A Look at Japan for Asian / Pacific Island Heritage Month
Festival of Shadows -- Mysterious Young Adult Graphic Novel
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Do you like ghost stories? Do you believe in ghosts? Today we are sharing a young adult graphic novel that is a Japanese ghost story. It is called Festival of Shadows: A Japanese Ghost Story by Atelier Sento. It is recommended for grades 8 to 12.
Japanese Arts, Crafts and their Makers
This month is Asian Pacific Heritage Month and to celebrate it we are looking at Japan all month long for Multicultural Mondays. Last week we started with two picture books including one on the creation myth in Japan. Today we are going to look at the crafts and craftsmen/women of Japan as well as a round-up of Japanese-inspired crafts and artists. To begin this post I am sharing a new book that is being released tomorrow (May 12, 2020). It is Craftland Japan by Uwe Röttgen and Katharina Zetti.
More Butterflies--Origami
Source |
Some of my sources for my butterflies! |
Tranquil Zen Garden in Kyoto, Japan 1,000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle Review
Disclosure: I was sent this jigsaw puzzle in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Today I get to share with you a jigsaw puzzle of a beautiful zen garden in Japan. As I have mentioned before one of the many benefits of doing a puzzle is that it is relaxing. I find having a tranquil picture even more relaxing!! The puzzle is Tranquil Zen Garden in Kyoto, Japan 1,000-Piece Jigsaw Puzzle from Tuttle Publishing.
Origami Fun!
Wow, what a turn in the women's gymnastics the other day. I have to say I am happy that Simone Biles felt confident enough to walk away from the competition. She is a role model for our children. She knew she wasn't feeling right and stepped away. That takes courage and confidence. And it highlights the need to focus on mental health. The pressure she must have been feeling with all the press and such before and during the Olympics must have been awful, so knowing when to step away is huge in my mind.
With the Olympics in Tokyo, we are continuing a focus on Japan. And a look at Japan is not complete without some origami. Today I am sharing two books--one for beginners and another for more advanced as well as four packs/books of origami paper. We will start first by looking at the packs of paper I used throughout this post. They are Origami Rainbow Paper Pack Book, Origami Paper 200 Sheets Mother Earth Photos 6" (15 cm), Origami Paper 500 Sheets Cherry Blossoms 6" (15 cm), and Origami Paper 200 Sheets Nature Photos 8 1/4" (21 cm).
Origami: Fun Facts, Product Reviews & Craft Round-Up
We are on our third week of exploring Japan for Asian Pacific American Heritage Month. If you missed our first two weeks we did new picture books to learn about Japan and crafts from Japan. Today we are taking a look at the ancient art of Japanese origami. I thought I would start with some fun facts since I shared a bit about the history of origami a few years ago.
Friendship Novels for Grades 1 to 7
It can be tough being young. Friendships can change and people treat you differently than what you expect. And then there is peer pressure. Talk about stress!! Today I am sharing five books about friendship and dealing with different issues. These books vary in the range of first grade to seventh grade. There are even some that are about a piece of history. We will start with the two for first grade through fourth. They are a bit of an easier read than the others. They are also part of The Fix-It Friends series from Macmillan Kids by Nicole C. Kear with illustrations by Tracy Dockray. The Fix-It Friends is a group of friends that help others with problems that arise in regular life of kids. Veronica Conti is the self-claimed president. The group includes her older brother, Jude, and his best friend, Ezra, and Veronica's best friend, Cora. Each book in the series has the group helping someone through a problem. At the end of each book is a Fix-It Toolbox with strategies for dealing with the same issue. Today I am sharing books five and six. The first book today is Eyes on the Prize.
The History of Zero--Asian Pacific American Heritage Blog Series and Giveaway Post
History of Zero:
Can you imagine a world without zero? Or perhaps you wonder why we need to represent nothing at all? For centuries there was no mark or symbol of zero. The history of the number zero begins in Asia. It is believed that the first people to have a symbol for zero were the Babylonians. The Babylonians had inherited the counting system of the Sumerians which was the first to have a symbol instead of hash marks for each number.Around 1450 B.C. By Свифт/Svift (my work) [Public domain], via Wikimedia Commons |
Color Your Own Origami -- A Relaxing Friday Review on World Origami Day 2016
Did you know today is World Origami Day? I just found out this week. Various websites have information about it. The one I got this poster from is in America and celebrates if from October 24 through November 11, but most say it is November 11.
Asian Kites
Hazel has been asking to fly a kite for awhile. Somehow whenever we are at my parents, it does not happen. They live near a beach and usually have more wind (and less trees and power lines) than us. Plus my father has some kites or at least he thinks he does. Well I bought her a cheap Disney Princesses kite and we are taking it to my parents' house this weekend. She is so excited. I told her by having her making paper kites in Asian styles with me first. I was really excited to find Asian Kites by Wayne Hosking at our local library.
All of the styles of kites we made came from this book. The book explains how to make real kites with Silkspan, however I was not looking to make kites to fly, but kites to show Hazel different styles from the Asian countries. We made them with paper and streamers. In fact we used leftover black streamers from Oriental Trading that we reviewed in our Minnie Mouse Pinata post. We also substituted drinking straws for the balsa wood to strengthen the kites.
Source: Wikimedia Commons |
China gets to boast the first written record of a kite flying dating back to 196 B.C.E. The description tells how the Chinese general Han Hsin flew a kite to help calculate the distance his army would have to tunnel to escape. There are many legends of how the Chinese attempted to use kites in battle. The Chinese also used them for cultural and religious significances. With the invention of paper by Tsai Lun, kites became a universal folk art and possible for all people to enjoy flying. From a Kite Day Festival to scaring away evil spirits at grave sites, the Chinese have a rich history of kite flying. Today China has six main kite regions. Each region uses a unique kite style. October is the traditional month for kite flying, but due to favorable winds kite flying season usually runs from the Chinese New Year through Qingming, the day for mourning the dead on April 5.
We chose to make the Butterfly kite. The book describes it as a fair to good flier in light to gentle breezes. The Chinese often make and fly Butterfly kites because they represent beauty and a free spirit. There is also an old saying: "Only the greatest artists go to heaven to paint butterfly wings.
Kites have a long history in Malaysia as well. In fact some scholars believe Malaysia may have been the birthplace of kites. In Malaysia kites are called wau. A legend from the state of Kedah say the knowledge of how to build a kite is an effort to appease the heavens. If you visit northern Malaysia any time from April to June you will most likely see colorful kites flying. During this time they have monsoon winds which are strong enough to fly large kites and also it is after the rice harvest and is a time when farmers and fishermen celebrate life.
We chose to make the Mini Wau. The Mini Wau is a child's kite that is often flown from a stick. Since they believe the wau is a gift from the gods, they fly them in hopes of good fortune. This one I made out of tissue paper which the book said could be used instead of lightweight Silkspan.
Kite flying is very popular in Thailand as well. Oral tradition puts kite flying back in the 13th century when Thailand became a country. The earliest recording of kite flying was a ritual priests performed. They were also part of fighting war as well as just a love of the entire country. Kites often were entangled with the roofs of the royal palace. Eventually there was an edict forbidding flying kites over the palace. Based on a challenge of King Rammi II, a traditional kite game is established and is now a national sport held each March in front of the royal palace.
We chose to make the Thai Fish kite. It is said to be a fair to good flier in gentle to moderate breezes. The fish is a major source of food in Thailand. It is second only to rice and since both are associated with water they are said to belong together. The fish often represents abundance.
Korea may have gotten kites from China during the period of the Three Kingdoms. Kites are called Yeon in Korea. Kites have not changed much in Korea over the centuries. Kite flying is part of many ceremonies and once again there are many stories of how kites were used. The kite flying season closely relates to the agricultural cycle. Koreans begin flying kites on the first day of the lunar calendar and the kite season lasts for fifteen days. There is also an annual custom of kite fighting. Kite fighting involves trying to cut the other kites' strings. They do not attach blades of any kind, but use skill of the flier and the specially prepared string to do this. Once cut, the freed kite belong to whomever can capture it. They have special kites for kite fighting called a bangpae-yeon or shield kite. There are also special kites to fly on the fifteenth day of the lunar calendar to fight off evil. Traditionally the flier of these kites releases the line after all of the line is out. These special kites include the aeg-mag-i-yon and song-aeg-yon.
We chose to make the Ga-o-ri-yon or ray fish kite. It is fair to good flier in light to gentle breezes. It is a rhombus shape and resembles a sting ray in the sky. It is typical of children's kites all over Asia.
During the seventh century Japanese civil servants brought the knowledge of kites and paper from China. Kites held a special importance in Japan and only the privileged class and monks could fly them. The monks used them to keep evil spirits away and invoke a rich harvest. The Japanese considered kites a way to carry petitions to the spirit gods. It is also a traditional Japanese belief that a destroyed kite's soul is released and is free to be reborn in another kite. There are many Japanese folk stories involving kites. There are approximately 340 different traditional kites made in forty-two districts of Japan. Families share their heritage today through kites on special days like New Year's Day and Children's Day. There are also kite battles in May and June.
We decided to make a kao-no-tako or octopus kite. It is a fair to good flier in gentle to moderate breezes. It comes from Sanjo in Niigato (Japan's west coast). Tako means both octopus and kite. During the Edo Period, kite makers often hung these octopus-shaped kites in front of their stores as a sign of their occupation.
Those are our Asian kites and some of the things we discovered about kites in Asia thanks to Asian Kites. Over the weekend I hope to share what we have learned about Children's Day in Japan as well as our craft of a carp wind sock (often mistaken for a kite).
We are sharing this at the Multicultural Kids Blog Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Blog Hop. If you missed our post co-hosting this blog hop, we shared some Asian-Pacific Island crafts and stories we have done and read to learn more about the cultures in that part of the world.
For more Asian-Pacific Island crafts and stories, check out:
- Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Book Round-Up and Link Party
- Abadeha: The Philippine Cinderella
- Golden Sandals: A Middle Eastern Cinderella Tale
- The Golden Slipper: A Vietnamese Cinderella Tale
- Chinese Cinderella Tales
- The Korean Cinderella
- Kongi and Potgi: A Cinderella Tale from Korea
- Kao and the Golden Fish A Cinderella tale from Thailand
- The Gift of the Crocodile: A Cinderella Tale from Indonesia
- Anklet for a Princess: A Cinderella Tale from India
- Sora and the Cloud Book Review
- Lunar New Year and The Year of the Horse Book Review
- Julie and the Black Belt Book Series Review
- Thai Banana Cake
- Korean Chap Ch'ae
- Happy Chinese New Year
- Chinese Instruments for New Year Celebration
- Origami Butterflies
- Hazel Cooks Pancit
- Global Culture
- Chopsticks
Akira Yoshizawa: Japan's Greatest Origami Master -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party
I have several origami books sitting on my shelf to review and by a sample for an upcoming workshop at work. It was for bridesmaid card (for asking to be a bridesmaid) with an origami dress. The paper used at work reminded me of a 1930s dress which made me think of Hazel and her desire for a Kit Kittredge doll. I have to still check out the instructions and find the paper so I can make one for Hazel. However it got my desire to start some origami projects. I pulled out Akira Yoshizawa: Japan's Greatest Origami Master by Akira Yoshizawa. The photographer of the book is Kazuo Hamada.
Fabulous Paper Flowers for Valentines, Home Decor, Spring Celebrations, and More!
Disclosure: I was sent a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Last spring, I used a book by Emiko Yamamoto to create paper wildflowers which I used on spring cards. Today I get to share her next book that also gives tutorials and templates to make beautiful paper flowers. The book is Fabulous Paper Flowers by Emiko Yamamoto.
Japanese Food Ideas: Bento Boxes & Sushi
Disclosure: I was sent copies of these books in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Have you been watching the Olympics? This year is the first time I have really watched in a long time. I love watching the women's gymnastics but always hated how it was shown so late. I love the live streaming videos that I can watch any time. With the Summer Games in Tokyo and where spectators are not allowed, I thought it was the perfect time to explore Tokyo and Japan. Today I'm going to share some cookbooks to bring home a bit of the Japanese culture with food and it is food your kids may enjoy! These books are also perfect for getting ready for school lunches, parties and more! We will start with Ultimate Bento by Marc Matsumoto and Maki Ogawa.
Asian Book Reviews -- Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Blog Series and Giveaway
Disclosure: Tuttle Publishing gave me a copy of these books free of charge for this review. All opinions in my review are my own and I did not receive any other compensation. They also sent me a copy to giveaway! As in all my reviews I am providing links for your ease, but receive no compensation.
This post is part of the Multicultural Kid Blogs Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month Blog Series and Giveaway. More details about all of this below including the giveaway!!
Since May is Asian-Pacific American Heritage Month, I contacted my friends at Tuttle Publishing. It was a logical choice since this is their specialty. They publish books on Asian cultures, languages, and history. They have books for children and adults. It is a wonderful publishing company that puts out high quality and beautiful books. They also have provided five of the books for the giveaway below! The first book we will review is one of the prizes.
Origami Bonsai -- a Crafty Weekends Review & Link Party
Tomorrow we are sharing our exploration of Japan and our Japanese tea party as our post for the Multicultural Kid Blogs' Asian Pacific Island Heritage Month Series & Giveaway. To kick off our exploration of Japan I thought it would be great to share two Japanese arts in one book -- origami and bonsai. The book is Origami Bonsai by Benjamin John Coleman.
Sharing Saturday 14-36
Thank you to everyone who shared with us last week! There were so many great ideas shared, if you did not take the time to check them out, you should. We did have a most clicked this week. From Powerful Mothering: How to Make a No-Sew Quiet Book.
With the start of school for Hazel I have found we are still trying to get into a groove and I am beginning to think of autumn (even though we are now getting the summer heat we didn't really get all summer). For features this week we have September/Autumn themed features, Apple themed features and a couple of my favorites.
1) From Living Montessori Now: September 2014 Calendar Observances and Activities
2) From Rubber Boots and Elf Shoes: Sunflower Sensory Bin
3) From Crafty Journal: Autumn Angel
4) From Keitha's Chaos: First Day of Third Grade
5) From The Keeper of the Cheerios: Fall Leaf Resist Painting
6) From Mini Monets and Mommies: Fall Leaf Mobile
1) From The Good Long Road: Early Literacy Activities - Letter A Exploration Through the Five Senses
2) From There's Just One Mommy: Apple Themed Math Activities Using Pom Poms
3) From A Little Pinch of Perfect: Letter of the Week: A Is For Apple
4) From Gift of Curiosity: Apple Tissue Paper Craft
1) From Mrs. Cool's Little School: One Point Perspective Name Drawing
2) From Stella123: DIY No-Sew Barbie Clothes Kids' Activity
A Few Simple Guidelines:
1) Please follow Crafty Moms Share via GFC (or one of the other ways that work for you).
2) Link any kid-friendly, child-centered post. Please no etsy shops or giveaways, etc. Remember to link to your actual post.
3) Post the Sharing Saturday button on your sidebar or somewhere on your blog to help spread the word.
5) If you do not have a blog, but want to share an idea you can leave it in the comments or e-mail it to me with a picture (if possible).
The Peace Tree from Hiroshima -- Multicultural Monday Book Review
Back in May we explored Japan as part of Global Learning for Kids. The book I am reviewing today would have fit perfectly in our exploration and especially when we explored a bit about bonsai. However it was not out yet and in fact is not out yet. It is being released July 14, 2015. The Peace Tree from Hiroshima: The Little Bonsai with a Big Story by Sandra Moore and illustrated by Kazumi Wilds is a wonderful true story that brings hope of peace to the world. After if a little bonsai tree that survived the atomic bomb in Hiroshima can be gifted to the country that dropped the bomb, doesn't it seem possible to solve all differences.