Final Post

Prezi:

http://prezi.com/iokhw11abdyp/untitled-prezi/?kw=view-iokhw11abdyp&rc=ref-20602677


Critique:
     The Street of a Thousand Blossoms is a novel about two brothers, Hiroshi and Kenji, as they adapt to their lives throughout the war. They face many obstackles in acheiing their dreams such as poverty, famine, and even fire bombings. As life returns to normal after Japan's surrender the brothers watch as their lives become normal again. Kenji follows his dreams and becomes a Noh Mask Maker instead of finishing college and is the first to marry. Hiroshi becomes the most famous Sumo wrestler in Tokyo and has a family of his own. After the death of the his first child, Aki Hiroshi's wife, kills herself after the birth of their second child. This novel shows the effects of war on  common family and how they must rebuild their lives and move on afterward. Other students should read this book to see how bombing effects the people of the country. The fire bombing sections of the book are very graphic and contain gruesome detail. I give this book a 9 out of 10 because it was a very well written book with a great story to tell.

Fifth Post

     Hiroshi's and Kenji's dreams come true but not in the way they would have suspected. Kenji being a shy, ghost like boy is actually the first one to marry. He also owns his own Noh mask shop and gets reunited with his sensei. Even though his marriage hits the rocks a few times they always pull through. In the end it is Hiroshi that has the harder life than his brother. Even though Hiroshi is a famous sumo wrestler and has a wife of his own his first born son dies before he turns one. This takes a more of a toile on his wife Aki, than it does him. They eventually have a girl but Aki cant take the pressures of motherhood and hangs herself from a tree in their back yard. This leaves Haru, Aki's sister to step into Aki's shoes and forcing Hiroshi to resign to take care of his daughter, Takara.

Fourth Post: Favorite Parts

     One of my favorite parts so far in The Street of a Thousand Blossoms is when Tanaka, Hiroshi's sumo coach, gives him the name Takanoyama which means Noble Mountain. This is my favorite part because Takanoyama was Tanaka's sumo name also making bearing the name a great honor. I chose this as my favorite part because it shows how  far Hiroshi has come despite the war and how hard he has worked at his dream. Hiroshi had gotten a scholarship with Tanaka when he was younger but choose to stay with his family and help them. This is my favorite part because it shows Hiroshi's dream coming true little by little. Page 189.
     My second favorite part is when Akira, Kenji's sensei, returns from his mysterious disappearance to discover that Kenji has followed his dreams and opened his very own Noh mask shop. Also to Akira's surprised Kenji the once shy boy is now married to his college sweetheart. This is my favorite part because when the war hit Akira ran away to avoid the war leaving Kenji without the mask shop. And even though Kenji went to college for architecture he decided to open his own mask shop instead. Just like Hiroshi, Kenji did not let the war destroy his dreams and ends up accomplishing it. Pages 266-267.

Related Sites

In my first site, http://www.washingtonsblog.com/2012/10/the-real-reason-america-used-nuclear-weapons-against-japan-to-contain-russian-ambitions.html , talks about why the United States dropped nuclear bombs on Hiroshima and Nagasaki. This is prevalent in my book when Hiroshi and Kenji dig fallout shelters and the endless air raid sirens. This website is in the Japanese favor stating the theory that the United States did not bomb Japan to end the war, contrary to the long held belief. This blog states "Japan would have surrendered even if the atomic bombs had not been dropped, even if Russia had not entered the war, and even if no invasion had been planned or contemplated." They side with the Japanese and plan to get the word out through the blog.

In my second site, http://www.stripes.com/military-life/japan-take-a-rare-look-into-abandoned-wwii-site-1.182140, talks more about air raids and about military life which is described in the book. Kenji is worried when his sensei mysteriously takes off and is worried the war caught up to him because those who go never return. This particular one is a naval bombing in Japan. This site sides with Japan and stands that Americans were harsh with some bombings.

Cultural Traits

1. Hiroshi and his ojiichan (grandfather) has a strong passion for sumo wrestling. Ever since his Ojiichan told his brother and himself the legend of the history of Japanese civilization. Its a sumo match fought on the shores of Isumo and is written in the Kojiki (the records of ancient matters). In this match the two god's Takemikazuchi and Takeminakatato were said to shake the Earth to its very core. Takemikazuchi won and it is said that the imperial family can trace their ancestors back to him and the very first sumo match.
-This is a link that basically summarizes the various legends in the Kojiki. http://www.washburn.edu/reference/bridge24/Kojiki.html
-The history of the two gods present in the sumo legend. http://eos.kokugakuin.ac.jp/modules/xwords/entry.php?entryID=150

2.  After Kenji gets beaten up, Hiroshi gives him an Omamori bukuro that he believes belongs to their deiced mother. An omamori is a small bag usually embroidered. Inside each bag is a prayer or blessing written on paper or wood, sanctified by a priest from  temple. They are meant to ward off evils and keep you safe. However if you open the bag and read the blessing or prayer it would undo the blessing. The omamori thar Hiroshi gives Kenji has "great" and "to protect" embroidered on the bag in gold threading.
-You can actuallly buy your own omamori at this site. http://www.tsubakishrine.org/omamori/omamori.html
This is the history aspect.
-http://www.buzzle.com/articles/ancient-japanese-culture.html

3. Kenji is more interested in the art of mask making rather than sumo like his older brother. The great mask maker Yoshiwara let Kenji be his apprentice and shows him the ways of Noh mask making. An example of a mask is the Ko-omote mask meaning "youth" "face". He even gives Kenji his copy of the book of masks. The same copy his sensi gave him.
-This is a interesting background on noh theater masks.
 http://library.thinkquest.org/05aug/00717/pages/masks.html
-The history of Japanese mask making.
http://www.yoshinoantiques.com/newsletters/Masks.pdf

The Street of a Thousand Blossoms- A novel by Gail Tsukiyama

This novel takes place in Tokyo in 1939. Hiroshi and Kenji, two orphaned brothers, must put their dreams on hold as war plagues their neighborhood. Tsukiyama does a great job depicting life during WW2 as the tow brothers watch life as they know it wither away. I chose The Street of a Thousand Blossoms because I am curious to know what life was like during WW2 in an another country besides the United States. Also after reading some book reviews it appears to be a good read. I expect to learn about Japanese culture as well as common life during a war. Maybe even lean a little but about putting dreams on hold and picking up your life after the war has resided.

Prezi

http://prezi.com/7soxkbp82v-y/re-living-the-occupation-of-the-ruhr/?kw=view-7soxkbp82v-y&rc=ref-20602677