Japanese rhinoceros beetle

Cute is everywhere in Japan, from formal to casual use, from food to fashion. Kawaii or cute is defined as childlike with the celebration of sweet and vulnerable behavior and physical appearance. (Skov& Moeran, 1995) It is highly valued by Japanese, seems like a national ethos, but also the representation of Japan’s soft power. Its influence extended beyond the border of Japan and permeated into foreign countries due to consumerism, especially in the United States. Nevertheless, people seem to…

Shinto Shrine, the Witness of Japanese Religion, Culture and Art Japan is very famous for both its traditional culture and its modern culture. Talking about traditional Japanese culture, shrine is one of the things that people would think of the most; and talking about modern Japanese culture, people would usually think about anime, games, etc. but even in these modern culture, there is still a high rate that shrine would exist. When people walk in Japan, they could find a lot of shrines. The…

Buck, the main dog in The Call of the Wild, was a St. Bernard/Scotch Shepherd dog living the perfect life in the sun-kissed Santa Clara valley. Before the wild, he was in the kind of lifestyle where he was treated with anything and everything any dog would have. He was healthy, fed constantly, living in a nice home, and feeling loved. Although, for Buck, his cozy and happy life comes to an end where he is secretly sold to Alaska by one of the workers on the estate without anybody noticing. There…

and the morals in the anime made me an official anime fan. After I discovered anime my perspective on life and ideals changed, which made me a better person, and it also became my main form of escapism. In case you've been wondering, animes are Japanese animated cartoons. As I mentioned before, Shugo Chara was the first anime that I watched. The plot is basically about a group of middle school students preventing other kids from giving up on their dreams and helping those who can't find their…

Okinawan Soba is made up of Chinese noodles with Japanese flavoring and soup. I relate to Okinawan soba because Okinawa is closer to Japan than to China, even though my father’s ancestors are from Taiwan or the Chinese noodles. I believe that I identify more to my Japanese side because I lived in Japan for the first few years of my life, I even went to a Japanese-speaking school during Kindergarten. In Japan a candle-lit ceremony is held, that is called the Bon Odori or Bon…

A Place of the Heart Gardens are known for bringing beauty and color into people’s life and on many occasions they hold secrets to the creator's life. People plant their gardens to express themselves in a different way other than just words.The garden’s design or plants use can relate to certain aspects in a character's life. In the novel Samurai’s Garden, by Gail Tsukiyama, the author metaphorically compares the two very different gardens of Matsu and Sachi to show how they overcome their life…

States, with the total annual sushi industry earnings worth more than two billion dollars. Sushi, dawning from second century Southeast Asia, is full of fish and vegetables. Although it is considered “takeout”, sushi is one of the fanciest types of Japanese cuisine. However, sushi is high in cholesterol, in particular shrimp tempura rolls. Although they are adored by sushi lovers, shrimp tempura rolls are not beneficial for one’s health. By changing the rice type, not “over tempura-ing” the…

Background Info on Gagaku Gagaku is a fusion of music and dance. Instrumentalist passed down their roles from generation to generation and performed for the imperial families. Although we are not entirely sure when it began, we know it was formally organized around the Tenth Century. Gagaku has three forms songs along with chanted poetry or Kayō, instrumental or Kangen, and dances along with music or Bugaku. Today we will be exploring Kangen. The music is mainly monophonic with moments of…

Ryoan-ji Garden Japanese gardens have many influences from Chinese civilization and used elements of plants, rocks and water to represent the natural world and natural forms. The Japanese gardens styles also were influenced by the religions of Shintoism and Buddhism. The Ryoan-ji garden is one of the most famous Zen Buddhism gardens in Kyoto, Japan and was built in the second half of the fifteenth century. It is a significant garden because of organization and symbolism. The organization of…

Many would oppose to the idea that Anime and Gangsta Rap are the same. The opposition’s stance can come from various viewpoints. It can be argued that Anime and Gangsta rap are not only different but nowhere close to being the same. Many arguments can branch out from this common thought. For example, it can be said that one is music and the other is visual entertainment. Or even it could be argued that none of the characters in Anime are closely related to realism like Gangsta Rap is; and though…