GROUP_2

=**WELCOME TO THE HAPPY JAPANESE AUSPICIOUS CULTURAL ART FESTIVAL! ** = //A 3-day eevent that showcases the beautiful culture of art, literature, fashion, exotic food and music, and so much more. The combination of Japan's effect on Britain in the mixing of cultures between the two countries... //





**RELIGION AND LITERARY NARRATIVES **

//** Religious Beliefs **//


 * **Shinto**
 * **Buddhism**
 * **Syncretism process**

The process of the **syncretism** of religions happens when any two cultures meet and exchange different religious ideals and interact in a peaceful and coexistent environment. An example is of Christianity taking upon itself the Eastern traditions and ideals of unity and peaceful coexistence of nature of Buddhism. Or vise versa, Buddhism accepting the Western Christian belief of the almighty God and integrating it into their own ideals. This Syncretism creates a blending of cultures, religions, and ideals. With the Japanese migration into Britain, the migrants brought a new wave of culture and religion. Their embrace of the Buddhist and Shinto faiths blended with those of the Western traditional ideal of faith in Christianity. It brought about the introduction of Japanese Zen gardens for meditation, peace, and tranquility.

== 

**Buddhism** is not a theistic religion as it bases its teachings from the Buddha, a man and not a god. The Buddha was viewed as a person who was full of wisdom, purity, and compassion. When the disciples/followers want to seek that wisdom, purity, and compassion, they form a mental refuge on an internal level. The mind must seek refuge from the world surrounding it and in order to attain both the external and internal refuges they must seek what is known as the Triple Gem. The Triple Gem represents Buddha, Dhamma, and Sangha. This is the point where the three aspects of the Triple Gem become one: beyond the reach of greed, anger, and delusion, and thus totally secure.With these powers of belief, soul, and mind they can attain the ultimate awakening. They can attain the absolute freedom from the "uncertain realities of the realm" which include aging, illness, and death. This is similar to the Trinity of Christianity. Buddhism embraces Christianity's ideals and faith. Its similarities, peace of soul and mind plays a strong lure for Westerners. Its effects in Britain is strong as many seek to be awakened and free from the realities of their world. By detaching themselves from the "real world" they feel a sense of connection with everything and themselves. They even find a more connection with their Christian God.


 * Shintoism** is one of the popular Japanese religions that the immigrants brought over to Britain. It is a teaching of "The Way of the Gods". It is divided into two classes: Sectarian Shinto and the State Shinto Religion. The State Shinto is the national faith of the Japanese. It's principle represents the background of Japanese culture, code of ethics, fine arts, family, and national structure. It is more of an internal personal religion of the mind and soul than an outward and group religion. Their focus is on their personal faith and relationship with their God. Their glory of their God is similar to the Christian faith of the relationship with their God. The similarities between the two faiths is of their oneness with God and God being their true path. It is no wonder that those of Shinto faith were able to accept the Westerner's Christian faith.



**Those Attending the Festival for Lecture**

__//**Thich Nhat Hanh**//__



He is a world renown Zen master, writer, poet, scholar, and peacemaker. Except for the world known Dalai Lama, Hanh is known as today's best known Buddhist teacher. He has written more than a hundred books. His books are well-known bestsellers and include: //Peace is Every Step//, //The Miracle of Mindfulness//, //Living Buddha, Living Christ//, and //Anger//. He was ordained at age 16 and in 1967 Martin Luther King nominated him for the Nobel Prize for his peace efforts on the Vietnam War.



__//**Haruhiko d'Asie and Family**//__ 

They will discuss on how life is like joining the western and Eastern Religions together. Haruhiko D'Asie is a Shinto priest in Japan. His wife Miyuki was a played a role as the Miko in the Shinto temple and performs the ancient forms of music for it. She converted to Catholicism when she was diagnosed with cancer. She was blessed by the Mother Teresa and given a rosary.

 //** Japanese Literary Narratives **//
 * Tale of the Genji
 * Urashima Taro
 * The Pillow Book
 * The Tale of the Heike
 * //Nansō Satomi Hakkenden//
 * //"The American School"//
 * //A Personal Manner//
 * //Norwegien Wood//

<http://www.international.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=10674> AUTHORS AUTOGRAPH TABLING **

__//**Kazuo Ishiguro**//__ <http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=14137>

He was born in Nagasaki, Japan in 1954 and then moved to London, England. He still resides there to this day with his wife and daughter. He is well known for his novel, //The Remains of the Day,// which won the Booker Prize for. Many of his work has been translated in over twenty languages and has been awarded for his literature service both by the British and French governments. According to //Time Magazine//, he is considered as one of the fiftieth greatest British writers since 1945.

His works include: A Pale View of Hills (1982) An Artist of the Floating World (1986) The Remains of the Day (1989) The Unconsoled (1995) When We Were Orphans (2000) Never Let Me Go (2005) Nocturnes (2009)

Ishiguro has kindly accepted our invitation to be at our author tabling event for the festival and will be answering any questions at the booth. He has also volunteered to later on give us a special reading of his latest short story collection, //Nocturnes//, and providing us insight of the stories as well as his novels.

__//**Murakami Haruki**//__ <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:HarukiMurakami.png>

He was born in Hyogo, Japan on January 12, 1949. He started his writing career as a novelist at the age of 29 with his first novel work, "Kazeno Utao Kike". This novel won the Gunzou Literature Prize. He wrote "Norway-no nori" and Dance Dance Dance" while he was traveling around southern Europe for three years. His work is a mirror of society in the the big cities from the 1960's to the 1980's. In May 2007 he wrote After Dark and it was chosen by the New York Times as a "notable book of the year". His work is considered humorous and surreal and is able to capture the feeling of alienation and loneliness. Haruki has become well known for his work and widely read in the United Kingdom and United States.

What I Talk About When I Talk About Running (2009) After Dark (2008) Dance Dance Dance (1995) Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman: 24 Stories (2007) After the Quake (2003) Underground (2001) Sputnik Sweetheart (2002) South of the Border, West of the Sun (2000) The Elephant Vanishes (1994) Norwegian Wood (2000) Hard Boiled Wonderland And the End of the World (1993) Kafka on the Shore (2006) The Wind-Up Bird Chronicle (1998)

Haruki will also be doing book signing at the event and will be joining Ishiguro in answering questions about their lives, what inspired them to write their work, and so forth. He will be also doing a reading following Ishiguro's from his short story collection, //Blind Willow, Sleeping Women//.

<span style="background-color: #ff0000; color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 230%; text-align: center;">**<span style="background-color: #ff0000; color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Art **

= = = Hayao Miyazaki = === “Miyazaki is Walt Disney, Steven Spielberg and Orson Welles combined, with a dash of Claude Monet in his sumptuous landscapes and more than a smidgen of Roald Dahl in his sly, sophisticated understanding of children.” -Tim Morrison of Time Magazine ===



=== In 2004 Hayao Miyazaki released Howl’s Moving Castle, which is loosely based on the novel of the same name by British author Diana Wynne Jones. Miyazaki’s rendition is fantastical and imaginative. The film is set in a society reminiscent of the Victorian era and the overall artwork is visually stunning. ===



=== **Nick Park, creator of Wallace and Gromit remembers how “when Miyazaki came to the Aardman studios in Bristol and met staff there, it was like a royal visit. ‘He just has this raw imagination that isn’t diluted, an innocence he has that’s so much his own,’ Park said. ‘He really taps into how children think.’” (David Gritten)** ===

=== **Miyazaki has written and directed several anime films which have been blockbusters in his native Japan and have been equally successful in the western world. Many famous British actors have lent their voices to the English translations, among these are Minnie Driver, Cary Elwes, Emily Mortimer, Christian Bale, and Patrick Stewart.** ===



== These actors along with Hayao Miyazaki will be available at the Meet and Greet section of our festival on all three days. They will be signing autographs, taking pictures, and participating in a roundtable discussion concerning their experiences working on a Japanese film. ==

=The Anglo Japanese Style and Whistler=

The Anglo-Japanese style refers to a period approximately 1872 to 1900 when a new awareness of, and appreciation for Asian, particularly Japanese, design and culture affected architecture and the decorative arts of the United Kingdom. It was a precursor to the minimalism of twentieth century Modernism. The American-born British-based James Abbot McNeil Whistler created the Peacock Room for the London home of Fredrick Richards Leyland. Whistler had a strong interest in Japanese prints and porcelain, he modeled his own art after the spatial features and patterning he observed in Japanese art. "The leatherlined walls were painted peacock blue-green, and the gilded bamboo-like ribbing simulated the walls of a Japanese house or shrine. Gilded built-in shelves were mean to display Leyland’s extensive collection of Oriental blue-and-white porcelain. In a form resembling a Japanese screen, Whistler created the beautiful goldleaf peacock mural on blue leather as the centerpiece of the room." (Craven 324)



=== A replica of the Peacock Room will be reproduced in the Art Gallery Pagoda. Visitors to the cultural festival will have the once in a lifetime opportunity to enter a raffle where the grand prize is having their parlor completely revamped and redecorated in the lavish style of Whistler’s Peacock Room. Only the finest materials will be used to truly mirror the essence of the original space. The lucky winner will find that having afternoon tea in their transformed parlor will be an amazing experience. ===

= Takashi Muraki = “Superflat” is far from unnuanced or superficial and has cracked open the discourse about contemporary Japanese culture and society. Its reverberations are now starting to be felt in Western cultural circles. Like a Japanese transformer toy, it has the capacity to move and bend to engage a wide range of issues: from proposing formal historical connections between classic Japanese art and the //anime cartoons of today to a Pop Art-like cross contamination of high and low to a social critique of contemporary mores and motivations.” (Darling 77) //

Superflat is the creation of Japanese artist, Takashi Muraki. In his own words he describes Superflat as a "keyword I used to explain my work. Once I started using it, though, I found that it was applicable to a number of concepts that I had previously been unable to comprehend, including 'What is free expression?' 'What is Japan?' and 'What is the nature of this period I live in?'… I would be happy if (Superflat) was even a small step toward clarifying the characteristics of Japanese 'art' which have long remained so ambiguous." (Drohojowska-Philp)

Muraki has gained international fame with his post modern art movement known as Superflat in Europe, England, and North America. From October 1, 2009 to January 17, 2010 the Tate Modern in London housed an exhibit entitled, //Pop Life: Art in a Material World//. Murakami occupied an entire room in the Tate Modern. His exhibit included a "collaboration with Kanye West [the American rapper], a cabinet piece and a new video work with Kirsten Dunst in a collaboration with McG who made Charlie’s Angels. The exhibition explored how artists since Warhol have used business and glamour to create a public image." (Pitman)



The Art Gallery Pagoda will feature selected artwork from Muraki's exhibit that was featured at the Tate Modern. Visitors will get to see once again his eclectic and ultra modern art.
<span style="background-color: #ff0000; color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Impact,Charcoal,sans-serif; font-size: 230%; text-align: center;">**<span style="background-color: #ff0000; color: #ffffff; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Fashion **


 * [[image:http://tregenza.typepad.com/superflat_art/images/LVSuperflatBlue.jpg width="279" height="278" align="left"]][[image:murakami02a.jpg width="280" height="281" align="right"]]

In 2003 Takashi Muraki first began to collaborate with the French luxury fashion house, Louis Vuitton. This brand is popular all over the world. According to the Louis Vuitton website, in London alone there are no less than 8 stores. In addition to London, Louis Vuitton is also available in Edinburgh, Birmingham, Manchester, Leeds, and our very own Marketplace!

For the first time in history, authentic Louis Vuitton merchandise by Takashi Muraki will be sold at a discounted rate. This is completely revolutionary because Louis Vuitton is infamous for never selling their products at a discount or duty free. Visitors to the cultural fair will have the rare opportunity to purchase their very own Superflat inspired Louis Vuitton at an unbeatable value! and new to Louis Vuitton this year is.... ** __the Cosmic Blossom Collection!__ Muraki’s latest collaboration with Louis Vuitton is the Cosmic Blossom Collection. “Louis Vuitton is an amazingly well made, classic, chic and beautiful brand … I have been a huge fan of Takashi Murakami work for a long time, his work with Louis Vuitton is so playful and exciting” Daisy Lowe has been quoted as saying. Miss Lowe is the British model and fashion icon whom will be featuring the collection. This limited collection became available in stores just last week (April 15, 2010). A special exhibition of the collection will be on display in the Marketplace where pieces from the collection will be available for purchase by the festival’s attendees. *Unfortunately due to high consumer demand, these items will not be part of the special discount.







Daisy Lowe will also make a guest appearance at the festival... She will model Muraki's collection on the Nisshoki Stage's runway!
= __muji__ =

Muji an abbreviation of 'Mujirushi Ryohin' its original name which means no-label quality goods. Founded in 1979, the first store in the European market was opened in London in 1991. Products come packaged in nondescript and unornamental cardboard boxes. The only decoration on the packaging is a simple label alerting the consumer of the product's price. Despite Muji's lack of flair in the marketing arena, they are considered a highly stylish brand and is much loved by the English people. Muji clothes have been exhibited at both London and Milan's fashion weeks. In an article for the British newspaper, desigh journalist Stephen Bayley wrote, "Muji is the ordinary thing, done extraordinarily well." (Haig 216) The store's success has largely been a result of word of mouth advertising procured by happy patrons and also the impressiveness of the store's simple shopping experience.

At the festival's Marketplace, the cardboard speakers and wall mounted CD player will be available for purchase! Both of these items are popular and innovative electronics from Muji's catalogue.
<span style="background-color: #ff0000; color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 230%; text-align: center;">Food

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center;">Sushi In Britain
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Sushi is one of the most popular and well known Japanese foods around the world- and Britain is no exception. The first Japanese restaurant was Ajimura, opening in London in 1974. Sushi began as a party good for business gatherings in the 1980s because of its decorative qualities. For many busy executives, sushi became the perfect lunch choice because it was both compact and healthy.

Although many other Japanese restaurants followed the opening of Ajimura, the first conveyer belt sushi restaurant was sighted in 1994 at Moshi Moshi. These conveyer belts are often found in sushi restaurants in Japan and have platefuls of rice and fish encased in a plastic dome. The belt travels around tables where the customers are seated to pick and choose the sushi of their liking. This conveyer belt technique has become so popular that three Moshi Moshi restaurants have opened in London and another in Brighton. In London alone, there are a total of 277 Japanese restaurants.

Founded by Englishman, Simon Woofraffe, Yo! Sushi expanded the conveyer belt concept to take in sashimi (raw fish), tempura and teriyaki while drinks were served by robots. Yo! Sushi in Soho, London has the longest conveyer belt in Britain, measuring 60 meters. Another crucial innovation adapted by Yo! Sushi is that the desk-bound executives could have their “bento box” of sushi delivered by a messenger as commonly done in Japan.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Along with Japanese restaurants scattered around various cities, Britain also hosts the Eat-Japan Sushi Awards, a competition exclusively for the world’s professional makers of sushi. In 2009, the Awards were broadcasted on BBC Good Food Production and brought together the Seven Sushi Samurai. Each year, the Seven Sushi Samurai are selected by Masayoshi Kazato who supports the organization All Japan Sushi Association and Eat-Japan. The top seven chefs are chosen from different countries and have either won leading national sushi contests or have been recommended to the organization.

The Seven Sushi Samurai are tested by having to prepare at least 300 pieces of sushi in 90 minutes to demonstrate their sushi skill and professionalism. In addition, visitors are allowed to enjoy a buffet of Japanese food including green tea dorayaki cakes, sake (Japanese beer) and either hot or chilled green tea.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; text-align: center;">Jun Tanaka
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Jun Tanaka was born in the United States to Japanese parents, but moved to England with his family when he was seven years old. When he was eighteen, he decided to pursue cooking as a career after having learned from his mother. When he was only nineteen Tanaka asked his father which restaurants were most highly rated in London and sought to become an apprentice at each restaurant.

He began working at Le Gavroche at nineteen and spent the next ten years perfecting the art of French cuisine. He has also worked in seven Michelin starred restaurants such as Chez Nico, The Capital, The Square, The Oak Room and Marco Pierre White.



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> In 2004, Jun Tanaka became Executive Chef at the Pearl Restaurant and Bar where he has gained a reputation for his modern French cuisine. In 2006, Tanaka hosted his own show “Channel 4’s Cooking It,” teaching people how to cook restaurant quality food in their own homes. From this, Tanaka launched his first book //Simple To Sensational// which provided recipes for inexperienced cooks to build confidence and teach basic skills to novice chefs. He has also appeared on BBC 1’s “Saturday Kitchen,” UKTV’s “Great Food Line” and ITV’s “Saturday’s Cooks.”

Tanaka has been living in London for eighteen years and in an interview with the chef, he commented that “London’s really cosmopolitan and so diverse; anyone can fit in. It’s a city with a never-ending amount of things to do. The restaurant scene is absolutely amazing.”

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12pt;">Special guests Masayoshi Kazato, who supports the Eat-Japan Sushi Awards, and chef Jun Tanaka are going to make an appearance where they will teach ten random art festival attendees how to make sushi in what is known as the UK-Japan Sushi Awards! Contestants will be trained for the first three days of the festival then compete on the final day for a trip for two to Japan! Come enjoy sushi, tea and sake for what is known as the first ever UK-Japan Sushi Awards!

<span style="background-color: #ff0000; color: #ffffff; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 230%; text-align: center;">Music

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Miki Berenyi & Lush:
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Miki Berenyi was born on March 18, 1987 in London, England. She was born from Japanese and Hungarian descent and was the lead singer of the band Lush, that was active from 1988-1998. When she was fourteen, she met her future bandmate Emma Anderson and both girls decided to collaborate on a fanzine known as //Alphabet Soup//. Each girl individually played in bands until 1988 when Berenyi met drummer Christopher Acland, bassist Steven Rippon and Singer Meriel Barham at London’s Polytechnic University.

They played their first show on March 6, 1988 at Camden Falcon in London and received favorable reviews from the UK press. After their singer Barham left the band to join the Pale Saints, Berenyi took over the vocals and they band continued to perform in clubs around London. The band was also featured in many music industry magazines such as //Melody Maker//, //NME// and many others.

In the summer of 1989, Lush recorded a three-song demo which became their first EP, titled //Scar//, which they released that fall. In early 1990, Lush released their next EP, //Mad Love//, with its first single “Sweetness and Light.” In December of the same year, the band released the two EPs as //Gala// in the United States.



In 1991, their bassist Steve Rippon left the band and was replaced with Philip King. Their next EP, //For Love//, was released in 1992 and was followed up by their first full-length album, //Spooky//. Although the album sold well- reaching the British Top 20 and debuting at Number Seven on the UK indie charts, //Spooky// was heavily criticized because of the album’s overall production. Despite the criticism, Lush toured in Great Britain, the United States and Europe. They performed at the second annual Lollapalooza in the U.S. and even began making music videos.

The band returned to the UK and began working on their album //Split// which was released in 1994. While touring in the U.S., Lush filmed their music video for //Split//’s leading single “Hypocrite.” After releasing //Split//, the band played in multiple music festivals in Europe before returning to the UK to work on //Lovelife//, their fourth album. The album was released in 1996 and eventually became another British Top 20 Hit. Two of their greatest singles from the album include “Single Girl” and “Ladykiller” which have been tagged as “ideals of British pop.”

As Lush was making preparations to tour following the release of //Lovelife//, the band’s drummer Chris Acland hanged himself in his parent’s house. After the tragedy, Miki removed herself from the public eye and worked as a editorial assistant for the BBC. Although Miki contributed her voice to various songs by The Replacements and Moose, Lush announced their breakup on February 23, 1998.

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">Diana Yukawa


<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Diana Yukawa was born in Tokyo in 1985, and moved to the UK when was three years old where she picked up the violin at five years old. She is well known for being the daughter of Akihisa Yukawa, a victim of the Japan Airlines 747 crash on August 12, 1985, killing 519 other passengers. Yukawa was born two weeks after her father’s death. She first grabbed the limelight in Japan when she was fourteen years old, playing at memorial service for the victims of the crash.

She has collaborated with many British orchestras including the BBC Concert Orchestra, the English Chamber Orchestra and the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which was featured on her second album //Concerto//. Her debut album //La Campanella// was released in 2000 and became a #1 best seller on the HMV classical music charts in Japan. The album was released in the UK under the name //Elegy//. Her third album titled //The Butterfly Effect// was recently released in October 2009.

Although Yukawa’s father himself had wanted to become a professional pianist, settling on banking instead, Diana insists that her love for the violin is of her own ambition. Aside from her love of the violin, she has a passion for fashion and, being half Japanese and half English, has been known to “perfectly combine an east meets west wardrobe.”

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12pt;">Also featured at this arts festival is a live performance of Diana Yukawa with the English Chamber Orchestra! She will be performing all of her compositions off of her album //The Butterfly Effect// for the first time in the UK! There will be an exclusive solo performance of Diana performing “The Sukiyaki Song,” made popular by Kyu Sakamoto who also died with her father in the crash. Come join us for this one time special event!

<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #ff0000; display: block; font-family: Georgia,serif; font-size: 12pt; text-align: center;">What Is Kabuki?
<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Kabuki is one of Japan’s traditional and theatrical arts that is highlighted for its vibrant colors, outstanding dances and lively storylines. Kabuki was first created around 1603 during what was known as the Edo Era in Japan when the capital was moved from Kyoto to Edo (Tokyo). During this time, Japan was split in social classes and the distinction between the upper and lower castes prohibited many people from attending certain types of theatre. Kabuki was mainly performed by merchants who were powerful economically but socially inferior to warriors and samurai. From this ideology, many fundamental themes of kabuki plays are conflicts between humanity and the feudalistic system. One of the earliest kabuki plays performed was “Chaya Asobi” (“Playing in the Teahouse”) in 1603.

Kabuki often times includes noh drama (form of Japanese theatre that combines music, dance and acting to communicate Buddhist themes) and comical forms of kyogen (form of Japanese theatre where the primary goal is to make the audience laugh). Probably the most unique feature of kabuki is the fact that there are no female actresses. Originally, kabuki included female actresses but, when they attracted too much attention from male admirers, there was a ban in 1629. Although the ban was uplifted 250 years later, this aspect of all male actors (known as onnagata) became so embedded in the kabuki culture that there was no room for actresses.



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> In kabuki every gesture, monologue or dialogue is accompanied by music. While several kinds of instruments are used in kabuki, both to accompany the singing and acting, the most commonly use instrument is the shamisen. It was imported to Japan around the same time kabuki was created and is often played with a plectrum. Because the shamisen is the most important instrument in kabuki, the music associated with kabuki is known as shamisen music. Other categories of kabuki music are nagauta, tokiwazu, kiyomoto and gidayu.



<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif;">Some of the earliest traces of Japanese themed plays were performed in Europe in the early seventeenth century. Japanese themes were very popular in Jesuit plays that were written and performed in Europe. One play, Annpelargesis, was based on an actual even that took place in Kyoto in 1604 and became of the most frequently performed Jesuit plays in Europe.

After these Jesuit plays were well received, there were many productions of Ninagawa Shakespeare with kabuki influence. Yukio Ninagawa is a well known director for conducting Shakespearean plays while incorporating Japanese theatrical techniques. Ninagawa’s original intent was to draw upon traditional Japanese theatrical techniques because he hoped to break away from the Western-oriented shingeki (new theatre) movement.



<span style="background-color: #ffffff; color: #000000; font-family: Georgia,serif;"> His first Shakespeare production was //Romeo and Juliet//, which was performed in Japan in 1974 and borrowed from Japanese culture. Although he originally targeted Japanese audiences, he sought to test his work overseas and brought his plays to the west.

Ninagawa introduced a Japanese version of Euripides’ //Medea// that featured kabuki-style onnagata and shamisen music. His second production of //Macbeth// was just as successful and, instead, the story took place in sixteenth century feudal Japan, being staged behind a large shoji (rice paper doors).

After two successful performances, Ninagawa recreated and performed many plays in London such as: · //The Tempest// (1987, 1992) · //A Midsummer Night’s Dream// (1995,1996) · //Hamlet// (1998, 2004) · //King Lear// (1999) · //Pericles// (2003) · //Titus Andronicus// (2006)

Traces of stage techniques from kabuki can be found in Ninagawa’s recreation of //Hamlet//. The Prologue enters in a hinaden garb and signals the start of the play with gong. In one scene, a Chinese gong sounds loudly and a kabuki-styled curtain (joshiki maku), colored with black, orange and green stripes suddenly falls from above- a technique known as furikabase. Because the curtain is released abruptly, it created a dramatic change of mood. The play was performed in colorful costumes and exaggerated gestures in front of the curtain suggests the show pre-dates even before noh theatre.

In his rendition of //Hamlet//, he also incorporates musical sound effects usually associated with traditional Japanese theatre. In //Hamlet//, Ninagawa uses wooden kabuki clappers (hyoshigi) to mark a dramatic scene change or entrance. A shamisen is also used to punctuate any actions within the play such as Opehlia’s death scene.

<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;">Ebizo Ichikawa XI is another famous kabuki and television actor who inherited the most famous and prestigous line of kabuki actors. He began performing as a kabuki actor when he was five years old and made his first major debut when he was only seven. Under an apprenticeship, he began his career under the stage name Shinnosuke Ichikawa VII but changed his stage name to Ebizo XI in 2004 after series of impressive performances that rightfully marked him as the heir to the kabuki performances that ran in his family.



<span style="font-family: Georgia,serif;"> Ichikawa has had many successful performances in Japan and London as well. Some of his kabuki shows have been performed in many famous venues in London such as at Sadler's Wells Theatre. With over 30 actors and musicians, his performances in London include Fuji Musume, a play about a woman in a painting that comes to life, and Kasane, a tale of love, murder and revenge. There have also been a total of twelve performances of Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura featuring Ichikawa performed in Sadler's Wells Theatre.

<span style="color: #ff0000; font-family: 'Comic Sans MS',cursive; font-size: 12pt; line-height: 115%;">With Ichikawa’s reputation as a successful kabuki actor and popular kabuki plays, it is no wonder they have become widely accepted in both Japan and the UK! Because of its popularity, a special thirteenth performance of Yoshitsune Senbon Zakura is going to be featured at the festival's Nisshoki Stage accompanied by traditional shamisen music. Hurry and reserve your seats as soon as possible to enjoy Japan’s traditional kabuki theatre!

media type="youtube" key="OKMOcUfw6-g" height="349" width="612" align="center"

=__Works Cited__= Elisse's Sources:

__Scholarly Essays:__ //East Meets West: Japanese Theater in the Time of Shakespeare//. Mitsuru Kamachi. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. <http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=3&hid=9&sid=524766cb-173a-44ee-9aef-f973d602ad42%40sessionmgr13>. //Ninagawa Yukio's Intercultural Hamlet: Parsing Japanese Iconography//. Jon M. Brokering. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. <http://web.ebscohost.com.libproxy.sdsu.edu/ehost/pdf?vid=5&hid=9&sid=524766cb-173a-44ee-9aef-f973d602ad42%40sessionmgr13>.

__Websites:__ //All About Jun Tanaka.// Web. 14 Mar. 2010. <http://www.channel4.com/food/on-tv/cooking-it/about-jun-tanaka_p_1.html>. Cummings, Alan. Biography Ichikawa Ebizo XI. 2006. Web. 24 April 2010. <http://www.ebizokabuki.com/biography.htm> //Diana Yukawa: Official Site//. Web. 16 Mar. 2010. <http://www.dianayukawa.co.uk/About_Diana_Yukawa.htm>. //The Japan Times Online//. 26 Nov. 2000. Web. 29 Mar. 2010. <http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/fm20001126a1.html>. //The Japan Times Online//. 18 Aug. 2009. Web. 29 Mar. 2010. <http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20090818f2.html>. //Jun Tanaka's London//. Web. 14 Mar. 2010. <http://www.visitlondon.com/attractions/eat/jun-tanakas-london>. //Kabuki Butai//. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. <http://library.thinkquest.org/TQ0013420/index.htm>. //Kabuki: Traditional Theatrical Arts//. The International Society for Educational Information, Inc. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. <http://asnic.utexas.edu/countries/japan/kabuki.html>. //Light From A Dead Star//. Web. 13 Mar. 2010. <http://www.lightfromadeadstar.org/Biographies/Index.htm>. //Pearl Restaurant & Bar: A Sensual Dining Experience//. Web. 29 Mar. 2010. <http://www.pearl-restaurant.com/aboutpearl/meetjun/>. //Sushi: Britain's New National Dish//. 25 June 2008. Web. 28 Mar. 2010. <http://www.independent.co.uk/life-style/food-and-drink/features/sushi-britains-new-national-dish-853419.html>. //Sushi Awards 2009//. Web. 28 May 2010. <http://www.eat-japan.com/sushi-awards-2009/index.html>.

__Pictures:__ “Congressional Kabuki Dancer.” Photo. //Uppity Woman//. 14 Aug. 2009. Accessed 31 Mar. 2010 <http://uppitywoman08.wordpress.com/2009/08/14/when-extremist-elected-officials-meet-up-with-centrist-america/> “Jun Tanaka.” Photo. //Spa Secrets Magazine//. Accessed 31 Mar. 2010 <[]> “Kabuki featuring Ichikawa Ebizo XI.” Photo. Askonas Holt. Accessed 24 April 2010. <http://www.askonasholt.com/tour/promotions/kabuki-featuring-ichikawa-ebizo-xi> “Kabuki Masks.” Photo. //Flickr//. Accessed 31 Mar. 2010 <http://www.flickr.com/photos/soulcookie/2286580185/> Kelts, Roland.”Diana Yukawa.” Photo. //3. AM Magazine//. 30 Dec. 2009. Accessed 31 March. 2010 <[]> “Miki Berenyi.” Photo. NNPD Mapper. Accessed 24 April 2010. <http://www.nndb.com/people/578/000056410/> Obata, Reiko. “KAM-JS1 JIUTA KARIN SHAMISEN SET.” Photo. //Kotos and More//. Accessed 31 Mar. 2010. <[]> “Sushi Poster.” Poster. //Sushi Links//. Accessed 12 Mar. 2010. <http://www.sushilinks.com/sushi-poster.html> “Tomoyuki Abe.” Photo. //France 24//. 15 Nov. 2009. Accessed 31 Mar. 2010. <http://www.france24.com/en/node/4925639>

Video: @http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OKMOcUfw6-g

LV Superflat Blue - Takashi Murakami http://www.superflatart.info/2007/10/

"Kodo Ceremony". Web. 19 Mar. 2010 <http://www.japanese-incense.com/kodo.htm>

Gunde, Richard. "Genji in Graphic Deatail: Manga Versions of the Tale of Genji". UCLA. April 27, 2004. <http://www.international.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=10674>

monica's images http://www.girl.com.au/img/phantom-of-the-opera-minnie-driver.jpg http://cm1.theinsider.com/media/0/14/39/CaryElwes.0.0.0x0.478x547.jpeg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_PaPd9RkzZ2s/R6QooPHkY2I/AAAAAAAABME/s3giz7sIfRI/s400/3858745383.jpg http://www.babble.com/CS/blogs/famecrawler/2007/12/01-07/christian_bale_shirtless-chest-batman-terminator-beefcake.jpg http://www.timboucher.com/journal/wp-content/uploads/2008/03/hero-19-hayao-miyazaki.jpg http://www.thecinemasource.com/moviesdb/images/Patrick_Stewart%20-%201%20-%20X_Men_3.jpg http://www.modelinia.com/__wordpress__/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/howls-moving-castle_0aam0zecnnlw.jpg http://trin.typepad.com/.a/6a00e5515a241a883401156e3bce4f970c-800wi http://www.iammikeyticklebury.co.uk/blogme/wp-content/uploads/2009/11/kanye-west-graduation.jpg http://www.artthrob.co.za/05aug/images/murakami02a.jpg http://loyalkng.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/080414_murakami01_p465.jpg http://autologue.typepad.com/autologue/images/2008/04/16/cd_player.jpg
 * all accessed march 19, 2010
 * all accessed on april 20, 2010

monica's works cited Craven, Wayne. American Art: History and Culture, Revised First Edition. 1 ed. New York City: McGraw-Hill, 2002. Darling, Michael. "Plumbing the Depths of Superflatness." Art Journal 60.3 (2001): 77-89. http://www/jstor.org/stable/7778139. 16 Feb. 2010. Drohojowska-Philp, Hunter. "Superflat." Artnet: The Art World Online. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. <http://www.artnet.com/Magazine/features/drohojowska-philp/drohojowska-philp1-18-01.asp>. Gritten, David. "Hayao Miyazaki: Drawn to Perfection ." Telegraph.co.uk. N.p., 30 Dec. 2009. Web. 25 Apr. 2010. <http://www.telegraph.co.uk/culture/film/6911264/Hayao-Miyazaki-drawn-to-perfection.html>. Haig, Matt. Brand Royalty: How the World's Top 100 Brands Thrive & Survive. London: Kogan Page, 2006 "Louis Vuitton Cosmic Blossom Collection ." Luxuo: The Luxury Lifestyle Blog. N.p., n.d. Web. 28 Apr. 2010. <http://www.luxuo.com/fashion/louis-vuitton-cosmic-blossom-daisy-lowe.html> Morrison, Tim. "TIME Magazine 60 Years of Asian Heroes: Hayao Miyazaki." TIME. N.p., n.d. Web. 25 Apr. 2010. <http://www.time.com/time/asia/2006/heroes/at_miyazaki.html>.

= =

Jacquelyne Yawn

"Kazuo Ishiguro: Author Spotlight". Random House, Inc. Web. 1995-2010. <http://www.randomhouse.com/author/results.pperl?authorid=14137> Jonas, Robert A. " Christian-Buddhist Bibliography". The Empty Bell. Web. 2006. < http://www.emptybell.org/articles /bibliography.html>

"Unification Theology and Religious Syncretism". University of Idaho. Web. 2010. <http://www.class.uidaho.edu/ngier/RSUT.htm>

Sivananda, Sri Swami. "Shintoism". The Divine Life Society. Web. February 20, 2005. <http://www.dlshq.org/religions/shintoism.htm>

"Haruki Murakami Official Website". Web. 2010. <http://www.randomhouse.com/features/murakami/site.php?id=>

Maiko, Hisada. "Murakami Haruki". Kyoto Sangyo University. Web. November 1995. <http://www.cc.kyoto-su.ac.jp/information/famous/murakamih.html>

"Thich Nhat Hanh". BBC. Web. April 4, 2006. <http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/buddhism/people/thichnhathanh.shtml>

Gunde, Richard. "Genji in Graphic Detail: Manga Versions of the Tale of Genji". UCLA. Web. April 27, 2004. <http://www.international.ucla.edu/article.asp?parentid=10674>

"Shinto Priest's Wife, Daughter in Easter Baptism". Catholic News USA.Web. March 30, 2010. <http://www.cathnewsusa.com/article.aspx?aeid=20350>

"Kazuo Ishiguro". Wikipedia. Web. April 18, 2010. <http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kazuo_Ishiguro#Novels>

"The 50 Greatest British Writers since 1945". //Time Magazine.// Web. January 5, 200. <http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/article3127837.ece>

Cousins, L.S. "The Dating if the Historical Buddha: A Review Article". //Journal of the Royal Asiatic Society//, Series 3, 6.1 (1996): 57-63. Web. <http://indology.info/papers/cousins/>

Bhikkhu, Thanissaro. "Refuge: An Introduction to the Buddha, Dhamma, & Sangha". //Access to Insight//. June 7, 2009. <http://www.accesstoinsight.org/lib/authors/thanissaro/refuge.html> = =