Places and People

Source:  http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/beato_places/fb1_visnav01.html


This is an image of a view of the harbor in Nagasaki. This harbor isn't artificial, rather a natural one. There are some vessels sailing in the harbor.  There is also a large area of many houses surrounding the harbor, and in the distance there are high hills surrounding the houses and commercial area. The high hilltops is important in that they are natural windbreaks on all sides.  And the whole layout of the hills signify protection of the main commercial and residential areas.  It's sheltering the terrain from strong winds and bad weather. The wide front of the harbor is also important for traffic movement and transshipping.  There's a long and wide plank alongside the harbor.  The stretched terrain contains a flourishing foreign settlement, and a large amount of inhabitants laid-out, snaking up through the hillsides. Also, many western-style houses are visible all around the harbor. I see it signifying that Japanese culture has assimilated into western culture. In addition, the large amount of inhabitants could be an indication that this harbor is the ideal natural place for commerce.







Source:  http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/beato_people/fb2_visnav01.html

This is an image of a man holding a wooden stick, dressed in ragged clothes.  He seems to be penniless. He's wearing a filthy and tattered garments.  He is also wearing a light blue head wrap.  Next to him looks like a knapsack-- a sack connected to a wooden pole, which is about the same height as the man.  By the way he is dressed, it looks like it is pretty cold outside.  Also, the way that he has his arms crossed over his chest can be an indication that he's very cold.  It looks very lonely since he doesn't have any friends or families around him.  It can be inferred that he is homeless and has nowhere to stay. By the look of his gaze it looks like he sees some sort of shelter, or maybe he is spotting someone with food at a street stall.  

After reading the caption, I realized that coolie in Japanese is nin-soku. Nin means "man", and soku means "help".  In other words, he is a man of labor which explains the ensemble of his clothing being ragged.  Overall, his garments represent homelessness, and the whole image itself evokes the state of solitude.

Blog Assignment 2

Source: http://ocw.mit.edu/ans7870/21f/21f.027/yokohama/yb_essay05.html

This picture is titled “Picture of Foreigners’ Revelry at the Gankiro in the Miyozaki Quarter of Yokohama.”  This picture portrays festivity between foreign men and female Japanese entertainers.  It presents the foreigners in the place of a Japanese environment.  The festivity takes place in the Miyozaki entertainment quarters.   The center of attention is the group of foreign men being entertained by the Japanese entertainers.  There are foreign men, or one particular man who has taken off his coat, dancing to the two geisha playing the samisen. The other foreign men sitting on the floor are pampered and animated.  There is an abundance of food laid out on the Japanese table, along with some tea and some sake.  (The foreigners look a bit tipsy).  While these foreign men are enjoying a Japanese-style dinner, there is another group of foreigners in the top right-hand corner mingling and enjoying a Western-style dinner with two geisha in a Japanese fan room.  On the right side, there are more foreign men who are observing the entertainment setting going on in the center of the scene. On the very left of this image, there is a majestic artwork of what looks like Mount Fuji.

There are no Japanese men visible in this picture because this print depicts Japanese entertainment to the foreigners.  There are mainly geisha who are skilled in entertainment such as music and dance.  This image portrays the fascination foreigners find in Japanese entertainment. 

First Blog Assignment

source:  http://www.howardgrey.com/sets/japan-airlines-finals-portfolio/

This is a Japan Airlines advertisment. This image shows a Japanese flight hostess and a male passenger. The hostess is wearing a beautiful and detailed kimono, representing tradition and elegance. The man is wearing a dress shirt and tie underneath a blue, vintage kimono probably provided from JAL (Japan Airlines). The hostess is placing a clean, crisp-white pillow behind the man's head for comfort. In the back of the photo, there is another man sleeping peacefully with the soft sunlight pouring through the window, illustrating a feeling of serenity to the flight.  It seems the passengers are in a non-economy class from the spacious and tranquil like environment, and the cushiony purple seats. The color purple connotes luxury, wealth and sophistication.  The color scheme of the image is very warm, elegant, and serene.

The Japan Airlines slogan is “We never forget how important you are.” This photo conveys the importance of commitment to customer service. They are showing that JAL service isn’t like the other usual airline kind. The hostess is showing hospitality by providing a pillow to the passenger who was maybe dozing off. By the expression on the man’s face, he is appreciative of her thoughtfulness. Her thoughtfulness makes him feel like not just a passenger, but also like a guest in a Japanese home. Mannerism and etiquette is very important in Japan, and that is being portrayed in this photo. They want to make JAL flights the perfect journey even through the small details.