Little Mermaid

Kabuki (歌舞伎, kabuki?) is a form of traditional Japanese theatre. Kabuki theatre is known for the stylization of its drama and for the elaborate make-up worn by its performers. The individual kanji characters, from left to right, mean sing (歌, dance (舞, and skill (伎. Kabuki is therefore sometimes translated as "the art of singing and dancing." These are, however, ateji, characters that do not reflect actual etymology. The word kabuki is believed to derive from the verb kabuku, meaning "to lean" or "to be out of the ordinary", so kabuki can be interpreted to mean "avant-garde" or "bizarre" theatre.[1] The expression kabukimono (歌舞伎者 referred originally to wild urban gangs of young eccentrics who dressed outrageously and had strange hairstyles.
1603–1629: female kabuki
The history of kabuki began in 1603, when Okuni, a miko (young woman in the service of a Shinto shrine) of Izumo Taisha, began performing a new style of dance drama in the dry river beds of Kyoto.[2] Female performers played both men and women in comic playlets about ordinary life. The style was instantly popular; Okuni was even asked to perform before the Imperial Court. In the wake of such success, rival troupes quickly formed, and kabuki was born as ensemble dance drama performed by women—a form very different from its modern incarnation. Much of its appeal in this era was due to the ribald, suggestive performances put on by many troupes; this appeal was further augmented by the fact that the performers were often also available for prostitution.[1] For this reason, kabuki was also written "歌舞妓" (singing and dancing prostitute) during the Edo Period.
Since kabuki was already so popular, young male actors took over after women were banned from performing. Along with the change in the performers' gender came a change in the emphasis of the performance: increased stress was placed on drama rather than dance.[2] Their performances were equally ribald, however, and they too were available for prostitution (also to male customers). Audiences frequently became rowdy, and brawls occasionally broke out, sometimes over the favors of a particularly handsome young actor, leading the shogunate to ban young male actors in 1652.
After 1653: men's kabuki
From 1653, only mature men could perform kabuki, which developed into a sophisticated, highly stylized form called yarō kabuki (野郎歌舞伎, roughly, men's kabuki). This metamorphosis in style was heavily influenced by kyogen comic theater, as mandated by the shogunate.[1] Kyogen was, in any case, extremely popular at the time.
The yarō was eventually dropped, but all roles in a kabuki play continued to be performed by men. Male actors who specialize in playing women's roles, called onnagata or oyama (both 女形, emerged, and families of onnagata specialists developed. In later years, most onnagata came from these families.
Two major role types developed: aragoto (rough style) was pioneered by Ichikawa Danjūrō (1660–1704) in Edo, and wagoto (soft style) by Sakata Tōjūrō (1647–1709) in the Kyoto-Osaka area. Aragoto is a bombastic style of role, in which the actor greatly exaggerates words, gestures, and even costumes and makeup; its name is derived from a word meaning the reckless warrior matter, and its plays emphasize action. In contrast, wagoto features more realistic speech and gestures, and its plays are usually tragic romances.
Famous Play
While there are many famous plays known today, the three most famous ones were written in three successive years in the middle of the 18th century. Like most of kabuki's longer, more serious, more dramatic plays, these were originally written for jōruri (bunraku) and were adopted by kabuki soon afterwards. All three were written by Takeda Izumo II, Miyoshi Shōraku, and Namiki Senryū I, between 1746 and 1748.
Kanadehon Chūshingura (Treasury of Loyal Retainers) is the famous story of the Forty-seven Ronin who track down their lord's killer, and exact revenge upon him before committing seppuku as required by their code of honor upon the death of their lord.[16]
Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura (Yoshitsune and the Thousand Cherry Trees) follows Minamoto no Yoshitsune as he flees from agents of his brother Yoritomo. Three Taira clan generals supposed killed in the Genpei War figure prominently, as their deaths ensure a complete end to the war and the arrival of peace, as does a kitsune named Genkurō.[17]
Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy) is based on the life of famed scholar Sugawara no Michizane (845–903), who is exiled from Kyoto, and upon his death causes a number of calamities in the capital. He is then deified, as Tenjin, kami (divine spirit) of scholarship, and worshipped in order to propitiate his angry spirit.
The Minamiza in Kyoto : The oldest Kabuki theatre in Japan

Akihabara is well known as an electric town but now it is called the Otaku's holy ground. Of course there are a lot of electronics stores, but now you will see Anime, Manga, figure shops, and many maid cafes (this is Japanese maid cafe portal site).


And the foods are so delicious !!!! Yami Yami

1. Harajuku Style

If it's Harajuku's youth culture you want to see, don't even bother unless it's the weekend and preferably a Sunday. The bridge across the train tracks from Harajuku station to Yoyogi Park is full of Gothic Lolita or GothLoli. The costumes are very outstanding and you can't miss them. It is funny to see the surprise of the western tourists heading to Yoyogi Park and Meiji Jingu who clearly had not read their guide books fully on Harajuku. You can hear their comments that make it very clear they just don't understand what is going on. Essentially the youth who have dressed up are just hanging out with friends, many of them come with the hope of being snapped by one of the many magazine photographers who mingle in the crowd.
2. Gothic Lolita Style

Gothic Lolita or "GothLoli" (ゴスロリ, gosurori; sometimes alternatively "Loli-Goth") is a youth fashion among Japanese teenagers and young women. It emphasizes Victorian-style girl's clothing and often aims to imitate the look of Victorian porcelain dolls. Gothloli's name and origin is a combination of lolita fashion—appearing deliberately cute to the point of looking childish—and certain styles found within gothic fashion. The style started as a youth subculture sometime around 1997-98 and became a well-established genre available in various boutiques and some major department stores by around 2001.
Gothic Lolita is one of the subcategories of the Lolita look. Other categories include "Classic Lolita" (more traditional, light-coloured, also more mature-looking) and "Sweet Lolita" (childish pastel-coloured clothes, lots of lace and ribbons).

Don't be fooled by how this girl looks from the distance. From the distance she looks like a cute Japanese girl wearing a kimono, but up close you can see the Gothic Lolita style coming through. The oversized Obi tied at the front with the black and lip ring are the give away.

Look at this dog! I feel so jealous with her.

I love the Cherry Blossom .
With a Japanese person , Sakura flower ( cherry blossom ) is as the national flower and it symbolize for the mind , the love and the elevated .
Sakura means the Life is short because the flowers fall down very quickly after they bloom. And in an ancient era, the Sakura is the symbol of a Samurai's spirit . So we can say " A flower is a cherry blossom, a person is a sakura "
The Sakura usually blooms from March to April . Japanese people gather under a sakura tree and drink the Sake wine, singing and chatting together . They want to relax , get out of stress in their life or work and enjoy the beauty of Sakura . And this festival is called Hanami ( flower viewing ).
And this kind of food is made of rice with sakura leaf . It looks so delicious!!!
And when you are in a Japanese park whick sakura trees are in full bloom, you can feel that you're among the big pink clouds. Like in a heaven .

Look at me in the Yukata. It has been brought from Japan by my koibito.
You can see, the Yukata is simplier for wearing than a kimono of Geisha or another usual Kimonos.
I love this suit very much.

KIMONO


What is called Kimono ?

Dressing as a GeishaFor a geisha, getting ready for work involves hours of preparation. The distinctive appearance of a geisha is part of her allure, but it's not only about beauty and exclusivity. It's also a way to tell the difference between a maiko and a geisha and between a child geisha and an adult geisha. You can tell a lot about a geisha just by looking at her.
Unlike a regular kimono, a geisha kimono exposes her neckline -- in Japanese culture, this is considered the most sensual part of a woman.
Kimono can cost thousands of dollars each. A maiko wears a kimono that has extra long sleeves (they touch the ground when she drops her arms) and is very long, colorful and intricately adorned with embroidery or hand-painted designs. Her collar is red, and her obi is long and wide. She wears tall wooden clogs called okobo to keep her kimono from dragging on the ground. Learning to walk in this outfit without falling over is part of her training.
The white makeup that is a trademark of the geisha was once lead-based and poisonous. Now, it is harmless. If a maiko follows the traditional way of achieving the look, she first applies oil and a layer of wax to her face. This makes the skin perfectly smooth and forms a base to which the white powder can adhere. She then applies red lipstick only to her lower lip. This is a sign that she is an apprentice.
Before becoming an apprentice, a young woman grows her hair very long so that it can be shaped into the elaborate hairstyles of a maiko. She wears at least five different styles, each one signifying a different stage in her apprenticeship. For instance, a new maiko wears a hairstyle called wareshinobu, which incorporates two strands of red ribbon that signify her innocence. An adult maiko wears a style called ofuku. This change was once determined by mizu-age, or a maiko's first sexual experience, but now it is simply a function of time. The switch usually occurs when the apprentice turns 18 or has been working for three years.

The Tea Ceremony is the traditional Japanese etiquette of preparing and drinking tea when one has guests. In sadou, special powdered tea, different from ordinary Japanese tea is chiefly used. Sen-N0-Rikyu , in the 16th century, brought sadou to perfection by incorporating the simple aesthetic values known as wabi (subtle taste) and sabi (elegant simplicity) and the concept that every single encounter never repeats in a lifetime (ichigo ichie). To make the encounter important, the host prepares with deep sincerity, and uses implements such as a hanging scroll or flowers in the alcove to set the setting.

So kool