2008年2月20日水曜日

One of Japanese culture

Last weekend, I walked around Hirakata thinking about what represents Japanese culture. Then I found an interesting one. It is chochin (提灯). It is traditional Japanese flashlights. People used chochin in festival or ritual as a decorarion or a sign before Edo period. After Edo period, it is said that people used chochin as a flashlight. However, now people use chochin in festival only, so, people seldom use chochin in daily lives.

However, actually I found chochin around Hirakata city.

Look at pictures, please. You can see letters in chochin.

















The term oshokujitei (お食事亭) is witten in left one. It means a restrant.
The term izakaya (居酒屋) is written in right one. It means Japanse bar.
So, as you notice that still know, in some ares, chochin is used as sign.
When I found it, Iwas happy because culture continues changing, however, in some area, Japanese culture is still inherited. I think Japanese should inherite Japanese culture importantly.

2 件のコメント:

Brad Rice さんのコメント...

Interesting -- have you thought about asking some of the shop keepers why they put the lanterns out?

I see them on restaurants all the time, especially when they're aiming for a traditional feel.

おもしろかった。町のりょうていさんに何でその提灯を使っていたと聞きたらどうですか。

いつもレストランが使っているみたいことに伝統的見たがる。

visual gonthros さんのコメント...

Are there really a lot of red lanterns in your neighborhood? Nowadays don't they usually indicate a drinking/eating establishment? Why the link to Asakusa?

This is an interesting topic, but I think you lost the focus on your neighborhood. What do the red lanterns say about your neighborhood?

-scf