2024.06.13
Metalwork/Wood LacquerwareWeekly email newsletter “DENKEN-TEST PRESS" No. 11
We are pleased to present you with the 11th issue weekly email newsletter “DENKEN-TEST PRESS".
DENKEN-TEST textbook reservation website has been created. You can order it at your local bookstore or online bookstore. For details, please see “News from DENKEN-TEST Association”.
In this issue, we bring you “Cultural properties you can stay at are a select few : Sustainable Japan Magazine by The Japan Times”.
“Warm-up Quiz” features answer and explanation from the previous quiz, as well as question from the fields of “Metalwork and Wood Lacquerwork”.
We are also continuing our promotion to give away official textbooks to 100 people chosen at random from among those who sign up for the newsletter by the end of July! Please tell people around you to sign up for the newsletter.
table of contents
・ Cultural properties you can stay at are a select few ： Sustainable Japan Magazine by The Japan Times
・ “Warm-up Quiz” No. 11 (metalwork and wood lacquerwork) = "Nambu wind chimes"
・News from the DENKEN-TEST Association
Cultural properties you can stay at are a select few
By TOSHICHIKA IZUMI
Ozu Castle’s tower was demolished in 1888 and rebuilt in 2004. All four of the castle’s turrets, which date from the Edo Period (1603–1868), still stand, including the one visible here to the left of the tower. All four turrets are designated as Important Cultural Properties.
© VMG HOTELS & UNIQUE VENUES
Click here to read the article in English
First published in: Sustainable Japan Magazine by The Japan Times, April 26, 2024
“Sustainable Japan Magazine” website
Live like a lord or lady for a night at Ozu Castle
“Warm-up Quiz” No. 11 (Metalwork and Wood Lacquerwork) = "Nambu wind chimes"
ーQuestions will be categorized by genre from the official DENKEN-TEST textbook (scheduled for publication on September 1st)ー
Photo: Nambu iron wind chimes
Question: Nanbu wind chimes, known for their high, clear sound, are a representative craft of Iwate Prefecture. Which station has become a tourist attraction in the summer because of the sound of the wind chimes displayed on the platform, which was selected as one of the "100 Soundscapes of Japan We Want to Preserve"?
[Previous answer and explanation]
Question: Japanese Tsumugi silk was developed when Chinese sericulture techniques were brought to a remote island in Okinawa, and was then transmitted to the main island of Okinawa and Amami Oshima, before spreading to other parts of the mainland. Which island was that?
Answer: Kumejima
Description: Kumejima Tsumugi is said to have originated in the late 15th century, when a man named “Dounohiya" brought silk-raising techniques from China back to Kumejima. The distinctive feature of Kumejima Tsumugi is that the entire process from spinning the thread to weaving is done by one weaver by hand. Dyes are made from plants and mud from Kumejima, and the fabric is carefully woven by hand using a tenagehi shuttle. This gives Kumejima Tsumugi its unique supple texture and a simple, warm feel.
News from DENKEN-TEST Association
▼The official DENKEN-TEST textbook is being compiled at a rapid pace in preparation for its release on September 1st. The text and images are supervised by Professor Kida Takuya of Musashino Art University. After working at the National Museum of Modern Art, Tokyo, he is now a professor at the university, specializing in the history of modern crafts and design. The text also divides eight genres, such as “Ceramics and Glass" and “Entertainment" into 18 smaller genres. For example, “Entertainment" is divided into three: "Kabuki", “Noh", and “Bunraku". For each of the smaller genres, we have asked university professors and other experts to write.
The bibliographic information has also been posted on the website of the publisher, Jiji Press Publishing. From here you can go to the online bookstore's reservation page, so please take a look.
Official Textbook
https://bookpub.jiji.com/book/b648563.html
▼A person living in Hokkaido pointed out that the traditional culture that should be promoted here is Ainu culture. It seems like only the traditions of the Japanese are emphasized, which is a bit odd. The entire secretariat was taken aback. It was a DENKEN-TEST that is easily overlooked if you are only thinking about things from a Tokyo perspective. Needless to say, “Wa" is just another name for Japan, and we have no narrow-minded idea of it being the culture of the Yamato people. How can we protect and develop Japanese traditions, including the cultures of the Ainu and Ryukyu? We would be honored if DENKEN-TEST could play a part in that. We plan to add this point to our pamphlets and website in the future. We appreciate your valuable comment.
Editor's Note
I have delivered the 11th issue DENKEN-TEST PRESS. I can't wait to get my hands on the official textbook and read it. If you order from a local bookstore instead of an online bookstore, please tell the book's ISBN code "9784788719804" to the bookstore staff. It will be delivered to the bookstore free of charge.