Each of the films being shown this quarter will be used to introduce you to the various traditional Japanese arts or to important concepts in Japanese society.  Due to deterioration of films being shown many times, the films will only be available in class for viewing.  Some of the films will be tested so don't miss them

"Dream Window" This film looks at the Japanese garden and introduces the relationship of Japanese society to the environment. The Japanese understanding of themselves as a people in greatly influenced by their view of the relationship of living and non-living things. This cultural understanding of man's place in nature differs from Western ideas and is important in understanding the way Japanese use the spaces in which they live.

"Ma: Echo of the Wind" This film explores the concept of ma, space, interval distance. This concept is important to understand how Japanese relate to each other in temporal and physical ways. It comprises sound spaces as well as distance and absence of object does not mean the space has no meaning.

"Growing Up Japanese" This film looks at the way in which children are taught to conform to the ways of Japanese life and come to view the world through Japanese eyes.

"Japanese Customs and Manners"  This film looks at the way in which Japanese interact with each other in daily situations such as meeting each other for the first time, eating in a restaurant and proper forms of greeting.  There will be several other films shown with this one on Japanese culture: "Taste of Japan", and "Inner Harmony."

"Neighborhood Tokyo" this film will be about the reading assigned on Japanese groups by Ted Bestor.  In it you will meet the people refered to in the article as well as see a mikoshi and the procession through the town.  Also shown with this film will be short films on "Shinto" "Bushido" and Japanese tea ceremony.

"Gagaku" This film introduces the oldest of Japanese arts, Japanese music and the traditional instruments in these ensembles. Traditional music is not widely popular but still has an important place in rituals around governing and the imperial family.

"Noh " This is the oldest form of drama in Japan. It is still regularly performed and there are a number of different schools of performance. Noh is slow and stately and very emotional. It discusses religious views of understanding how to handle personal dilemmas.

"Bunraku " This film looks at the puppet theatre of Japan. The types of puppets and the way in which they are used to tell stories. This is a form of popular theatre that grew out of a ban on human actors during the Tokugawa period. Many plays were written for the puppets and they were devised to try to move like human beings. Later when humans were allowed to act in public, the plays were adapted for the Kabuki stage. Many of the stylized movements of the puppets carried over into Kabuki performance.

"Lovers' Exile"  This is a full length film version of a Bunraku play.  If there is time we will view it in class.  If not it will be available in the library.  It will be one of your assignments.

"Kabuki " This is probably the best known form of stage performance which includes drama, comedy and dance. As the Tokugawa rulers considers themselves responsible for the moral life of the people, women were banned from public preformance until the twentieth century. Therefore, all roles in Kabuki were performed by men and they still are to a large extent today.

"The Principles and Practices of Zen"  This film looks at the life of a Zen follower and the art of the tea ceremony.

"Sazae-San" we will look at an episode of this very popular domestic manga and anime. "Hakkenden" This is one of the first manga created to address an important social issue of the bombing of Hiroshima.  We will look at episodes from the manga and anime.

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