Japanese paper umbrella – Wasaga

This old Japanese umbrella is made from a heavy rice paper hand painted with peacocks and flowers. It has a bamboo handle and a metal cap on top. For being over 100 years old this “wagasa”  is in good condition.

Wagasa – Traditional Japanese Umbrellas

Since its introduction to Japan over 1000 years ago, the Japanese have gone beyond seeing the umbrella as merely a tool. Indeed, they are objects of beauty in their own right.

Traditional Japanese umbrellas or Wagasa (和傘), are made of bamboo (竹), wood, and washi (和纸: Japanese traditional paper), fortified and made waterproof with persimmon, linseed oil and China wood oil.

There are many types of Japanese umbrella:

Bangasa (番伞): traditional rain umbrella made of bamboo and oiled paper.

Janome (蛇の目: umbrella in snake eye pattern): is blue in the center and at the edges, and white in between, and looks like the eye of a snake when viewed from above. This umbrella does have variations, such as painted black rings on the surface and the application of other materials.

Maigasa (舞伞) or Buyôgasa (舞踊伞): is a wonderful parasol used traditionally for classical Japanese dance, is more lightweight in nature, allowing for delicate and graceful moves. Maigasa is status symbol of “mai”(舞) dancer but not be used in the rain.

Nodategasa (野点傘): is a type of umbrella used for shade in Japanese processions and open air tea ceremonies (茶の湯).

While a typical western umbrella has eight ribs holding up the covering, a traditional Japanese umbrella has 30-40 ribs. This is due to the particular structure of these umbrellas, wherein thin bamboo ribs positioned closely together support and push the washi paper outwards to open.

When closed, bamboo is strong and durable more than expected, due to being transformed into a form of its bamboo cylinder.

When opened, however, it is not strong enough due to thin bamboo ribs connected with the threads with washi paper glued to the frames, which requires good care for a longer use. If kept in good shape, a 20 year old umbrella may be usable to your surprise. Wagasa may look simple, but it requires a complex technique since paper must be folded nicely after it is pasted on the frame.

The umbrella was invented in ancient China as a canopy to be held over a nobleman. It was introduced to Japan through Kudara (the Korean peninsula) as part of Buddhist ceremonies. Originating in the Kamakura era (镰仓时代: 1192-1333), it flourished in the Edo era (江戸时代: 1603-1867).

The umbrella in Japan was originally called “kinugasa”, but because it came from China (kara), it was also called “karakasa”. At the time, they were unlike umbrellas used today, and were more like canopies that could not be opened and closed. Their purpose was also different. These umbrellas were reserved for privileged members of society, and as well having the conventional function of a parasol, the umbrella was a status symbol that was believed to ward off evil spirits.

The umbrella has played an important role in Japanese culture, and its “Umbrella Culture” is without parallel in the rest of the world. Not only is it indispensable in everyday life for protection against rain and sun, the wagasa is also used in the world of traditional arts, such as in Noh and Kabuki theatre.

Currently, the kano umbrella, made in Kano, Gifu Prefecture, is proud to be to the only place in Japan to be a major producer of traditional Japanese umbrellas.

Like umbrellas, cars had lots of models as well: 

Prosper Co. Ltd Japan

had it all...

http://www.prosperjp.com/stock/VOLKSWAGEN/PASSAT/025167/

For further inquiries and assistance, please contact me:

Ms. Ai Tamaki

Sales Representative

ai@prosperjp.com 

+81-50-5539-9816 

The Golden Pavilion Temple



The Golden Pavilion Temple, also called Kinkaku-ji in Japanese, was built in 1397 and it is located in Kyoto, Japan. It was initially made to serve as a villa for retirement for Shogun Ashikaga. It was quite later that his son converted the building into a Zen temple. The Golden Pavilion was burned twice and was reconstructed after five years. In the year 1950, a monk burned the entire temple into ashes and finally planned to take his own life by jumping behind the hill. The monk survived the attempt to die. However, his mother due to the shame that her son had brought, jumped from the train into the river. The monk was sent to jail for 7 years where he died due to illness.

The Golden Temple is a building with three stories. The upper two stories are covered with a pure gold sheet. The main purpose of the pavilion is to work as shariden, storing the remains of the Buddha’s ashes. One can see a typical Chinese style built on the top floor. The middle section looks like the Zen style and the last, the ground floor is made similar to the shinden-zukuri-style and does not have the gold sheet on it.
The entire temple is covered by a beautiful garden with a pond in the front called the Mirror Pond. A lot of stones in the pond give a representation of the Buddhist’s era. In the year 1987, some parts of the temple were recoated in thicker gold and some interiors of the temple were worked upon during the year 2003.

By:

Prosper Co.,LTD

http://www.prosperjp.com/

Needs Assistance?

Contact Below

HIRO

hiro@mercy.co.jp

+81-5055-32-8180



Japan's way of life

Education Education played an important role in Japanese life. Almost all Japanese can read and write. Japanese language is not so easy. First, you have to learn the three forms of spoken Japanese. They are intimate, polite, and the honorific. Intimate is used when you’re at home. Polite is used in well-educated companies. Honorific is used to show respect to your elders. There are different ways of writing. They are Kanji (used for picture words), Hiragana (used for sounds), and Katakana (used for foreign words borrowed from China.), and Romaji (used for words in Roman). The older you get the more you have to memorize these writing systems. Nine years of school is required for Japanese children. During this time students get a great deal of homework. They receive special assignment in the summer. After six years in elementary school and three years in junior high, they take a special exam. If they pass they can go to senior high. Students who want to go to colleges must take another exam. If they pass they can go to colleges, universities, and technical schools in Japan. Religion Religion played an important part in Japanese life. At first, most Japanese followed the Shinto religion. This religion is like nature worship. It teaches that sea, trees and other forms of nature are like gods. Japanese also added ancestor worship to their Shinto beliefs. In 1870, Shinto became the country’s religion. After the World War II, Shinto was no longer the country’s religion. Many people still believe in other parts of Shinto. More than 80,000 Shinto shrines and 75,000 Buddhist temples spread around Japan. Shinto has been great influences on the way Japanese think, especially their feeling toward older people, traditions, and nature. Buddhist is one of the major religions in Japan. Buddhist was found in India. It spread across South Asia and reached Japan in 552. Today there are four Buddhist parts in Japan: Zen, Jodo, Shin, Nichiren. Buddhist has influence life in Japan especially its art. City Life A lot of people live in the cities. They usually live in apartments. The reason a lot of people live here is that banks, stores, and other business are nearby. Living in this place is hard because cities are crowded. Rural life Rural life is hard because business and other jobs are not nearby. People have to farm and grow crops themselves. Japanese Homes What are Japanese homes like? It depends if you are in the city, or the rural. Rural house are usually one or two stories high. In cities people live in apartments. Almost 3 fourth of the people live in the cities, but 1 fourth live in the rural area, many homes are arranged in a traditional way. Straw mats cover the floors. Only wealthy families have central heating. Most rural families use electric or gas heaters for heat or cooking. Japanese usually put western-style furniture and carpets. When it’s time for bed, they spread out quilts on the floors. Many western-style appliances can be found in Japanese homes. HERE IN PROSPER WE GOT IT ALL FOR YOU  http://www.prosperjp.com/ http://www.prosperjp.com/stock/TOYOTA/GRANVIA/024012/ and contact  KEI OOMORI  kei@mercy.co.jp / +81-50-5532-8180

STRANGEST AMAZING CARS CONCEPT

P-Eco

Although it looks a bit too sci-fi for the desert, The P-Eco vehicle definitely looks at home since the lack of a roof may prove annoying in other climates. Designed by Jung-Hoon Kim, the P-Eco vehicle is an electric car is actually made to make life easier in the city. Equipped with our piezoelectric devices on the front and rear of the driver's seat, according to Naresh Chauhan, it begins charging as soon as the ignition is turned on.


eRinGo Concept Car

The eRinGo electric concept car is a ring-shaped vehicle that has a large wheel running around its center, while two medium sized wheels are present on each side. When the car is in motion, these wheels help it across turns, and when the car is still these wheels extend to provide balance and support. A rotor/ gyro system in the car helps it maintain balance on the single wheel. The two seater concept has steering wheels for both passengers, allowing either to take control.

Peugeot Egochine Concept Car

You thought the three-bar razor blade grille Ford's using lately was Gillette-inspired, check out Egochine, a single-person, tripod finalist in the Peugeot design contest. Creator Paolo De Giusti says it's "a vehicle built to carry a person very self-centered." The car's conceived with a hydrogen fuel cell in the fuselage mounted ahead of the rear-seated driver and powering a pair of electric motors turning to the front. It takes inspiration from the fabulously-bodied Isotta-Faschini's and other coach-built classics. It also seems to take inspiration from the Gillette Fusion Power razor.

Peugeot Moovie Concept Car

The Portuguese designer André Costa took another novel approach to ease city parking and manoeuvring. His design Moovie, made for the 2005 Concours de Design Peugeot, features two huge hub-less side-wheels which are used for both driving and steering. Each wheel is independently driven by an electric motor, allowing the Moovie to rotate on its own axis and squeeze into the tightest parking spots. To increase stability, the two side-wheels are tilted inwards under a ten degree angle.

A360 Concept Car

The A360 Concept from designer Huynh Ngoc Lan looks like a crossbreed between a UFO and some stealth fighter jet. Not that the concept is bad, it is just sort of weird. The triangular body has a panoramic glass roof, then there is the camera system on the exteriors that works to provide the driver with additional feedback. The car moves on three spheres, not wheels, which actually makes some sense considering that it is capable of moving in any direction on the ground.

Since the wheels are spherical, they need not move as the car makes a radical change in angle. To settle well with the new direction, the cabin is capable of a full rotation. To accommodate these functions, the steering wheel has undergone a bit of a change. A control ball takes the role of a steering wheel, with integrated functions for right, left and rotation.

Britisher Dunderdale describes ‘Kassou', which is Japanese for ‘Glide', as “a very compact 3-wheel vehicle, with rear splitting doors and a sitting configuration that mimics a Jet–ski or motorbike arrangement in having a central ‘bench' for two people and moped like controls at the front.”
The large glazing of the cockpit is attached to an adjustable rubber neck which can be expanded and contracted to improve aerodynamics or inside headroom, and a ‘side-car' can be attached via a lower section of the vehicle which also provides an extendable structure for storage of bags and even bikes. Dunderdale's design scored the highest for ‘unique and appealing design' within the professional designer category.


BMW Lovos

Designer Anne Forschner noticed the mundanity of our mass-produced world, and created the Lovos concept to encourage viewers to “escape from the embrace of pleasant conformism.” The concept stands unique to draw attention towards its form, and is covered in particles and structures that when closed give an appearance of fish scales, and of a totally weird car when open. The concept has 260 identical interchangeable parts in its structure, most of these elements form the car's fish scales. When open, these scales function as air brakes, and keep their direction towards the sun to harvest solar energy. Apart from the scales on the body, 12 scales cover each wheel of the car. As the wheels are set into motion, these scales retract to create a semblance of turbines.


Aurora Safety Car

The Aurora Safety car was a creation of American catholic priest Alfredo Juliano. Designed with safety for passengers and pedestrians as the only concern, the Aurora's appearance was an afterthought. And the car has been hailed by many as the ugliest vehicle of all time. Safety features of this hideous creation include; saftey belts - rare in 1957, foam filled bumpers mounted on gas shocks, roll over bars built into the perspex dome roof, and a telescopic steering column. The Aurora's rounded windscreen was intended to eliminate the need for windscreen wipers.

Mazda Nagare Concept Car

The Nagare (pronounced “na-ga-re”) is a concept car that was introduced by Mazda at the 2006 Los Angeles Auto Show. The Nagare is considered to be an exercise in natural and organic car design to explore the future of Mazda automobiles. Its name “Nagare” translates into English as “flow” and the designers specifically studied motion and the effect it has on natural surroundings when creating this vehicle. It was designed by Laurens van den Acker, Mazda's global design director, and his advanced design studio team in Irvine, California. The Mazda Nagare is a celebration of proportions and surface language according to its designers. Its bodylines flow like liquid across its smooth seamless design and there are no distinguishing marks that detract from the overall theme of the car. It has a large windshield that rakes at a very steep angle molding itself into the glass roof of the car. Its large and aggressive wheels are wrapped into the wheel wells, incorporating them as a part of the body.

Honda Fuya-Jo Concept Car

History has produced some wonderful concept cars that became significant production models. It has also produced many that were somewhat less than well received. Japan in particular, has an automotive culture which takes significant chances with its concept vehicles, and is often prepared to go well beyond the traditional to explore new niche markets. One such long shot was the Fuya Jo from Honda – the vehicle whose name means "Sleepless City", was designed specifically to transport “party animals who demand the full excitement of night life.” Shown at the 1999 Tokyo Show and seen at major auto shows as recently as 2002, Honda clearly had the ecstacy generation in mind with this vehicle designed to allow the occupants to stand and dance their way from venue to venue. The interior has a distinct dance club theme, with a dashboard designed to resemble a DJ's mixing desk (circa 1998) and the steering wheel shaped accordingly as a turntable. Not surprisingly, the sound system incorporated into the Fuya Jo was powerful and the car was designed to test the youth market's ideas on what they wanted from the automotive industry.

Toyota EX-III Concept Car

Shown at the 1969 Tokyo Motor Show, the EX-III was a big brother of a former concept model. The larger body was even more aerodynamic, being built very low with a pointed front (no bumper), a long bonnet, sharply sloped sides and a tapered rear. Large exhaust outlets hinted at a gas turbine engine but no details were given.

Magnet Car

The Magnet Car was designed by Mat˙ö Proch•czka as a solution to the challenge of finding more fuel efficient methods of transport. This car uses magnets the same polarity as the road, which effectively ‘lifts' the car off the road, making it lighter by 50%. Of course, this is a true ‘concept car', as magnetized roads are a purely hypothetical idea, and yet to be realized

1965 Dodge Concept Car

This unbelievable weird 1965 Dodge Deora concept was put for auction in 2009. Built for the Detroit Autorama back in the '60s, by some hot-roddy types called Mike and Larry Alexander, the Deora later became one of the original Hot Wheels toy cars. The more astute among you may have noticed the lack of doors. But instead of slithering in through the side windows, the front of the cab opens like a venus flytra

GREAT AMAZING CARS

featured by:

PROSPER CO., LTD

QUALITY , SPECTAULAR SERVICE GUARANTEED

Ms. Mika Ayuki

Sales Department Representative

+81 50 5539 9816 || mika@prosperjp.com

for more amazing cars 

click on the link below

www.prosperjp.com   

Japan's Counterpart of Mercedez-Benz -- Lexus

Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. Lexus vehicles are officially marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide.^[1] The Lexus marque has ranked among the ten largest Japanese global brands in market value,^[2] and the brand is a major participant in the premium automotive sector. The division's world headquarters are located in Toyota, Aichi, Japan, with major operational centers in Brussels, Belgium, and Torrance, California, United States.

Lexus originated from a clandestine flagship sedan project that began in 1983. This effort developed into the original Lexus LS, which was the first vehicle to wear the Lexus marque upon its launch in 1989. In following years, Lexus added sedan, coupé, convertible, and SUV models. In 2005, a hybrid version of the RX crossover debuted, and additional hybrid models were subsequently introduced to the Lexus lineup. In 2007, Lexus launched its F marque performance division with the debut of the IS F sport sedan, followed by the LFA supercar in 2009.

From the start of production, Lexus vehicles have been consistently produced in Japan, with manufacturing centered in the Chūbu and Kyūshū regions, and in particular at Toyota's Tahara, Aichi, Chūbu and Miyata, Fukuoka, Kyūshū plants. Assembly of the first Lexus built outside the country, the Ontario, Canada-produced RX 330, began in 2003. Following a corporate reorganization from 2001 to 2005, Lexus also operates its own design, engineering, and manufacturing centers, solely responsible for the division's vehicles.
Since the 2000s, Lexus has increased sales outside its largest market in the United States through an ongoing global expansion. The division inaugurated dealerships in Japan's domestic market in 2005, becoming the first Japanese premium car marque to launch in its country of origin.^[3] Further debuts in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and other export regions have since followed. The division's lineup has also been expanded to reflect regional specifications in model and powertrain configurations.

I have a good list of quality used cars. Message me.

Ryu

 ryu@mercy.co.jp

  +815055328180

   www.prosperjp.com

The Mercedes Counterpart From Japan

Lexus is the luxury vehicle division of Japanese automaker Toyota Motor Corporation. First introduced in 1989 in the United States, Lexus is now sold globally and has become Japan's largest-selling make of premium cars. Lexus vehicles are officially marketed in over 70 countries and territories worldwide.^[1] The Lexus marque has ranked among the ten largest Japanese global brands in market value,^[2] and the brand is a major participant in the premium automotive sector. The division's world headquarters are located in Toyota, Aichi, Japan, with major operational centers in Brussels, Belgium, and Torrance, California, United States.

Lexus originated from a clandestine flagship sedan project that began in 1983. This effort developed into the original Lexus LS, which was the first vehicle to wear the Lexus marque upon its launch in 1989. In following years, Lexus added sedan, coupé, convertible, and SUV models. In 2005, a hybrid version of the RX crossover debuted, and additional hybrid models were subsequently introduced to the Lexus lineup. In 2007, Lexus launched its F marque performance division with the debut of the IS F sport sedan, followed by the LFA supercar in 2009.

From the start of production, Lexus vehicles have been consistently produced in Japan, with manufacturing centered in the Chūbu and Kyūshū regions, and in particular at Toyota's Tahara, Aichi, Chūbu and Miyata, Fukuoka, Kyūshū plants. Assembly of the first Lexus built outside the country, the Ontario, Canada-produced RX 330, began in 2003. Following a corporate reorganization from 2001 to 2005, Lexus also operates its own design, engineering, and manufacturing centers, solely responsible for the division's vehicles.
Since the 2000s, Lexus has increased sales outside its largest market in the United States through an ongoing global expansion. The division inaugurated dealerships in Japan's domestic market in 2005, becoming the first Japanese premium car marque to launch in its country of origin.^[3] Further debuts in Southeast Asia, Latin America, and other export regions have since followed. The division's lineup has also been expanded to reflect regional specifications in model and powertrain configurations.

I have a good list of quality used cars. Message me.

Ryu

 ryu@mercy.co.jp

  +815055328180

   www.prosperjp.com

THE TOKYO TOWER

Tokyo Tower (東京タワー, Tōkyō tawā^?) is a communications and observation tower located in Shiba Park, Minato, Tokyo, Japan. At 332.5 metres (1,091 ft), it is the second tallest artificial structure in Japan. The structure is an Eiffel Tower-inspired lattice tower that is painted white and international orange to comply with air safety regulations.
Built in 1958, the tower's main sources of revenue are tourism and antenna leasing. Over 150 million people have visited the tower since its opening. FootTown, a 4-story building located directly under the tower, houses museums, restaurants and shops. Departing from here, guests can visit two observation decks. The 2-story Main Observatory is located at 150 meters (490 ft), while the smaller Special Observatory reaches a height of 250 meters (820 ft).
The tower acts as a support structure for an antenna. Originally intended for television broadcasting, radio antennas were installed in 1961 and the tower is now used to broadcast signals for Japanese media outlets such as NHK, TBS and Fuji TV. Japan's planned switch from analog to digital for all television broadcasting by July 2011 is problematic, however. Tokyo Tower's current height is not high enough to adequately support complete terrestrial digital broadcasting to the area. A taller digital broadcasting tower, known as Tokyo Sky Tree, is currently planned to open in 2012.