JP
Message
In our increasingly globalized world, information about Japan has become more widely available in other countries. As a result, more and more people around the world are becoming interested in Japanese culture. In many cases, they even discover aspects of Japanese culture that Japanese people themselves have forgotten about. How well do we Japanese understand our own culture? How has that culture been handed down through the ages? This work presents aspects of Japanese culture that have been passed down to this day while absorbing various influences, along with aspects that should be preserved for future generations, in line with the course of cultural history. We believe that understanding Japanese culture is very important for people living today as well as in future eras. The unique features of Japan nurtured its culture that is so beloved around the world. By conveying the activities and sentiments of people long ago, this work examines the roots of the Japanese people.
Cast
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Munenori Takeda / Guide
A professional actor in the Kanze school of Noh, specializing in shite (protagonist) roles and residing in Tokyo. He has been collectively designated as a holder of an Important Intangible Cultural Property. He is the firstborn son of Munekazu Takeda, also a professional shite actor in the Kanze school, and studied under his father and the 26th head of the Kanze school, Kiyokazu Kanze. He made his debut in 1980 at the age of 2 years and 11 months in the cherry-blossom viewing scene in the play Kurama-Tengu ("The Goblin of Kurama"). He acts in about 100 performances per year, including the shite role in about five plays.
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Ako Nagao / Narrator
Former Fuji TV presenter who joined the company in 2016. She has worked as a narrator on Mezamashi TV as well as Sweet Den of Premiere, Live News it!, and Wide na Show. Her hobbies are going for walks and art appreciation.
Illustrations & Music
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Arata Tani / Illustrations
Born in 1965 in Fukuoka Prefecture. Since embarking on a career as an illustrator in 1992, his work has included newspaper and magazine ads, posters, essay series illustrations, promotional brochure covers, book-cover designs, logo designs, and T-shirt graphics. His work has also been featured in solo exhibitions such as ACROS Fukuoka (2005), Fukuoka Prefectural Museum of Art (2009), and Institut français du Japon – Kyushu (2013).
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Yuichiro Nakanishi / Music
Born in 1974 in Fukuoka Prefecture. He became a professional jazz pianist at the age of 19. He specializes in arrangements incorporating live music and has also been praised for his film scores and songs featured in TV dramas. In recent years, he has been producing music that actively integrates elements of traditional Japanese culture.
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Shinnosuke Sorimachi / Music
A native of Tokyo. He first joined a band during the rock/blues boom in his student days. Although he pursued other work after graduating, he moved to Los Angeles in 1996 and decided to concentrate on music production and studio work. After returning to Japan in 2010, he continued his activities in Tokyo. In addition to producing his own music, he also plans and manages live music performances and other events.
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Tetsuro Hayashi / Music
Influenced by figures such as his grandfather, a classical music aficionado, he became familiar with various kinds of music from a young age. He took up the saxophone at the age of 15 and studied under Yoshiyuki Yamanaka. After enrolling in university, he turned to genres such as jazz, fusion, funk, and R&B and began performing at live music venues in Tokyo as part of various bands. In 1996, he moved to Fukuoka, where he expanded his musical horizons through performances with local musicians and jam sessions with international musicians such as Kenny Kirkland and Jeff Watts. He lived in Los Angeles for four years beginning in 2004 and performed with local musicians such as Doug Webb. He currently lives in Tokyo, where he performs mainly at live music venues as part of various bands including his own band HITS! and Tokyo skinny boys.
Staff
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Composition
Eiji Makita
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Advisor
Asuka Kanto
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Computer Graphics
Rina Miyasaka
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Director
Yuki Imoto
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Producer
Misako Nishi
Original Picture Book
A Multilingual Picture-Book Series Introducing Japanese Culture
Every year, Idea Institute plans and produces a picture book related to the theme of Japanese culture in house, handling everything from translation and design to DTP and editing.
We began this project in 1997 out of a desire to share Japanese history, traditional culture, lifestyle practices, and philosophical concepts with people around the world through illustrated books.
Along with the illustrations, the multilingual text in Japanese as well as other languages like English, Spanish, and Chinese makes the books interesting to look at and has won them many fans among readers of all ages.
IDEA INSTITUTE INC.
At Idea Institute, linguistic professionals work to improve content and quality in various languages on a daily basis. We currently offer services in over 80 languages.
Since our establishment in 1973, we’ve met requests for not only translation but also manuscript writing, DTP and editing, printing, interpreting, and more while always keeping customer satisfaction our top priority. As a result, we’re capable of providing consistent services as a company.
DVD & Picture Book
A DVD of the video version and the original picture book will be sold as a set.
Chapters 1 to 16 3 min. per chapter Total length: 48 min. ① Japanese version (audio/subtitles) ② English version (audio/subtitles) ③ Accessible version (audio/subtitles) ④ Background video version
Contents of "Scenes of Japanese Culture, Part I: A Journey into Ancient Times"
- 01. A Lush Island Nation
- 02. The Iwajuku Cutting
- 03. Primeval Diets
- 04. Craftsmanship of the Jomon Period
- 05. The Advent of Rice
- 06. Two Gold Seals
- 07. Wall Paintings
- 08. Sacred Statues
- 09. The Rise of Temple Compounds
- 10. New and Ancient Wood
- 11. The Endpoint of the Silk Road
- 12. Prayers Embodied in the Great Buddha
- 13. Connected Cities and Gatherings of People
- 14. Mana and Kana
- 15. The Voices of Nameless Authors
- 16. In the Face of Calamity
Original Soundtrack
A soundtrack of the music used in the video version will be sold.
An audiobook of the narration and music will also be sold.
Soundtrack to "Scenes of Japanese Culture, Part I: A Journey into Ancient Times"
- 01. Breath
- 02. Awakening
- 03. Flash
- 04. Dignity
- 05. Time
- 06. Integrity
- 07. Abandon
- 08. Sublimity
- 09. Tempest
- 10. Fortitude
- 11. Vibrance
- 12. Distance
- 13. Eternity
- 14. Encounter
- 15. Lingering Dream
- 16. Jewel
