JAPAN

Japan,an 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). 2
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History overview of Japan
Jomon Period (- 300 BC)
• The early Japanese were gatherers, hunters and fishers.

Yayoi Period (300 BC - 250 AD)

• The introduction of rice agriculture begins the development of
a social hierarchy and hundreds of small countries that started
to unify into larger countries.

Kofun Period (250 - 538)

• Japan is for the first time more or less united. Large
tombs (kofun) were built for the deceased leaders.

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Asuka Period (538 - 710)
• 538/552 Introduction of Buddhism.
• Prince Shotoku promoted Chinese Ideals,
• Taika Reform

Nara Period (710 - 784)

• 710 Nara becomes the first permanent capital.
• 784 The capital moves to Nagaoka.

Heian Period (794 - 1185)

• 794 The capital moves to Heian (Kyoto).

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Kamakura Period (1192 - 1333)
• 1192 Minamoto Yoritomo is appointed shogun and establishes the
Kamakura government in Kamakura.
• 1274 and 1281 The Mongols try to invade Japan twice, but fail mainly
because of bad weather conditions.
• 1333 The Kamakura government falls.

Muromachi Period (1338 - 1573)

• 1467-1477 Onin war.
• 1542 Portuguese introduce firearms and Christianity to Japan.
• 1568 Nobunaga enters Kyoto.
• 1573 The Muromachi government falls.

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Azuchi-Momoyama Period (1573 - 1603)
• 1592-98 Unsuccessful invasion of Korea.

Edo Period (1603 - 1868)

• 1639 Isolation of Japan from the rest of the world except
for strictly regulated trade with China, Korea, the
Netherlands, the Ryukyu Kingdom and the Ainu.
• 1792 The Russians unsuccessfully try to establish trade
relations with Japan.
• 1854 Commodore Matthew Perry forces the Japanese
government to open a limited number of ports for trade

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Meiji Period (1868 - 1912)
• 1868 The capital moves to Tokyo.
• 1872 First railway line between Tokyo and Yokohama.
• 1889 The Meiji Constitution is promulgated.
• 1894-95 Sino-Japanese War.
• 1904-05 Russo-Japanese War.
• 1910 Annexation of Korea.
• 1912 Death of Emperor Meiji.

Taisho Period (1912 - 1926)

• 1914-18 Japan joins allied forces in WW1.
• 1923 The Great Kanto Earthquake devastates Tokyo
and Yokohama.
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Showa Period (1926 - 1989)
• 1931 Manchurian Incident.
• 1937 Second Sino-Japanese War starts.
• 1941 Pacific War starts.
• 1945 Japan surrenders after atomic bombs are dropped
over Hiroshima and Nagasaki.
• 1946 The new constitution is promulgated.
• 1952 The Allied Occupation of Japan ends.
• 1956 Japan becomes member of the UN.
• 1972 Normalization of relations with China.
• 1973 Oil crisis

Heisei Period (1989 - 2019)

• 1992 Burst of the Bubble Economy.
• 1995 The Great Hanshin Earthquake hits Kobe.
• 1995 Sarin Gas attack in the Tokyo subway by Aum sect.
• 2011 The Great East Japan Earthquake hits the Tohoku
Region. 12
Architecture

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INFLUENCES OF JAPANESE ARCHITECTURE

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Military Leaders
Oda Nobunaga
and Toyotomi
Hideyoshi
ushered the
great era of
building Castles
and Castle Towns
complete with
new shrines,
temples and
commoners
quartes.

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Azuchi Castle -1579

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Sunomata Castle - 1567

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Osaka Castle -1583

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Shoji

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Fusuma

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Fusuma

Birds and flowers of the four seasons.

Ink on paper.
By: Kano Eitoku

This picture shows four of 16 panels on fusuma

(sliding doors).

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Byobu
Byōbu are Japanese folding screens made from several joined panels,
bearing decorative painting and calligraphy, used to separate interiors
and enclose private spaces, among other uses.

Pine Trees screen

By: Hasegawa Tōhaku,1595
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Ranma

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Tokonoma
Tokonoma is the Japanese alcove that we can see in the reception
rooms of the traditional Japanese houes. It’s taken as a focal point
for the interior as it provides the sense of hospitality for the guests.

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Paintings
Japanese painting is one of the oldest and most highly
refined of the Japanese visual arts, encompassing a wide
variety of genres and styles.

As with the history of Japanese arts in general, the long

history of Japanese painting exhibits synthesis and
competition between native Japanese aesthetics and the
adaptation of imported ideas, mainly from Chinese
paintings, which was especially influential at a number of
points; significant Western influence only comes from the
later 16th century onwards, beginning at the same time as
Japanese art was influencing that of the west.

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Artist : Korin 31
Chrysanthemum and Red and White Plum Blossoms
Ukiyo-e (Floating Picture)

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Example

Hokusai – The Great Wave

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Gyotaku

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Shikki (Lacquerware)
Japanese lacquerware is known for its beauty and
durability. Lacquer has been used in Japan for
thousands of years to protect and preserve the natural
beauty of wood.

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Negoro
Refers to simple and elegant red lacquer objects
produced during Japan’s medieval period, between
the 12th and 17th centuries. Embodying the ancient
sense of Japanese beauty, the minimalistic forms
of Negoro lacquer ware were primarily intended to be
functional objects and are void of elaborate
decoration.

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Ceramics
Japanese ceramics have a long history, going back as far as 13,000
years ago to the earthenware of the prehistoric Jōmon period. The
name Jōmon itself, meaning “rope-patterned,” refers to the design
of the pots dating from this era. Jōmon earthenware has recently
enjoyed renewed interest due to its unique shapes, spirituality, and
strong sense of presence.

Ceramic production in Japan flourished particularly from the

late Heian period (794–1185) to the Muromachi period
(1336–1568).

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Arita ware —has high value as antiques, with collectors of the ware
all over the world.

One of the more famous kinds of Arita ware is Kakiemon, which

features overglaze enamel decoration in harmony with the
white porcelain.

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Maki-e (Sprinkled Picture)

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European style chest
(with a stand) with
design of fans in maki-
e and mother-of-pearl
inlay.
National Museum of
Japanese History,
17th Century.

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Set of furniture with design of diaper and bamboo,and aoi crests of
hollyhock in maki-e, Cabinet (zushi-tana). Hayashibara Museum of Art, Edo
period.

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Shodo

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Chochin

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Sculpture

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Netsuke
Netsuke, ornamental togglelike piece, usually of carved ivory,
used to attach a medicine box, pipe, or tobacco pouch to
the obi (sash) of a Japanese man’s traditional dress. During
the Tokugawa period (1603–1868), netsukes were an
indispensable item of dress as well as being fine works of
miniature art.

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Samurai Masks

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Bonseki

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 Bonsai
Bonsai is the art of growing plants and trees in small pots in its miniature
form. Trees and plants could be grown in a prettier fashion using this art. It is
time consuming and needs a lot of patience and experience to grow up a single
bonsai. "Bon" is a type of pot used for growing plants and "sai" means
planting. Any long lasting plant or perennial tree can be converted into its
miniature form using this technique. This is getting popular all over the world.
It is amazing to see big peepal and other wild trees and flowering plants in
small pots. Flowering plants in its bonsai form are beautiful with lots of flowers
in every small branch tips of it. Keeping big trees in a small pot inside our
home or garden provides an attractive look to our interiors and relaxation to
our mind. The name on every bonsai depends upon the type of pots used and
the kind of plant inside it. Bonsai reached Japan from China and they
developed new variations here. Omiya Bonsai Village is one of the super
branded bonsai makers of Japan which is situated in Saitama Prefecture.
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 Ikebana
Ikebana is the traditional Japanese flower arrangement. It is entirely different
from the western style of flower arrangement. Mostly, Japanese flowers, leaves
and stems are used in Ikebana. This flower arrangement is also known
as kadou. Other than combining a lot of flowers in the arrangement, ikebana
depends upon the interest of the artist and based on some special rules.
Combining all parts of a plant in the arrangement, ikebana is considered as an
art that connects humanity and nature. This art illustrates the love of Japanese
society to nature. The pot in which arranging is done also is very important.
Based upon the rules, ikebana artists arrange stems, flowers and leaves in the
pot. Depending upon the shape of the containers and the way of arranging,
there are various names given for each type of ikebana. We could see ikebana
kept in temples, shrines, graveyards etc. People used to keep ikebana in their
home and offices also. There are schools in every city for teaching this
traditional flower arrangement technique.
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Irezumi

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 In 1872, Emperor Meji ban Tattooing .
 Tattooing was picked up by those
participating in criminal activities such
as prostitutions and gangs.
 But in 1948 full-ban on tattoos was
lifted. Still the perception of many
about this art is negative.
 Most people think tattoos are
associated with Yakuza (a
transnational organized crime
syndicates)
 Up until these days, people with
tattoos are banned in public pools or
some companies in Japan.
 They can only use public pools if they
hide their tattoos to avoid scaring
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Origami

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Kirigami

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Japanese Fans

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Temari

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Manga

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Contemporary Art

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The Secrets of In Silence by Chiharu Shiota

Using a thick web of black

threads, Chiharu Shiota conjures a
hazy cloud around life-size
installations, such as this piece In
Silence from 2008. The distance this
enforces between the viewer and the
work recreates the sensation of
reaching for a memory that is present
but impossible to fully grasp.

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How the Pumpkin Reveals Yayoi Kusama’s Childhood

The iconic pumpkin motif is an

insight into a treasured personal
experience of this world-famous
Japanese artist.
Living under the shadow of the
Second World War, Yayoi
Kusama’s childhood was spent in
closed quarters sewing parachutes
for the Japanese army. An everyday
object such as the ubiquitous
pumpkin became a great source of
inspiration. She has written that
‘pumpkins bring about poetic
peace in my mind. Pumpkins talk
to me.’
This endearing print embodies the
importance of creative and
personal freedom that came to
define her prolific career.
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Frozen Fashion: Makoto Azuma's Ice Sculpture

Encasing these elaborate

flower arrangements in solid
blocks of ice transforms a
fragile living form into a bold
and powerful art sculpture.
Conceptual artist Makoto
Azuma created this larger
than life set as the perfect
way to enhance the spring
sensations of Dries Van
Noten’s Spring/Summer 2017
fashion show.

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Takashi Murakami's Contemporary Sculpture Takes on Versailles!

This energetic sculpture, Flower Matango, seems

strangely at home among the 17th century art of
the Palace of Versailles.
Acclaimed Japanese contemporary artist Takashi
Murakami was invited to exhibit at the Palace in
2010, where the baroque backdrop created the
perfect setting for his characteristic bold and
colorful manga-inspired works.
The name of this iron and fiberglass installation
refers to a 60s Japanese horror film, where a
mutant fungus threatens the world. In
Murakami’s anime version, however, the wild
floral growth seems to spread only an infectious
sense of joy.

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