Thursday, May 14, 2009

FINAL PEOJECT ~TONBO-DAMA~

FINAL PROJECT

TO: MIZENKO, MATTHEW
FROM: KAMIYA, SAIKA
SUBJECT: TONBO-DAMA ~ JAPANESE STYLE GLASS BEADS~
DATE: MAY 14, 2009


Tonbo-dama is a type of Japanese glass beads created in Japan. Even now, a little but beautiful tonbo-dama attracts many Japanese people. Today, they wear it mostly as accessories, however, the glass beads used to be expensive alternatives of money for trades and worship tools of Buddhism. Since Edo era, Japanese people started to use and love glass beads for their daily use and called them tonbo-dama by comparing to an eye of a dragonfly. Tonbo-dama which spread in Edo was especially called Edo tonbo-dama. In its small body, Edo people discovered something linked to Japanese beauty. Although Tonbo-dama is not outstanding Japanese art, it really is a good example of explaining Japanese aesthetic ideas at that time – an attitude to love small things. Tonbo-dama is filled with these Japanese ideals and that is why it is still loved by many Japanese people today.






Edo tonbo-dama



HISTORY

World history of glass beads

Glass beads themselves were created in ancient Egypt about 3500 years ago. The main purpose of them was the alternative of money to trade gold, ivory, and, slavery. Only rich people were able to wear them as accessories and their belongings. Between 15th to 19th centuries, huge amount of glass beads were brought from Europe like Venice and Nether lands to Africa for trades. These glass beads were called trade beads. In ancient time, major use of glass beads was for trades and only upper classed people were allowed to wear them. The another way of use glass beads was for worship. Some glass beads were put into a grave as a charm. For Buddhism worship, glass beads were used for some of the tools.

History of tonbo-dama

The first Japanese glass beads were found in Yoshinogari site (吉野ヶ里遺跡). Yoshinogari site is assumed to be the oldest village of time between 500BC to 300 AD in Japan. Therefore, glass beads also have quite a long history in Japan. It is assumed that these glass beads were not made in Japan but came from China and other countries by trades.
Being in Nara era (AD710 - 794), Japanese people started to make glass beads by themselves. In Shosoin (正倉院) which is the treasure house built to preserve artifacts connected to Emperor and important Buddhism arts in Nara era, some glass beads and the documents telling the process to make them were found. Since Shosoin is such an important house to preserve Emperor’s items and other previous tools and documents, glass beads seemed to be really special and expensive items at that time. In Nara era, it is assumed that the process to make glass beads was a secret and only a small number of people could see or have glass beads.

In Edo period (1603 - 1868), the new and cheap way to make glass beads was passed through the trades between China and European countries and Japanese people could have glass beads at relatively reasonable price. The first place which cheap glass beads were made was Nagasaki since Nagasaki was the major port to trade these countries. This process to make cheap glass beads was eventually passed up to Edo (Tokyo). People started to wear these glass beads as an accent of kanzashi (Japanese style hairpin), netsuke (fastener), obi-dome (fastener of obi), and various types of their belongings. The glass beads became popular in Edo and many types of glass beads were created there. Edo people likened the glass beads to eyes of a dragonfly (which is called tonbo in Japanese) and started to call the glass beads as tonbo-dama (literally meaning a ball or eye of dragonfly). Tonbo-dama which came and created in Edo was called Edo tonbo-dama to be distinguished from other types of glass beads. Today, most of glass beads in Japan were rooted in Edo tonbo-dama. Tonbo-dama culture was flourished in Edo era and passed to today’s more sophisticated tombo-dama.


EDO TONBO AND ITS SPECIAL FEATURES

There are mainly three types of glass beads in Japan. The traditional glass beads which are produced by original way from Nara era is called senshu-dama (泉州玉), the glass beads which were used for the trades with Ainu people are called Ainu-dama(アイヌ玉), and the ones created in Edo is Edo tonbo-dama. Senshu-dama was mainly used for worship of Buddhism and Ainu-dama was mainly for trades but also Ainu people wore it as their accessories and charms. Both senshu-dama and Ainu-dama are rather simple colored and there are not many varieties among them. Since the use of these types of tonbo-dama was limited and they were considered as special tools, there might be no need to popularize them.







Ainu-dama



Edo tonbo-dama, on the other hand, varies from simple one to one which has multiple colors in it. Edo tonbo-dama was a glass bead for any people from upper class to commoners and the main purpose was to enjoy it by taking tonbo-dama into a part of their life. Since there were demands for various types of tonbo-dama so that each person could find their best one, there were relatively many kinds of tonbo-dama produced by craftsmen. Edo tonbo-dama was loved as easy but attractive accents of kanzashi, obi-dome, and for other daily staffs. The most interesting part of Edo tonbo-dama is its fine coloring and unique and various types of patterns. Unlike senshu-dama and Ainu-dama, some Edo tonbo-dama have multiple colors in its small body. These colors are not vivid but rather delicate and pale. There are also variety kinds of patterns like stripes, circles, and flowers. Since the name of tonbo-dama was created in this era, it can be assumed that tonbo-dama was pretty much loved by Edo people at that time.


TONBO-DAMA WITH JAPANESE SENSE OF BEAUTY

Why was tonbo-dama accepted from many Japanese? Tonbo-dama was one of the arts which come from outside of Japan. At first, the main use of tonbo-dama was the tool for worship of Buddha and any ceremonies. Therefore, it can be said that tonbo-dama was not really accepted from Japanese culture and Japanese people because majority of Japanese had not chance to see it. Tonbo-dama was rather positioned on the religious part of Japan. The image of tonbo-dama could be something special and holly at that time. This first image could make Japanese people think that tonbo-dama was very special item which commoners could not possess (despite the fact that commoners could not see what tombo-dama was because they had no opportunity to see it). A unique little tonbo-dama had such as a high status at beginning of Japan.

Since the process of making cheap tonbo-dama was passed from China and Europe in Edo era, tombo-dama booms came in and tonbo-dama culture flourished. A once rare and special item became a familiar tool for majority of people and truly, unique glass beads attracted many Japanese. One of Japanese senses of beauty, loving small and avoiding gorgeousness really went well with tonbo-dama world. It is hard to find a little tonbo-dama at the first sight and if no one realize, tonbo-dama is just a little ball. However, if it is closely paid attention, tonbo-dama becomes nothing but really special. With variety of patterns and colors, tonbo-dama makes usual outfits become smart and fashionable. Since tonbo-dama is made by hand, there is nothing same tonbo-dama in the world so Edo people must show and compare each other’s tonbo-dama. Another reason of the tonbo-dama boom can be reflected from a Japanese way of expression. Since old time, Japanese tended to express their feelings and thoughts in a compact way. Good examples of this are haiku and tanka. Haiku and tanka are both Japanese poetry. Haiku usually consists of 17 letters and tanka consists of 31 letters. In either poetry, a poet conveyed hit/her feelings, wishes, thoughts, etc. through simple but well considered words and phrases and readers had to find what the writer truly means through the simple poems. Like them, each tonbo-dama was filled with many Japanese ideas and beauties in its small world. Different from other tonbo-dama which had regular patterns and designs, craftsmen could freely create many variations on Edo tonbo-dama so they expressed Japanese beautiful aspects into a little bead. Edo people could read transitions of seasons, colors of flowers, or flow of rivers through these little Edo tonbo-dama and loved Japanese beauties.


THE WAY TO USE TONBO-DAMA IN EDO

Already mentioned above, tonbo-dama had been used for fairly many things over the history – for trade, worship, and for daily use but in later Edo era, the major use of tonbo-dama was for fashion. Tonbo-dama had a close relationship with people’s lives in Edo and the relationship became closer and stronger as cheaper and more beautiful tonbo-dama ­was produced. Edo people started to love it as accents of their belongings. Many people used tonbo-dama to fasten pouches and obi. Most of women enjoyed tonbo-dama with their kanzashi. Tonbo-dama magic is that by putting even one little tonbo-dama, traditional Japanese looking can become somewhat modern and stylish. Because a glass art originally imported from other countries like Netherlands, the mood come from tonbo-dama could be quite exotic to Japanese people at that time which oversea travels were not common at all. New style of appearance with tonbo-dama was not westernized but not truly Japanese either. The unique and modern mood given by tonbo-dama worked really well to make difference from usual outfits. Tonbo-dama helped to create new style in Edo and that style was loved by sophisticated people – so called iki na hito (粋な人).


THE CONCEPT OF “IKI (粋)”

Iki is one of the traditional aesthetic ideal in Japan. Like wabi-sabi (侘寂) and mono no aware (物の哀れ), iki is really a Japanese expression and there is no exact interpretation of this word even in Japanese. Iki roughly expresses anything (ex. a person, thing, and situation) which is sophisticated, straight, well improved, and so forth. For example, an iki person is understanding others’ feelings, knowing what is good to do, familiar with many things but yet not intrusive at all. Also anyone who is not afraid of trying new things and taking them well is considered as iki. Thus iki person could be a fashion leader.

This iki concept was created among merchants and craftsmen called chonin (町人) in Edo. Although chonin was ranked in the lowest position in the hierarchical society in Edo era, their business power and strong connection with people in other classes created wonderful culture. Major eating habit (rice, miso soup, and side dish) which was passed to today’s Japanese meal and traveling boom came out from chonin-bunka (町人文化), meaning culture among chonin. From these facts, Chonin seemed to love to create new things while they also cherished their traditional ways and views of living. It seemed to be really natural that chonin could create the idea of iki. In its world, iki contains both aspects of new and old – trying and creating something new but never forgetting and still loving the traditional way of life. Iki was the ideal concept created by funloving chomin people.


THE CONNECTION BETWEEN EDO TONBO-DAMA AND IKI

Iki concept is mainly focused on fashion in tonbo-dama world. Putting one little tonbo-dama makes usual dress became something not too old and not too new. Why did tonbo-dama go well with Japanese outfits? One of the reasons is that there was enough room to express Japanese beauty in the small tonbo-dama world. Craftsmen in Edo era did not just copy glass beads from other counties and manufacture them ­but created Japanese, Edo style glass beads which were more attractive and suitable to Japanese people. With sense of Japanese beauty, the glass beads became Japanese glass beads and named tonbo-dama. This craftsmen’s effort itself is something really iki because they accepted the new art from outside of Japan but didn’t just accept it. They remade it into Japanese style by mixing Japanese traditional tastes. Just having new, foreign staffs cannot be iki at all. Iki also includes that how a person wears these new things naturally and how it matches with him/her perfectly. Tonbo-dama really fitted with Japanese outfits because the craftsmen succeeded on making it in a Japanese way by never ending efforts.

A glass art itself was not popular in Edo era. Therefore even a little glass beads looked something new, special, and exotic to many Japanese. How well to wear these glass beads was the point to show one’s great sense of beauty. Wearing exotic tonbo-dama without breaking any of Japanese beauty was one way to express his/her iki aspect. Thanks to the craftsmen’ efforts, variety of tonbo-dama suited well with Japanese style. Fairly many Japanese could enjoy the effect of tonbo-dama. Colorful tonbo-dama was useful to put some color into simple and plain Japanese appearance. Both male and female could get beautiful power from tonbo-dama.


TONBO-DAMA TODAY

Today, the variety of tonbo-dama gets wider and wider. The techniques to make tonbo-dama have been improved and price also varies from above $300 (or more) to below $1 so now pretty every people can afford it. There are factories that people can make own original tonbo-dama and people can buy tonbo-dama through the internet. In recent years, tombo-dama has been paid attention as one of Japanese important arts and there are tonbo-dama museums and tonbo-dama collectors. Like that, tonbo-dama is still loved by many Japanese people.

In present days, tombo-dama is still used mostly as a part of fashion, especially taken as jewelries like earrings and necklaces. There are still kanzashi and obi-dome with tonbo-dama but since the number of people wearing kimono and traditional Japanese outfits decreased, these ways of using tonbo-dama also decreased. However, there are new ways to use tonbo-dama like cell phone chains and key rings. Also tonbo-dama is still used as a fastener of bags and pouches. However usually, as time changed, the use of tonbo-dama changed, too. Now, it is a lot easier to see tonbo-dama as a part of key chains than as a part of Japanese outfits. As Japanese people were getting more and more Western style, tonbo-dama seemed to become more and more a part of jewelries. Although tonbo-dama came from other counties, it doesn’t really fit into Western style. As wearing Japanese outfits became occasional, wearing tonbo-dama as a part of clothes became also rare. No one wearing a t-shirt and jeans wears tonbo-dama as a part of his/her fashion. Therefore, tonbo-dama is used mostly for chains and jewelries which don’t affect today’s Western fashion trends. Why cannot tonbo-dama go along with other fashion came from Western counties? The big reason is that throughout Edo period, tonbo-dmaa has become so Japanese that there is no room for Western arts to come in. It is very interesting that how Japanese people took foreign glass beads into Japanese style and made them totally Japanese items. Even today, tonbo-dama is one of the ways to express Japan. One tonbo-dama with cherry blossoms can be a good example for that.

Tonbo-dama

<yaplog.jp/takumi-artist/archive/21>


JAPAN AND TONDO-DAMA

Tonbo-dama is not strong image of Japan at all. Not like kimono, kabuki, ukiyo-e, or other major images of Japan, tonbo-dama was not even created in Japan but imported from other countries. It is true that a little tonbo-dama itself cannot be a big representative image of Japan but in tonbo-dama, there surely are important Japanese elements. If people closely look at tonbo-dama, they can see how Japanese it is. Some of these elements may not be seen. The process that tonb-dama was created through Edo era, the efforts that Edo craftsmen put into tonbo-dama and the way Edo people loved it are very Japanese. These invisible Japaneseness reflect in tonbo-dama world. That is why tonbo-dama could get along with Japanese arts and made Japanese traditional outfits even more attractive.


Tonbo-dama has the world which reflects Japanese characteristics – an attitude to welcome new things and remake them in a Japanese way, an attitude to love a little thing, an attitude to giving various meanings into one piece and more. Throughout the history, foreign glass beads have become one of Japanese traditional arts and now, tonbo-dama can remind how beautiful Japan is.

(3692 words)


REFERENCES

Singer T Robert. Edo art in Japan. Washington D.C: National Gallery of Art. 1998.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Glass beads. Retrieved from May 1, 2009.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. とんぼ玉. Retrieved from May 1, 2009.
Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia. Iki. Retrieved from May 1, 2009.



Sunday, April 26, 2009

Brief Idea of My Final Project


For my final project, glass art in Edo era, I focus on glass beads called tonbo-dama in Edo era.


WHAT IS TONBO-DAMA!?!? (O_O) {what~??〕

Tonbo-dama is a glass bead in Japan. In Edo era, Japanese people likened the beautiful glass beads to eyes of a dragonfly which is called tonbo in Japanese. Tonbo-dama literally means a ball of dragonfly and in this case, the ball indicates eye.


An Example of Edo-tonbo


People in Edo loved the little but beautiful glass beads for their daily accessories. Tonbo-dama which became popular among Edo people is called Edo-tonbo.

obi-dome
Kanzashi

WHY I CHOSE IT FOR MY PROJECT

In fact, I am a big fan of tonbo-dama. Although tonbo-dama art is not so famous among not only foreigners but also many Japanese people, I think it has a lot of aspects of Japanese beauty.

When I started to research, I soon found that tonbo-dama has a long history and people especially in later Edo and Meiji era loved it. Since glass arts was not yet familiar with many Japanese at that time, tonbo-dama seemed to be exotic and really beautiful.

Tonbo-dama is not outstanding among other Japanese arts such as kimono, ukiyo-e, etc...but I think there is a strong link between tonbo-dama and a certain aesthetic idea which many Japanese have and that is why tonbo-dama is loved still now.

OUTLINES

My outlines are;

1. Histories - history of world glass beads and history of tonbo-dama.
2. About tonbo-dama in Edo era - its special features and how people used tonbo-dama.
3. The connection between tonbo-dama and Japanese beauty - reasons why tonbo-dama was so attractive to people in Edo.
(I may also mention the connection with Buddhist art.)

I am eventually going to lead the tonbo-dama art to one of the Japanese aesthetic idea called iki (). Iki describes a person, behavior, or situation which is sophisticated and familiarized with many things.... (I should find a better definition...)

I mainly will write tonbo-dama in Edo era but proberbly extend the subject to Meiji era also.

Tuesday, March 31, 2009

My Idea Of Kawaii (Cuteness)


Happy Birthday
Chinatsu Banfrom
Kaikai Kiki web site
<http://english.kaikaikiki.co.jp/artworks/eachwork/happy_birthday/>





赤い毛糸帽の女の子
(A Girl Wearing A Red Wool Hat)
Chihiro Iwasaki
from the book 『ゆきのひのたんじょうび』



I often feel cuteness when I see little kids, animals, small flowers, etc. so I think my idea of kawaii is rather related to something "small" or "little." I guess this is why I chose the two pictures above.


In the first picture "Happy Birthday" from Kaikai Kiki web site, there are one big elephant and one small elephant and between the two, there is a girl holding a huge birthday cake. One of the cutest parts of this picture is the little elephant. Compared with the big elephant, his size is almost the same as the red apple. This little elephant is really working well in this cute picture.


The second picture of a little girl is also a good example of my idea of kawaii. Her small hands and face (the red hat is much bigger than her face!!) is expressing a cute girl well. I also think the color plays an important role. The red hat and gloves are pale and make the picture really soft and warm. The all pale colorings give warm images toward this picture.

Thursday, February 26, 2009

Album Assignment












All photos from Triptych: a digital initiative of Bryn Mawr, Haverford and Swarthmore College libraries <http://triptych.brynmawr.edu/index.php>
All pictures I chose show nostalgia of old Japan - Japan when times went more slowly and people connected with each other more deeply.
As Japanese, I sometimes feel everything goes too fast and many things are too automatic now in Japan. However, in these pictures, kids are laughing and people are spending their time relaxed.

Wednesday, February 11, 2009

Oiran by Kasentei TOMINOBU

Kasentei TOMINOBU (fl.c. 1820-1840)

Oiran
About Kasentei TOMINOBU
Kasentei TOMINOBU was not famous ukiyo-e painter. Since his life was quite short (he died at the age of 20 or around 20), there are not so many his works and most of his life is unknown. Oiran is one of his small works.

About OIRAN
Oiran was the highest ranked courtesan in the pleasure quarters Edo era. The word oiran (花魁) consists of two kanji. 花 means “flower,” and 魁 means “leader,” “first,” or “top.” From these letters, it is easily assumed that in Edo sea, oiran was the leader of other courtesans and was really special existence in Japan. There were three famous cities where oiran lived – Shimabara in Kyoto, Shimmachi in Osaka, but the most famous city is of course Yoshiwara in Edo (Tokyo). Becoming oiran in Edo meant that she was beautiful, smart, artistic, etc. and people desired to see her even it needed enormous amount of money.

About the ukiyo-e
At first sight, this ukiyo-e looks like oiran who is on the way of oiran-douchu (花魁道中, literally oiran’s trip) which is a parade when oiran went to see her client from the pleasure quarters. In fact, however, this is about oiran who is on parade New Year celebration. Therefore, the print is telling not only beautiful oiran, but also indicating the New Year celebration. Mominobu might want to express the great start of New Year through beautiful oiran picture.

There are several indications which associate with New Year. First of all, the poem in the upper right is telling that the print is about oiran’s parade to celebrate the New Year. You can see the name who wrote it just below the poem. It is very interesting that unlike other oiran prints, there is no detailed background behind Tominobu’s oiran. There is just white background behind her. This may be because the poem is much more important in the whole print and people easily understand that this is not usual oiran print. The robe covering most of her body is also filled with New Year elements. All prints on the robe like shishi-mai (the print in the left bottom), chicken, and flowers are all associated with celebration or New Year. Finally, her overall appearance including her extraordinarily ornate coiffure, kimono, and lofty platform shoes is expressing that something eventful is going on.

Oiran is standing in the left side of the picture and she looks as if she is going to start walking. This may imply that the New Year is just starting. If you look at the print closely, you can notice that all oiran, shishi-mai, and chicken are facing the right hand side. Thus, the most of the energy flows from lift to right in the print. This can be interpreted that the great and energetic year is going on in Edo. Also the round-shaped tail of her kimono might indicate year or life.

There is little information about oiran herself. On the big black box behind her, there is the crest which may be telling her family. However, this is not positive because the crest might be her patron’s or symbol of pleasure quarters. The box looks really unusual because most of oiran prints, there is no such box around.

There are only four colors used in the ukiyo-e – black, grey, blue, and red. Usually prints of oiran tend to be colorful. This simply coloring may be because the print was not made for expression of beautiful oiran, but rather expression of Happy New Year. Also people can focus on the poem a lot easier with simple colors.

Overall, this ukiyo-e is well balanced. The position of oiran gives enough room for the poem and signatures. The black box gives accent to the print. If the box was not there, the picture would be too simple and not enough to express the New Year. The prints on her robe are well designed. Although there are many prints on her robe, all prints are pulled together. Each factor in this print doesn’t kill each other and makes the print well composed.

About my impression
When I first looked at the ukiyo-e, I was a little disappointed because I had imagined a more colorful and gorgeous oiran picture. In the print, there are only oiran and the black box. There is no tree, no sky, no road, no people, but the poem and names of the poet and Tominobu himself. Most of the colors are used to draw oiran, yet still I feel these colors are not enough to express gorgeous oiran.

After I had realized that the ukiyo-e was made for the New Year celebration, it became a lot easier to understand the print. I assume that the print was not made only to express beautiful oiran. If so, Tominobu could use more color or put more detail in this work to show off the oiran. Since he also had to express the other part, the New Year celebration, he needed to put that element and clear extra decoration in his print.

The interesting part of this ukiyo-e is the big black box behind the oiran. I don’t know whether this kind of box was usual item for the parade or not but I’ve never seen such a box in any oiran prints. The crest on the box is also questionable. It can be said that Tominobu put it to imply where she was from but since most prostitutes in Edo era were sold by poor families, it is difficult to say that she had such a family who had the crest. Other ideas are that the crest was her client’s family symbol or that her pleasure quarters’ symbol, yet these are also dubious.
I personally like this print. This is not too loud but not too quiet. One sad point is that print quality is not really good but still I can see the oiran in detail. What I like most is that Tominobu was not just drawing beautiful oiran but also expressing the happiness of the New Year. The double meanings make the print a lot more interesting and attractive.



Monday, January 26, 2009

Blog Assignment #2

This image is from JAPAN BLOG - http://www.geishablog.com/2007/05/.

The image is one of the scenes of a Japanese film called SAKURAN prouced in 2007. The story revolves around lives of oiran (prostitute) in Edo era. The woman in the image is the main character of the film.