This week, the Japanese study group at the Asahi Nihongo school spoke about Japanese art and the variety of it. Art can come in all kinds of forms, from paintings and fashion to music and tattoos. The world of Japanese art is a good example for that, as its spectrum is extremely big. 

After a short introduction about Japanese prints from the Edo-era, the students took a look at the contemporary art of Takashi Murakami and Yayoi Kusama. Kuriyama Sensei explained, how Japanese artist are trying to bring together different art forms from the past, such as ukiyo-e, which was popular in the lower social classes and the high culture Shinto printings of Japanese palaces. 

After moving on to Japanese fashion, the students were introduced to designers that changed and influenced Japanese design to a degree that very distinctive and individual styles were born. Yohji Yamamoto and Kawakubo Rei were mentioned and the students were shown different runway shows to study the sharp forms of their designs.  

The last point of the lesson was a glimpse in Japanese music and theatre culture, as both of them are definitely art forms that have a very distinctive look and sound in Japan that can be found nowhere else in the world. 

The world of Japanese art is big but in 40 minutes, the students of Asahi Nihongo got a good glimpse in the heads of Japan’s creative minds