Jumped to Japan

So, in one of my last posts, I mentioned how our own Cherry Capital, USA got the traveling museum exhibit, about Japanese art forms called Jump to Japan: Discovering Culture Through Popular Art.

The exhibit was very small, but takes the visitor on a chronological journey through the art of the Japanese. Woodblock prints and scrolls were among the first topics presented. The exhibit is almost entirely hands-on and the visitor is well-involved the entire time. One can roll through one of several famous scroll prints as well as use a computer generated program to simulate the layers of ink and carvings used in woodblock print making.

Of course a trip through the pop culture history of Japanese art wouldn't be complete without an anime showcase. Visitors could try their hands at drawing their own anime character on lighted tables using sketch paper first and proceed to a miniaturized Akihabara manga shop, complete with tiny clothes hanging from a tiny balcony to dry. The manga shop, though just a scaled representation of what one might find in Japan featured an interesting array of hard to find posters, figures, and manga for the museum-goers enjoyment.

The cat bus and near-lifesized Totoro rounded out the journey. You could even watch clips of the film in a hands-on way. The whole experience was fun and unique. It made for about a good 45 minutes of clean fun in quasi-authentic animeland. There were even tatami mats one could sit at and learn about the various traditions of important Japanese holidays.

At the end you can also cut out your own paper fan (with important exhibit information on it of course) and take it with you as a memento, unless that is, you stopped at the shop on the way out and got something neater!

Jump to Japan will be in Traverse City, MI until September 9th, where it will move again to yet another museum. Maybe it's headed your way!

Plus, did anyone see the "International Cherry Pit Spitting Competition" bump on Adult Swim tonight? Yeah, that's totally us.

Pictured: Top- My guests to the museum (cute aren't they?), Bottom- Totoro holding some ball-jointed dolls that tagged along.