晴天の霹靂 ;)

A friend of mine has sent me a really hilarious Japanese commercial recently. It involved pretty surprising kind of sense of humour.
 Let me present it here. 

It's really hard to believe but Rina Takeda, Japanese actress, breaks roof tiles with her head and it's no special effect!

This discovery encouraged me to go through more Japanese commercials.
 The Japanese seem to love dancing... I didn't know that...

And at the end Japanese movie moments considered as greatest... well. The fragment with a man who's got a socket in his ass is kinda blow-minding but not in a positive sense I'm afraid...yuck!

  * 晴天の霹靂 (Seiten no heki-reki) Literally: Thunderclap from a clear sky.
Meaning: A complete surprise.

( http://www.linguanaut.com/japanese_sayings.htm#ixzz2umtozjY2)

 

Lost in Kyoto

Fushimi Inari/http://abidare.wordpress.com/tag/kyoto/

Thanks to film titled "Lost in Translation" Kyoto caught my attention.

Geisha-spotting is the main attraction tourist devote themselves to in here.

http://www.meltingpotinternational.com/Lifestyle_archive2.html

There are five geisha districts in the city so it is quite easy to do it though sometimes it's difficult to tell real geishas from tourists dressed up for them.

http://da.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fil:Geisha_Kyoto_Gion.jpg

They wear elaborated kimonos and beautifully adorned *obis. And below the footwear worn by geishas.

http://www.postersmania.com/poster-93277-2499210

It's called "geta" 

Geta (下駄) are a form of traditional Japanese footwear that resemble both clogs and flip-flops.

http://www.kyoto.travel/2009/11/ryoan-ji-temple.html

It's hard to image but you can find  no fewer than seven UNESCO world heritage sites in here. Fushimi Inari is one of them. Hiraniwa - a flat garden is the second one.Hiraniwa(s) are also called "zen gardens".



Well if you dream about visiting one but you don't have bright prospects about a travel to Kyoto, chin up! There's a perfect solluction to you. 

http://www.coool-stuff.com/gardens-made-of-stone-and-sand/

--> mini zen garden!!! xD












* geisha or geiko - bear in mind they are people of art not prostitutes!!! :)
* obi - is not a supermarket! ;) It's a type of belt.

Kawaii or not?

The Japanese are known for their innovative thinking and perfection. Sometimes it leads to incredible invetions sometimes to silly ones. The one below is used for keeping your hair out of food. I'm not sure if I need that. It spoils an image a little bit, doesn't it? :)

http://u3593p1861.ilyke.net/wtf-japanese-inventions/40854/?utm_campaign=u3593p1861

The Japanese are crazy about robots and I've jumped into this madness as well. Here you are the one that is used for dental "experiments".

At the end let Bjork (one the best God's "invention";)) sing. Well, she's not Japanese but she's really good at pretending one! A round of applause, please! :)

oh, let's not forget about a Japanese saying the one for today:  

虎穴に入らずんば虎子を得ず。 

(Koketsu ni irazunba koji wo ezu) Literally: If you do not enter the tiger's cave, you will not catch its cub.
Meaning: Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

(Read more: http://www.linguanaut.com/japanese_sayings.htm#ixzz2pQ1coljK)

* kawaii means "cute" in Japanese.

http://www.e-yakimono.net/html/calligraphy.html

The thought perfect for today! The Japanese are so wise people!:

Ippai-me wa hito sake o nomi, nihai-me wa sake sake o nomi, sanbai-me wa sake hito o nomu. 

With the first glass a man drinks wine, with the second glass the wine drinks the wine, with the third glass the wine drinks the man.

Read more: http://www.linguanaut.com/japanese_sayings.htm#ixzz2p4MjH6lk

http://nasher.duke.edu/exhibitions

And the saying for tomorrow and the rest of the following year and maybe even entire life :)

 Mime yori kokoro. Heart rather than appearance.

Happy NU Y! 

lillies and cherries

"lillies"

I'd like to be able to draw/paint the way Japanese artists do... on the left, my first, timid try...  













and below examples of real art:):

http://moonykitten.deviantart.com/art/Japanese-Traditional-Art-16-173849976

http://www.kaneva.com/mykaneva/PictureDetail.aspx?assetId=1284841

http://flickrhivemind.net/Tags/japanese,sumie/Interesting

 Oh, I guess I've found an appropriate saying for today: 

案ずるより産むが易し。 (Anzuru yori umu ga yasashi) Literally: Giving birth to a baby is easier than worrying about it.
Meaning: Fear is greater than the danger. / An attempt is sometimes easier than expected.
(source: http://www.linguanaut.com/japanese_sayings.htm#ixzz2owE16GXB)
And coming back to art itself maybe such a perfection requires nothing but time... just time... say 20 years ;) 

Tokyo Trends

the word  today: HAYARI - fashion

source: Japan Lovers











 

watering pot as a handbag, why not? ;) 


in <3 with this one!

What's fascinating about Tokyo streets and its fashion lies in the fact that people seem to have no limit to their imagination when it comes to get dressed . Many of them simply look as if they jumped out from the cartoons. One may think that's a symptom of total freedom but in the country where the most popular saying reflecting belief in collectivism is:

’出る釘は打たれる- the nail that pops up is hammered down,’ it's more like a dream of it...

 And Japanese fashion shows... again they're like a journey to the parallel world. 

Anrealage show (2013-14 A/W) is a perfect example. 

saying  4 today:

自業自得 (Jigou Jitoku) Literally: One's Act, One's profit/Advantage.
Meaning: That's what you get, Just desserts, You reap what you sow.

source: Beautiful Bizarre Magazine

I've decided to study Japanese... I've decided to paint with ink as well. Am I bored with my life? Not really :) 

I wanted to have a nice adress to this blog, but all cool japanese names have already been taken :( The present name must do! :) In the adress I've used the word "aya" which means... 

Aya 彩, 綾 meaning: 彩 (colour) or 綾 (design).

The saying for me today: 

起死回生 (kishi kaisei) 

Literally: Wake from death and return to life

Meaning: To come out of a desperate situation and make a complete return in one sudden burst.

Read more: http://www.linguanaut.com/japanese_sayings.htm#ixzz2okLl44WT