Nagazasshi 5.6

nagazasshi │ March/April 2012 1

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Events | Kabuki | Driving in Japan | Glover

Remnants of the Past

The history of Tsushima’s

ancient fortress

2 March/April 2012 │ nagazasshi

nagazasshi

Editor-in-chiefAudrey Akcasu

Deputy EditorQi Yang

Assistant EditorsRaymond ArcegaKatelyn Schwartz

Layout and DesignDouglas Bonham

Magazine ManagerKim Durinick

ContributorsJon Arnouts

Hannah ConklinMatther JonesKeith LauherCarter Scott

Genevieve SeahTsushima City Board of Education

www.nagazasshi.com

Volume 5 Issue 6May/June 2013

Cover photo:Kaneda Fortress, Carter Scott

Copy EditorRosario Paz

FoundersAndrew Morris

Matthew Nelson

Last month we focused on cherry blossoms, ephemerality, and April signifying the beginning of new life.

With the new fiscal year in full swing, the Nagazasshi staff will have a change of our own. As summer approaches, we must say goodbye to some of our staff members and contributors who have graciously volun-teered their time. Although we’ll miss them, we share their excitement as they head off to pursue new adventures.

If you’re looking for a lower-key adventure of your own, Nagasaki has some great and easily accessible islands that are home to beautiful nature. In this issue we feature the least visited, but perhaps the most under-rated island, Tsushima (pg 12). The other islands also have early-summer events you don’t want to miss (pg 4).

Understandably, you may not feel like going outside in June for fear of getting drenched by rain. Why not pass the time by watching some traditional theater (pg 6)?

If that’s not enough and the rain clouds are making you feel too gloomy, read some haiku poems about the rainy season (pg 18) and realize that you’re not alone. Try to re-member the good things the rain will bring, not just the mold and humidity. Think of the green trees, beautiful flowers and gush-ing waterfalls. Soon enough the rain will pass and you can enjoy all of the splendors of summer.

Audrey Akcasu, Editor-in-chief

I want to give a special thanks to Kim, Ray, Rosario, Katelyn and Hannah. お疲れ様でした。

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ContentsEvents

6

4

KabukiThird in the series on Japan’s

traditional theater

12Remnants of the PastTsushima’s ancient Kaneda Fortress

10

18

Taking the Gloves offA primer on Thomas Glover

Our contest winners revealed!

16Get Your Motor RunningTips and tricks for passing the Japanese driver’s license test

19Kanji of the Month

Nagazasshi Poetry Contest

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12photo Carter Scott

6

photo flickr.com/jfchenier/

10photo Jon Arnouts

Want to see the beautiful scenery and beaches on Iki? Need some exercise? Kill two birds with one stone with this bike challenge. Adults can choose from a 50 km or 30 km course, while kids have an

8 km course.

Iki Cycling FestivalJune 9, Iki City

Event of the Month

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Events

Head to Hasami for the prefecture’s biggest porcelain market. You can get the famous pottery for once-a-year low prices and also try out a pottery wheel or pottery painting. Most stores offer a discount if you bring old pottery to exchange. Don’t miss the Hasami-themed photo contest either!

Hasami Pottery Festival April 29-May 5, Hasami

Have you ever had Matsuura’s famous Kinsho melon? Now’s your chance. At this two-day festival you can not only buy melons and get them delivered to your home, but you can even buy seeds to grow your own.

Melon FestivalMay 5-6, Matsuura

Four hundred years ago a tea market was started in Haiki. Growing popular through the years, it attracted over 600 merchant ships at a time. This market is said to have set the price for tea for all of Kyushu.

Haiki Tea MarketMay 7-9, 17-19, 27-29, June 7-9

If you’re looking for a nice weekend event, take this great chance to enjoy local Hirado products and festivities.

Tsuyoshi Chaichi Market May 24-26, Tsuyoshi, Hirado

Spring is the season of flowers. Head to Unzen to see the famous Azalea that frost the mountain-sides with pinks and purples.

Miyama KirishimaMid May-Late May, Unzen

Head to Siebold University, Glover Garden, Dejima and a variety of other areas throughout Nagasaki City to view over 5,000 hydrangea plants with an array of colors.

Nagasaki Hydrangea FestivalMay 25-June 16, Nagasaki City

Experience one of the most enchanting night events with food stalls, friends and, of course, thousands of dazzling fireflies--a summertime must-see.

The 11th Goto Firefly FestivalMay 25-June 16, Shinkamigoto

At the tail-end of the Omura flower festival, which runs through June 20, Omura Park presents traditional folk dances and over 300,000 Japanese irises.

Omura Iris FestivalJune 3, Omura

One of Nagasaki’s biggest events, this triathlon attracts athletes and fans from all over the world. If you’re not a sportsman yourself, it’s still a great event to check out.

Goto International TriathlonJune 23, Fukue, Goto

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Kabuki is one of Japan’s three ma-jor classical theaters, along with Noh and Bunraku. As the origin

of the term Kabuki (meaning to “be ec-centric or extraordinary”), and its mod-ern interpretation (ka signifying “song”; bu, “dance”; and ki “skill”) suggest, it is a stylized form of theater involving music, dance and drama, all performed with extravagant showmanship. The elaborate costumes, striking make-up, outland-ish wigs and, most importantly, the

exaggerated actions performed by the actors, are what capture the imagina-tion of the audience. It has been kept alive through five centuries, making it arguably the most popular form of Japanese traditional theater.

Despite the one significant character-istic of Kabuki being the lack of female actresses, the theater was created by a woman. In 1603, a woman by the name of Izumo no Okuni began performing a new style of dance-infused drama in Kyoto. The unconventional dances became extremely popular and evolved into a form of erotic entertainment popular in red-light districts, with the

Genevieve Seah’s third entry on Japan’s long-standing theatrical history

Japan’s Traditional Performance Arts

photo flickr.com/ggladman/

舞台芸術

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performers themselves often available for prostitution.

Fearing social demoralization, the gov-ernment banned women from perform-ing, making way for young male dancers to take their place. The young boys were typically effeminate and beautiful, and were just as available for prostitution as their female predecessors. In 1652, the government banned young men from dancing as well - it became very common for brawls to break out at performances over the favors of a dancer. Although the prohibitions were rescinded in 1652, the all-male form became one of the defining characteristics of modern Kabuki.

Despite its disreputable past, Kabuki came into its own during its “Golden Age,” which lasted from 1673 to 1841. The structure of the dances and plays were formalized, as were many defining elements, such as conventional char-acter archetypes, significant poses and the theater’s unique make-up, which covers actors’ faces like a mask. Kabuki also began to portray itself as a form of accumulative theater during this time. It incorporated elements from other pre-ceding theater forms, such as the comical interludes (kyogen) from Noh drama.Kabuki was also heavily influenced by the puppet theater, Bunraku, which overtook it in popularity in the 17th century. Unlike Kabuki, which focuses

mainly on actors, Bunraku’s creativity and dramatic stories appealed to the audiences. To regain popularity, Kabuki began to borrow from Bunraku and many of the puppet theater’s popular works were adapted and performed on the Kabuki stage. Today, almost all traditional Kabuki plays can trace their origins from Bunraku.

Kabuki is a performance art heavily cen-tered on personality, as demonstrated by the audience’s infatuation with perform-ers in the theater’s nascent days and the focus on the performer rather than the drama. During the Edo period, the masses were attracted to Kabuki theat-ers because they provided entertain-ment with new music, the latest fashion trends and famous actors. The teahouses located around the theaters profited by providing meals and refreshments to theater-goers and shops sold Kabuki sou-venirs, such as portraits and cloth face prints of actors.

The cult of personality continues into modern Kabuki, which has flourished in the past 20 years thanks to talented per-formers who have experienced immense popularity with the public. However, it is also a double-edged sword. The recent deaths of two celebrated Kabuki actors, Ichikawa Danjuro XII and Nakamura Kanzaburo XVIII, dealt a heavy blow to the art and left many questioning the

歌舞伎 Kabuki

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future of Kabuki. With the departure of these two actors and the foreseeable passing of other influential actors who are already in their 60s and 70s, the pressing concern is whether the younger generation of actors can rise to the occasion and take over the reins from their predecessors. Even though there are a few talented performers, many of these young actors are not well-known to the public.

In light of recent affairs, the opening of the newly renovated Kabuki-za theater in Tokyo could provide the best oppor-tunity for younger actors to showcase their skills and prove their worth. As part of a year-long event to celebrate its reopening, Kabuki-za will feature younger actors in three months of performances from July to September. Other theaters will also hold perfor-mances featuring Kabuki stars in their 20s and 30s playing lead roles.

Though Kabuki is considered a tradi-tional art form, it survives through the centuries by being an accumula-tive art. It holds on to traditions while experimenting with new ideas. For many years, Kabuki actors had injected life into the centuries-old art by fusing it with other genres, such as opera, taiko and other modern theaters. Many Kabuki actors, such as Ichikawa Ebizo, have starred in successful films, helping bring Kabuki to a wider and younger audience.

Generations of Kabuki actors have come and gone, but the art has man-aged to survive to present day. Kabuki is now once more at a generational crossroad, and it is up to the younger actors to build upon what their prede-cessors have left them and pass it to the next generation.

photo flickr.com/jpellgen/

Minami-za in Kyoto, believed to be the birthplace of Kabuki theater

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Let’s study

the most effective way!

2-19-22 HaikiSasebo City Nagasaki

090-7162-7577

[email protected]

Instructor Kiyoko Hayashi

Japanese

KUMON HAIKI CENTER


Years ago, we did not have science; the world of intellectuals was dominated by alchemists. Every

alchemist would always keep everything they learned to themselves. This meant that no other alchemist could benefit from what their peers had learned, and that alchemists had to discover for them-selves, usually the hard way, that drinking mercury is a bad idea. That is, until The Enlightenment, when information began to be shared freely.

After the re-opening of Japan in 1853, there was a surge in the number of west-ern intellectuals who flocked to Japan with the intention of sharing and obtaining in-formation. One of these intellectuals made his presence known in Japan via Nagasaki.

This figure is credited with a wealth of ac-complishments. These range from found-ing companies, to bringing Japan into the modern industrial era and even assisting in the overthrow of the Tokugawa Sho-gunate. This man is not only well-known across Japan, but his legacy still resonates

amongst the industrial movers and shak-ers here. He is particularly famous in Nagasaki, memorialized through having his residence turned into a historical museum.

We are, of course, talking about Thomas Blake Glover, born in Aberdeen, Scotland in 1838. As the son of a coast-guard officer, Glover progressed through school and began working with a trading company early in his life.

Glover began working with the Jardine Matheson Trading Company and in 1859 he arrived in Nagasaki to continue his employment. Glover’s business acumen quickly revealed itself and within three years he founded his own firm, Glover Trading Company in Nagasaki.

During the 1860s, he sold guns and military supplies to the rebellious Chōshū, Satsuma and Tosa clans. These clans later became powerful forces during the Meiji Restoration. As Glover had provided them with assistance, he received favorable treatment under their rule.

Later, in 1869, he commissioned the first modern warship for the Japanese Navy. He was also responsible for the development of Japan’s first dry dock, which allowed

Taking

Ever wonder who’s behind Glover Garden? Matthew Jones reveals the man behind the scene

theGloves off

nagazasshi | May/June 2013 11

for large-scale naval development for both military and civil use. As Japan is not only an island nation, but a collection of islands, these modern ships helped to spread in-dustrialization, as well as the fruits of this industrialization, to all corners of Japan.

Glover also brought the first steam loco-motive to Japan. He installed the locomo-tive in the Ōura district in Nagasaki. The impressiveness of these modern technolo-gies won over many Japanese traditional-ists and began a chain reaction of moderni-zation in Japan.

His other accomplishments are varied in the extreme: he founded a shipbuilding company that later became the Mitsubishi Corporation, a corporation that today is

synonymous with Japanese industry. He even had a hand in establishing the Kirin Brewery Company.

Glover married a Japanese woman named Awajiya Tsuru. Together, they had a daughter, whom they named Hana. The couple also adopted a British-Japanese boy, whom they named Guraba Tomisaburo.

Glover was a man who came from very little and rose to become perhaps the most important figure in creating a modern, industrial Japan. In recognition of his industrial accomplishments, as well as his earlier assistance with the rebellion, he was awarded the Order of the Rising Sun at his death in 1911.

photo Jon Arnouts

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A young soldier stands on top of a mountain. He looks out to the north across Tsushima’s Aso Bay, searching for smoke from a signal fire warning of a possible invasion from the con-tinent. As the cold wind blows in his face, he clutches his onjaku, a warm-ing stone that served as the ancient version of today’s kairo. He is a saki-mori (防人) – a soldier garrisoned at strategic points in and around Kyushu starting in the 7th century. Sakimori were often stationed in mountain castles, and the front-line defense against an invasion from the conti-nent was Tsushima’s Kaneda Fortress.

In the year 660, Yamato Japan’s Korean ally, the kingdom of Baekje, was conquered by their rival Korean kingdom, Silla, with the help of Tang

China. Not yet ready to admit defeat, Baekje supporters embarked on an effort to regain their kingdom and called on Yamato to provide military aid. Yamato’s rulers answered the call and sent a sizable force of around 40,000 men. In August of 663, the Yamato forces clashed with a much smaller Tang Dynasty army at the Battle of Baekgang. The battle proved disastrous for the Japanese. Despite much smaller numbers, the Tang forc-es used superior weapons, tactics, and training to rout the Yamato army and ended Japanese military involvement overseas for nearly a millennium.

Scholars still debate exactly why the Yamato kingdom chose to reinforce Baekje and fight in a battle with seem-ingly no implication on its own terri-tory, but some evidence suggests that the ruling families of each kingdom may have been related to each other. Regardless of why Yamato chose to participate in the battle, the young

Remnantsof the Past

Carter Scott explains the centuries-old history of an ancient fortress on Tsushima

13

kingdom’s defeat triggered grave fears of an invasion by Tang and Silla. Thus the Yamato kingdom commissioned the construction of Kaneda and other mountain castles around western Japan. According to the Nihon Shoki (“Chronicles of Japan”), construction on Kaneda Fortress (金田城) began in 667. The stone walls that are the main remnant of the fortress are Korean in style, suggesting the direct involve-ment of Baekje refugees who fled to

Japan. Tsushima’s proximity to the continent made it a key lynchpin for Yamato’s national defense. In his book, Japanese Castles AD 250-1540, historian Stephen Turnbull writes that Kaneda “was clearly intended to

provide Japan’s ‘early warning system’.”

Over 13 centuries after they were built, sites like Kaneda still attract considerable interest from academics. The Ancient Mountain Castle Summit (古代山城サミット) gathers scholars and others interested to raise aware-ness and discuss how to best preserve and restore these important relics. Tsushima hosted the third such sum-mit last year, which featured a Kane-

Kaneda Fortress’s first gate towers over the trail below

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Tsushima’s proximity to the continent made it a key lynchpin for Yamato’s national defense.

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nagazasshi | May/June 2013 13


da-themed performance by a local elementary school, a panel discussion with expert scholars, and an organ-ized tour of the ruins. In preparation for the event, Tsushima city created a mascot for Kaneda and published a new brochure available to visitors to the ruins. The mascot character, Onjya-kun (オンジャくん), is based on the onjaku. The hand-warming stones were likely used by sakimori in many places, but those found at Kaneda are believed to be the oldest yet discovered.

By car, Kaneda Fortress is located about 15 minutes from Tsushima

Yamaneko Airport and 25 minutes from Izuhara port. The ruins are easy to find thanks to a new bilingual sign installed last year, but the road lead-ing to them is narrow enough in some spots to cause quite the predicament if two cars approach from opposite directions. Though none of the original buildings remain, significant portions of the original stone walls and three gates remain and form the basis for the hiking trails. At cer-tain points, including the supposed locations of watchtowers and living quarters, structures have been built to replicate the original dimensions

The impressive view from the top of the aptly named Castle Mountain (城山) is a gratifying reward for the hike

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based on archaeological evidence. Plaques with Japanese, Korean, and English explanations mark these sites and others along the trail. The hike up the 276-meter high mountain is fairly straightforward and not overly strenuous. Near the summit are the remains of a gun battery built by the Japanese military around 1900, one of many built on Tsushima during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Another portion of the path continues along the stone wall and eventually reaches a seemingly ancient port and shrine at the bottom of the northern slope. A series of stunning views of

the bays that wrap around the pen-insula where Kaneda is located also await visitors. There is no cost to ex-plore the fortress area, and a leisurely hike around the stone wall perim-eter takes approximately two and a half hours. For the more aquatically inclined visitor, sea kayak tours of the area are available if somewhat expen-sive, running around 6500 yen.

For more information about Tsushima, visit the city’s official English facebook page: www.facebook.com/TsushimaIsland

Onjaku and Onjya-kun

Do you have a kairo in your pocket in the wintertime? The ancient onjaku stones (above) were like that. A string was run through the hole and the stone warmed in water over a fire. Sakimori then wore the onjaku around their necks.

Based on the onjaku, Onjya-kun (below) was created by designer Maya Murata in 2012 to promote the Ancient Moun-tain Castle Summit.

Photos courtesy Tsushima City Board of Education


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Get your motor

With your international Driv-ing Permit about to expire and faced with the imminent reality

of being shipwrecked, marooned, alone and abandoned in the obscure and remote wilderness of Nagasaki, training for the “behind-the-wheel” portion of the Japanese driver’s license exam can be a daunting task. Combined with the excessive cost of the exam and the need to use precious vacation

days, it’s of paramount importance to pass within the first few attempts. And don’t forget to plan ahead -- get a translation of your license from the JAF, and schedule your first test at the Omura License Center ahead of time. Ready? Here are some tips to maximize your passing potential:

1. Go to 太陽自動車教習所 (taiyou jidousha kyoushuu sho) in Omura

For only 4400 yen, you will get a 50-minute private driving lesson with an experienced instructor on a course that mirrors the actual one. They will also provide a map of the actual driving course with each turn and section labeled. This experi-ence alone, which specifies each little detail, is worth the money, but the school will also provide a certificate of completion that is meant for the actual exam proc-tor. Besides instant “brownie points,” if you fail the exam the proctor will write specific mis-takes on the certificate so you can go back and practice with the instructor again. Pure gold. (http://www.taiyo-ds.com)

Keith Lauher takes us through the twists and turns of the Japanese Driver’s License exam

Training for the be-hind-the-wheel portion of the Japanese driver’s license exam can be a daunting task

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photo flickr.com/thomashawk/

running2. Get there early

You have to take a day of vacation anyway, so get there at least an hour early. Being ear-ly shows that you are serious about passing the test and respect the process, something extremely important in Japanese culture.

3. Dress nicely and smile a lot

Wearing a suit may be excessive, but please do look nice. Again, this test is all about showing you respect the institution, the cul-ture behind it, and, most of all, their time.

4. Remember to say “Please” and “Thank you”

The more polite you are the easier the test will be. The more Japanese you use (even if it’s horrible) the more comfortable the proctor will be and the more likely you will be to pass the exam. (DO say yoroshiku onegaishimasu when getting into the car).

In all honesty, the behind-the-wheel test is less about your actual ability to drive and more about your ability to follow directions and pay attention to details. If you approach taking the test in this manner your chances of passing the exam will greatly increase, your ego will appropriately be inversely affected, and the horror of an immobile future in Japan will expire along with your International Driving Permit.


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Nagazasshi Haiku Contest 2013

Last month, Nagazasshi hosted our first poetry contest. The theme was haiku about rainy season. We got some really great entries, but we could only choose three winners in each category. Thank you to all the

participants. Now, onto the winners…

AdultOn top of my umbrellaI can hear drumsThe sound of rainy season

傘の上太鼓が聞こえる梅雨の音

-Sarah Kniss

In this downpourWonder if that hydrangea also Needs an umbrella

大雨にあじさいも傘がほしいかな

-Michael Palmer

South winds, moist air: rainWet shoes, damp floors, miseryInsects, flowers, life.

-洋

StudentOn a rainy dayUnder one small umbrellaI’m in love with you

-Keigo Miyaji, 17Sasebo Minami High School

Look out the windowFrog has a green umbrellaIt is a small leaf

-Mizuki Hashimoto, 15Sasebo Minami High School

This dark cloudy dayI caught a glimpse of the sunthat is your smile there

-Taihei Miyazaki, 17Kunimi High School

Thank you again to all participants! If you didn’t get a chance to par-take this time, keep your eyes open for the next contest, we’d love to see what you’ve got! nn

19nagazasshi | March/April 2013 19

The best Mexican food in Nagasaki

International beers and specialty margaritas Hungry Hombre Special

Homemade salsa and guacamole Taco Salad

Nomihoudai party plans available

A short walk from Sasebo

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Address

長崎県佐世保市下京町4-8Sasebo, Shimokyo-cho 4-8

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