The Face Behind the Mask - Noh Mask Maker:
A visit to a master carver of Noh masks is made special not so much for his craft, but for the quiet, intense presence of this Zen abbot. As he demonstrates the various stages of production for a typical mask, his story slowly unfolds... "So I began to carve. I had a block of cypress wood. I even had a few chisels. However, though the master gave me some guidance, I had to learn how to carve by myself. This craft cannot be taught. The few students that I have had always wanted me to do the difficult parts for them. But that is the very thing that they should be doing. If you do the very best you can, putting your whole self into your work, it will be good. It will be gold. It is not a matter of comparing one's work with that of another. This is true of anything we do in life." See the master of life and art at work.

 

A Window Into the Garden - Landscape Architect:
Our distinguished host and sensei has the distinction of being both a university-trained landscape architect-site designer/environmentalist and a fully-licensed traditional Japanese garden master. Now retired, he is a consultant for a major restoration project of an ancient garden in Kyoto's Arashiyama district. As dwellings are very much a cohesive part of a garden environment, he is very knowledgeable about sukiya-style architecture, which comes from the 16th century tea master, Sen no Rikyu. The one-of-a-kind villa featured in this video is a masterpiece is wood and stone craftsmanship.

 

Gilding the Kimono - a Gold Leaf Artist:
Gold leaf artists use micrometer-thin, pounded gold to decorate a wide variety of object and to create unique art. This artist practices an ancient art used to make the background for the fabulous glowing obi's worn with the most exclusive kimono. Watch this introduction to get a flavor of what a visit to an artist is like..

 

All in the Family - Hina Doll Artists:
Every year on March 3rd, Japan celebrates the Doll Festival (Japanese, Hina Matsuri). Until recently, Girls' Day was also celebrated on March 3rd. On this day every year, families set up a special step-altar on which to arrange their Emperor and Empress dolls, called "hina" in Japanese. Dolls are displayed for the health and happiness of the girls in the house, and , until recently, were put away immediately after the festival since otherwise it was considered inauspicious for the girl's marriage. The making of some Hina dolls dates back to the time of the Edo period when the Samurai and their families were economically compelled to take up some trades. The women took up doll making. Today there is a flourishing art form of creating dolls for the Doll Festival and there is a whole protocol of gift-giving for dolls to young girls. Japan has a long history of doll-making and a wide variety of dolls are used to celebrate the festival.

 

A Lifetime Commitment - Yuzen Dyer:
Yuzen dying relies on ancient techniques to create a resistence field and then brush on layers of dyes for a multi-dimensional finished effect. While the practice of the art is passed down through the ages, many dyers in Japan are taking their skills in interesting new directions to create contemporary masterpieces. Watch this introduction to get a flavor of what a visit to an artist is like..

 

The Path of Tradition: Nihonga Artist:
Nihonga is a fascinating medium with strong roots in traditional Japanese painting and some western influence. It developed into a modern Japanese art form came shortly after Japan opened up to the world following nearly 250 years of self-imposed isolation, in the 1800s. Nihonga was brought forward as a way of focusing attention on overshadowed traditional Japanese art but was different from pre-modern Japanese painting in the breadth of the subjects portrayed. It combined previously separate styles of Japanese painting, such as Kano and Rimpa, and incorporated western perspective, among other techniques. (courtesy Steve Beimel - www.japanlivingarts.com)