Advice needed for Japanese film set

Hi everyone, I'm working on a tv series in the UK, and a few of our sets are set in Japan. We want to get everything as accurate as possible, but some things are very hard to research without knowing the language! We have come across some references of Japanese house interiors, and people hang these paper-type garlands in their homes. Are these something specific? For a celebration? do they have any meaning?



Thanks so much if you can help!

To me, those garlands simply look like something children made at nursery or elementary school. I don't think it's anything traditional, but perhaps other members can be of more assistance.

Welcome to the forum!

I was thinking exactly the same thing but Thomas got there first. Japanese Mrs Lothor has the same opinion.

Thanks for the response! We had seen a few different photos with similar garlands, so were wondering if it was something specific. I might have more of these questions coming up...! Thanks for taking the time

Please don't put Chinese music on during your Japanese scenes. It drives my wife crazy when U.S. shows do that.

If the interior is part of a home business or an inn it is completely natural and expected to use noren. Sometimes they can be used inside homes as design elements to separate kitchen or bathroom areas as in your photo.

Also in case it's helpful, here's an image search for "Japanese home interior."

kamikiri, 紙切り, like the snowflakes we used to make by folding and cutting, but more advanced. It's easy to teach because no matter what you do you'll end up with some kind of repeated pattern. This is a great craft, and it's clear there are several different folding and cutting techniques just in that one photo in the OP.


The grown up version of this is Ise Katagami, 伊勢型紙, where laquered paper is cut to create silk screen patterns. Artisans make their own tools to achieve different kinds of cuts. Near Ise (Suzuka), there's an Ise Katagami museum.







The different way people live in Japan is as varied as it is in the UK, depending on their age and style and economic situation. I'd watch Japanese source material to try to get a feel for these things; it's hard to describe exactly how small and cramped some of those living spaces can get in the city, or just how different that is to grandma's house in the boonies; the living spaces that make Japanese homes look airy and spacious are mostly fantasy, but it's a pleasant one.

I think it's akin to like Full House... a single dad (who doesn't seem to work very much) supporting a huge family in a massive, well-kept San Francisco victorian, that hasn't been subdivided into a multi-unit apartment. It provided a great set for the show, with lots of different spaces for filming scenes. The set, the dwelling, becomes a character in the show, in a way. But it's also a wildly unrealistic presentation of an American household.

Depending on how convincing you want to be, a native/cultural consultant should be budgeted for in production to help with the details. Honestly the most Japanese thing you can do is pay attention to the details; otherwise it will be obvious to the audience who know better--that you're just using the idea of Japan as a prop. It's always a gamble producers are going to take, because THEY don't know the difference, and they don't respect their audience. Someone on hand to say "uhhh don't use that erhu music, what's wrong with you?" can help save them from their own ignorance.

Thanks for your time and ideas every one! It's very useful. It's easy to find references online as it's such a fascinating culture. But it's the little things that you don't think about: like light switches for example that are completely different. We do try to get these things right, otherwise it easily gives the game away!

The ise katagami is absolutely beautiful btw!

MerelG said:

Thanks for your time and ideas every one! It's very useful. It's easy to find references online as it's such a fascinating culture. But it's the little things that you don't think about: like light switches for example that are completely different. We do try to get these things right, otherwise it easily gives the game away!

Click to expand...

You're very welcome to post more images of scenes, and us long-term prisoners residents will try and pick holes in them!

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