What Japanese arts have you learned?

[Dogen Z]

Have you taken the time to learn any Japanese art? Please tell us.

(BTW, I made an error an listed hanafuda, a card game, when I should have listed Bon dance/Awa dance. I also forgot shodou (calligraphy) that I've just started to learn. If you've learned how to do those, please list in other and let us know. Thanks.

 

[dark_secrester]

I wouldn't really say 'drinking/appreciating sake' is particularly an art.

I clicked other because I know the art of eating sushi as well as making it.
Also, the art of hashi. I know how to use chopsticks really well, and there is an 'art' to it.

 

[Mikawa Ossan]

I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of editing your poll to include the dances and shodou.

I've done a number of those things, but...how is conversing in Japanese an art?:?

 

[Iron Chef]

What Japanese arts have you learned?

Oyaji-do

The art of being old and lazy. Easy to learn but difficult to master. Some benefits include:

1) Sucking your teeth in a loud and annoying manner.
2) Every time you stand up, sit down, or generally make any sort of body movement it must be accompanied by an incoherent audble.
3) Stare lecherously at the teenage girls on the train in the summertime.
4) Should you fall asleep on the train, always spread your legs as wide as possible, lean your head back against the glass, and slumber away with your mouth agape.
5) Fight others for that favorite bento at the local grocery store at exactly 7:30 pm when the manager comes out to put the 50% off stickers on the product.

Etc.

 

[Mike Cash]

I've done a number of those things, but...how is conversing in Japanese an art?:?

Some people raise ﾆ段ﾆ停?愴恥 to an art form......

 

[Dogen Z]

dark_secrester wrote
> I wouldn't really say 'drinking/appreciating sake' is particularly an art.
I clicked other because I know the art of eating sushi as well as making it.
Also, the art of hashi. I know how to use chopsticks really well, and there is an 'art' to it.>
Just drinking it is not an art but learning to appreciate it in its various forms is. IMO, it's like learning to drink wine. For example, I learned what kind of sake (nihonshuu) to drink cold and which to drink warm. Sweet or karakuchi, etc.
I thought about listing chopsticks but it's not particularly Japanese. I was looking for things that would give a learner a little/some understanding about Japanese culture.
***********
Mikawa Ossan wrote
>I hope you don't mind, but I took the liberty of editing your poll to include the dances and shodou.
I've done a number of those things, but...how is conversing in Japanese an art? >
Arigatou gozaimasu, Mikawa san. IMO, conversing, especially in Japanese, is an art. I'm not referring to just survival Japanese but more interesting conversation including honorifics (sonkeigo, kenjougo), the -masu/-desu forms, and the yakuza forms. You need to know what to say AND what NOT to say. It's a difficult art.
**********
Mike Cash wrote
>Some people raise ﾆ段ﾆ停?愴恥 to an art form...... >
You know how to put things so that everyone understands.

 

[Erdbeerbox]

I've learned Chinese calligraphy but there aren't that many differences so I picked it too.
I'm planning to study Japanese calligraphy next year. It's so relaxing. Same as such things as tea ceremony . I love it! Though I cannot really say I've *learned* it. I've taken part in a tea ceremony but I'm far from actually being able to do one by myself. It takes you years...

 

[Dogen Z]

I've learned Chinese calligraphy but there aren't that many differences so I picked it too.
I'm planning to study Japanese calligraphy next year. It's so relaxing. Same as such things as tea ceremony. I love it! Though I cannot really say I've *learned* it. I've taken part in a tea ceremony but I'm far from actually being able to do one by myself. It takes you years...

I don't know Chinese calligraphy but since the kanji are the same, it shouldn't be much different, I guess. I just started Japanese calligraphy to practice focusing my mind--I have the problem of thinking about all kinds of stuff that I shouldn't be. For example, when I was doing kata (practicing set moves) in my morning karate class, I was thinking about where I should have lunch. That just won't do. So, I'm trying shodou but I still can't draw ichi (1) properly.

 

[Mars Man]

ART ! A word I well like, and yet cannot put a finger on so well; 'Just what is art?' being the question that makes it a hard problem.

We do have 'the state of the art.' In that definition, I guess ナンパ would fit right in--just as おせじ (buttering someone up) would too.

Of the really Japanese arts, I think the one I have learned to do best (and now this is not to say much, you see, because I am so poor at all of them really) is to say what I mean without really saying what I mean...if you know what I mean.

 

[Dogen Z]

Clear as mud

Of the really Japanese arts, I think the one I have learned to do best (and now this is not to say much, you see, because I am so poor at all of them really) is to say what I mean without really saying what I mean...if you know what I mean.

Well, I see. I think. (Is that a good thing? Well, maybe) But isn't the weather fine, except for the rain?

 

[SushiShin]

i've learned a lot since i've been on holiday to my family in japan, it was amazing, i've learned alot like traditions,customs,way of living, drink tea and a lot more usefull things, there is only one thing i missed, the friends i made and the gals with their funny clothes and their funny laughs.

 

[bakaKanadajin]

I fear regarding the 'arts' I haven't done much at all. Most of my focus has been on the nitty gritty.. the language, the day to day culture, the cuisine, etc. If I was going to choose something from that list that I'd really like to delve deeply into once my language skills are more accomplished, I'd choose Kodo since I already have an interest in incense and have a really keen sense of smell. I also really love Takio drumming, I kind of see that as a nice combination of several arts; dance, music and to a lesser degree martial arts and physical conditioning with the performing of the proper movements and striking methods, etc.

 

[Chipi]

Oyaji-do
The art of being old and lazy. Easy to learn but difficult to master. Some benefits include:
1) Sucking your teeth in a loud and annoying manner.
2) Every time you stand up, sit down, or generally make any sort of body movement it must be accompanied by an incoherent audble.
3) Stare lecherously at the teenage girls on the train in the summertime.
4) Should you fall asleep on the train, always spread your legs as wide as possible, lean your head back against the glass, and slumber away with your mouth agape.
5) Fight others for that favorite bento at the local grocery store at exactly 7:30 pm when the manager comes out to put the 50% off stickers on the product.
Etc.

Haha I can see it all..! I will learn that too, some day in the future, not yet though! You can be my online Sensei then, when that time comes

 

[Dogen Z]

Haha I can see it all..! I will learn that too, some day in the future, not yet though! You can be my online Sensei then, when that time comes

But this is not a Japanese art. It just comes naturally to some guys of any nationality as they age. I'm sure you'll do well without instructions. If you need any tips, just watch Jack Nicholson in "As Good As It Gets."

 

[FrustratedDave]

Some people raise ﾆ段ﾆ停?愴恥 to an art form......

LOL...........

 

[Chi65]

Hehe, funny thread ;-)

Aehm, I learned eating noodle soups with chopsticks with my left hand, when I broke my right shoulder over there. That really impressed my japanese friends!

But the first thing I learned was probably Aikido, here in Berlin, when it appeared the first time,
later also Reiki,
then Kalligraphy, but chinese, which, rightly said, is not much different to japanese, Origami more or less, but not as the art it is now (amazing new discoveries indeed!),
some chinese paintings, basically using the asian brush, which is probably as close to japanese as Kalligraphy.
Doing nature installations in a way, that made some asians think, it must be from one of them. Not that I was aware then. Interesting indeed!
I would love to learn some japanese singing techniques, also typical male voices, by the way, ha!
Here and there I learned a dance around a Matsuri, but also forgot some again. Also carrying and shaking shrines and appreciating the preparations via sake ;-)
Eating everything of Japanese food except living animals. . .even natto in a certain mix.