Prime Minister Koizumi and U.S. President Bush enjoy an izakaya-style dinner. (Cabinet Secretariat)     JAPANESE STYLE IS IN: Both at Home and Abroad, People Discover Japanese Culture April 24, 2002 Things that are distinctly Japanese have been growing in popularity recently, both in Japan and overseas. In everyday life, fashion, and interior design, Japanese style is hot. Sake has gathered a following among young Japanese women, many of whom are now stopping off after work to enjoy a glass before heading home. Traditional Japanese fragrances are winning fans as well, as an increasing number of men and women of all ages learn about the fragrances and the etiquette involved in the different schools of Japan's traditional yet little-known incense ceremony. This interest in things Japanese is also manifesting itself in people's homes, where mini-bonsai have become popular, and in haute couture overseas. Sake and Mini-Bonsai Enjoy Popularity with Young People Recently, izakaya (Japanese-style taverns or pubs) have been enjoying a boom. From the noren (shop curtain) hanging outside the front door to the plain wooden counter, izakaya have a distinctly Japanese feel, and sake is the most popular drink served. Over the past few years, more and more different types of izakaya are opening their doors and catching the fancy of the younger generation. Even Prime Minister Jun'ichiro Koizumi took U.S. President George W. Bush to a fashionable izakaya when the president visited Japan in February. These upscale izakaya are especially popular with women, more and more of whom are learning to enjoy sake. While some of them may have been hesitant to drink it before, many of them find that they have become addicted once they have actually tried it. Others have said that, similar to wine, sake has a variety of types and that drinking it can make them more beautiful. Japan's sake brewers have taken notice of their new clientele, and many of them are selling sake in trendy colored bottles, such as pink, blue, and green. They have also given their sake chic names, lowered the alcohol content of some of them, and put them in bottles that resemble those used for wine in order to encourage women to give them a try. A forsythia bonsai in bloom. (All Japan Shohin-Bonsai Association)     At home, Japanese-style plants known as bonsai are becoming a popular way to spruce up a room. Many people who want to appreciate plants and flowers in small, attractive pots are enjoying mini-bonsai. While real bonsai take years to perfect and can cost millions of yen (tens of thousands of dollars), mini-bonsai can be had for around ¥3,000 ($23.08 at ¥130 to the dollar). Leafy plants are also popular, as they require even less care. Made by wrapping in moss a ball of dirt that contains the roots of flowers or grass or by covering a ball of dirt with moss and wrapping it in wire, moss balls are attracting a growing number of fans. The moss comes alive and turns a brilliant green when watered, and it is said to have healing effects. Moss balls can be purchased for only about ¥1,500 ($11.54), and the secret of their popularity is that they can transform a room filled with inanimate objects, such as computers, into one that has the atmosphere of a Japanese garden.   Your Name Send this article to a friend Trends in Japan Home Traditional Ceremony Enjoys Revival Incense was introduced to Japan along with Buddhism in the sixth century. Connected with the tea ceremony, the incense ceremony was developed in the Muromachi period of the late fifteenth century. Due in part to a boom in aromatherapy, this traditional ceremony is enjoying a resurgence. Participants can enjoy learning the complex etiquette involved while appreciating the aromas of dozens of different types of incense. Classes offered by the different schools of this art and by stores that sell goods for the incense ceremony are packed. Some of the participants who attend these classes have said that studying the incense ceremony is a fun way to learn a great deal about Japanese culture, including such areas as calligraphy, classical literature, the beauty of nature, and place names. Things Japanese are also hot in the world of high fashion. When Christian Dior unveiled its Spring/Summer 2002 haute couture collection in Paris in January, it used ten drummers, including two taiko (Japanese drum) performers clad in loincloths, all playing taiko rhythms to liven up the show. Jean-Louis Scherrer, meanwhile, introduced a satin jacket that looks similar to a happi (a robe traditionally worn by shopkeepers and festival goers). The jacket featured a Noh mask made by an embroidery artist in Kyoto. And Ungaro presented a new interpretation of the kimono in its long evening gowns and sashes. These uses of Japanese motifs all involve blending Japanese elements with other ethnic styles to create new forms. Because the interest overseas in things Japanese is largely due to the influence of such products of Japanese culture as anime and cutting-edge technology, people are finding Japan's more traditional cultural heritage to be fresh. Copyright (c) 2002 Japan Information Network. Edited by Japan Echo Inc. based on domestic Japanese news sources. Articles presented here are offered for reference purposes and do not necessarily represent the policy or views of the Japanese Government.