Culture and Sports of Tokyo, Japan

Culture

Most of the population of Tokyo is Buddhist. Hundreds of Buddhist temples populate the province, although many of the residents of Tokyo go to these temples only in very special ceremonies such as weddings and funerals, preferring to practice their religious acts at home. Many of the residences are furnished in a Japanese style, although others follow a more western pattern. Most of the people wear western clothes in their daily life. Some older people – especially women – still wear the Kimono, a typical Japanese clothing. Traditional Japanese dresses are generally only worn on special days or events.

Many of the most prestigious Japanese artists work in Tokyo. Some still use Japanese methods and techniques from their ancestors, which have been passed down from generation to generation. Other artists prefer to use Western methods and techniques. Tokyo is the national center for Japanese music, drama and theater.

The Tokyo International Film Festival (known as TIFF: Tokyo International Film Festival), has been held every October or November since 1985. More than three hundred films are screened there, the largest among Asian film festivals, and, together with the Shanghai Festival in China, it is one of the two Asian festivals accredited by the International Federation of Film Producers (FIAPF). ).

Theaters Two forms of Japanese drama, Nō and Kabuki, are the favorite forms of entertainment for the population of the province. The National Theater nō, located near the Sendagaya train station, has performances every weekend. There are multiple schools of nō, including the Kanze nō-gakudo school. The Kabuki-za theater has daily kabuki performances. This art form also has performances in January, March, and October through December at the National Theater.

The National Theater has performances of Bunraku, a 1.2-meter wooden puppet show, supported by Shamisen music. The Takarazuka Theater is a company specialized in making adaptations of Western plays, with the peculiarity that the entire company is made up exclusively of women.

Additionally, Western plays are performed throughout the year.

The Tokyo Opera City (Tōkyō Opera Shiti) is the newest venue dedicated to music and theater in Tokyo. It is inside a skyscraper located in Shinjuku. It was completed in 1997. At 54 stories and 234 meters high, it is the sixth tallest building in Tokyo. In the first three, there are an art gallery, shops and restaurants. The fourth floor houses the NTT Communications Center.

According to aceinland, the city’s greatest musical expression takes place annually, when the Tokyo Summer Festival takes place during June and July. Classical, Folk, Rock and Jazz Music is performed at the festival. Throughout the year, there are live shows in various forums, including the Tokyo International Forum, the Suntory Hall, the NHK Hall, and the Tokyo Opera City.

The dance has a special place in the cultural activities of Tokyo; traditional dance and western dance performances are frequent throughout the year. A highlight is the Azuma Odori dance, music and theater event, which at the end of May each year, takes place at the Shinbashi Enbujo theater. One type of modern dance that mixes elements of various artistic expressions is the Buto dance, created in the 1960s, and performed by nearly nude dancers covered in makeup. Although it is practiced in various regions of the country, Tokyo concentrates the largest number of Buto companies.

Festivals

The matsuri (sometimes simply) are popular Japanese festivals, generally of Shinto origin and sponsored by a temple or shrine; although sometimes they can have a secular or even Christian origin. Matsuri are held throughout the year in Tokyo Prefecture, and some are especially attractive to people in the rest of the country. The most notorious are:

Dezomeshiki (New Years parade, January 6), parade of the fire brigade. 2. Hinamatsuri (March 3), national doll festival. 3. Kanda Matsuri (held the weekend before May 15, every odd year), where portable shrines are transported to the Kanda Myojin shrine. 4. Hana Matsuri (April 8). It is a national festival that commemorates the birth of Buddha. 5. Sanja Matsuri (third weekend of May), hosted by the Asakusa Jinja Shrine. 6. Sanno Matsuri (June 16), hosted by the Hie Shrine in Akasaka. 7. Hanabi Taikai (last Saturday in July), fireworks on the Sumida River. 8. Tori-no-ichi or rake fair (mid- November), at the Otori shrine in Asakusa.

Museums

Tokyo has dozens of museums for art, history, science, and technology. Some of the most prominent are mentioned.

The most important museum in Japan is the Tokyo National Museum, which is located in the northeast part of Ueno Park. This museum is administered by the government of the country, through the Agency for Cultural Affairs. The set of buildings that make up the museum contains the largest collection of Japanese art in the world (90 thousand pieces). The museum scope covers the history of Japan, from prehistoric times to the modern era.

The Metropolitan Museum of Art, founded in 1926, is divided into a gallery that exhibits the works of contemporary national artists; and one destined to works by foreign artists. The Shitamachi Museum, located in the southeast corner of Ueno Park, is dedicated to preserving the Tokyo culture of the Edo era. The Mingeikan] is a museum founded by Yanagi Muneyoshi in 1931, dedicated to popular crafts from all over the country. The Goto museum displays the private collection of Buddhist art, owned by Goto Keita, president of Tokyu Corporation. In this museum there are scrolls belonging to the 12th century, which tell the legend of Genji in paintings by Fujiwara Takayoshi. In the Museum of the Japanese Sword, or Token Hakubutsunkan, governed by the Association for the Conservation of the Art of the Japanese Sword, there are more than six thousand pieces, thirty of which are classified as national treasure. The Tokyo Metropolitan Museum of Photography, in the Meguro neighborhood and near Ebisu station, has permanent exhibitions by national and foreign photographers.

Among the most prominent science and technology museums there are two on the artificial island of Odaiba: the Museum of Maritime Sciences, and the National Museum of Emerging Science and Innovation.

Education

The information corresponding to this section corresponds to the year 2004, unless otherwise mentioned. In 2002, Tokyo Prefecture accounted for 8% of Japan’s educational spending. The different stages of Japanese formal education are listed below, with a description of the infrastructure of Tokyo Prefecture. The school year begins in April for all levels. Across the educational spectrum, an approximate relationship of 50 students of each sex is observed.

Sports

The 1964 Olympic Games took place in Tokyo. They had a great impact on the urban aspect of Tokyo, as large works of sports, tourism, communications and services infrastructure were built. The sports infrastructure is still in use. Other facilities include the Tokyo Olympic Stadium, the Nippon Budokan (martial arts arena), and the Yoyogi National Gymnasium. It was an aspiring city to organize the 2016 Olympic Games.

Sumo

As in the rest of the country, sumo has a prominent place among sports in Tokyo. In the National Sumo Stadium, located in Ryogoku, the January, May and September tournaments take place, attracting thousands of spectators. The Emperor of Japan personally attends the May tournament. Sumo workouts are held in the stables, or beya, and many allow spectators to enter.

Other martial arts

Other martial arts are practiced amateur and professional in the city. Especially judo, which was included in 1964 as an Olympic sport; Kendō, Karate, Kyudo and Aikidō.

Culture and Sports of Tokyo, Japan