Creative Commons

So being a newbie to the blogging world I have decided just to place the Creative Commons Attribution here. So this here post goes for all of my posts in the past and for the future!


この作品は、クリエイティブ・コモンズ・ライセンスの下でライセンスされています。

Chikashi Kasai: Photographer

Chikashi Kasai was born in Japan in 1970[1]. He began his photo career "after participating Photography Workshop "Corpus" fifth term in 1993 and International Summer Academy of Fine Arts/photography program in Austria and Saszburg in 1994[1]." He has made publications featuring his own photography; Tokyo Dance (1997), "Danse Double" (1997) and "Wave" (2001). He is a Tama Art University Graduate[2].

Tokyo Dance by Chikashi Kasai (book cover)

Copyright 2008 Chikashi Kasai

Kasai photographs various things mainly in Japan. The contents of his work ranges from landscape to sexual suggestive photographs. I feel that his work presents Japan from a different angle, than the stereotypical representations of Japan. Looking through his website and the collections that he has place on the site, his pictures show a very different side of Japan. From a photographic composition point of view, the angles Kasai uses creates two or more different moods at once. For example the Picture above (the opening picture to Kasai's website) gives a sense of wonder through the slanted angle, but also creates a sense of optimism through the light to dark ratio.

Personally, I find Kasai's work very refreshing. Considering most Japanese people I have encountered, there is a sense of self restraint among them. In fact, this self restraint is built right into the language itself. Through the passive voice can Japanese people express their feelings, without being considered "rude," (Miyama 2007, Riggs 2008, Matsumoto 2009, & Sakibara 2009)[3]. Some of Kasai's work show a more private view of life that is usually kept hidden. However, the amount of "private" life pictures, the more pornographic pictures are not what I, personally, find beautiful or "art." I personally love the composition of his landscape photography, each of his landscape pictures seem well thought out and clear, whereas his pictures with nudity seem more blurry, suggesting a spur of the moment feeling. Though, in my opinion, both life and photography are interesting when done at spur of the moment, it is the time we take to stop, set, and reflect on certain aspects of life which make it "beautiful."

I chose Kasai to report on because his sense of photography is one I can relate to, both spur of the moment and planned. I recommend all to visit his site. Though his own notes and blogs are in Japanese, the access to his pictures are easy and some are in English.

Footnotes:
1. http://www.gs-s.info/2007/text/prorile_kasai.html

2. http://www.photojpn.org/books/theme/kasai.html

3.

Names mentioned were all of my own Japanese Language Teachers, who were all born and raised in Japan, of Japanese descent, and lived in Japan for more than 25 years each.

http://www.kasaichikashi.com/ (Chikashi Kasai's own website) (WARNING: Mostly, IN JAPANESE)

Japanese Pop Culture: The Konbini

What is this, you and I see in the far distance? A bright sign illuminates the air space around it, and come night fall, it will one of few that will stay on for a very, very long time. Can you figure it out? It is the konbini (the convenience store)!

Because there are so many convenience stores in Japan, there has been a large debate on whether or not this convenience is good to have 24-hrs a day, ecologically speaking. (Fukuda, The Japan Times Online; http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080717f1.html).

Today, over 43,087 convenience stores provide the quick-stop shop for travellers and store neighbors alike. This trend in Japan started in the early 1970's with a few stores and now has become apart of neighborhood structures, being as close as up to one convenience store every 2-3 blocks. (Nagata, The Japan Times Online;
http://search.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/nn20080513i1.html)

Personally, the convenience store has provided me food and drinks for lunch and those late-night cravings. Though they are no substitute for the good old fashion supa, they do provide a fast and cheap service for the person on the go.

The question in debate of this popular part of Japanese culture, is whether or not people really need all of this convenient service. Are Japanese people, in general, leading the busy lives that is suggested by the amount of convenient stores in the small country? Personally I think, maybe just maybe, in some parts of Japan, but not all.

(All photographs were taking by me, Rochelle R., personally)

Japanese People...

Are not so different than many Americans like to think...
Take into consideration the Sports Family Life.

Here, at least in the Kansai Area, parents, at this match in particular, not unlike any other Sport's Families, take their kids to tournaments, watch their own kids match/game, constantly rooting for their child's victory. This picture, in particular was taken at a Karate Shiai (match) in Osaka. Officals sit and judge the game, while the kids have the Karate match, and the parents watch.

Not only did the families watch their own child's match, but also at other matches, to look at technique and skill, and for the pure enjoyment of the sport.

Though, today, these Japanese sports families are not unlike ones in the U.S., one is left with questions. "Is this the influence of Western society? What are the thoughts of these parents? What is the main focus and goal for one who practice the way of Karate, and one who supports the practioner?"

(All pictures were taken by me, Rochelle R.)

Neighborhood Hirakata

Isn't a quiant bit of relastate?What stood out to me the most in Hirakata though there are the large quantites of electrical lines and telephone lines everywhere, there are some things that are trying to be preserved.
On the other hand, so little of the preservation is left that one can hardly tell that this recently made metropolis had once been a farming town, (http://www.city.hirakata.osaka.jp/freepage/gyousei/hpcontent/eng/welcome_hira.htm). I must ask "where can one go to find out about the former Hirakata-shi?" Where can the history be found?

Early Impressions of Japan

Efficient by Rochelle R.

The very first thing that comes to my mind when I think of Japan is how the entire country is so very efficient. From the trains to even the disposal of trash, the Japanese have everything set in order. If one misses the train, then one only has to wait no more than 15 minutes for the next one to get to one’s destination. I have gone into a bit of culture shock when coming to Japan. Where I come from, the Los Angeles area in the U.S., nothing is on time and one can be stuck waiting for a train for what seems to be an eternity. I feel that this efficiency will be nice to get used to, but a hindrance when I go back to the states. I feel I just might get a bit of reverse culture-shock when I go back, and feel home-sick for Japan.

Rich by Rochelle R.

The second thing that comes to my mind when thinking about Japan is how the country is so culturally rich. The Japanese seem to really care about their past, and keep old structures around as a sort of statement that they are proud of the background. This picture here was taken in Nara. The building is apart of the temple that holds the great Daibutsu. The upkeep of such a place amazes me; there is not a single weed in sight. The preservation of such places represents meticulous detail that goes into everything that is done. I wonder if I will find anywhere else that is like Japan.

Thus far, my earliest impressions of Japan is that it is efficient and culturally-rich. I hope to get past the surface and really get into the underbelly of what really is Japan.