Cat’s Eye View of Japanese Architecture vol. 5 – Perishable Landscape
Do you know what colored maple leaves and cherry blossoms have in common? The answer is that both are perishable. Their colors, red of maple and pink of cherry, last only for a few days. Japanese people cherish them because of their short lives. Yes, I said “because of”, not “in spite of”. The logical […]
Modern Japanese Architecture – Exposed Geometric Pattern
Did you know that modern Japanese architecture was contemporary with, or even was going ahead of, American and European counterparts? There was much both-way communication and architectural developments between West and East in early 21st century, about which I will write in this blog sometime soon. Yet here I would like to start introducing some examples […]
Cheerful Music and Mindful Landscape
If you are in Kyoto in early July, you hear some lively music every evening at different parts of the town. Neighborhood musicians are practicing traditional instrumental music, Ohayashi, to be ready for their performance on the top of parading floats (Yamaboko) . I was there ten years ago strolling and listening to the tunes, feeling comfortable and calm. […]
Image of Beautiful “Noise”? – Happy Fourth of July!
Have you ever seen fireworks from where you cannot hear the noise they make? I did once. It was surreal. I wanted to shout “where is the sound?”. Japanese landscape often has wonderful quiet quality as I said in “Image of Quietness and of Japanese Space“, our last blog. But it also includes images that must be accompanied by […]
Image of Quietness and of Japanese Space
What kind of images will you have in your mind when you hear the word, quiet? I have recently been reading the book “Quiet” by Susan Cain, which prompted me this question. My quick search of this word on Google Images showed me, as I thought it might, many images of Japanese landscape and architecture. […]
