Arashi

Re-Viewing the Past: The Uses of History in the Cinema of Imperial Japan analyzes the complicated relationship between history films, audiences, reviewers and censors in Japan for the critically important years from 1925-1945. First contextualizing the history of the popular “Bakumatsu” period (1853-1868), the moment of Japan's emergence as a modern nation, Sean O'Reilly paves the way for a reinterpretation of Japanese pre and postwar cinema. Setting a film in the Bakumatsu period offered 'cultural breathing room' to both filmmakers and viewers, offering a cinematic space where apolitical entertainment and now-forbidden themes like romance still reigned. Some filmmakers-and viewers-even conceived of these films as being a form of resistance against Japan's growing militarism. As comparisons between the popularity of such films versus that of state-sponsored propaganda films show, audiences responded enthusiastically to these glimmers of resistance. O'Reilly argues that we should turn our attention to the much more popular films of the time that were major hits with audiences in order to understand what resonated with wartime spectators, and to speculate about why this might have been the case. Including clips of these rare films, a so-far neglected area of Japanese film history is now firmly situated in context to offer a thought-provoking, multidisciplinary approach.

Unique in any Western language, this is an invaluable resource for the study of one of the world's great theatrical forms. It includes essays by established experts on Kabuki as well as younger scholars now entering the field, and provides a comprehensive survey of the history of Kabuki; how it is written, produced, staged, and performed; and its place in world theater. Compiled by the editor of the influential Asian Theater Journal, the book covers four essential areas - history, performance, theaters, and plays - and includes a translation of one Kabuki play as an illustration of Kabuki techniques.

In this urban fantasy fiction, Arashi, the prince of the sky is attacked by the manifestation of fear. He and his Sister Ishara must defeat the spirit of fear before the cures kills him.

Shibori is the Japanese term (from the word meaning "to squeeze or wring") for the dye-resist technique of binding, clamping or gathering the cloth so that the dye cannot reach certain parts. The result is a most powerful combination: a carefully structured design with the organic freedom of the unpredictable. One of the richest textile traditions in the world, shibori has been used in Japan, Africa, India and South America for centuries to create vibrant color, bold patterns, and intricate motifs. In recent years, a resurgence of the art has revealed its full potential. Janice Gunner's book is aimed at quilters, embroiderers and textile artists who want to master the techniques of shibori and to find ways of using the fabric for a range of textile applications. The book begins with the historical and cultural background of shibori; then goes on to explain, with clear, precise instructions and diagrams, how to make a wide range of exquisite fabrics. Gunner covers many different techniques, including tied-resist, stitched-resist, wrapped-resist, clamp-resist, folded- and pleated-resist, as well as immersion, space and indigo dyeing. Stunning examples of shibori pieces appear throughout the book both to inspire and guide; and practical advice is given on incorporating shibori textiles into the reader's own quilted and embroidered work.

The Routledge Companion to Media and Tourism provides a comprehensive overview of the research into the convergence of media and tourism and specifically investigates the concept of mediatized tourism. This Companion offers a holistic look at the relationship between media and tourism by drawing from a global range of contributions by scholars from disciplines across the humanities and social sciences. The book is divided into five parts, covering diverse aspects of mediatization of tourism including place and space, representation, cultural production, and transmedia. It features a comprehensive theoretical introduction and an afterword by leading scholars in this emerging field, delving into the ways in which different forms of media content and consumption converge, and the consequential effects on tourism and tourists. The collection is an invaluable resource for students and scholars of tourism studies, cultural studies, and media and communication, as well as those with a particular interest in mediatization, convergence culture, and contemporary culture.

A star-making factory without rival, the Japanese talent agency Johnny's Jimusho has brought fame to several generations of male stars – singers, actors and performers. Beyond the Male Idol Factory asks what the phenomenon of “Johnny's Idols” reveals about discourses of masculinity and national identity in contemporary Japan. Examining the pervasive presence of these stars across a wide range of Japanese media, the book explores how Johnny's Idols act as role models of ideal masculinity and good citizenship as well as entertainers. Taking a wide-ranging cultural studies approach, the book assesses the social, economic and demographic contexts of these familiar stars in post-industrial and post-Bubble Japanese society.

A martial arts biography of the legednary founder of judo, Jigoro Kano, and the colorful coterie of disciples who wanted to carry on his legacy Kodokan judo, one of the most well-known martial arts in the world today, was originated by Jigoro Kano (1860–1938), a martial artist and career educator who developed the art after studying several types of jujutsu, sumo, and Western wrestling. Openness and refinement were hallmarks of his personal and professional style, and he relentlessly searched for the best way to practice, teach, and perform techniques. This biography shows how Kano saw judo as a vehicle not just for self-defense, but for physical, spiritual, and moral development as well. His teachings clearly emphasize his ideal of judo as a way of self-cultivation that leads to physical health, ethical behavior, and ultimately a better society. Kano was a tireless activist who promoted the practical application of judo’s principles in all realms of life—in one’s personal behavior, for education, in work, for economic benefit, and in both the local and international political arenas. Kano’s students were a colorful, sometimes notorious bunch, and this book reveals how several went on to become famous—or infamous—in their own right. They include a prime minister of Japan, the leader of the Communist party in China, a famous novelist, a spy, high-level military leaders, and a media mogul, among many others.

This is the most complete and compelling account of idols and celebrity in Japanese media culture to date. Engaging with the study of media, gender and celebrity, and sensitive to history and the contemporary scene, these interdisciplinary essays cover male and female idols, production and consumption, industrial structures and fan movements.