teacher’s guide written by barri golbus produced by colman...

Teacher’s Guide

Written by Barri Golbus

Produced

by

Colman Communications Corp.

Table of Contents Page Program Overview 3

Viewer Objectives 6

Suggested Lesson Plan 6

Description of Blackline Masters 11

Answer Key 13

Transcript of the Video 14

Web Resources 18 Purchase of this program entitles the user the right to reproduce or duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher’s guide and the blackline master handouts that accompany it for the purpose of teaching in conjunction with this video. This right is restricted for use only with this video program. Any reproduction or duplication in whole or in part of this guide and the blackline master handouts for any purpose other than for use with this video program is prohibited.

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Grades 2-6

Viewing Time: 8:55

PROGRAM OVERVIEW

Intended Audience and Uses

Yoshi, the Lantern Maker has been produced for language arts and social studies students in both primary and intermediate grades, although it also can be used at junior high/senior high levels. Created specifically for classroom use, it is an adaptation of the well-known Japanese folktale, The Stonecutter. With a deceptively simple plot that can be enjoyed by viewers of all ages, the story also has a more complex inner structure that addresses cultural aspects of Japanese society that older, more sophisticated viewers can explore. (See An Interview with the Producer in the blackline handout section of this guide.) This video helps students achieve McREL Language Arts Standard 9, Level I (Grades K-2) Benchmark 1 (Understands the main idea or message in visual media); Benchmark 2 (Uses a variety of strategies to predict content and meaning through visualization); Benchmark 6 (Understands the similarities and differences between real life and life depicted in visual media); Level II (Grades 3-5), Benchmark 2 (Understands

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techniques used to convey messages in visual media (e.g., animation); Benchmark 5 (Understands techniques used to establish mood in visual media); Benchmark 6 (Understands the use and meaning of symbols and images in visual media); Level III (Grades 6-8) Standard 9, Benchmark 5 (Understands how language choice is used to enhance visual media); Level IV, (Grades 9-12), Benchmark 9 (Understands how literary forms can be represented in visual narratives); and McREL Arts and Communication, Level IV, Benchmark 4 (Knows the cross-cultural relationships among art motifs, designs and themes of separate societies).

Program Synopsis

Each morning, Yoshi, a humble lantern maker, walks to a large stone outcrop that overlooks his village. There, he chips off a portion of the outcrop and then returns to his workshop, where he carves lanterns. One day, while installing some lanterns, Yoshi notices the interior of a wealthy merchant’s house. As he returns home that

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evening, Yoshi wishes aloud, “I wish I had a house as beautiful as the merchant’s.” A spirit (kami) overhears Yoshi and grants his wish. Some time later, Yoshi sees a prince in a stately carriage and wishes he were a nobleman. The kami grants this wish, also, and a pattern is established. Repeatedly, Yoshi wishes to be something he perceives to be more powerful – the sun, a cloud and a rock – and the kami grants his wishes. Finally, Yoshi the rock wishes he were a human, the kami grants that wish, also, and the cycle is completed: Yoshi finds himself a humble lantern maker once again. The story illustrates the traditional Japanese belief that every person and everything has its proper place in the universe, and, as such, any desire to be someone or something else is unreasonable – indeed, foolish. Beyond being a captivating story, Yoshi, the Lantern Maker illustrates several key traits of Japanese society.

• Social hierarchy and the belief (based on the influence of Confucianism which came from China in the 6th century) that social harmony can be achieved when each person accepts his or her social role.

• The importance of Shinto (the way of the gods) and

its focus on spirits and nature.

• The high value placed on the “quiet arts” in Japan

– sado (tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arranging), ukiyoe (woodblock prints), bonsai (miniature trees), origami (paper folding) and ishi toro (stone lanterns).

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VIEWER OBJECTIVES

After viewing this video and participating in the suggested activities, viewers should be able to do the following:

1. Summarize the story.

2. Briefly explain the role of Shinto in the story and in Japanese society.

3. Explain the function of kami (spirits) in Shinto.

4. Identify the theme of the story and discuss how it demonstrates ways of life in both ancient and, to some degree, contemporary Japan.

5. Discuss five kinds of traditional “quiet” artistic expression in Japanese society.

6. Distinguish between fiction (make believe) and non- fiction (real).

7. Identify the story elements of character, setting, plot, point of view and theme in Yoshi, the Lantern Maker.

The producers encourage you to make adaptations and changes to the following lesson plan whenever you feel it will enhance your students’ learning experiences. Only by tailoring the material to your unique classroom situation will you be able to maximize the educational experience afforded by these materials.

SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN

Viewing Strategies

Various strategies may be employed when showing Yoshi, the Lantern Maker to your class. If you are using the folktale as part of your language arts instructional program, the story can help explain fiction and folklore. It also can

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be used to illustrate various facets of story structure – setting, plot, theme, character and point of view. If you are using the program for social studies/geography, you may find it useful to integrate the story into your unit on Japan or Asia since it illustrates many cultural facets of Asian, and in particular Japanese, society. Regardless of the curriculum area in which the story is used, you may find it useful to show the program more than once – first without instruction, then with a structured lesson or series of lessons (see below) to help students understand the richness of the folktale from both a language arts and social studies perspective.

Previewing Activities

The producers encourage you to prescreen the program to familiarize yourself with its content. If you have not done so already, have someone in the class locate Japan on a globe or topographical map. Ask what is noteworthy about the country’s geography. Help your students understand that there are two key topographical features of Japan – it is an island country (composed of four large islands and thousands of small ones) and it is mountainous. Ask what kinds of work people might undertake in a mountainous country composed of islands. Your class may come up with various possibilities, including fishing, forestry and perhaps farming (in mountain valleys).

Introduce the Video

Tell the class that another job in Japan, at least long ago, was making lanterns from large stones that came from mountains, and that they will see a video that shows a man who was a lantern maker. Next, hand out the

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Vocabulary List and go over the words with your students, making sure they understand each word. Note that the story was set long ago. (The characters wear clothing seen in the Heian period of Japan, which lasted from 794-1192 AD. Often called “Classical Japan,” the period was known for its peace and stability.) Now hand out Shinto and Kami and explain that the information in this handout will help everyone better understand the story. If your class is composed of primary level students, you should read the information aloud and discuss the concepts as needed. The exercise at the bottom need not be done by primary level students. At the intermediate level, have the class read the information, either aloud or to himself or herself. Discuss the material, then explain that everyone will complete the exercise after viewing the program. Tell the class that after they see the video, you will ask them about the ways of living in Japan, many unique, that are shown in the program. Mention the following items: religion, architecture, clothing, climate, geography, arts and politics. Primary level teachers may find it useful to use only three to five of these items. List the items on your chalkboard or overhead projector.

Post-Viewing Activities

Turn the class’s attention to the list on the board or on the overhead projector: Ask your students if they saw anything in the video that might give clues to those items. Under “religion” you should list Shinto (the priests and the kami). Did your students notice the torii gate in the scene of the priests and Shinto shrine? You might mention that the torii gate, traditionally made of three pieces and found near the entrance of Shinto shrines, marks the gateway between the physical and spiritual worlds. You should also mention that Buddhism is an important religion in Japan. Under “architecture,” you may list the merchant’s house, Yoshi’s

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wooden workshop, and the houses along the street (when he walks home from the merchant’s mansion). Help your students understand that these buildings were built mostly of wood, which is plentiful in Japan because Japan’s mountains are heavily forested. Under “clothing,” list Yoshi’s traditional workman’s clothing, his princely garb, the clothing of the prince’s attendants, and the yakuta (somewhat like a bathrobe) worn when Yoshi looks out his window and notices the prince. Mention that today most Japanese wear western clothing, but for weddings and other ceremonial events, they may wear more traditional clothing. Did your students notice that Yoshi left his sandals (zori) at the door when he entered his new home? Explain that, by custom, Japanese leave their shoes at the door when entering a home. Did your students notice the futon in Yoshi’s bedroom? Explain that a futon, a Japanese quilted mattress unrolled on the floor, is used as a bed. Under “climate,” list the heat and rain. Mention that Japan is found in the middle latitudes (as is the United States and much of Canada) and thus experiences four seasons each year. Under “geography,” list mountains, valleys and rivers. Under “arts,” list the artwork and pottery seen in the merchant’s bedroom, as well as the bonsai tree on the table, also in the bedroom. Your students may be interested in knowing that Japanese stone lanterns, or ishi toro, traditionally were used to light Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. Over time, they became decorative objects used in tea gardens, or roji. Candles or oil provided illumination. The lanterns themselves were fashioned from granite or syenite, a course-grained igneous rock. (The Japanese islands are in a volcanic zone in the Pacific “Ring of Fire” and they experience frequent volcanic activity.) If you wish, use the Discussion Questions – Yoshi, the Lantern Maker to further explore the story.

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At this point, primary teachers may duplicate and hand out the Make Believe or Real? and The Prince’s Puzzle worksheets. After your students have completed these exercises, review and discuss their answers. Materials needed for these activities: magic markers or crayons and a pencil.

Now ask the class if Yoshi was foolish. If so, why? If not, why not? Help your class understand that in our country, people often like to take better jobs after educating themselves to do a different kind of work. But many years ago, in Japan, that wasn’t the case. People in ancient Japan felt that they were born to be one kind of person – such as a lantern maker or farmer – and shouldn’t try to be another kind. A person could try to be better at his or her job, but it wasn’t acceptable to have another job. (In short, there was no social mobility.) The story of Yoshi was told to show that it was foolish to try to be someone (or something) you were not born to be. Explain that Confucianism, a philosophy that came to Japan from China in the sixth century, fostered this belief. One of the key beliefs of Confucianism was that each person was to act according to his or her status to create a harmonious society. Intermediate level students should now return to the Shinto and Kami handout and, if possible, complete it as a class activity. If a classroom computer with an Internet connection is not available, assign someone to go to the media center or school library to find the answers. Next turn your attention to the kami in the story. Remind the class that, to followers of Shinto, kami are believed to be spirits that rule parts of nature, such as mountains, rocks, forests and rivers. Did the kami play a trick on Yoshi? (Is that why he laughed when Yoshi wished to be a lantern maker?) Did the kami know all along that Yoshi would eventually wind up as a lantern maker once again? What might be the moral (central message or theme) of the story? Help your students understand that in ancient Japan, the

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moral would be that it is foolish to try to be someone or something that you are not born to be. For older or more advanced students, hand out Confucianism. After the short essay is read, have your students discuss how the story illustrates the Confucian belief that each person should act according to his or her status to create a harmonious society. Did anyone notice that the storyteller was an elderly person? Note that Confucianism honors the elderly and that one of its tenets is that the elderly are sources of wisdom. What happened when Yoshi became a prince? (Nature became unbalanced: there was excessive heat when Yoshi became a prince. Moreover, there was a drought when he became the sun, and flooding when he became a cloud.) Next, turn the discussion to Yoshi’s job. Explain that the Japanese people are famous for their unique arts and crafts. In intermediate level classes, hand out Sado and the Quiet Arts of Japan and have your students do this exercise as seatwork or as homework. Display their work on a bulletin board. Now turn your attention to the music heard in the video. Did the class like or dislike the music? Explain that Japanese musicians do not use the same instruments as their counterparts in the west. Hand out Japanese Music. If you are a primary level teacher, you may read the information to their class, if you feel they will benefit from it. Intermediate level teachers may have their students read the information aloud, then discuss why Japanese like western music. Explain that since World War II, Japan has had close ties to the United States, and those ties have strongly influenced the Japanese people, especially in areas of the country’s economy, government and culture.

Description of Blackline Masters

DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – Gives questions that may be asked after the program is screened.

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VOCABULARY LIST – Helps familiarize students with some of the Japanese words used in the program.

SHINTO & KAMI – Explains the importance of Shinto and kami in Japanese culture.

MAKE BELIEVE OR REAL? – Helps primary students distinguish between fact and fiction.

THE PRINCE’S PUZZLE – Reinforces the Japanese terms used in the program and the lesson.

CONFUCIANISM – Helps more advanced students understand the philosophical underpinnings of the story.

ANALYZING “YOSHI” – Helps more advanced students analyze the story’s setting, plot, theme, characters and point of view.

AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PRODUCER – Gives additional information on the program and how it was produced.

SADO AND THE QUIET ARTS OF JAPAN – Helps students understand the unique arts of Japan.

JAPANESE MUSIC – An enrichment activity that gives students a basic understanding of traditional Japanese music.

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ANSWER KEY

Real or Make Believe: 1. real 2. make believe 3. real 4. real 5. real 6. make believe Shinto & Kami: Izanagi no mikoto is the god who, according to Shinto, created the Japanese islands. Amaterasu Omikami is the wife of Izanagi. She also was responsible for creating the Japanese islands. Confucianism in Japan: 1. importance of the group 2. question authority 3. Individual wishes must give way to the group’s wishes. Vocabulary List: Although sentences will vary, definitions should be similar to the following: 1. An outcrop is a rock formation visible on the surface. 2. Exhausted means to be very tired, drained. 3. A prefecture is a geographical area, or district, similar to a county or state. 4. A shrine is where persons who are of the Shinto faith go to worship their ancestors and the religion’s spirits. 5. Kami are Shinto spirits. 6. Shinto is Japanese religion that worships ancestors and nature spirits known as kami. 7. To scorch means to burn the surface. 8. A torrent is a strong, fast-moving burst of water or other liquid. 9. When something is metallic it resembles metal, usually in composition, sight or sound. 10. Tremble means to shake involuntarily. Analyzing “Yoshi”: Plot exposition: A humble lantern maker goes to work every day chipping stone and making lanterns. Rising action: The lantern maker wishes to be various persons and things, and his wishes are granted by a kami. Climax: The lantern maker, after becoming a prince, the sun, a

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cloud and a rock, wishes he were a human once again – and his wish is granted. Falling action: Yoshi once again goes to work each day, just as before. Resolution: Yoshi is happy being a lantern maker and no longer wishes to be someone or something else. Conflict: Person vs. him/herself Theme: One should be happy with him/herself and should not attempt to be something he or she is not. Setting: A small village in ancient Japan. Characters: Yoshi, the lantern maker; the prince; the kami, the workman who chips stone. An unseen character is the rich merchant. Point of view: omniscient. The Prince’s Puzzle: Down: 1. Shinto 2. Outcrop 3. kami Across: 1. Yoshi 2. prefecture 3. priest

TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO

Long ago, there was a humble lantern maker named Yoshi. Each morning, he would walk to a great stone outcrop on the side of a mountain that overlooked his village. Once there, he would remove some tools from his wheelbarrow and then carefully chip a block from the stone. Then Yoshi would put the block into the wheelbarrow and return to the village. There, in his small workshop, he would spend the rest of the day fashioning a lantern from the stone. It was very hard work, and by the end of the day Yoshi was always exhausted. Even so, he often worked long into the night. Thus, as the years passed, he made countless numbers of lanterns. They were placed in gardens throughout his prefecture, the region where he lived.

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And they were found at shrines, also. Indeed, Yoshi’s lanterns were known throughout the country for their great beauty. One day, when Yoshi was placing some of his lanterns at the home of a rich merchant, he spied, through an open window, the man’s bedroom. Yoshi had never seen anything like! Such exquisite pottery, furniture and artwork! On his way home that evening, the lantern maker could not stop thinking about what he had seen. “I would be the happiest man alive if I had a bedroom like that!” he said to himself. “Oh, how I wish my home were like that mansion!” As it happened, a kami – a spirit – had come down from the mountains that very evening, and overheard Yoshi. Kami have magical powers, including the ability to grant wishes. And so, when Yoshi returned home, he found not his simple hut, but instead, a large mansion – just like the merchant’s! And the bedroom was precisely what Yoshi had seen earlier in the day! He was overjoyed! Summer came early that year. One morning, the sun turned fiercely hot. Yoshi decided to stay home until sunset, when it would be cooler. He was about to turn from his window, when suddenly he noticed a prince in the street below. The nobleman, fanned by an attendant and shaded by an enormous golden umbrella, sat in a magnificent carriage. “Aiee! If I were a prince like that,” Yoshi said to himself, “I would be the happiest man alive. For I would have a fine carriage to take me from place to place and a giant umbrella to shade me from the sun’s heat!

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“How I wish I were nobility!” And so it was! Yet, as the summer set in, the giant umbrella – and even the servant’s fan – could not shield him from the sun’s oppressive heat. “Hmm! The sun is mightier than I,” thought Yoshi. “I wish I were the sun so I could be so powerful.” And so it was. Proud of his newfound power, Yoshi flashed his sunbeams toward the earth where they scorched plants and burned skin. Then, one day, a mighty storm blew in from the ocean. The storm clouds caught Yoshi’s sunbeams, preventing them from reaching the earth. At the same time, the clouds dropped rain onto the scorched lands below. Try as he might, Yoshi could not burn away the clouds. “Aiee! They are mightier than I,” he said, “for they are able to capture my rays. Oh, how I wish I were a cloud so I could be so powerful!” And so it was! Yoshi rejoiced at his new powers, for he found that he could send life-giving rain to the earth below. The flowers opened and the fields turned green. But alas, that was not enough for Yoshi. He sent more and more rain downward. It fell in torrents. Streams overflowed, trees and other plants were swept away, and towns and villages were destroyed.

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Only the great outcrop on the mountain near Yoshi’s village remained unchanged. Yoshi tried to wash it away, but could not. “The rock is mightier than I,” he thought. “Oh, I wish I were a mighty rock so I could be so powerful!” And so it was! For many years Yoshi stood proudly as the great stone. Neither the heat of the sun nor the force of the rain could move him; neither the money of rich merchants who walked by to market nor the power of princes could change him a speck. “Ahhh”, he thought, “this is best of all!” Then, one day, a strange, metallic tink! tink! tink echoed through the mountains and forests. The great rock Yoshi trembled. And a large block fell from his side! “Surely,” thought Yoshi, "this human is mightier than I, for he can break stone with the simplest of tools! Oh, how I wish I were a human!” And so it was. Once again, Yoshi was a humble lantern maker. And once again, he labored late into the night and walked each morning to the stone outcrop on the mountain that overlooked his village. But now Yoshi no longer wished to be something else or somebody else. Yoshi, the lantern maker, was content to be himself. And so it was!

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Web Resources

Japanese Culture http://www.nihongo.org/english/culture/

An excellent source of links to pertinent information on many different aspects of Japanese culture.

Japanese History http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e641.html

An excellent overview of Japanese history with many links.

Folktales from Japan http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/japan.html

Eight Japanese folktales compiled by Prof. D.L. Ashliman at the University of Pittsburgh

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Discussion Questions – Yoshi, The Lantern Maker

1. What was the name of the main character in the story? (Yoshi) 2. What did he do for a living? (He was a lantern maker.) 3. What did Yoshi do every morning? (He went to the great stone outcrop near his village and chipped off part of the outcrop to make a lantern.) 4. Was Yoshi a good lantern maker? How do you know? (Yes, because he was known throughout his country for his beautiful lanterns and they were found at many Shinto shrines and many other places.) 5. What did Yoshi use to carry his tools and chipped stone? (A wheelbarrow) 6. What did Yoshi see at the rich merchant’s house? (The beautiful pottery, furniture and artwork in the merchant’s bedroom) 7. What did Yoshi wish for when he walked home from the merchant’s house? (That he had a home like the merchant’s mansion) 8. Who overheard Yoshi’s wish? What did he do? (A kami. He granted the wish.) 9. Why did Yoshi wish to be a prince? (So he could ride in a carriage and have a giant umbrella to shade him) 10. Why did Yoshi want to be the sun? (Because it was more powerful than the prince)

11. What did Yoshi do as the sun? (He sent sunrays to the earth to scorch plants and burn skin.) 12. Why did Yoshi wish to be a cloud? (Because he thought it was more powerful than the sun) 13. What good and bad things did Yoshi do as a cloud? (He sent rain to the earth; he sent too much rain, causing foods.) 14. Why did Yoshi want to become a rock? (Because he thought it was more powerful than a cloud) 15. What made Yoshi the rock tremble? (The chisel and hammer of the person chipping rocks) 16. What did Yoshi the rock wish to be? Why? (A human, because he thought the human was more powerful) 17. What does the old saying, “The grass is always greener on the other side of the fence” mean? How does it apply to the Yoshi? (Answers will vary.) 18. Is Yoshi a foolish person? Why or why not? (Answers will vary.) 19. How did Yoshi abuse his power? (He caused a drought as the sun and floods as a cloud.) 20. Have you ever wanted to have all your wishes granted? Do you think it would be a good thing or a bad thing? (Answers will vary.)

Yoshi, the Lantern Maker © 2008 Colman Communications Corp.

Name _________________________

Vocabulary List

The program you will see, Yoshi, the Lantern Maker, takes place in ancient Japan. Because of that, there will probably be some words in it that will be unfamiliar to you. Also listed are some words that will help you understand ancient Japanese culture. They are listed below. After finding their definitions, write a sentence using the word. 1. Outcrop

Sentence:

2. Exhausted

Sentence:

3. Prefecture

Sentence:

4. Shrine

Sentence:

5. Kami

Sentence:

6. Shinto

Sentence:

7. Scorch

Sentence:

8. Torrents

Sentence:

9. Metallic

Sentence: 10. Tremble

Sentence:

Yoshi, The Lantern Maker © 2008 Colman Communications Corp.

Name _________________________

Make Believe or Real?

Directions: Color the pictures. Then, on the line below each one, tell whether the picture shows something that could be real, or whether it is make believe.

1. __________________________

2. __________________________

3. __________________________

4. __________________________

5. __________________________

6. __________________________


Name _________________________

Shinto & Kami

A Shinto Shrine

Directions: Read the paragraph below. Then conduct a web search of the two Shinto terms listed beneath the paragraph. Write sentence or two about each term on the lines provided. Shinto is the ancient religion of Japan. It is still practiced today by about three million people around the world, most of them on that island nation. Although Shinto has a scripture, the Kojiki, or “Record of Ancient Matters,” members of the Shinto faith do not believe it is sacred. The most important part of the Shinto faith is its belief in “kami.” Kami are spirits that can be found anywhere and they can take many different forms – as a spirit found in natural objects such as trees, mountains, streams and rocks; or as a spirit of an ancestor; or as a divine being. Shinto shrines are where the spirits are worshipped. Shrines are found in many different places – in homes, woods and even lakes. Worshippers often leave small pieces of folded paper with wishes written on them at special places (sometimes twigs or a board) near a shrine, hoping that a kami will grant their wishes. Shinto has no specific code of conduct, such as the Ten Command-ments, but loyalty, family, nature and cleanliness are very important beliefs. Shinto festivals are called matsuri. These celebrations are held throughout the year to honor various kami. The most important Shinto festivals are held at harvest time and at New Year. 1. Izanagi no mikoto: ______________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________ 2. Amaterasu Omikami ____________________________________________ _____________________________________________________________


Name _________________________

The Prince’s Puzzle

Yoshi was too busy to do puzzles, but not the prince. One of the prince’s favorite puzzles is found below. See if you can complete it.


Name _________________________

Confucianism in Japan

Confucius

Directions: Read the paragraph on Confucius. Then, on the lines below, tell three key differences between Confucian beliefs and western beliefs, those found in the U.S., Canada and Western European countries.

Confucius was a very important Chinese philosopher who lived about 2,500 years ago. His ideas spread from China to Japan in the 6th century. At the same time, Buddhism, which began in India, spread to Japan, also. Together, the two beliefs formed the moral codes most Japanese people still follow. (Shinto, the original religion of Japan did not deal with morals. It dealt with spirits and ruling families). Confucianism is not a religion. It is a set of rules that guide behavior for leaders and their followers, as well as for parents and children, friends and neighbors, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters. According to Confucian beliefs, if the rules are obeyed there will be few arguments and no wars. In the Japanese form of Confucianism, people must always be loyal to their superiors – to the ruler and parents, for example. In western countries (Europe and North America), people are taught to question authority, not give unquestioned loyalty. Getting along with each other, not competition, is another important value of Confucianism. Competition is a way of life in most western countries. Confucianism says that each person’s wishes must always give way to the group’s collective wishes. The individual’s wishes are more important in the west. Japanese Confucianism’s most important values are loyalty, practicing rituals, courage, sincerity and wisdom. 1. Western: Importance of the individual Confucian: _________________________ 2. Western: ______________________ Confucian: Unquestioned loyalty to superior 3. Western: Competition_____________ Confucian: _________________________


Name _________________________

Analyzing “Yoshi” Directions: Analyze the folktale according to the story elements listed below. Be succinct. Plot – Exposition : Plot – Rising Action: Plot – Climax: Plot – Falling Action: Plot – Resolution: Conflict: Theme: Setting: Characters: Point of View:


Name _________________________

Sado and the Quiet Arts of Japan

Japanese Tea Ceremony

Yoshi, the Lantern Maker hinted at the importance of beauty, harmony and peace in Japanese society. To the Japanese, the “quiet arts” are a way to create beauty and harmony, and to form a peaceful place far from the difficulties of everyday life. The quiet arts of Japan include ikebana (flower arranging), ukiyoe (woodblock prints), bonsai (miniature trees), origami (paper folding) and perhaps most famous, sado (tea ceremony). Sado, as with the other quiet arts, follows very strict rules and practices. The tea maker and the guest(s) sit in special places on the floor and tea preparation is done in a very precise way. The utensils used in the ceremony represent the “Five Elements” of Buddhism, a religion widely practiced in Japan. The elements are wood, fire, water, metal and earth. The room where the ceremony is performed is small because Buddhists believe that simplicity and thriftiness are important virtues. Sado became extremely important between 1467 and 1572, a period when Japan experienced almost continual warfare. The ceremony became a way to escape the fighting. By custom, warring parties would never attack enemies engaged in sado. Moreover, when a military leader surrendered, he often handed over tea utensils to the victor, signifying that peace had been made. Conduct an online search on one of the other quiet arts and write several paragraphs describing it. Then draw a picture that illustrates the art. Or research and write several paragraphs one of the following Japanese performing arts: Kabuki Theater, Noh Theater or Bunraku.


Name _________________________

Japanese Music

A Koto Player

There are two basic kinds of traditional Japanese music – art music and folk music. Folk music, sung and played for thousands of years, is the oldest. In the 8th century gagaku, or court music, developed. It was played for the nobility and upper classes. All the music heard in Yoshi, the Lantern Maker was played on traditional Japanese musical instruments. There are no brass instruments such as trumpets, or reed instruments such as the clarinet, in traditional Japanese music. But there are drums, flutes and stringed instruments. One of the most widely used string instruments is the koto, a 13-string zither (a wooden box with strings) that usually lies flat on the floor. Koto players pluck the strings using picks on their thumb and the first two fingers of the right hand. The left hand is used to change the pitch and tone of the string. Another popular string instrument is the shamisen. It is a 3-string lute that looks something like a banjo. There is also the biwa, a 4-string instrument similar to a guitar. The most famous Japanese wind instrument is the shakuhachi bamboo flute. It has 4 or 5 finger holes on the front and a thumb hole in the back. The shinobue is similar to a western flute and is often played at festivals. Drums, or taiko, are very important in traditional Japanese music. The most dramatic is the Odaiko, a very large drum often played at festivals. Two hourglass-shaped drums, the kotsuzumi and otsuzumi are often used in traditional Japanese theater, noh (dramas for the court and upper classes in ancient Japan) and kabuki (plays for commoners). Vocal music is very important in Japan, some say even more important than instrumental music. Today, all kinds of music are popular in Japan – ancient, modern, western pop, jazz and western classical.


Name _________________________

An Interview with the Producer Guide writer Barri Golbus recently interviewed Warren Colman, the producer of Yoshi, the Lantern Maker, to learn more about the program and its production.

BG: There are many Japanese folktales. Why did you select this one? WC: The story perfectly met the three criteria we set out before we began our search. First, it had to be a story that students would enjoy watching, which means it had to have some intrinsic interest, either in the plot or thematically – hopefully, both. Second, it had to mirror some key cultural factors from its country of origin. “Yoshi,” for instance, has many Shinto and Confucian elements, and those are two key aspects of Japanese society. And third, the story had to lend itself to a visual presentation. I found the possibility of showing Yoshi as the sun, cloud and rock very enticing. And, of course, Japan is a stunningly beautiful country and its architecture, clothing and so forth are very unique. BG: I understand you brought more than a passing familiarity of Japan to this project. Did it help? WC: You’re referring to my project in Japan, right? BG: Yes.

WC: It helped immensely. I was fortunate enough to produce and direct a series of programs on Japan in the mid-1980s. I spent more than a month there, traveling to all four major islands. Of the hundreds of projects I’ve been involved in over the years, that one had to be my favorite. I came away with a deep appreciation of Japan’s natural beauty and the uniqueness of its culture. Every morning I’d wake up and think, “I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this!”

BG: What was your favorite experience there?

WC: There was certainly more than one. But if I had to name just one, it was in Kyoto. We were on a mountain that overlooks the city and it was dusk. A Shinto shrine and a Buddhist temple – exquisite buildings – sat next to each other on top of the mountain and the sun had just set. There was still a warm glow in the sky and the lights of Kyoto were glittering below. To top it off, there was a winding cobblestone street with small shops on each side leading up to the shrine and temple. A few window shoppers were slowly walking along the street. It was quite an amazing, magical scene.


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An Interview with the Producer, page 2

BG: Were you able to get it on tape? WC: Well, we shot on film in the 80s. But yes, we got it. BG: Let’s talk a little about the Shinto and Confucianism exhibited in the story. Can you be a little more specific? WC: The spirit in the story is typical of Shinto kami. He has the power to grant wishes. Whenever you go to a Shinto shrine, there’s always something like a display board or bush where people can leave little slips of paper with wishes written on them. Supplicants hope the kami will grant their wishes. Kami are really an integral part of the Japanese belief system, at least to a significant portion of the population. The Confucian idea that one should not try to rise above his or her station in life is certainly evident in Japan, also. Groupism, which integrates Confucian beliefs about social harmony, is a key aspect of Japanese culture. You see it everywhere. Children, teens and adults travel in groups, hang out in groups, do almost everything in group settings. Japanese typically feel uncomfortable in an individual setting. Not that it isn’t done, but Japanese much prefer to do their activities within a group. Group consensus is extremely important when decisions are made. There’s an old saying in Japan that “the nail that sticks up gets hammered down.” BG: What was the purpose of having the drought and floods? Is that about power corrupting? WC: That would be a western interpretation – the Benjamin Disraeli admonition that “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” But in Asian cultures, there would be a different interpretation. When Yoshi becomes something, or somebody, that he wasn’t meant to be, the universe becomes unbalanced and harmony is lost. Nature runs amok as a result. BG: There are many periods in Japanese history. In which period did you set the story? WC: We set it in the Heian period, which lasted from the late 8th century to late 12th century. The Heian period, along with the Nara period, is called “Classical Japan,” a time when there was uninterrupted peace and prosperity. Culture flourished in Heian Japan. We thought it was appropriate because other periods were chaotic with lots of warfare, and the folklore from those eras had much more to do with samurai and things of that ilk.


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An Interview with the Producer, page 3 BG: When you say, “set in the Heian period” what exactly do you mean? WC: The clothing, architecture and artifacts seen in the production. BG: The program was scored completely with traditional Japanese music. Were you afraid that non-western music would be distracting? WC: It might be discordant to some, but education is about expanding horizons and sometimes that involves some discomfort. In today’s world, which is very small indeed, I feel it’s extremely important that kids understand that people in foreign countries don’t necessarily experience life the same as we do. Our music isn’t necessarily their music. That’s a huge lesson for kids because they tend to be egocentric by nature. A good education, in my estimation, helps children overcome their natural egocentricity. BG: Did you change anything from the original story? WC: There are always changes because we’re dealing with a different medium. But on the whole, the story remained pretty much intact. The only real change was Yoshi’s job. In the original, he’s a stonecutter. BG: Why the change? WC: It gave us an opportunity to show another distinct – and beautiful – aspect of Japanese culture, ishi toro (lantern making). And it also gave us a springboard to have activities on Japan’s quiet arts, which are very unique. We have a worksheet and some suggested activities on the quiet arts. BG: Did you change anything else? WC: We changed the depiction of the kami somewhat. We felt that most of the classical portrayals, if we used them, would be much too frightening for younger children. So we softened him in our version.


teacher’s guide written by barri golbus produced by colman...

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