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#20 The Muromachi Culture
Click here to go to the YouTube video In this episode, we will look at the culture of the Muromachi period. 今回は室町時代の文化を見ていきましょう。 Since the shogunate was located in Kyoto, the shogun and other warriors became familiar with the culture of the court nobles. 幕府が京都に置かれたことから、将軍や武家たちは貴族の文化に親しむようになりました。 Kinkaku, or the Golden Pavilion built by Ashikaga Yoshimitsu in Kitayama, Kyoto, is a symbolic building that blends the cultures of the nobles and the samurai. 足利義満によって京都の北山に建てられた金閣は、公家の文化と武家の文化が融合した象徴的な建物です。 Noh is a performing art that was largely developed by Kan’ami and Zeami, who were supported by Yoshimitsu. Zeami wrote “Fushikaden”, or “Flowering Spirit,” a theoretical book on Noh. 能は、義満の保護を受けた観阿弥と世阿弥が大成した舞台芸術です。世阿弥は能の理論書である『風姿花伝』を著しました。 Kyogen, a comedy, was performed between the acts of…
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#15 The Kamakura Culture
Click here to go to the YouTube video This episode is about Kamakura Culture. Let’s take a look at what kind of culture was born in the Kamakura period. 今回のエピソードは鎌倉文化です。鎌倉時代にはどのような文化が生まれたのか見ていきましょう。 Nandaimon Gate of Todaiji Temple is a building representative of the Kamakura Culture. Todaiji Temple in Nara was burned down during the Genpei War but was rebuilt with donations from warriors and the people. The Kongorikishi statues were installed in this Nandaimon Gate. The artists were Unkei and Kaikei. The statues express the strength that flourished in the samurai spirit. 東大寺南大門は鎌倉文化を代表する建築物です。奈良の東大寺は源平合戦の間に焼かれましたが、武士や民衆の寄付により再建されました。この南大門には金剛力士像が設置されています。作者は運慶と快慶です。この像には武士の気風を反映しした力強さが表されています。 In the field of literature, the military chronicle “The Tale of the Heike” was created. It was sung by…