Haiku is a 3-line form of Japanese poetry with a 5-7-5 syllable structure that aims to capture a moment in time. Kabuki is a theatrical form originating in the 1600s known for its dramatic flair, elaborate costumes, singing, and dancing. Woodblock printing reached popularity in the Edo period, involving carving designs into wood and pressing them onto canvas to create prints, and influenced both modern lithography and anime art styles.

1. JapanBy Katie Malin

2. Literature Haiku Haiku is a form of Japanese poetry from the 19th century that has a distinctive three line form with the first and last lines being five syllables each and the middle line having seven syllables. The object of all haiku is to immortalize a moment of time punctuated by a juxtaposition. They often have a kigo --seasonal reference– to better paint the moment but modern poets do not always include them.

3. Theater Kabuki Kabuki is a theater form originating from the early the 1600’s in which stories are acted with dramatic flair—exotic full face make up, elaborate costumes, singing and dancing. There are two general types of stories told, the historical stories and the domestic stories. These were often full of advice and commentary about the military and laws that people were not allowed to speak of during the Edo period due to censorship. The performances are still widely attended to and the actors are often Japan’s television and movie stars, too.

4. Art Wood Block Printing Japanese 2D art tends to be very stylistically different from western art. Their most distinctive style is in the form of the woodblock printing, reaching its height of popularity in the Edo period (1603-1867). Woodblock prints were created by delicately carving designs into wood and then pressing the wood onto a canvas to create the print. Designs were often minimal in color detail and used large graphic shapes. The modern lithograph print making is inspired by this process. The Japanese modern art of anime draws heavy influence from this style from hundreds of years ago.

5. Works Cited Insight Guides. Japan. New York: Lagenscheidt Publishers, 2008. Print. “Kabuki going strong, 400 years on.” The Japan Times Online. Alex Martin. 28 December 2010. Web. 2 June 2011. Robert Hass. The Essential Haiku: Versions of Basho, Buson, & Issa. New York: Reed Publishing, 1994. Print.