ELICA MIWA

Tag: view

  • Now We Are Alone [Shakespeare For You]

    Now We Are Alone [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 But say, Lucetta, now we are alone, Wouldst thou then counsel me to fall in love?

    — Julia, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-2

    [ACTING TIPS]

    Julia is to choose a husband from suitors, and ask advice from her maid, Lucetta. 
    This husband choosing with the maid scene is repeated in The Merchant of Venice’s Portia and her maid Nelissa. 

    Both Julia and Portia are going to disguise themselves to be a boy.  But think that you are going to perform both of them, then you must make big differences between these two ladies. 

    How would you do?

    Just to point out for fun that “now we are alone” resembles Hamlet’s “Now I am alone” just before he starts his third soliloquy.

  • My Horns Are His Horns [Shakespeare For You]

    My Horns Are His Horns [Shakespeare For You]

    🎭 Why then, my horns are his horns, whether I wake or sleep.

    — Speed, Two Gentlemen of Verona 1-1

    (I said scene 2 in the video; it is scene 1!)

    [ACTING TIPS]

    Speed is the servant to Valentine, and a comic character.  This Master/Servant pair is typical for Renaissance Italian comedy (Commedia Dell’arte), and shows Shakespeare is influenced by it.  So, be funny!  

    You may know the “horn” gag.  When a husband has a horn, it means his wife has betrayed him.  The horn on the head of a man is the proof that this man cannot sexually satisfy his wife.

    The servant is the property of the master.  Therefore, the servant’s property is his master’s.

    “Whether I wake or sleep” is deprived from the Bible.

    ===

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  • Plum Blossoms in Odawara

    Plum Blossoms in Odawara

    Before I deliver this blog, I must share my deep sorrow and prayer for UKRAINE who suffer without a reason. I cannot pretend as if  nothing is happening and write my usual blog. But at the same time, one may need to stay calm and bless the world.

    Though the wind and politics are savage, the spring is coming here in Japan. The early rise of spring is traditionally symbolized by plum blossoms. I went to Odawara, two hour drive from central Tokyo, to see the plum orchard.
    Here is the video. I hope this gives you some relaxing moment.

    The season has just started, which means not many flowers on trees.

    ! ZEN ACTING !
    Breathe in the fresh air, to refresh your mind.

  • The Oldest Shrines in Japan: Miwa Jinja

    The Oldest Shrines in Japan: Miwa Jinja

    Do you know the oldest shrine in Japan?
    It is Miwa Jinja in Nara. (“Jinja” means “shrine”.)
    As you might have guessed, my name is given from this shrine.
    Last summer in Japan, the pandemic eased down for a few months, and I took the opportunity to visit there.
    Enjoy watching!

  • Tanzawa Lake and Japanese Farm House Life

    Tanzawa Lake and Japanese Farm House Life

    One cloudy day, I went to TanZawa Lake. It provides water for Kanagawa prefecture.

    You can only approach by car, which means theare are not so many people there. That means the air is crisp and clean. The atmosphere is quite different from Okutama Lake of Tokyo, though Okutama is also beautiful and clean. How shall I put the difference? This Tanzawa Lake is quieter, bearing old Japan of 100 years ago.

    There are an old style Japanese farm life style museum. You can see a people’s house, not aristocratic, just an ordinary farm house.

    As I put some notes in the photographs below, I realized the similarities in the architecture of Japanese farm house and Shakespearean farm houses (even theatre!). Thatched roof and white mud. Isn’t it interesting to think of human thinking process?

    • Left is a living are. Right is a barn.
    • Red Maple. The rood is thatched, same as Shakespearean English farm house.
    • Golden Ginko. The wall is white mud, same as Shakespearean Globe.
    • You see a literal character on the roof, meaning “water”. To write “water” on the roof was believed to prevent fire and lightening struck.

    Some lake photographs and me, too.

    • Hey!
    • Hi!
    • Miscanthus is the symbol of autumn.
    • Never seen this plant. It seems they are flowers.
    • Hi!

    Where to Eat

    There are two restaurants in front of the farm house museum.
    I recommend the smaller one which focuses on Soba menu.
    (The bigger one has deer meat and other lovely menue as well!)

    Look at this big size Tempura plate!
    When you order Tempura Soba, you have Soba and Tempura in separate plate, for the amount of Tempura is so big!
    (I order hot soba. You can choose cold soba, too.)

    Tempura is with big Prawn and forest vegetables and mushroom. Great and very satisfying!

    AzumaYa
  • Red & Golden Autumn

    Red & Golden Autumn

    Why Do I Write Travel Blog?

    Acting is about looking inside yourself. We actors (and directors and writers) need to experience as much as possible, as long as it is safe and nobody gets hurt.

    This is why I put travel diary in my Zen Acting blog.

    Though you may see me just having fun, I learn and take in so many things which might help in my acting, directing, and creative writing.
    When you visit (or virtual visit through videos), allow yourself to take in the surprises like a child.

    Another beautiful Japanese autumn.

    Kawaguchi Lake, by Mt. Fuji.

    There is an antique music automata collection museum by Kawaguchi Lake.

    It is modelled in Western European style houses and gardens, for we Japanese admire and yearn to live like white European since when we opened our country to Western civilization in the late 19th century.

    Well, I need to write a full thick book to talk about how we Japanese became to have complexed mind and longing for Western culture. So I should stop here.

    Enjoy the beatiful red Momiji maple leaves and me!

    • Balcony of Main Restaurant.
    • Blessed with Diamond Sun
    • Hello, Mt. Fuji
    • Scarlet canopy!
    • Golden picture frame.
    • Blessed by the Sacred Energy.
    • Hi, there!
    • Long legs.
    • Great sky!
    • Poplars like in France.
    • Good Old Serene Japan.
    • Longing to be European.
    • Singing Bird Automata of 18th Century
    • profile
    • 3 O’clock chime and Fountain Dance
    • Captured a Moment!
    • She lives here.
    • A Swan House.
    • Such a special view!
    • What can I say?
  • Kawamata River High Bridge

    Kawamata River High Bridge

    Another beautiful Japanese autumn view spot.
    When you go visit the beautiful DoRyu Waterfall, 
    don’t forget to put your step onto a long and high bridge of Kawamata River.

    The deep valley overlooking the river Kawamata at the bottom, you are surrounded by the beautiful multi colored hills.
    The bridge is settled at the very high point and you feel like floating above the valley.This is such a wonderful feeling very rare to experience near Tokyo.(Well, 3 hours drive from Shinjuku).

    You will see a superb surprising thing, too, if the weather is nice like my video.

    Enjoy! And don’t forget to subscribe to ELICA MIWA.

  • Golden Waterfall: DoRyu

    Golden Waterfall: DoRyu

    I visited one of rare waterfalls in Japan.
    It is called DoRyu Waterfall, meaning Throwing-up Dragon…yes, wow, isn’t it?

    DoRyu 吐竜

    DoRyu in Japanese kanji character is 吐竜。

    吐 is pronounced as Do [do].
    It means both breathing out and throwing up.
    The fundamental meaning must be strong gush of something coming out from a mouth.

    You see the charcater is composed with 口 and 土.
    口 is mouth.
    土 is earth.

    The second character 竜 [ryu:] means dragon.

    Japanese language is easy!

    Anyway, I want to show you beautiful Japanese autumn when all the mountains and waters turn red and gold.


    https://youtu.be/ri0USH9dZ1o


    I am so appreciated if you subscribe my youtube channel.

    Wait for the next one!

  • Lake OkuTama, Tokyo

    In Tokyo, somehow, miravulously, the numbers of patients of COVID-19 are dramatically fallen. However, we are still living in the world where travelling abroad is strictly forbidden. So, I thought it might be a little fun for you to see some beautiful nature of Tokyo now.

    I have made a short video, showing you around Lake OkuTama, 1 hour train ride from Shinjuku. You also have to walk another 1 hour or so, and I recommend you to rent a car.
    Because the place is near nowhere, the lake itself is very quiet and clean.

    Here is the Youtube link.

    https://youtu.be/M76oYgGbU2s


    If you like to see more of this kind, please subscribe ELICA Channel.