The Kabuki

　All over the world, various cultures are in the countries and they have unique cloths, musical instruments, traditional music and dances respectively. Also, in Japan, many cultures are in each country. Sometime, one of them is similar to other one but another one of them is too different from other. One of cultural things which are well-known widely in Japan is kabuki. Kabuki is a traditional dance with simple music and a drama. Whole in Japan, kabuki can be found although there is a little difference among them in some points, such as costume and music.
The roots of kabuki was begun in Sengoku area, it might be equal sixteen century. 　

　The first form of dance, became kabuki lately, is called kabuki-odori which was started by a Japanese woman, Izumo-no-Okuni. She was a shrine maiden of a shrine in Izumo where was a country in early Japan and points to the eastern part of Shimane prefecture now. Her dance was new and so eccentric for early Japanese because her dress was sexy and accessories which she worn was so mysterious and beautiful that people in those days could not expect. So her dance made people fascinated and became very popular.
　Effected by kabuki-odori, in the beginning of Edo area, in the capital of Japan, Edo, some new dances were created. First, onna-kabuki took place by only woman with too sexy dress imitated Okuni. However, because of this dance, the public of Edo was corrupted and the then government of Edo shogunate regarded the corrupting of Edo’s public as an obstacle to rule people so it made this dance discontinue.
　Second, wakasyu-kabuki became popular instead of onna-kabuki. It was a dance which young men dance and it was also discontinued for the same reason. After that, yaro-kabuki which men danced with more skilful perform was created and became popular. It received recognition as the populace amusement by people and Edo shogunate. Yaro-kabuki was the similar to contemporary kabuki in form but yaro-kabuki was not accurately included any drama. It had gradually become present-day kabuki for about two hundreds years. From then, all characters of kabuki are played by male player, even if a character is female. Some of the most well-known actors of kabuki are Danjurou Ichikawa and Kanzaburou Nakamura at present. They have succeeded to their names from generation to generation since Edo area when their companies of kabuki players. Their ancestors were concerned in creating the form of kabuki that was still applicable to the present day.

　In advance, I wrote that kabuki player is only male player but there are some exceptions. In some countries, there is a kind of kabuki which women or children perform and our country has kabuki which children play all characters.
　 My younger sister has played a part of Japanese princes for a year when she was eleven years old. She said that the theatrical costume, kimono, was too heavy for her to move smoothly and speaking her part and performing were very difficult. I watched the kabuki which she appeared on the stage and I was impressed with the stage. Kabuki is a cultural heritage which can touch peoples’ heart. I want kabuki to be succeeded for good.

Colored Pencil

I often paint a watercolor. Of course I use watercolors in tubes and a brush to paint but I also use some interesting tools. It is useful tool: colored pencil. There are three types of colored pencils as uses.
First, most well-known type is colored pencil. Various stationery makers produce this general colored pencil. As home production, ones produced by Mitsubishi or Tombo, Holbein are more popular. What made abroad are popular, too. I have some productions of Faber-Castell and Staedtler, Germany stationary makers.
The second type is pastel colored pencil. I don’t know about this type fully because I don’t have. According to some websites and reviews, it is one of painting materials, which have good points of pencil and pastel. Its looks is near to pencil and its feeling to use is similar to pastel so that you can use it handier than pastel.
The third type is watercolor pencil. If we try to paint a watercolor, we have to prepare box of watercolors and brush, palette, some water in vessel. However, in that point, watercolor pencil is useful. Its lead can be dissolved so you can enjoy watercolor if only you have some water and brush. It is possible to paint some views of outside with watercolor pencils and turn that picture to watercolors by dissolving after get back your house. When I wanna paint easily and handy, this type is much useful.
If there is someone being interested in painting, call me and let’s go to somewhere with beautiful scenery!

p.s.
I painted with watercolor pencils :-) ↓
>>before dissolving










>>after dissolving

About Spain

Now I learn Spanish as the second foreign language in my university. The grammar of Spanish is difficult for me because its grammar has six conjugated forms per the person. Also I have to use different verb conjugated along the person. My brain is almost bursting!
Houever, I am very interested in Spanish culture since I started to study Spanish. Spain is a constitutional monarchy which holds the greater part of the Iberian Peninsula, in the southwest of Europ. It’s capital is Madrid. And we often take a look at the name as the country of origin when we buy orange or grape, olive.
As soon as starting to study about Spanish culture, I was surprised at the fact of meal in Spain. The natives have meal 5 times in a day!
The first meal: Desayuno ---- It is breakfast.
The second meal: Merienda media Man~ana ---- It is light meal or snack in the morning.
The third meal: Almuerzo ---- It is lunch: main meal in the day.
The fourth meal: Merienda ---- It is snack in the evening.
The fifth meal: Cena ---- It is dinner. They eat something like soup or salad.
It is very different from Japanese dietary culture. In Spain, there are 5 meals in a day but each of them has differences, for example, quantity and what they eat. However, in Japan we have 3 meals which quantity and what we eat are not so changed in a day. I think that taking meal in the late of night like Cana seems to make stomach heavy.
Through studying, I found an interesting common point of coin between Spain and Japan. There is a coin 25peseta in Spain. It was used as a currency until 2002. (In present, Euro is quite used as the currency.) This coin has a hall at the middle of itself. Its form is similar to 5yen-dama and 50yen-dama which are currencies of Japan.
I will write more about Spanish culture when I come across something new interesting.

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