A huge mural by the famed Japanese artist Taro Okamoto has undergone cleaning and restoration at a Tokyo station.
The 30-meter by 5.5-meter mural is called "Tomorrow's Myth." It's been on display in Shibuya station in central Tokyo since 2008.
The late artist spent a year painting the masterpiece, starting in 1968. The mural depicts the very moment of a nuclear bomb explosion.
Early on Saturday morning, 8 volunteers standing on a stage carefully removed dust from the surface using brushes and electric cleaners.
This summer's heat wave warped the acrylic panels attached to the mural, putting it out of alignment. A restoration expert reinforced the mural with resins.
The director of Taro Okamoto Memorial Museum, Akiomi Hirano, said the warp didn't affect the mural. He said he wants as many people as possible to come and feel the spirit of Okamoto.
2010年10月30日土曜日
2010年10月28日木曜日
Ground-breaking ceremony held for new Kabuki-za
A ground-breaking ceremony for a new Kabuki theater has been held at an open lot in downtown Tokyo on the site of the old building.
The Kabuki-za, a popular structure in the Ginza district famous for its gorgeous facade, was closed in April this year and torn down to make way for its replacement.
About 100 people, including Kabuki actors, attended Thursday's ceremony and prayed for trouble-free construction of the new theater building.
The planned 29-story complex will house a new Kabuki-za theater as well as business offices. The builder plans to reproduce as closely as possible the design of the old building, inside and out.
The builders will use custom-designed metal fittings from the old Kabuki-za, and high-quality Japanese cypress wood for the stage of the new theater.
Leading Kabuki actor Nakamura Kanzaburo said he is very excited about the new theater, which is scheduled to open in spring 2013.
The Kabuki-za, a popular structure in the Ginza district famous for its gorgeous facade, was closed in April this year and torn down to make way for its replacement.
About 100 people, including Kabuki actors, attended Thursday's ceremony and prayed for trouble-free construction of the new theater building.
The planned 29-story complex will house a new Kabuki-za theater as well as business offices. The builder plans to reproduce as closely as possible the design of the old building, inside and out.
The builders will use custom-designed metal fittings from the old Kabuki-za, and high-quality Japanese cypress wood for the stage of the new theater.
Leading Kabuki actor Nakamura Kanzaburo said he is very excited about the new theater, which is scheduled to open in spring 2013.
2010年10月26日火曜日
First death sentence demanded in lay judge trial
Prosecutors in Tokyo have demanded the death sentence for a man charged with killing 2 women. This is the first such sentencing demand since the lay judge system was introduced in Japan in May of last year.
Prosecutors made the request on Monday in the trial of Koji Hayashi. The 42-year-old man was indicted for killing an employee of an ear-cleaning salon and her grandmother after breaking into their home in August of 2009.
Six people chosen at random among citizens aged 20 or older are serving as lay judges in this trial, and will decide on a ruling along with professional judges.
The defendant was a frequent client of the salon and has admitted to the charges. He said he became desperate after the salon worker, 21-year-old Miho Ejiri, kept avoiding him, and he decided to kill her.
The victims' relatives told the court that they want Hayashi to be sentenced to death.
Defense lawyers say the death penalty is too severe a punishment because Hayashi deeply regrets what he did.
They also argue that Hayashi was mentally unstable at the time of the crime and could not tell right from wrong.
On Tuesday, the lay and professional judges will begin 4 days of discussion on what ruling to hand down.
Prosecutors made the request on Monday in the trial of Koji Hayashi. The 42-year-old man was indicted for killing an employee of an ear-cleaning salon and her grandmother after breaking into their home in August of 2009.
Six people chosen at random among citizens aged 20 or older are serving as lay judges in this trial, and will decide on a ruling along with professional judges.
The defendant was a frequent client of the salon and has admitted to the charges. He said he became desperate after the salon worker, 21-year-old Miho Ejiri, kept avoiding him, and he decided to kill her.
The victims' relatives told the court that they want Hayashi to be sentenced to death.
Defense lawyers say the death penalty is too severe a punishment because Hayashi deeply regrets what he did.
They also argue that Hayashi was mentally unstable at the time of the crime and could not tell right from wrong.
On Tuesday, the lay and professional judges will begin 4 days of discussion on what ruling to hand down.
Great hunt of Kamakura era re-enacted
In Tochigi prefecture, north of Tokyo, a festival re-enacting a great 12th century hunt entertained many weekend visitors.
The festival re-enacts a hunt in Nasunogahara field organized by Shogun Minamoto-no Yoritomo to show his power in the Kamakura era.
About 200 people including local children took part in the annual event. On the order of the person playing the Shogun, kids hunted for people in deer costumes. Adults in samurai costumes appeared on horseback and showed how to shoot a bear with arrows.
Meanwhile, a 2-meter-wide pan stewed local ingredients such as deer, pheasant and vegetables. One of the visitors said that the taste of rare deer stew made her happy.
The festival re-enacts a hunt in Nasunogahara field organized by Shogun Minamoto-no Yoritomo to show his power in the Kamakura era.
About 200 people including local children took part in the annual event. On the order of the person playing the Shogun, kids hunted for people in deer costumes. Adults in samurai costumes appeared on horseback and showed how to shoot a bear with arrows.
Meanwhile, a 2-meter-wide pan stewed local ingredients such as deer, pheasant and vegetables. One of the visitors said that the taste of rare deer stew made her happy.
2010年10月22日金曜日
Kyoto stages "Festival of the Ages"
A parade of people dressed in costumes representing various Japanese historical periods took place in the ancient capital Kyoto on Friday.
About 70,000 people watched the Jidai Matsuri, which is one of Kyoto's 3 biggest festivals and dates back to 1895.
The procession of about 2,000 people started at the Kyoto Imperial Palace and made its way along a 4.5-kilometer course to the Heian Shrine.
The parade was led by a military band dressed in the style of the Meiji era in the late 19th century. The group was followed by people dressed as popular revolutionaries who helped engineer the Meiji restoration in the closing days of the Edo period, which ended in 1867.
At the end of the parade were people in costumes from the Heian period, which began in the late 8th century, when Kyoto became the nation's capital.
About 70,000 people watched the Jidai Matsuri, which is one of Kyoto's 3 biggest festivals and dates back to 1895.
The procession of about 2,000 people started at the Kyoto Imperial Palace and made its way along a 4.5-kilometer course to the Heian Shrine.
The parade was led by a military band dressed in the style of the Meiji era in the late 19th century. The group was followed by people dressed as popular revolutionaries who helped engineer the Meiji restoration in the closing days of the Edo period, which ended in 1867.
At the end of the parade were people in costumes from the Heian period, which began in the late 8th century, when Kyoto became the nation's capital.
2010年10月20日水曜日
Tokyo rent among world's highest per square meter
A survey shows that single people living in rental housing in Tokyo must pay much more and live in much smaller quarters compared to their counterparts in major cities overseas.
An affiliate of Japanese information service company Recruit in July and August surveyed about 4,000 people living in rental housing in Tokyo, New York, London and Paris.
The floor space of single-tenant residences in Tokyo averaged 28.1 square meters -- less than half of that in London and New York.
Rent per square meter was about 30 dollars in Tokyo, roughly twice the cost in London and about 10 dollars higher than in New York and Paris.
The company that organized the survey says living alone in Tokyo is an economic challenge with possible negative psychological effects.
An affiliate of Japanese information service company Recruit in July and August surveyed about 4,000 people living in rental housing in Tokyo, New York, London and Paris.
The floor space of single-tenant residences in Tokyo averaged 28.1 square meters -- less than half of that in London and New York.
Rent per square meter was about 30 dollars in Tokyo, roughly twice the cost in London and about 10 dollars higher than in New York and Paris.
The company that organized the survey says living alone in Tokyo is an economic challenge with possible negative psychological effects.
2010年10月16日土曜日
Ryoko Tani retires from judo
Two-time Olympic gold medalist Ryoko Tani has announced her retirement from judo.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Tani said that she decided to step back from the frontlines of the sport.
Tani, aged 35, is a towering figure in judo, having won the World Championships 7 times. She has also appeared in 5 consecutive Olympics, winning gold medals at the 2000 Games in Sydney and the 2004 Games in Athens.
After the 2008 Beijing Olympics when she gained a bronze medal, Tani took leave from competitive judo to have a second child and to recover from an injury.
In July this year, she ran in the Upper House election as a candidate for the governing Democratic Party of Japan, and won a seat in the Diet.
At that time, Tani had expressed willingness to continue her judo career, saying she would aim for a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.
Speaking to reporters on Friday, Tani said that she decided to step back from the frontlines of the sport.
Tani, aged 35, is a towering figure in judo, having won the World Championships 7 times. She has also appeared in 5 consecutive Olympics, winning gold medals at the 2000 Games in Sydney and the 2004 Games in Athens.
After the 2008 Beijing Olympics when she gained a bronze medal, Tani took leave from competitive judo to have a second child and to recover from an injury.
In July this year, she ran in the Upper House election as a candidate for the governing Democratic Party of Japan, and won a seat in the Diet.
At that time, Tani had expressed willingness to continue her judo career, saying she would aim for a gold medal at the London Olympics in 2012.
2010年10月9日土曜日
Open class on 2 Japanese Nobel winners' research
A science museum in Tokyo has held a special event featuring the achievements of 2 Japanese winners of this year's Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Hokkaido University Professor Emeritus Akira Suzuki and special professor Ei-ichi Negishi of Purdue University in the United States were named as winners of the prize on Wednesday.
The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation held the event on Friday, with some 30 people attending.
Museum researcher Kazuaki Hiroki explained palladium-catalyzed cross coupling reactions in organic synthesis, for which the 2 chemists are to be awarded the prize.
Hiroki said their achievement has led to production of AIDS medicine as well as crucial technology to make liquid crystal display TVs and mobile phones.
A junior high school student said she learned that the 2 chemists have made great achievements that have helped people in various aspects of daily life.
Hiroki said he wants people to know the usefulness of chemistry.
The museum will hold the similar events twice a day through Monday.
Hokkaido University Professor Emeritus Akira Suzuki and special professor Ei-ichi Negishi of Purdue University in the United States were named as winners of the prize on Wednesday.
The National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation held the event on Friday, with some 30 people attending.
Museum researcher Kazuaki Hiroki explained palladium-catalyzed cross coupling reactions in organic synthesis, for which the 2 chemists are to be awarded the prize.
Hiroki said their achievement has led to production of AIDS medicine as well as crucial technology to make liquid crystal display TVs and mobile phones.
A junior high school student said she learned that the 2 chemists have made great achievements that have helped people in various aspects of daily life.
Hiroki said he wants people to know the usefulness of chemistry.
The museum will hold the similar events twice a day through Monday.
Nara marks 1,300th anniversary as ancient capital
A celebration was held in Nara on Friday to mark the 1,300th anniversary of its establishment as the ancient capital of Japan. The city was known as Heijokyo from 710 until the capital moved to Kyoto in 794.
The Emperor and Empress attended a ceremony to mark the occasion. About 1,700 people, including foreign ambassadors, were invited.
The ceremony began with a welcome dance performed by 200 people wearing costumes from the Nara period. Kyogen master and human national treasure Nomura Manzo read out a decree issued in 708 by Emperor Genmei to move the capital to Nara. Nomura took the role of a court official, Fujiwarano Fuhito, who helped to arrange the transfer of the capital.
In a congratulatory message, Emperor Akihito said the Nara period saw Japan make significant leaps in various fields.
He said that even before the Nara period, people came to Japan from Kudara, or Baekje in Korean, and many other countries, and made great contributions to the development of Japanese culture and skills.
The Emperor said he feels very close to the ancient capital where his ancestors lived. He said that while congratulating the city on its 1,300th anniversary, he also prays for the happiness of the people of Nara, who have nurtured and preserved its traditional culture from the old days.
Children sang songs and ancient Japanese court music was also played at the ceremony.
The Emperor and Empress attended a ceremony to mark the occasion. About 1,700 people, including foreign ambassadors, were invited.
The ceremony began with a welcome dance performed by 200 people wearing costumes from the Nara period. Kyogen master and human national treasure Nomura Manzo read out a decree issued in 708 by Emperor Genmei to move the capital to Nara. Nomura took the role of a court official, Fujiwarano Fuhito, who helped to arrange the transfer of the capital.
In a congratulatory message, Emperor Akihito said the Nara period saw Japan make significant leaps in various fields.
He said that even before the Nara period, people came to Japan from Kudara, or Baekje in Korean, and many other countries, and made great contributions to the development of Japanese culture and skills.
The Emperor said he feels very close to the ancient capital where his ancestors lived. He said that while congratulating the city on its 1,300th anniversary, he also prays for the happiness of the people of Nara, who have nurtured and preserved its traditional culture from the old days.
Children sang songs and ancient Japanese court music was also played at the ceremony.
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