Tag - kumiko-aso

 
 

KUMIKO ASO

Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jul 6, 2016
'Moriyamachu Driving School': Two teens behind the wheel of life
Learning to drive is a rite of passage that more Japanese men appear to be avoiding: The number of male drivers has been falling every year since 2009. The number of women drivers, by contrast, has been rising. Reasons for the drop include the decline of the car as a male status symbol. Back in the day, young bucks would dream of picking up girls with their snazzy new sportster; now they're more inclined to see owning a car as a hassle that begins with the lengthy, expensive process of getting a license.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 27, 2016
Satoko Yokohama: The girl from Aomori taking on Japan's film industry
The Japanese film industry is one of the most antiquated in the world. Well, that seems to be the general opinion among media pundits here. Those working in film are slaves, enduring terrifically long working hours; budgets are minuscule; old-fashioned apprenticeships still reign; and women rarely get to go behind the megaphone.
Japan Times
CULTURE / Film
Jan 27, 2016
'The Actor' gets inside the mind of a struggling Japanese actor
How do Japanese actors do it? I don't mean the stars of mainstream films — those "multi-talents" that are busy 24/7 with TV, stage and advertising gigs — I'm talking about the legions of supporting actors who may have only a single scene or line in a film, or play a body floating in a river. How do they pay their rent and also keep plugging away despite their slim-to-zero chances of landing a big role?

Longform

Historically, kabuki was considered the entertainment of the merchant and peasant classes, a far cry from how it is regarded today.
For Japan's oldest kabuki theater, the show must go on