calligraphy
comfortable, soft surface for writing.
● Bunchin: Metal stick to weight down
the paper during writing.
● Hanshi: Special, thin calligraphy paper.
● Fude: Brush. There is a larger brush for
writing the main characters and a
smaller one for writing the artist's
name. The small brush, however, can be
used for the characters, too.
● Suzuri: Heavy black container for the
ink.
● Sumi: Solid black material that must be
rubbed in water in the suzuri to
produce the black ink which is then
used for writing. Instead, "instant ink" in
bottles is also available.