Shall we ダンス?

Today I had two classes: Japanese and Japanese Society. Japanese went on like it usually does with it's various lessons, but in Japanese Society we watched and discussed the famous movie "Shall We ダンス?" Or how they pronounce it Sharu-wii-dansu. It's a classic here and (for Clark College Students) a required movie for any Okuhara Sensei Japanese 100 level class! If you don’t know about the Japanese version, It was produced in roughly 1996 when Japanese businessmen had permanent jobs and permanent wives…

This version is somewhat different from the American version which I believe is basically a rip off the original Jap version. In the Japanese version, the plotline is more believable because the main character is played by a Kōji Yakusho (See Person on the right ) who is no Richard Gere. However, you all should know Yakusho’s later work in Memoirs of a Geisha where he played Nobu. If you still don’t know him look him up, because I think he’s a really great actor.

The plot line is more or less about an accountant Shohei Sugiyama (Kôji Yakusho) who is feeling bored with his routine life, limited to hard work and staying at home with his wife Masako Sugiyama (Hideko Hara) and his teenage daughter. One night, while traveling home by train, he sees the beautiful face of Mai Kishikawa (Tamiyo Kusakari) in the balcony of a dance school, and a couple of days later, he decides to visit the school and secretly take ballroom dance lessons every Wednesdays night. However, he becomes ashamed to tell his family his secret. Meanwhile, Masako feels the changes in the behavior of her happier husband, and hires a private eye to investigate whether Shohei is having an affair. While the private investigators look into Shohei’s life, Shohei is slowly falling in love with the art as well as the girl. It’s a funny and romantic movie that suitable for all audiences. The Japanese version comes with English subtitles as well so non Japanese Speaking people can enjoy it as well.

Another famous Japanese actor in this movie is Naoto Takenaka (Person on the left in the bottom left pic) who plays Mr. Tomio Aoki, the wild and crazy Mambo dancer. Takenaka has done jobs as an Actor, Director, Writer, Cinematographer, as well as himself. Some of you might know him as “Butterfly Joe” in Ping Pong (ピンポン), the wild and strict ping pong coach. I get the feeling that all his roles are the same exaggerated roles. Overall I think he’s a really good actor as well.

If you’re wondering why we’re watching this movie, I’ll tell you. The class is about Japanese society and this movie deals with the lifestyle of Japanese business men here in Japan. However, the drudgery of everyday “salary men” is changing. In Japan, it was common place for a Japanese man to land a job for life. In this movie it portrays this man as more of an “everyday man” doing things a traditional Japanese man wouldn’t do. This movie (some say) changed all that by making it “ok” for Japanese men in their 40’s and 50’s to do unordinary things then commute, work, eat, drink, and sleep. If any of you get the chance I strongly urge you to seek out the Japanese version and watch it.

After watching the first half the movie I had nothing to do so a friend of mine invited me to the Kendo club. In America I had practiced a little bit at a local Dojo, but I’m far from “good.” The club here is run by the more experienced students (Sempai) who teach the Kohai drills and offensive/defensive moves. Sometime I’ll drop by and practice with them.

Other news is that tomorrow I’ve been invited to see a Bunraku play (or a Japanese puppet show). You can obviously find all you need to know about Bunraku from (reliable) sources like wikipedia, but basically this is a traditional Japanese puppet show. I’m going to take a stab that this is a really old and often unheard of art to the Japanese, because my host mom has never heard about it.

I’ll write a formal analysis tomorrow.

Anyway what’s this Amish news I hear over here? What another shooting from a remote part of America? Whatever it’s about, it must be big if I’m hearing about here… ne?

Get’n late!

~J out