Shogun (2024-206)

This TV program centers around the samurai of ancient Japan

Summary

-A mysterious ship from Europe is found stranded in a Japanese fishing village. Meanwhile, Lord Yoshii Toranaga finds secrets that could tip things his way and destroy his enemies

Cast

-Cosmo Jarvis: John Blackthorne

-Hiroyuki Sanada: Yoshii Toranaga

-Anna Sawai: Toda Mariko

-Tadanobu Asano: Kashigi Yabushige

-Yuki Kedoin: Takemaru

-Takehiro Hira: Ishido Kazunari

-Hiroto Kanai: Kashigi Omi

-Yuki Kura: Yoshii Nagakado

-Shinnosuke Abe: Buntaro

-Saeko Kimura: Mariko's Lady in Waiting

-Tommy Bastow: Father Martin Alvito

-Hiromoto Ida: Lord Kiyama

-Kengo Hashimoto: Ishido's Gray Kosho #1

-Yutaro Ryan Oka: Toranaga's Gray Kosho #1

Did You Know?

-John Blackthorne was based on a real historical figure named William Adams. Adams spoke a good number of languages, including Portuguese

-Traditionally, the home where the Emperor resided, was considered the capital. From the years of 794 to 1868, the Emperor resided in Heian-kyo, which is modern day Kyoto. After 1868, the seat of the Japanese government and Emperor's home was moved to Edo, which was later renamed Tokyo

-A woman married to a samurai would receive, as a wedding gift, a small dagger called a kwaiken

-The Samurai were armed with two swords: the longer, more iconic Katana (long sword) and a smaller Wakizashi (mid sword). The Katana was used by the foot soldiers, who would use it to attack from a distance. The Wakizashi was a shorter sword used for close combat situations and as a backup in case the katana was rendered unusable. The Wakizashi was even used to commit seppuku (ritual suicide) is needed. There was also a third weapon, a Tanto (dagger). This was used for combat and seppuku as well

-While the samurai were away at battle, the women married to the samurai and the women of the villages were trained in combat to protect the home and village

-The word samurai means "servant". They actually referred to themselves as "bushi", meaning "warrior"

-Cathay is the older name for China

-Hatamoto means "under the banner" or "near the banner", in reference to their literal position on the battlefield and position to their lord. This closeness also applies off the battlefield and represented a strong trust in all matters. It also references an advisor, or even a high-ranking samurai in areas like diplomacy, trade, foreign policy and battlefield tactics. William Adams, the man Blackthorne is based on, began as an advisor to Tokugawa, advising him on trade and diplomacy. Eventually, he earned the title of Hatamoto, which gave him a lot of influence in matters, especially foreign policy

-Traditionally in Chinese, Japanese and Korean custom, it was customary to put family name first. However, starting in the 19th century, Japanese began adopting the practice of given name first and family name second. In 1875, the government created the Family Register Law, making it required for all Japanese to register their family name for tax purposes

-Hiroyuki Sanada performed all of his own stunts

-This series is based on a novel of the same name by James Clavell. Many of the characters on the program are based on real people

• John Blackthorne: William Adams
• Ferreira: Horatio Neretti
• Father Martin Alvito: Joao Rodriguez
• Yoshi Toranaga: Tokugawa Ieyasu
• Toda Mariko (Maria): Hosokawa Gracia or Akechi Tama
• Toda Buntaro Hirokatsu (Husband of Mariko): Hosokawa Tadaoki
• Toda Hiromatsu (Toranaga's Kara or Second in Command / Father of Buntaro): Hosokawa Fujitaka
•  Ishido: Ishida Mitsunari
• Onoshi: Otani Yoshitsugu
• Kiyama: Konishi Yukinaga / Takayama Ukon
• Sugiyama: Maeda Toshiie

-A naginata is a long pole with a sharp curved blade at the end. It was used by the samurai class of feudal Japan. This traditional Japanese blade was also used by warrior women in nobility. The word translates into "reaping sword" or "mowing down sword". It can be between 1-3 feet long and is sharpened on one side. It was believed this weapon evolved from a tool used for farming

-The executive producer of this program is Michaela Clavell, the daughter of author James Clavell

-Leprosy, which is now known as Hansen's disease, was a deadly disease described in ancient customs. It's an infectious disease results in severe, disfiguring skin lesions and nerve damage in the arms, legs, lungs around your eyes and other parts of the body. It's spread through airborne respiratory droplets, such as coughing and sneezing. It is curable and treatment in the early stages is done through multi-drug prophylactics. If left untreated, the disease can progress and result in permanent disabilities. There were some cases where the virus was so common that those afflicted were exiled to colonies like Molokai in Hawaii or Carville, Louisiana in the US

-Elizabeth I was the ruling Queen of England during the period this program takes place

-Both Hiroyuki Sanada and Nestor Carbonell appeared in the 2004 series Lost, but didn't share any scenes together

-This program reunites both Tadanobu Asano and Hiroyuki Sanada after their 2021 film Mortal Kombat

-This is the first non-English TV program to win a Primetime Emmy Award for Outstanding Drama Series. It's also the second to be nominated after the 2021 program Squid Game

-Despite his character requiring a translator during his interactions with John Blackthorne, Hiroyuki Sanada is fluent in English

-Despite his character requiring a translator during his interactions with John Blackthorne, Tadanobu Asano is fluent in English

Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon (2000)

This is one of the more famous films Chow Yun-fat has starred in. Originally, Jet Li was supposed to have the main role, but there personal reasons and a scheduling conflict and he couldn't do it. So the role went to Chow Yun-fat instead

Summary

-When a young Chinese warriors steals a sword from a famous sword maker, she escapes and falls in love with a mysterious man and together they embark on a romantic adventure

Cast

-Chow Yun-fat: Li Mu Bai

-Michelle Yeoh: Yu Shu Lien

-Ziyi Zhang: Jen

-Chang Chen: Lo

-Sihung Lung: Sir Te

-Pei-Pei Chang: Jade Fox

-Li Li: May

-Suying Huang: Auntie Wu

Did You Know?

-Michelle Yeoh spent a year prior to filming this movie so she could learn to fluently speak Mandarin

-The actors in this film did all of their own stunts. Any wires holding them up were removed digitally

-The title of the film refers to a Chinese mythology quote referencing "hiding your strength from others"

-When Ang Lee approached Michelle Yeoh, he told her this would be like the 1995 film Sense and Sensibility, only with martial arts

-During filming, Michelle Yeoh had torn her ACL and had to be flown to the United States to have it repaired. She returned to filming at different times to film the non-action scenes until her knee had recovered

-The swords and other weapons were made in Taiwan. Ironically, Taiwan is the country Ang Lee was born in and the swordsmith who made the weapons was actually Lee's neighbor in Tainan, Taiwan

-During an interview with TIME Magazine, Chow Yun-fat described speaking in Mandarin as "It's awful". He had to do 28 takes of shooting on just the first day alone because he had great difficulty speaking Mandarin

-All four of the main stars of the film spoke Mandarin with different accents. Chow Yun-fat spoke it with a Cantonese accent, because Cantonese is his primary language. Michelle Yeoh spoke it with a Malaysian / English accent, Ziyi Zhang spoke it with a Beijing accent and Chang Chen spoke it with a Taiwanese accent

-In the opening scene showing Ziyi Zhang, the embroidered dress she wore took two months to make. It required four highly skilled embroiderers

-The action choreographer on this film is Yuen Woo-ping, who is responsible for choreographing the fight scenes and is also responsible for the choreography in the 1999 film The Matrix and its follow-ups

-While it appears that Ziyi Zhang's character is highly skilled in performing martial arts, in real life she had never undergone any formal studies of martial arts. She used dance techniques to learn her moves as if they were a dance instead of a fight

-As part of her training, Ziyi Zhang also learned calligraphy

-Chow Yun-fat was shown a mockup of what he would look like with a shaved head before he agreed to cut his hair down to the scalp

-The scenes filmed in the Gobi Desert were interrupted by rain constantly

-Jet Li was originally offered the role of Li Mu Bai, but had made a strict promise to his wife Nina Li Chi that he would be with her through the pregnancy of their first child

-This is the first martial arts film for Chow Yun-fat

-Director Ang Lee found the intensity and stress of this movie to be so high he had once again resumed smoking

-Michelle Yeoh didn't speak Mandarin at all. Chow Yun-fat speaks it, but his primary language is Cantonese. Yeoh had to have help from Mandarin-speaking crew members phonetically. Her Malaysian accent can be heard throughout the film. Native Mandarin speakers thought Chow Yun-fat's accent was overdone and strained

-Jet Li was offered the role of Li Mu Bai, but instead he chose to appear in the 2000 film Romeo Must Die instead. Hong Kong singer / actor Leon Lai was offered the role, but turned it down. Finally it was offered to Chow Yun-fat, who accepted it

-Ironically, the film was released in the year 2000, which, in Chinese astrology, is the Year of the Dragon

-For the English language dub, there was extra care taken to ensure that the voice actors' roles and wording matched the original lip movements almost exactly

The Corruptor (1999)

This is one of my favorite films

Summary

-An Asian NYPD detective is trying to stop drug trafficking and corruption by immigrant Chinese Triads with the help of his partner, but things get difficult when the Triads attempt to bribe the policemen off the case

Cast

-Chow Yun-fat: Nick Chen

-Mark Wahlberg: Danny Wallace

-Ric Young: Henry Lee

-Paul Ben-Victor: Schabaker

-Jon Kit Lee: Jack

-Andrew Pang: Willy Ung

-Elizabeth Lindsey: Louise Deng

-Brian Cox: Sean Wallace

-Byron Mann: Bobby Vu

-Kim Chan: Benny Wong

-Marie Matiko: May

Did You Know?

-Kim Chan plays a character named "Uncle" Benny Wong in two films: this film and Lethal Weapon 4 (1998)

-Originally, in the scene where Det. Nick Chen (Chow Yun-fat) walked in on Henry Lee being fed grapes by May, the scene called for May to be performing oral sex on him. Chow Yun-fat stated he would not continue his relationship with May after seeing this. The scene was changed to a more friendly scene of grape feeding instead

-Originally Ethan Hawke was supposed to play the role of Danny Wallace, played by Mark Wahlberg. Unfortunately, production had ended to accommodate Chow Yun-fat's production schedule

-Initially, in the scene where Det. Nick Chen finds out Danny Wallace is working with Internal Affairs investigating him, the scene called for Chen to go into the bathroom and knock a hand dryer off the wall and smash a mirror. It was changed to Chen doing a sort of deep breathing instead because the previous idea was deemed an American response and, since Chinese culture is so heavily present in the film, deep breathing was more appropriate

10 Local Laws in Japan That Confuse Tourists from The US

Japan is a destination that often sees millions of visitors each year, a good percentage of them from the US. And, unless these tourists did their research ahead of time, there are bound to be laws and customs that catch them off guard. According MSN.com writer Kathy Haan, here are 10 local laws in Japan that confuse US tourists

1. Bringing in cold medicine

-If you're suffering from a cold, bringing in medication such as Sudafed or Vicks could get you into some legal trouble while trying to enter Japan. There are very strict laws against bringing in medications containing pseudophedrine, which is a common ingredient in cold medicine. Bringing those with you, even by accident, could result in confiscation, a lengthy discussion or even detention by the authorities. Prior to travel, check your medicine against the list of prohibited medications on Japan's Ministry of Health website to ensure you get the medications documented

2. Riding a bicycle after drinking

-Japan considers even a bicycle to be a sort of vehicle. They do not see it as a toy. It's given the same legal responsibilities as a car. And, as such, if you are intoxicated and operating a bicycle under the influence, that's the same as driving drunk or buzzed. Doing this in the US might seem harmless, but in Japan, it's considered a very serious DUI offense. The law is clear as crystal: if you are intoxicated, you don't have all of your faculties about you. You cannot operate a bicycle, come to a full stop or control it safely. The penalties are incredibly severe. It includes fines exceeding one million yen and even potential prison time. The logic is clear and easy to understand: while intoxicated, the person operating the bicycle is a danger to the public, no matter the number of wheels they have

3. Incorrectly disposing of trash

-Japan is known as being one of the cleanest countries in the world. This is in part to a strict approach to waste. Citizens know to dispose of waste material properly. That is why you will be hard pressed to find any public trash bins. Waste material is meant to be taken home and disposed of there. Each municipality has its own set schedule for sorting items into burnables, plastics and glass, which are placed in clearly designated bags for pickup. Do not just casually toss your bottle into the wrong bin or leave trash behind you. This could incur a fine for you. The idea of taking your trash with you shows a massive collective responsibility to ensure the country is clean for everyone

4. Not turning in lost money

-In the US, if you find a lost wallet, this might feel like you just won free money. But if you have a conscience and want to do the right thing, then you'll turn that wallet in to the proper authorities to be reunited with its owner. In Japan, however, finding a lost wallet comes with a legal obligation. You must turn in that lost wallet to the nearest koban, or police box. There will almost always be a police officer posted outside or sitting at the desk inside. It's part of the Lost Property Act, which states that any property found on the street must, without question or doubt, be taken to the nearest koban, or police box, for reunion with its owner. Pocketing the wallet is considered theft. This law helps maintain the social trust Japan is so lovingly known for and it results in a high number of returned items. If the money is not claimed within three months, then it becomes yours legally. This system has such a high success rate because honesty is not the exception to the rule, but default. It's expected to be honest and do the right thing

5. Splashing pedestrians with puddles

-It's common for some drivers in the US to carelessly splash a pedestrian walking along the sidewalk with a puddle if they're driving by, because they think it's funny. That type of careless attitude won't go far at all in Japan. This law captures the Japanese concept of omotenashi, or profound consideration of others. Drivers who soak pedestrians by speeding through a puddle can be issued a fine for inconsiderate driving. It's a legal agreement that being behind the wheel comes with many responsibilities, and one of them being to create as little impact on the people around you as possible. It might seem like no big concern but it reflects the deeply ingrained belief that maintaining harmony all around you requires thoughtfulness and consideration from everyone

6. Challenging someone to a duel

-This might sound made up, but it's not. Challenging someone to a duel is not allowed in Japan. This stems from 1889, when Japan was trying to become a modern country and working to remove all traces of the violence from the feudal samurai era. It still remains as a law today. It protects against vigilantism and marks a clear transition from a feudal era society to a modern, more civilized society. Disputes must be solved with words, not swords

7. Taking photographs in certain temples and museums

-There are some places in Japan that do not allow photography. Look for signs stating that photography is not allowed. If you do not see signs, ask someone. It never hurts to ask because it shows that you are being considerate of that area. And if you ask someone, it will earn you respect from the locals because it shows you are making a conscious effort to be considerate. The reason that flash photography is not allowed in certain shrines, temples or museums is because the flash could damage some of the ancient artifacts. Photography is not allowed in some areas because it is to preserve the tranquility of the space as a place to quietly worship and contemplate, free from the distractions of tourists. The ban is nothing personal; it's just to ensure that the spiritual purpose of the building is maintained. Sometimes the best memories are not ones you catch on camera

8. Smoking outside of designated areas

-In the past, you could light up a cigarette wherever and whenever the mood struck you in Japan. No more of that. Major changes in public health have demanded that designated areas for smokers be created. There are now small, clearly marked areas to smoke, instead of doing it on public streets and sidewalks. Smoking while walking is to be avoided at all costs, as it prevents others from breathing in secondhand smoke and prevents accidents. These rules were created to make the air cleaner and streets cleaner and more pleasant for everyone to enjoy

9. Damaging currency

-Treat the money with respect, as you would the currency in your own home country. Defacing or damaging Japanese yen is seen as a sign of deep disrespect for a symbol of the nation. The law reflects the appreciation for the culture and everything they represent

10. The Unspoken Rule about Not Tipping

-While not a formal rule, there is an unspoken rule that states you don't tip in Japan. Excellent service is provided and considered the typical standard for Japan. As such, staff are often paid good wages to reflect that. Trying to leave a tip will result in confusion and a polite refusal. It will imply that you think the worker is underpaid or that their employer is not paying them enough. The best way you can show gratitude is to say "arigato gozaimasu" to that worker. Pronounced "arigato gozaimas" (the su is silent, as with all Japanese words that end in su), it will translate into "Thank you very much" and it will show the worker you appreciate their excellent service

Anna and the King (1999)

This is a modern remake of The King and I with Yul Brynner and Deborah Kerr

Summary

-Anna Leonowens is a teacher working in the royal court of Siam during the 1860s and the unexpected romance with the then King of Siam

Cast

-Jodie Foster: Anna Leonowens

-Chow Yun-Fat: King Mongkut

-Bai Ling: Tuptim

-Tom Felton: Louis

-Syed Alwi: The Kralahome

-Randall Duk Kim: General Alak

-Lim Kay Siu: Prince Chowfa

-Melissa Campbell: Princess Fa-Ying

-Geoffrey Palmer: Lord John Bradley

-Ann Firbank: Lady Bradley

-K.K. Moggie: Phim

Did You Know?

-In real life, the real King Mongkut was paralyzed on one side of his face. This was not mentioned in the film

-This film was banned in Thailand because it was said there were historical inaccuracies regarding the King of Siam and that particular time period

-The story was inspired by the novel Anna and the King of Siam by Margaret Landon. It was written in 1944 and was inspired by the diaries and memoirs of Anna Harriet Leonowens. Anna was an English teacher who worked in the palace. A lot of what Leonowens had written down by her had been invented by her, of cruelties she was said to have witnessed. Years later, she met with the son and then King of Siam, who had inquired about why she had written such lies about their father. She insisted that they were truthful. She had also claimed she had written about a three year visit to Egypt, which never happened. That she elevated her late husband's military rank from private to general, that she was born in England when she was actually born in India and was one quarter Indian. According to the testimony of one of Tuptim's daughters, she had invented the fate of the woman known as Tuptim

-For her role as Tuptim, Bai Ling shaved her head completely, so as to fit in with the Buddhist monks to be with her lover

-Three months into filming, there was an outbreak of Japanese encephalitis, transmitted by mosquitoes, due to the proximity to pig farms. The sets too close to the pig farms were moved, others were doused with insecticide. The on-set doctor vaccinated the entire cast and crew before production could continue

-According to Andy Tennant, Chow Yun-Fat was referred to as "Fatty" on set

-During the scene where Anna is showing the children the science trick of putting the egg into the bottle, the contents smelled so rank that Jodie Foster and Chow Yun-Fat could hardly breathe

-When Anna worked at the royal court, she worked there from 1862-1867. The king had died the following year

-In the film, it was said that the King had a dozen children, with ten more on the way. In real life, the real King of Siam had 82 children

7 Ways to Avoid Looking Like an American Tourist, per Fodor's Travel

Fodor's Travel is the most highly ranked, most highly successful travel company in the world. They write highly informative travel books that are a must read for anyone hoping to travel. They have compiled a list of things to do to avoid looking like a typical American tourist.

Now, there's nothing wrong with being an American tourist. Anytime you go on vacation, depending on where it is, you are bound to encounter at least one or two American tourists. The thing to keep in mind is that you don't want to be the "ugly American tourist", who is loud, refuses to speak another language, is rude, with poor manners. That reflects badly on other American tourists who are incredibly self-aware of the local customs and is trying to appear respectful of the local culture. In other words, if you act like a bad tourist, that will negatively impact other tourists from your home country

Rethink the Maple Leaf

-Normally associated with Canada, Americans seem to think it was a good idea to sew a maple leaf patch on to their possessions. Normally, the only people who actually do that are actual Canadians. They might do this to differentiate themselves from French Canadians, who hail from areas like Montreal or Quebec. Americans who sew on the maple leaf patch might know less about Canada than they actually think. And, unless you've spent significant amounts of time in Canada, leave the maple leaf patch alone

Turn down the volume

-Americans have a reputation for being loud and almost obnoxious. Outside the US, people speak in lower volumes. Not everyone prefers a loud conversation. And unless you grew up with someone who was hard of hearing and required loud speaking, that's fine. But still turn down the volume on your speaking. Use what some people call your "indoor voice"

Understatement is key

-Americans tend to overstate things. Using words like "amazing", "fabulous", getting excited over small things. Remember that outside of the US, people tend to understate things. They don't get overly excited over small things

Dress codes

-Some countries are conservative in their dress codes. It's a very common thing anymore to see American sports team jerseys on people outside of the US, or other American brands on people outside of the US. Dress for what you plan on doing. If you are doing hiking, wear the appropriate gear. Avoid clothing with American logos or or English-languages slogans / sayings. These items, ironically, are not uncommon in countries that sell resale clothing (lots of thrift store clothing from the US sold at deep discounts overseas). Compartmentalize your clothes. Spandex pants, running / basketball shorts, t-shirts / tank tops and sports bras are for the gym. Simply put, don't stick out. Dress casually if you're out and about in a major capital city. Dress up nice if you plan on going to a fancy restaurant or a night bar hopping. For example, in England baseball hats are not a common sight. Wearing a baseball hat might bring attention to you.

Small Talk opportunities are available

-Americans love to start off conversations with "What do you do?", meaning what type of work do you do? In the rest of the world, this may not fly. This could be considered inquiring about someone's social or status, which is a big no no in some countries. Let them bring it up. For example, in France it's common to acknowledge strangers, but not to start conversations. In Germany and other similar cultures, it's a common sight to see debates about topics that would even shock Americans. Do research prior to your trip to avoid any errors

No eating and walking

-Some cultures consider eating and walking around poor manners. Japan, for example, is one country that frowns upon eating and walking around. It's far less common outside the US to see people eating and walking, riding in vehicles or on public transportation. In other countries, food is meant to be purchased and consumed while seated. Eating and walking around is considered rude in Europe, East Asia and in many Muslim countries

Smile smartly

-While in the US, smiling is considered a warm expression. Outside the US, it could be a minefield waiting to detonate. In some countries, smiling is only reserved for friends or family while in other countries, it could be taken as a sign of romantic interest. Countries like Australia or Canada are similar to the US only in the sense that locals will smile as a way of a polite greeting.

The Takeaway

-The big thing is simply do research on what is good and not good in the country you plan on travelling to. The whole point of travelling is to see new sights, including meeting new people. When you meet new people and learn about them, you provide opportunities for them to learn about you. Simply be self-aware and everything will go smoothly. And, when in doubt, ask a local what to do to avoid making errors. They will deeply appreciate your efforts because it will show them that you are making a genuine effort to be respectful