This article describes the possibilities of art workshops which have been conducted in Fukushima Prefecture that were affected by the earthquake, tsunami, and nuclear power plant accident on March 11, 2011. In coastal areas, many people experienced unexpected domestic migrations/relocations and unwelcome changes in their lives due to the disaster,…

Inclusive education has been promoted in recent years; however, its inadequacies and the difficulty of its practical application have been pointed out. Hence, this study presents a scheme of learning according to the conditions of a person's disability and proposes a hypothetical teaching method that accommodates various degrees of disability. The…

Japanese policy regarding arts education had not been well discussed. One of the reasons was the effects of the arts had not been highly regarded in Japan. This paper empirically addressed the effects of arts activities on years of schooling and income. Through path analysis, relationships were revealed between out-of-school activities and years…

This article develops an emergentist theory of children's agency. To make this claim, it first identifies the following two predicaments that scholars have faced in children's agency research: (1) social ambiguity in distinguishing children's learning from adults' guidance; and (2) causal uncertainty between children's cognitive development and…

This study examines how origami has been implemented, practised, and developed in the early childhood education of Japan over the past 140 years. Historically speaking, paper-folding has been part of Japanese symbolic art, craft culture, and religious ceremonial artefacts since paper and paper-folding techniques were first imported from China…

This paper reports on findings from a classroom study on the introduction and effectiveness of new methods of instruction using English literature in a Japanese high school setting. It is based on data compiled during a two-year research project. In this paper, we will detail the investigation and findings from an analysis of student questionnaire…

Everyone likes a good story and different cultures have their unique ways of telling stories. Japan has a history of picture folktales called "kamishibai." Kamishibai (kah-mee-shee-bye), or "paper theater," began to appear on the streets of Japan in the 1920s. A kamishibai performer would ride a bicycle from town to town with…

This article introduces "kyoketsu-zome," the Japanese technique of dyeing paper. The author provides step-by-step instructions for dyeing the paper. (Contains 3 online resources.)

A sky fading from blue to white to red at the horizon, and water darkening from light to midnight blue. Strong diagonals slashing through the image, drawing a viewer's eyes deeper into the picture, and delicate trees poised to convey a sense of beauty. These are the fascinating strengths of the ukiyo-e woodblock prints of Japanese artist Ando…

Japanese masks have been worn for a number of reasons. In the past they were often used in plays and celebrations. Today in Japan, social masks are essential in many party gatherings as a form of expressing one's personality. In this article, the author describes an art project wherein students created Japanese masks and kimonos.

Elementary school students explore the culture of Japan through the medium of art. (CK)

This art activity involves secondary students in sculpturing netsukes, Japanese carvings dating back to the seventeenth century, from bars of soap. How the activity can be adapted for use with elementary students is also discussed. (RM)

Describes an assignment for an art class in which students read a traditional Japanese folk story and then make a carved clay plate which tells the story visually. (SR)

An art program for elementary students based on the construction of a Japanese toy called a Daruma focused on another culture, yet taught basic skills and developed self-expression. Darumas are papier-mache faces. (AM)

The cultural diversity of Japan can provide a rewarding learning experience for children of all grade levels. This teaching unit includes resources and ideas for the study of Japanese society, art, folklore, and poetry. Included among the instructional objectives are: (1) children will compare U.S. lifestyles with Japanese lifestyles by reading…