Japanese Art Research Articles

Early STEAM Education Practice: Application of Graph Theory through Teaching Assistants

In the age of Society 5.0, which is the concept of a future society developed by the Japanese government, science, technology, engineering, art, and mathematics (STEAM) human resources with the skills to grasp things from multiple perspectives and solve problems will be required. Furthermore, Society 5.0 indicates that the National Institute of Technology (KOSEN) will become the STEAM center for elementary and junior high school students, as part of the efforts to establish a system that supports STEAM education. Since 2019, we have practiced STEAM education as part of “Liberal Arts Special Lectures” for 4th-year students of the main course (1st year of the undergraduate course). In these lectures, the teachers of liberal arts subjects present themes using their specialties, such as mathematics, debate, and economics. Collaborative learning between students from various departments led them to deep learning, which was a fusion of knowledge and creation. However, there are few opportunities to give back to society, particularly a platform to disseminate the acquired mathematics ability. Therefore, we aim to realize early STEAM education and give back to society by creating STEAM teaching materials on graph theory in open courses for junior high school students between the ages of 13 and 15 with help from teaching assistants who studied graph theory in the liberal arts special lectures. Moreover, through a course on graph theory, the course will not only arouse students' interest in mathematics, but also provide them with clues to develop their multifaceted ideas. Keywords: society 5.0, graph theory, open course for junior high school students, teaching assistants, liberal arts special lecture

English-medium instruction for sale: The multimodal discourse of self-perception on Japanese liberal arts faculty websites

This study both contributes to and updates the growing body of literature into the framing of English-medium instruction on institutional websites. A three-dimensional discourse analysis model is used to investigate the self-perception of three well-established liberal arts faculties in Japan. The analysis reveals distinct features in the self-perception of these universities and teases out the ingrained ideological standpoints. Firstly, the neoliberal ideological hegemony found in other university studies exists, but Japanese universities frame it differently: the explicit focus is on profit for society rather than individual gain. Secondly, there is consensus among the institutions regarding the production of ‘globalised’ individuals, but the universities are less than definitive on what the key competencies entail, or how they are applied and measured. Finally, the study underscores the explicit alignment of institutional goals with national policy objectives, reflecting the values advocated by the Japanese education ministry. As the government’s Top Global University Project approaches its conclusion, this research provides valuable insights for Japanese universities to reassess the aims and objectives of their English-language programs. By offering a nuanced understanding of institutional discourse, this study furthermore contributes to the broader literature on EMI practices and policies, guiding future developments in Japanese higher education.

Toward a Critical Non-Humanism in Postwar Japan

Toward a Critical Non-Humanism in Postwar Japan

The gaze on ‘primitive’ others in Japanese modern art: ethnography, art, and curatorial perspectives

This essay explores the gaze directed at ‘primitive’ others by Japanese modern artists Hijikata Hisakatsu (1900–1977) and Miyatake Tatsuo (1892–1960), focusing on both art and ethnography in the southern territories of Imperial Japan. By analyzing their artworks, writings, and curatorial perspectives, I detail how Hijikata and Miyatake represented ‘primitive’ others in their art and curatorial projects when they returned to Japan from their field trips and how they developed their primitivizing gaze during the era of imperialism and colonialism. This essay aims to reevaluate their works relating to primitivism, clarifying the cultural and social contexts that had enabled them to explore the gaze directed at ‘primitive’ others and thus reinforcing stereotypical images.

Design formulations to merge symbols of ancient Egyptian and Japanese art into textile printed hangings as an input for enriching the educational environment

Design formulations to merge symbols of ancient Egyptian and Japanese art into textile printed hangings as an input for enriching the educational environment

중일(中日) 근대문예론의 형성과 그 이동(異同)에 관한 소고(小考)

This paper attempts to compare the literary theory of Tsubouchi Shoyo(坪內逍遙), which was developed from the 'arts-the arts' examined throughout Wang Guowei's(王國維) literary theory, and Wang Guei's literary theory, which was established as the early modern Japanese literary theory. As Tsubouchi Shoyo's first statement, 'Novels are art(美術)' in 『Shosetsu Shinzui(小說神髓)』 opened the chapter of modern Japanese literary theory, this paper aims to explore Wang Guowei's literary theories in relation to the formation of modern literary theory in China. Therefore, in the case of the formation of Japanese modern art theory, Tsubouchi Shoyo's use of Western literary theory and logic in his own way within the magnetic field of pragmatic thought and literary dance theory that spread throughout Japanese society in the 1880s, while building a literary theory that incorporated the discourse of the Japanese art world at the time, was used as a guide to examine the formation of Chinese modern art theory and Wang Guowei's literary theory treatise. This was further utilized to examine the shifts in the theses that were common to their literary theories. In fact, the formation environment of Sino-Japanese modern literary theory was different in terms of its reception and paragraph situation according to the way the two countries experienced modern East Asia, but there are also similar points. It is also true that Wang Guowei's and Tsubouchi Shoyo's views and arguments on the literary arts developed in very different ways after they published their literary theory works and related papers, depending on their respective life trajectories and the circumstances of their respective countries. Nevertheless, neither Tsubouchi Shoyo nor Wang Guowei built a separate literary theory that completely excluded the dominant discourse in the academic and literary circles of their time. Rather, Wang Guowei, who studied a wide range of disciplines, including mathematics and natural sciences, could be said to have been more attuned to and thought about the axioms of modern China's time and built his literary theories in response to them.

Confinement-induced drift in Marangoni-driven transport of surfactant: a Lagrangian perspective

Successive drops of coloured ink mixed with surfactant are deposited onto a thin film of water to create marbling patterns in the Japanese art technique of Suminagashi. To understand the physics behind this and other applications where surfactant transports adsorbed passive matter at gas–liquid interfaces, we investigate the Lagrangian trajectories of material particles on the surface of a thin film of a confined viscous liquid under Marangoni-driven spreading by an insoluble surfactant. We study a model problem in which several deposits of exogenous surfactant simultaneously spread on a bounded rectangular surface containing a pre-existing endogenous surfactant. We derive Eulerian and Lagrangian formulations of the equations governing the Marangoni-driven surface flow. Both descriptions show how confinement can induce drift and flow reversal during spreading. The Lagrangian formulation captures trajectories without the need to calculate surfactant concentrations; however, concentrations can still be inferred from the Jacobian of the map from initial to current particle position. We explore a link between thin-film surfactant dynamics and optimal transport theory to find the approximate equilibrium locations of material particles for any given initial condition by solving a Monge–Ampère equation. We find that as the endogenous surfactant concentration $\delta$ vanishes, the equilibrium shapes of deposits using the Monge–Ampère approximation approach polygons with corners curving in a self-similar manner over lengths scaling as $\delta ^{1/2}$ . We explore how Suminagashi patterns may be produced by using computationally efficient successive solutions of the Monge–Ampère equation.

Exercise intensity at RPE13 in female Kendo practitioners

Abstract: Introduction: Kendo, a Japanese martial art, requires rigorous physical and mental training. Kendo practitioners who engage in daily mental training may experience a disparity between their subjective perception of exertion and the actual physiological load on their bodies. Methods: Fifteen healthy adult female kendo practitioners were recruited as participants. Participants were asked to report levels of exertion using the Ratings of Perceived Exertion (RPE) during a progressive, load-incremented stress test. The participants’ heart rate at the time of reporting RPE13, which is considered a “somewhat hard” level of exertion, as well as heart rate at the anaerobic threshold (AT) to measure actual load, were compared to the maximum heart rate measurement obtained during the test. Results: The participants’ heart rates at RPE13 were found to be higher than those at AT, based on their values as percentages of maximum heart rates. Conclusion: This study discovered that kendo practitioners engaged in regular mental training exhibited a higher heart rate at “somewhat hard” exertion (RPE13) compared to the anaerobic threshold (AT), indicating a relative increase in RPE. Additional research is necessary to determine if this effect is attributable to mental training.

Terapi Bermain Melipat dan Menempel Kertas Origami Pada Anak Usia Dini

Introduction: The benefits of origami for young children are numerous. First, origami can help develop children's fine motor skills. The process of folding and gluing paper requires good hand-eye coordination, as well as fine motor skills. Second, origami can also help develop children's creativity and imagination. Children can create various shapes and objects just by folding paper. Method: This play therapy activity was carried out on Friday 17 November 2023 at the Al-Hidayah Ciomas Islamic Education Foundation, Panjalu sub-district. Participants in this activity were 24 preschool children and RA Al-Hidayah. The method used in this activity is divided into three stages, namely the preparation, implementation and final evaluation stages. In the preparation stage, we prepare tools, make time contracts, convey goals and topics, practice together, and prepare prizes for participants who have good work. Folded paper and hvs are used as media used by children to express their creativity. The instructions given to children are not limited, in the sense that children can express any ideas on hvs paper with origami tools as the main material. The goal is for students to have high thinking and creativity in creating creations using origami paper. Finally, in the evaluation stage, the staff reviews and assesses the children's work on how they draw using origami paper as the main basic material. Result: Playing activities for children were carried out on Friday 17 November 2023 at the Al-Hidayah Ciomas Islamic Education Foundation, Panjalu sub-district, this activity was attended by 29 children as participants. It is known that the implementation of play activities for children runs smoothly. Which was opened by the event section and continued by other implementing sections until the stage of implementing therapy for participants. And continued with evaluation, closing and documentation.Conclusion: Play therapy through origami, the Japanese art of paper folding, is an effective method for early childhood development. It helps in developing fine motor skills, creativity, imagination, and focus.

A Modern Retrospective of Tradition: A Brief Introduction to Kengo Kuma’s Works and Architectural Ideas

Kengo Kuma is an internationally recognized Japanese architect today. His works and architectural thoughts are influenced by Japanese geography and cultural traditions, forming a school of its own in Japanese modern architecture. This paper takes Kengo Kuma as the research subject, combining the development trajectory of Japanese modern architecture for more than 100 years to analyze his architectural ideas and design thinking. Kengo Kuma integrates his understanding of traditional Japanese culture and art into modern architecture, by Kengo Kuma’s architectural thoughts and practices bring inspiration and enlightenment for Chinese architects as a path to explore connecting modern trends with traditional designs.

Performing fashion/fashioning performance: Kansai Yamamoto, David Bowie and Ziggy Stardust

Kansai Yamamoto (Japan 1944–2020) was one of the first Japanese designers to break into European and American fashion markets. Following his first London showing in 1971, Kansai (as he was known) worked with David Bowie (England 1947–United States 2016) to create a wardrobe for the performer’s 1973 tour, Aladdin Sane. This article explores the pivotal role the collaboration between Kansai and Bowie played in the construction of the performative persona Ziggy Stardust. Focusing on Kansai’s designs and his approach to the western fashion industry – where he employed a similar strategy of deliberate ‘othering’ – I will demonstrate how his intimate partnership with Bowie, already personally drawn to Eastern aesthetics, was pivotal in visualizing the concept of ‘alien’ (both as ‘foreign’ and ‘from out of space’). Kansai’s work – synonymous with bold colour, flamboyant prints and dramatic silhouettes – is heavily influenced by Japanese popular art. His performative involvement in his own runway shows draws distinctive parallels with Japanese theatre. In particular, this article examines the critical influences of Japanese theatre arts, particularly kabuki traditions, and of yakusha-e (ukiyo-e-style actor prints) on Kansai’s oeuvre, and how the designer transformed the previous styling of Bowie’s androgynous Messiah-like character into one of the most internationally acclaimed glam rock icons.

Works by Andrii Levytskyi for the “Homage à trois” Project (Barcelona, Spain)

Andrii Levytskyi is a well-known Kyivan graphic artist, a recognized master of gravure printing (intaglio). The artist has been participating regularly in the “Homage à trois” (Tribute to Three) project, which takes place in Barcelona (Spain) on the initiative of the Duana de les Arts – AIDA International Association – since 2021. Only masters of graphic art can participate in the project. It should commemorate three literary figures on the occasion of their birthday anniversaries, and the artists should choose at least two of the three proposed personalities. Intaglio 2021, satisfying the conditions of the project, at the same time continues seamlessly the themes and motifs peculiar to Andrii Levytskyi’s heritage in general. Poem about a Henna Tree (Jean Lafontaine) is somewhat unexpected and paradoxical, but naturally connected with the artist’s favourite images of trees. In the Player the themes of confrontation, game, rivalry are developed. They are arisen, in particular, in the intaglio Motus Animi Continuus (2021). Three works of 2022, made in the computer design technique, are distinguished by a bright and at the same time elegant color solution. The artist is inspired by themes of the theater and, widely, carnival culture (Molière’s Mask), Japanese art (IchiyōHiguchi’s Stream). The work for the anniversary of the legendary German romantic Novalis (Ask Baron: Is Religion the Opium of the Peoples) is especially unexpected. In 2023, Andrii Levytskyi has returned to the intaglio technique again and at the same time abandoned color. The works dedicated to Federico García Lorca (At Five O’clock in the Afternoon) and Wisława Szymborska, winner of the Nobel Prize (Cat in an Empty Apartment), are the artist’s reflections on the theme of death, while the work Dream. My Ántonia (based on the novel by Willa Cather) softens their tragical essence. The Ukrainian artist’s works dedicated to Molière, Novalis and Willa Cather have been nominated and awarded by the organizers of “Homage à trois”. Taking part in the international artistic projects, and even more so winning in them, Ukrainian artists contribute actively to the creation of a positive image of the state. After all, the culture of Ukraine consists not only of the historical heritage, but also of the works of modern masters.

Боротьба сумо крізь призму мистецтва: культурно-історичний аналіз

Purpose: based on the analysis of scientific sources, to identify the peculiarities of the reflection of sumo wrestling in various types of Japanese fine arts and to reveal its role in the formation and expression of the national identity of the Japanese. Material and methods. To solve the research tasks, the following methods were used: historical and cultural analysis - to study the origin and development of sumo wrestling as a cultural phenomenon; art historical analysis - to identify the specifics of sumo reflection in various art forms; iconographic analysis - to study plots, motifs, artistic images related to sumo wrestling. Results: based on the analysis of scientific and methodological information and Internet sources, it was found that sumo wrestling is a unique and distinctive Japanese sport with a long history. It is an integral part of Japanese culture and has a deep cultural and symbolic meaning. Images of sumo wrestlers are often found in various forms of Japanese art - painting, graphics, sculpture, etc. However, a comprehensive study of the reflection of the theme of sumo wrestling in art has not been conducted before. The study of the peculiarities of the depiction of sumo wrestling in art will allow us to better understand not only the sport itself, but also the peculiarities of the worldview and aesthetic preferences of the Japanese people. An in- depth study of the cultural history of sumo through the prism of art will help to present the uniqueness and value of this tradition more clearly. This may interest young people and encourage them to take up sumo wrestling, while the images of legendary sumo wrestlers in painting and sculpture will inspire young athletes to reach the same heights of skill. Conclusions. A study of scientific sources has shown that the topic of sumo wrestling in Japanese fine art is not sufficiently covered. Sumo wrestling has deep cultural roots and symbolic meaning in Japan. Its images can be traced in art from ancient times to the present day. The analysis of works of fine art allows us to trace the evolution of ideas about sumo wrestling and its place in the national culture. Starting from the Kofun period, haniwa figurines depicting wrestlers performed an apotropaic function, scaring away evil spirits. In the Edo period, with the development of ukiyo-e prints, sumo wrestling became a popular theme in the work of leading artists. The images of legendary champions and dramatic scenes of fights attracted viewers. Wrestlers embodied the national ideal of courage and strength. In modern times, artists continue the tradition of depicting sumo, paying tribute to the cultural heritage of Japan. Keywords: sumo, ukiyo-e, print, fine art, haniwa, Edo period, ryokshi, Japan, woodblock print, netsuke, martial arts.

Identifying Relationships and Classifying Western-style Paintings: Machine Learning Approaches for Artworks by Western Artists and Meiji-era Japanese Artists

Many Western-style paintings by Japanese artists in the early 1900s, though maintaining a unique quality, were greatly inspired by the works of Western artists. In this article, we employ machine learning to identify relationships and classify the works of Japanese and Western artists. The relationships are of significant interest to numerous art historians, as they can reveal how Western art was introduced to Japan. Historically, art historians have manually annotated these correspondences, which is a time-consuming and labor-intensive process. In this article, we introduce a new method for finding correspondences between related artworks by comparing their overall outline information. This technique is based on Siamese neural networks (SNNs) and a self-supervised learning approach. Additionally, we have compiled a dataset of illustrations from Japanese artists such as Seiki Kuroda and Western artists such as Raphaël Collin, complete with correspondence annotations. However, to exhibit the unique quality of works by Japanese artists, we demonstrate that machine learning can classify between artworks created by Japanese artists and those created by Western artists.

ARTISTIC FEATURES OF SYMBOLISM IN JAPANESE VISUAL ART DURING THE EDO PERIOD

This article is dedicated to exploring the artistic characteristics of symbolism in Japanese visual art during the Edo period (1603-1868). Through an analysis of this era, the author investigates the utilization of natural symbols, particularly flowers and birds, in the works of artists. Additionally, the article examines the influence of seasonal symbolism and its impact on artistic practice. Special attention is placed on the use of colors and their significance in conveying emotions and atmosphere. Furthermore, depictions of mythological creatures such as dragons and fairies are studied, along with their role in expressing spiritual concepts. The study also delves into the utilization of geometric forms and their symbolic meanings within the context of cosmic and philosophical aspects. The author further analyzes the incorporation of everyday objects and their contribution to creating allegorical imagery. The primary objective of this article is to uncover the significance of symbolism in Japanese visual art during the Edo period and to reveal its influence on the cultural, philosophical, and aesthetic context of that time. The article examines the utilization of natural symbols, seasonal, and color symbolism as means of metaphorically conveying profound concepts. It highlights the impact of mythological creatures on artworks of that era and the use of geometric forms to convey cosmic and spiritual dimensions. The role of object symbolism in generating additional meanings in art is also explored. The central aim of the article is to comprehensively comprehend the significance of symbolism in Japanese art during the Edo period and its effect on the cultural and artistic milieu of the time. The research is focused on investigating the role of symbolism in Japanese art during the Edo period and its impact on the cultural and artistic context of that period. Additionally, the article examines object symbolism and its role in shaping dual meanings and additional layers of significance in artworks. The study is aimed at unveiling the essence of symbolism in Japanese visual art during the Edo period and deepening the understanding of the impact of these artistic techniques on the cultural context of the time.

일본 문화재 지정 체계 안에서 다도구의 위치

In the Japanese tea ceremony, tea tool science has been systematized enough to become a specialized academic field. Therefore, the evaluation and classification of tea utensils are also delicate. On the other hand, the artistic evaluation of the tea ceremony in Japan is not necessarily shared with art historians and historians. Japan has designated its cultural properties of high artistic, historical, and academic value as important cultural properties and national treasures. The process of designating cultural properties must involve a council consisting of professional degree holders. Therefore, one can see the evaluation that tea utensils receive in Japanese art history by analyzing the current status of tea utensils designated as important cultural properties. The results show that under the current Japanese system, there is a slight difference between the evaluation of tea utensils by academia and the evaluation of tea ceremonies. Nevertheless, as can be seen in some cases, there are also places where the tea ceremony aesthetics can be understood.

JUTSUNYM: INDEXICAL ALIGNMENT IN THE NAMING OF JUTSU IN COMIC, ANIMATION, AND VIDEO GAME SERIES

Studies on charactonym leave an underinvestigated field of moves or jutsu in Japanese. Characters in action comics, anime, and computer games are equipped with moves e.g. Goku with his iconic Kamehameha, Monkey D. Luffy with his Gomu Gomu no Pistol, and Spider Man with his Maximum Spider. We argue that these moves deserve their own umbrella in charactonym studies – we call it jutsunym. Though adopting a Japanese martial art term, jutsunym is not limited on Japanese media. Investigating a corpus of jutsu defining comic, anime, and game series through the lens of Smith’s Peircean names as signs and Rudnyckyj’s relevance of content and form which was later developed by Gerus-Tarnawecky’s theory in literary onomastics, we found that in naming a jutsu or a move, the authors tend to consider what we call as indexical alignment – an alignment between the names of the jutsu or the moves with narrative, mechanical, visual, and audial elements. Narrative elements align themselves with jutsu names through story and character, mechanical elements through connotative and denotative, visual elements through indicative and implicative, and audial elements through quoting and catchphrasing.

“The issue of weight is a personal responsibility” – Demands for performing in gendered karate in the Western neoliberal society

Even though its roots can be traced to an ancient past, karate was born as a Japanese martial art around a century ago. It went through a sportivization process both by being spread from East to West and by becoming a combat sport. In this dual process, karate in Western society has retained many of its traditional practices, loyal to what is understood as its Japanese roots, at the same time that it became an Olympic sport (though only briefly), the apex of the sportive world. Then, karate mixes within itself a complex identity, combining elements of a martial art and a combat sport in a manner of a selective tradition (Williams, 1977). Besides that, karate can be described as a gender binary environment, where the original and hegemonic masculine ethos prevails. Women are allowed to take part in the martial culture, but not without cost. They participated in the Olympic setting as much as men, having the same number of categories for fighting, for example. Notwithstanding, this equality does not necessarily mean fair inclusion and equity. In this paper, we explore how a select group of women who were members of a karate Olympic national squad dealt with the embodied experience of pain and suffering, both somatically and sociologically, from training sessions and competitions. We expect to provide some evidence of how karate is adapted to the Western model of elite sport; how women are prepared to supposedly address demands of non-discriminatory policies in sport; how women thrive and survive in the Western neoliberal high-level sport model and, despite their highlighted performances, are not duly acknowledged by male peers neither receive training taking into account female specifics, such as menstruation. We researched the Spanish women’s Olympic karate squad in their preparation for the Tokyo 2020 (2021) Olympic Games. We conducted an ethnographic project with auto-ethnographic notes from the first author since full completion of the original plan was not possible given the advent of COVID-19. We focus mainly on semi-structured interviews conducted with the team while considering the experience of the first author of the article, who has been a karate practitioner for several years, to question, corroborate, and deepen understanding of data collected. We reflect on the somewhat precarious situation of women in the hyper-masculine environment of karate and the conditions that need to be in place to ensure their full and valued participation. We found that karateka women face several challenges to conquer their space in karate, often negotiating in a way of resisting adversities, and giving in, in order to retain hard-won privileges. Therefore, while women fighters can represent a subversion of structures, they still face patriarchal diktats.

Defining Raku Ceramics: Translations, Elisions, Evolutions

Raku ceramics were first produced in Kyoto in the late sixteenth century, and have continued to be made and used in the context of ritualized Japanese tea culture (chanoyu) up to the present day. This essay examines the interest of Charles Lang Freer in Raku ceramics, and considers how his acquisitions—largely collected between 1895 and 1910, a period of some turmoil in the Japanese art market—serve as a useful index to changing assessments of the Raku ceramic tradition and its place in the broader landscape of arts associated with traditional tea culture in Japan and abroad.

Портрет художника в контексте эпохи: Саэки Юдзо

The study aims to recreate the portrait of the Japanese artist Saeki Yuzo (1898-1928), a representative of the “yoga” movement, in the context of his contemporary era. The author addresses the transformation of the Japanese art community of the Meiji and Taisho eras, identifies the peculiarities of formation of the “yoga” and “nihonga” painting trends in Japanese art, considers the main periods of Saeki Yuzo’s life and creative work (the first Paris period, the creation of Italian watercolors, return to Japan, the second Paris period). The paper is novel in that it is the first to determine how the traditions of the East and the West are interpreted in the works of the artist. As a result, the author substantiates the thesis that Saeki Yuzo was a follower in the context of European art and an innovator at home; the artist’s contribution marked a new stage in Japanese modernism – the transition from impressionism to Fauvist expressionism.