Changing impression

This is a small shrine near my house. It was never interesting for me. Since I started to take the class visual anthropology of Japan, however, I've visited here a few times. Then I knew that we cannot see this sight anywhere in the world besides in Japan. Shrines and temples had been too usual for me to realize the value. Stadying my own culture was very new and fascinating for me, and now I'm proud of our unique culture.


Now the tree next to it is changing to red, how beautiful.



photo from Shizuoka, where is hometown of one of my friends.
This fall, I've visited there. Mt.Fuji is often used to represent Japan.

Japanese art and entertainment

↓I found this at a station. It is saying about a festival going to take place on Dec 31st. All the entertainers are Gei-nin(芸人 in Japanese) of Yoshimoto, which is the most famous company offering a lot of Gei-nin.

They have this festival every year at スペイン村(Spain-village in English?) in Shima-city in Mie. The purpose of this is that the audience watch Manzai(their performance) and have countdown to 2009 with them.

a lot of 芸人 are going to perform.




The picture above is one scene of 吉本新喜劇(new comedy of Yoshimoto?) When I was little, my grandparents took me to the play. I don't remember the content, but the performers were so funny that I laughed a lot. In the photo, the middle man in black suit is 池乃めだか(Ikeno Medaka.) He is one of the most popular comedians. His height is very very short for men, but it gets him special.

Yoshimoto is from Osaka. It is getting famous in whole Japan. These days, the number of young people shooting for being famous as a Gei-nin of Yoshimoto is growing.

Japanese politics

In the photo below, there are posters of candidates. They are representing candidates' names and faces with their own slogans. An election coming, you can see these posters on boards anywhere. Most candidates make a poster to help people know about them more and to gain votes.

This photo is very very old because the man in the upper left-hand poster has been arrested for fraud(maybe?) a few years ago.

↑This is my neighbor's house. The son, who is same age as me, used to tell me that his family is supporting 自民党（the Liberal Democratic Party）. They have always such posters on their house's wall. As you see, it is Aso-san now. Some years ago, it was Koizumi-san. People supporting a party get posters from an office of the party. Then, they are willing to put them on their house and show their will to support the person.