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Japan on the Catwalk: Japanese Fashion from the 50s to the 80s
Until the mid-twentieth century, Japan only had a “passive” role in the mainstream fashion industry. By the time the country opened itself to the world, its heritage and aesthetics became the perfect source of inspiration for the French couturiers. Thus, even though Japan has always been present in the fashion industry, it used to be filtered through the eyes of Western dessigners. When the second World War ended, things started to change. Fashion was no longer dominated by French firms, as an increasing number of fashion houses and designers worldwide entered the market. These circumstances allowed fashion to flourish into an international industry that promptly engulfed Japan. In those same…
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Hope, Future, and Nostalgia, the story of the Tōkyō Tower
The Tōkyō Tower 東京タワー is the second tallest structure in Japan. The building is a communications and observation tower currently used as a relay by nine TV stations and five radio stations. The year 2012 put an end to its supremacy as the tallest tower in the whole country, when the 634 mt-tall Tōkyō Sky Tree Tower 東京スカイツリー, was finally finished. Although the Tōkyō Tower only possesses the silver medal in the contest of towers nowadays, the cultural impact it has had in the modern story of the city certainly makes this iconic ironed structure worthy of the gold one. Tokyo Tower in 1961 The idea of the Tōkyō Tower…
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The Forbidden Religion, the story of Kakure Kirishitan and Christianity in Japan.
The first encounter between Japan and Christianity happened in 1549, when a group of Portuguese Jesuits led by Francisco Xavier (1506-1542) arrived in Kagoshima, after some time spent among India, China, and South-East Asia. At that time, Portuguese Catholic orders had been travelling throughout Asia for the purpose of spreading the Catholic Church and converting as many people as possible, since in Europe the number of Catholics had drastically decreased due to the Protestant movement. To preach Catholicism in Japan, Xavier was assisted by Yajirōヤジロウ, a man from Kagoshima met during his accommodation in Malacca. Other than being the first Japanese to be baptised, Yajirō was partially familiar with Portuguese,…