Erica Lo Set Lek 0319005 . Cheok Jian Shuang 0320089 . Chong Kit Yee 0319748. Chong Jia Yi 0320869. Caleb Soh Er Wen 0320292.

Lucas Ong Tun Cheik 0319979. Lim Yang Kang 0320538. Lim Jey Shen 0319796 . Aaron Chong 032270

Characters ResearchEmperor Lim Yang KangThe Japanese Imperial family is the oldest hereditary monarchy in the world. The family's lineage dates back to the sixth century BC, though the title of Tenno (emperor) or Sumera-Mikoto (heavenly sovereign) was assumed by rulers in the sixth or seventh century and has been used since. The family crest (above) is the kiku, or chrysanthemum.The role of the Emperor (and occasionally the Empress - there have been 8 to date) has varied in importance. Considered a divine being until the end of World War II, the postwar Constitution made him the "Symbol of the state". He plays a largely ceremonial part in the life of the nation.

Samurai Caleb, Jason, LucasThe samurai were the warriors of premodern Japan. They later made up the ruling military class that eventually became the highest ranking social caste of the Edo Period(1603-1867). Samurai employed a range of weapons such as bows and arrows, spears and guns, but their main weapon and symbol was the sword.Samurai were supposed to lead their lives according to the ethic code of bushido ("the way of the warrior"). Strongly Confucian in nature, bushido stressed concepts such as loyalty to one's master, self discipline and respectful, ethical behavior. Many samurai were also drawn to the teachings and practices of Zen Buddhism.

Geisha Erica LoGeisha, geiko or geigi are traditional Japanese female entertainers who act as hostesses and whose skills include performing various Japanese arts such as classical music, dance, games and conversation, mainly to entertain male customers.

Peasant 1 : Samurai Sword Maker Chong Kit YeeJapanese swordsmithing is the labour-intensive bladesmithing process developed in Japan for forging traditionally made bladed weapons (nihonto) including katana, wazikashi, tanto,yari, naginata, nagamaki, tachi, uchigatana, nodachi ,odachi kodachii, and ya (arrow). Japananese sword blades were often forged with different profiles, different blade thicknesses, and varying amounts of grind. Wakizashi and tantō were not simply scaled-down katana; they were often forged without ridge (hira-zukuri) or other such forms which were very rare on katana.

Peasant 2 : The Koinobori Maker Cheok Jian ShuangKoinobori, meaning "carp streamer" in Japanese, are carp-shaped wind socks traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate Tango no Sekku, a traditional calendrical event which is now designated a national holiday; Children's Day (Kodomo no Hi).These wind socks are made by drawing carp patterns on paper, cloth or other nonwoven fabric. They are then allowed to flutter in the wind. They are also known as satsuki-nobori.Their origin dates back to the beginning of the Meiji period when a merchant who had a toy and stationery business, on his way back from a visit to the Ise Shrine, saw paper carp made in Nagoya. This gave him the idea of having a Japanese kite maker make the paper carp, which he then sold.

Peasant 3 : Monk Chong Jia YiBuddhism has been practiced in Japan since at least 552 AD, though some Chinese sources place the first spreading of the religion earlier during the Kofun period (250 to 538). Buddhism has had a major influence on the development of Japanese society and remains an influential aspect of the culture to this day.There were 2 types of monk in ancient japan, So hei(warrior monk) and Buddhist monk. Warrior monks held considerable power, obliging the imperial and military governments to collaborate. While buddhist monks do not have much association with government.

Peasant 4 : Rebeller & Shishimai Aaron ChongRebellerThere is a great deal of ritual associated with seppuku, particularly when it was done as a protest, or as an honourable punishment. In such cases it might be performed in a spiritually clean temple or similar location, but other locations (e.g. on the field of battle, for members of the losing side) were also common.Seppuku was officially abolished during the Meiji Restoration in 1868, but did not completely die out. Dozens of people are known to have committed seppuku since then, including a large group of military men who committed suicide in 1895 as a protest against the return of a conquered territory, to China; by General Nogi and his wife on the death of Emperor Meiji in 1912; and by numerous soldiers and civilians who chose to die rather than surrender at the end of World War II.

ShishimaiJapan has a long tradition of the lion dance and the dance is known as shishi-mai  in Japanese. It is thought to have been imported from China during the Tang Dynasty, and became associated with celebration of Buddha's birthday. The oldest surviving lion mask, made of paulownia wood with an articulated lower jaw, is preserved in Japan.The dance is commonly performed during the New Year where the lion dancers may be accompanied by flute and drum musicians.

Costume ResearchEmperor

"Sokutai" is the most formal clothing that really high ranked court officer wore. The name, "Sokutai" is originally from "Sekitai" which is like a belt with stone decoration. "Soku" means a bunch of something and

"tai" means a belt that binds up some clothing. You'll see the costume that highest ranked ministers in the court wore in the Heian period.

Samurai

The Samurai warrior was an expert in hand to hand combat. The disciplines he mastered included Ju Jitsu, Iaido and swordsmanship. The Samurai would fight mounted on a horse or on foot. It is said that some of

their opponents were strong and skilled enough to be able to punch through the Samurai armor with a single strike from their fist. 

Geisha

Geisha always wear kimono. Geisha wear highly colorful kimono with extravagant obi. Always, the obi is brighter than the kimono she is wearing to give a certain exotic balance. Maiko wear the obi tied in a style

called "darari". Older geisha wear more subdued patterns and styles. The sign of a prosperous okiya is having geisha not wearing a kimono more than once, meaning that those okiyas with higher economic status

will have "storehouses" of sorts where kimono are stored and interchanged between geisha.The color, pattern, and style of kimono is also dependent on the season and the event the geisha is attending.

In winter, geisha can be seen wearing a three-quarter length haori lined with hand painted silk over their kimono. Lined kimono are worn during colder seasons, and unlined kimono during the summer. A kimono

can take from 2–3 years to complete, due to painting and embroidering.The white makeup that is a trademark of the geisha was once lead-based and poisonous. Now, it is harmless. If a maiko follows the traditional way

of achieving the look, she first applies oil and a layer of wax to her face. This makes the skin perfectly smooth and forms a base to which the white powder can adhere. She then applies red lipstick only to her

lower lip. This is a sign that she is an apprentice.

Peasant : Koinobori Maker

Peasant Clothing- BoroBoro is the clothing that was worn by peasants, merchants or artisans in Japan from Edo up to early Showa (17th – early 19th century). In feudal times, the majority were peasant farmers. Not everyone could afford the lavish silk kimono and vivid obi worn by the aristocracy. Clothes were crafted from cheaper materials,

but were no less beautiful than those worn by the upper classes.

Peasant : Samurai Sword Maker

The kosode is a basic Japanese robe for both men and women. Worn as both an undergarment and overgarment, it is what most people imagine when using the much broader term kimono. The literal meaning of the term kosode is "small sleeve," which refers to the sleeve opening. Kosode are T-shaped, have a looser

fit than the Kimono and come in varying lengths. Kosode replaced the many layered, unlined hirosodes. Over time kosode gradually developed into a wide variety of styles, with patterns and fabrics

Peasant : Monk

Buddhist kāṣāya said to have originated in India as set of robes for the devotees of Gautama Buddha. . Original kāṣāya were constructed of discarded fabric. These were stitched together to form three rectangular

pieces of cloth, which were then fit over the body in a specific manner. The three main pieces of cloth are theantarvāsa, the uttarāsaṅga, and the saṃghāti. Together they form the "triple robe," or tricīvara.

The antarvāsa is the inner robe covering the lower body. It is the undergarment that flows underneath the other layers of clothing. It has a large neck, and almost entirely covers the torso. In representations of the

Buddha, the bottom of the antarvāsa usually protrudes, and appears in the rough shape of a triangle.Uttarāsaṅga is a robe covering the upper body.

The saṃghāti is an outer robe used for various occasions. It comes over the upper robe (uttarāsaṅga), and the undergarment (antarvāsa).

Shishimai

The Shishimai is a costume that originates from the Japanese Lion Dance. This lion was meant to protect the land by scaring away evil spirits. As a matter of fact, Shishimai dance serves to ward off evil spirits and

brings good harvest, wealth, and prosperity to the region.

Props Research

Samurai Sword

In modern times the most commonly known type of Japanese sword is the Shinogi-Zukuri katana, which is a single-edged and usually curved long sword traditionally worn by samurai from the 15th century onwards. Other types of Japanese swords include: tsurugi or ken, which is a double-edged sword; ōdachi, nodachi,

tachi, which are older styles of a very long single-edged sword; wakizashi, a medium-sized sword and tantō which is an even smaller knife-sized sword. Naginata and yari despite being pole-arms are still considered to

be swords.Japanese swords are still commonly seen today, antique and modern forged swords can easily be found and purchased. Modern, authentic nihontō are made by a few hundred swordsmiths. Many examples can be seen at an annual competition hosted by the All Japan Swordsmith Association, under the auspices of the Nihontō

Bunka Shinkō Kyōkai (Society for the promotion of Japanese Sword Culture).Some western historians have said that Japanese katana were among the finest cutting weapons in world

military history.

Horse of Samurai

At the present time, genetics show that Japanese horses derived from the

small sturdy Mongolian horses. In Japan today, eight horse breeds are recognized and all of these are small in stature—averaging 13 to 14 hands. Since there is relatively little pastureland in Japan, horses were generally

stabled when they were not being ridden.During the Heian period (794 to 1185), the era in which the concept of the samurai arose, horses became an essential part of every noble warrior’s equipment. This was an era in which power was centralized around an imperial court based in Kyoto. While it is common to assume that the sword was the soul of the samurai, the samurai’s primary fighting skill was horse-mounted archery. The samurai was the way of the horse and the

bow.

Koinobori

Koinobori means "carp streamer" in Japanese, are

carp-shaped wind socks traditionally flown in Japan to celebrate Tango no Sekku , a traditional calendrical event which is now designated a national holiday; Children's Day. These wind socks are made by drawing

carp patterns on paper, cloth or other nonwoven fabric. They are then allowed to flutter in the wind. They are also known as satsuki-nobori .

Children's Day takes place on May 5, the last day of Golden Week, the largest break for workers and also a week in which businesses usually close for up to 9–10 days. Landscapes across Japan are decorated with

koinobori from April to early May, in honor of sons for a good future and in the hope that they will grow up healthy and strong.

Geisha’s fans for Dancing

A Traditional Japanese fan can be made from paper, feathers or thin material mounted on slats. Today, the fans used in fan dancing are usually made from paper, and are elaborately painted and folded. The fans must be made using a paper pivot attachment, a mechanism that allows the dancer to fold and open the fan with a single flick of the wrist, so that the fan may be easily folded and twirled in the movements of the dance. Fan

dances are usually accompanied by traditional Japanese music.

Story Research

Social Strata

The Noble Class: The Noble Class was the Uppermost and far more Superior Class than rest of the people in Japan. The Noble Class was further categorized in three more parts in the Ancient Japanese Hierarchy named the Emperors, the Daimyo and the Samurai which are described as below:The Emperor: The Emperor was also referred as the King possessed the Supreme Power in all the Classes. The Emperor was equivalent to the God for the countrymen. The order of an Emperor was considered the final decision and no person was allowed to question the order. They ruled the kingdom and handled the administration.The Daimyo: The Daimyo were also referred as the Warlords and they got Second Highest Powers in the society lower than the Emperor. They possessed the entire Military as well as the Economic Power in the entire Ancient Japanese Hierarchy. They used to possess huge lands hereditarily and they lead the armies to save the land and the workers also. The country’s security was under their leadership and responsibility.The Samurai: The armies lead by the Daimyos consisted of the powerful and brave warriors named as Samurai. These heroic warriors were under the leadership of the Daimyos. These warriors possessed extra privileges’ than the common people and also had higher status than others. They protected the entire Nation with their bravery and heroism.

The Peasant Class/ the Common Man: The Common Man or Layman referred as the Peasant Class was the Lowest Class and possessed almost very few or No Powers at all. They performed day to day working which a common man does to earn a livelihood. The Peasant Class was further divided into many Sub-Classes which included Farmers who were the highest ranked Class in these Sub-Classes and then come the Artisans followed by the Craftsmen and in the end, the Merchants. A brief description is as follow:The Farmers: The Farmers were the topmost Class in the Peasant Sub-Class in the Ancient Japanese Hierarchy. The Farmers having their own land were Superior to the Farmers not having their own land.Craftsmen/ Artisans: These were among the Second Highest Class in the Peasant Sub-Class in the Ancient Japanese Hierarchy and were lower to the Farmers. Their work was with metal and wood and some of them got famous as ardent Samurai Sword makers.Merchants: Merchants were among the Lowest Class in the Peasant Sub-Class in the Ancient Japanese Hierarchy because it was thought that their earning is totally dependent on other people’s work.

Culture

SuicideThe first recorded act of seppuku was performed by Minamoto no Yorimasa during the Battle of Uji in the year 1180. Seppuku eventually became a key part of bushido, the code of the samurai warriors; it was used by warriors to avoid falling into enemy hands, and to attenuate shame and avoid possible torture. Samurai could also be ordered by their daimyo (feudal lords) to carry out seppuku. Later, disgraced warriors were sometimes allowed to carry out seppuku rather than be executed in the normal manner. The most common form of seppuku for men was composed of the cutting of the abdomen, and when the samurai was finished, he stretched out his neck for an assistant to decapitate him. Since the main point of the act was to restore or protect one's honor as a warrior, those who did not belong to the samurai caste were never ordered or expected to carry out seppuku. Samurai generally could carry out the act only with permission.

Japanese Ancient Fan DanceThe traditional Japanese fan dance is usually performed by a young woman, either singly or in a group of dancers. It involves using a hand-held fan as a prop. The dancers often wear brightly colored Japanese kimonos, and have elaborately arranged hair and bold make-up. Fan dancing involves slow, deliberate movements, figures and poses, which sometimes tell a story. raditional fan dancing can still be seen in Japan today, although it is no longer the dance of aristocrats. It is performed with hand-painted fans, usually made from paper, to the accompaniment of live music, often involving singing and the playing of a shamisen (a three-stringed instrument). Sometimes fan dancing is performed for western audiences with faster and showier choreography, accompanied by recorded music, but this is not traditional fan dancing.

Performance of ShishimaiThe lion dance has been completely absorbed into Japanese tradition, and the style of dancing and design of the lion differs by region. There are many different lion dances in Japan - it is believed that as many as 9,000 variations of the dance exist in the country. The lion dance is also used in religious Shinto festivals as part of a performing art form called kagura. There are two main groups of shishi kagura - the daikagura which is mainly acrobatic, and theyamabushi kagura.

MythNine Tail Fox

"Kitsune" (pronounced "kee-tsoo-neh", sometimes Woolseyized to "keaton") is the Japanese word for fox, but it can also refer to a type of Youkai in Japanese Myth , an intelligent fox creature with magical powers, including Shapeshifting (particularly to human form), enchantment, illusion, Faux Flame, and supernatural form. In fox form, they tend to grow additional tails as they get older, up to nine in total (known as Kyūbi no Kitsune.)

Play ScriptIntroductory Scene Narrator : Once upon a time, Japan was a peaceful nation. The citizens went about their daily routine without a worry in life. Farmers could farm, merchants could trade, and kids could run about playing with one another. And everyone was happy!* Blacksmith, monk, merchant and musician enters the scene and roam about ** Blacksmith sits down, the three Samurai's enter ** Samurai walks to blacksmith, inspects sword then leaves with the sword *Narrator : But all that changed during the rule of the Edo Empire. The new emperor was evil, harsh and very inhumane. Because of this, Japan experienced a period of civil uprising. The pheasants became increasingly unhappy with the rule of the emperor. This lead to a rebellion. In response, the emperor needed someone to take care of the rebellion, so he summoned his loyal samurai.

Scene 1 [Emperor's Court]* Emperor sited on throne** Samurai walks in and bows*Samurai : Greets the emperor. Sire, you summoned me?Emperor: Greetings my loyal soldier. Yes, there is an issue that has bothered me for the past few days which I would want you to settle for me.Samurai: My king, what is the matter?Emperor: Peasants have rebelled at the X district, and I want my most loyal man to settle this rebellion at all costs. Samurai: Okiedokies.*Samurai leaves the Emperor's courts*

Scene 2 [Village]* Peasants in complete disarray** Peasants running around * * Shouting, wailing, crying, agony ** Three Samurai's enter scene. Samurai 2 & 3 kills the villagers. Samurai 1 fights with the rebel leader ** Rebel leader is injured ** Peasant (rebellion leader) kneels on the floor ** Three Samurai surrounds him * Samurai : Look around you. I told you it can never end well for people of your kind!Rebel Leader : You wretched, soft, spineless puppets of the emperor! Do you not see the injustice that is around you? How long more would you continue to be blinded by the trickery of the Emperor! Fool!Samurai: You are the one who is a fool! I don't expect someone like you to understand the dreams and visions of our emperor!Rebel Leader : Ignorant fool!....Samurai : Enough! I had enough of this nonsense! Being the gentleman I am, I shall give you the option to commit seppuku or we would happilly take your life!Rebel Leader : Never would I let the puppets of the Emperor take my life!

* Peasant carries out Seppuku *

Scene 3 [Teahouse]Narrator : Having successfully put down the rebelllion, the Samurai returns to the emperor victorious. The emperor then holds a celebration at the teahouse in honor of the Samurai's victory. * Emperor sitting down with the Samurai's sitted in two rows beside him *Narrator : At the tea house, a geisha performs the traditional dance and then carries out the tea ceremony * Geisha enters ** Geisha starts the traditional tea ceremony ** Geisha proceeds to perform traditional dance *Narrator : At this point, one of the Samurai took a particular interest in the Geisha's.* Samurai acts love struck ** Geisha's dance ends ** Geisha steals a look back at the Samurai as she leaves the scene *Narrator ; After the Geisha's traditional dance performance, the Shishimai performance started. This performance is usually performed to signify blessings.* Shishimai enters ** Shishimai performance starts ** Shishimai performance ends *Narrator : The celebration concluded with the end of the shishimai's performance. The emperor and his loyal Samurai's then left for their respective residence. 

Scene 4 [Samurai's Bedroom]Narrator : Back at his residence, the Samurai went to bed and soon started to dream.* Samurai is sleeping ** Dreams about Geisha transforming into the nine-tail fox ** Wakes up suddenly ** Notices the Geisha standing at a dark corner in his room ** Slowly stands up and walks hesitantly towards the Geisha ** Samurai is drag forward suddenly and disappears **Lights off, scream *Narrator : Nothing was heard of the Samurai ever since then. Up to today, no one knows what has become of him, and the mystery goes on....~ THE END ~

Ideas Of Costumes

Emperor

Samurai

Ideas of Costumes

Monk

Samurai Sword Maker

Ideas Of Costumes

Koinobori Maker

Geisha

Ideas Of Costume

Shishimai

Ideas of Props

Koinobori

Horse of Samurai

Dancing Fans

Bowl of Monk

Samurai Sword

Flower (Sakura)

Crucial SceneScene 1

Social Strata

Peasants rebel because the emperor cannot rule the country properly. So the emperor order those samurai to settle down the rebellion.

Scene 2

Social Strata & CultureSamurai reach the village and start to fight with the peasant. They kill the all the rebellers,

Scene 3

Culture

Samurai won the fight and the peasant want to protect their dignity. He choose to suicide.

Scene 4

Culture

Emperor and Samurai went to teahouse to celebrate. Geisha & Shishimai are performing to entertain them. One of the Samurai fall in love to the Geisha while she is performing.

Scene 5

Myth

The Samurai went home after the celebration and sleep. He dream the nine tail fox and actually the nine tail fox is he Geisha that he fall in love with.

Final Outcome of Costume

References

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lion_dance

https://www.pinterest.com/explore/geisha-costume/

http://thesophomoreslump2.com/2013/11/07/shishi-mai-lion-dance-festival-in-okinawa/

http://wiki.samurai-archives.com/index.php?title=Edo_Period

http://www.fitforafeast.com/dance_cultural_asia_japan_geisha.htm

http://www.koinobori-japan.jp/koinobori.html

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitsune

http://www.mythicalcreaturesguide.com/page/Kitsune

http://www.facts-about-japan.com/feudal-japan.html

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2127.html

http://www.japan-zone.com/culture/imperial.shtml

http://www.skwirk.com/p-c_s-14_u-177_t-516_c-1920/nsw/history/medieval-and-early-modern-societies-japan/life-in-feudal-japan/the-samurai

http://markb-photo.que.jp/pages/0052.html

http://bunkashisan.ne.jp/search/ViewContent_e.php?from=10&ContentID=127

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seppuku

http://www.ushistory.org/civ/10c.asp