Winter in Japan 2006.
Lecture, Presentation, Travel
Text and photos: M.A. Kensuke Shimizu
Post-graduate student
Email:
kenshi@utu.fi
24.1.2007
In the end of November, I went to Japan to give a lecture and a presentation. In December 2nd, 2006, I gave a lecture at the Christmas meeting of the Japan-Finland Society (Japani Suomi Yhdistys). And in December 6th, 2006, I gave a presentation at the meeting of "Yooroppa minzokugaku kenkyukai" (European Ethnology Society). After this presentation, I saw Christmas illuminations in Tokyo, and travelled in Osaka, Kyoto, Kobe, and Sendai.
Lecture at the Japan-Finland Society (Japani Suomi Yhdistys)The topic of my lecture was about the lights of the Christmas season of Turku. After I spoke about what I have been doing in Finland, I started to speak about the project of the Christmas City of Finland (Suomen Joulukaupunki). After that, one by one, I explained the lights of the Christmas season of Turku, which are illuminations, Christmas trees with illuminations, lights of the Christmas market, and candles. In the final part, I described the general view of the illumination lights of the Christmas season of Turku, as a whole, and my views on the current situation towards the future.
I used the results of the questionnaire survey I did for my master's thesis, about the foreigners' views towards the lights of the Christmas season of Turku. Also, when I explained the project of the Christmas City of Finland (Suomen Joulukaupunki), I gave the brochure of this to the audience.
There were roughly about 50 people. It was a very good and pleasant experience. This meeting in December was a Christmas meeting, and after my lecture, we enjoyed eating food together in an atmosphere of friendliness. Location of this meeting was at facilities in Sakuragaokacho of Shibuya City in Tokyo.
They (Japan-Finland Society) made books including those called "FINLAND TABLE". It seems to me that they are very much interested in having lectures, collecting academic materials about Finland.
Presentation at "Yooroppa minzokugaku kenkyukai" (European Ethnology Society)The title of my presentation was, if I translate it into English, "Lights of the Urban Landscape of Turku, Finland - Christmas Season". It was about 1 hour for the presentation, and after that, 1 hour for discussion. Location of my presentation was at a building of Waseda University, Tokyo.
The topic of my presentation was about the lights of the Christmas season of Turku, and also about the red neon lights on the chimney of the Turku energia's power plant as part of the urban landscape of Turku.
After some introductory part, I started my presentation with the topic of the Christmas season of Turku, Christmas City of Finland (Suomen Joulukaupunki), and different kinds of Christmas lights (illumination, Christmas tree with illuminations, lights of the Christmas market, and candles). Then, I moved on to the topic of the lights around the River Aura as one of the impressive sights during the Christmas season, the lights of restaurant ships, white lights along the river, and the red neon lights on the chimney of the Turku energia's power plant. Also, I explained, that in the New Year celebration, people gather around the River Aura to see the firework of the celebration. In the final part of my presentation, like my lecture at the Japan-Finland Society, I described the general view of the illumination lights of the Christmas season of Turku, as a whole, and my views on the current situation towards the future.
Because I had been asked to make a kind of a summary, I made it, and handed it to the audience there. To the summary, I added short explanatory texts and main points. Also, for the audience, I made the 7 colour copied photos of the Christmas lights of Turku.
It was a very good experience to give a presentation there, and get to know researchers. The audience made intriguing comments, which are good for my research. They told me, it is rare that the Japanese is doing ethnology research in Finland. It seems to me that they are very much interested in what I am doing, what is the ethnology in Finland, what is the education in Finland like, and so on.
Travel in JapanAfter the presentation, I saw Christmas illuminations and winter lights in Tokyo, and then, travelled in Japan, first in Kansai area (Osaka, Kyoto, and Kobe). I stayed at a hotel in Osaka, and from Osaka, I visited Kyoto and Kobe. After this travel, I visited Sendai which is a city located in the northern part of Japan, and then, came back to Tokyo.
There were many different kinds of lights during this winter time in Japan. Some of them were Christmas illumination, and some were seen under some project of tourism. Some were like a kind of sculptures, and some were by professional lighting designers, and so on. Also, some of them started after the Christmas Day, and were seen towards the New Year's Day. My research is about urban lights, and this time, I tried to see many of these lights in the cities of Japan, thought further about winter lights.
All photos © Kensuke Shimizu
Illumination of "Shinjuku Southern Lights 2006-2007" at Shinjuku Southern Terrace in Shinjuku, Tokyo.
Illumination along the Takashimaya department store, part of the "Shinjuku Southern Lights 2006-2007".
Illumination in Tama Center, Tokyo, in 2006.
Nakanoshima Illumination Street, part of the "OSAKA Hikari-Renaissance 2006", in Nakanoshima, Osaka.
Arcade street of Shinsaibashisuji in Osaka, with the Christmas illumination of "Brillant de Shinsaibashi 2006" around the arcade roof.
Christmas tree "MARINE" (blue colour) at MOSAIC (area of shops, restaurants, and so on) in Kobe Harborland, Kobe. Also, "Port Tower" (red colour) and "Kobe Maritime Museum / Kawasaki Good Times World" (green colour), in Kobe in 2006.
Togetsukyo Bridge, illuminated in the event of "Kyoto Arashiyama HANATOURO 2006" in Arashiyama, Kyoto.
Bamboo trees, lit up in the event of "Kyoto Arashiyama HANATOURO 2006" in Arashiyama, Kyoto.
Illumination of the SENDAI PAGEANT OF STARLIGHT, in Sendai in 2006.