Teacher’s Guide
Written by Barri Golbus
Produced
by
Colman Communications Corp.
Table of Contents
Program Overview
Viewer Objectives
Suggested Lesson Plan
Description of Blackline Masters
Answer Key
Transcript of the Video
Web Resources
Page
3
6
6
11
13
14
18
Purchase of this program entitles the user the right to reproduce or
duplicate, in whole or in part, this teacher’s guide and the blackline
master handouts that accompany it for the purpose of teaching in
conjunction with this video. This right is restricted for use only with this
video program. Any reproduction or duplication in whole or in part of
this guide and the blackline master handouts for any purpose other than
for use with this video program is prohibited.
YO SH I , T H E
L AN T E R N M AKE R
Grades 2-6
Viewing Time: 8:55
PROGRAM OVERVIEW
Intended Audience and Uses
Yoshi, the Lantern Maker has been produced for language
arts and social studies students in both primary and
intermediate grades, although it also can be used at junior
high/senior high levels. Created specifically for classroom
use, it is an adaptation of the well-known Japanese folktale,
The Stonecutter. With a deceptively simple plot that can
be enjoyed by viewers of all ages, the story also has a more
complex inner structure that addresses cultural aspects of
Japanese society that older, more sophisticated viewers can
explore. (See An Interview with the Producer in the
blackline handout section of this guide.) This video helps
students achieve McREL Language Arts Standard 9, Level
I (Grades K-2) Benchmark 1 (Understands the main idea or
message in visual media); Benchmark 2 (Uses a variety of
strategies to predict content and meaning through
visualization); Benchmark 6 (Understands the similarities
and differences between real life and life depicted in visual
media); Level II (Grades 3-5), Benchmark 2 (Understands
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techniques used to convey messages in visual media (e.g.,
animation); Benchmark 5 (Understands techniques used
to
establish mood in visual media); Benchmark 6
(Understands the use and meaning of symbols and images
in visual media); Level III (Grades 6-8) Standard 9,
Benchmark 5 (Understands how language choice is used to
enhance visual media); Level IV, (Grades 9-12),
Benchmark 9 (Understands how literary forms can be
represented in visual narratives); and McREL Arts and
Communication, Level IV, Benchmark 4 (Knows the crosscultural relationships among art motifs, designs and themes
of separate societies).
Program Synopsis
Each morning, Yoshi, a humble lantern maker, walks to a
large stone outcrop that overlooks his village. There, he
chips off a portion of the outcrop and then returns to his
workshop, where he carves lanterns. One day, while
installing some lanterns, Yoshi notices the interior of a
wealthy merchant’s house. As he returns home that
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evening, Yoshi wishes aloud, “I wish I had a house as
beautiful as the merchant’s.” A spirit (kami) overhears
Yoshi and grants his wish. Some time later, Yoshi sees a
prince in a stately carriage and wishes he were a nobleman.
The kami grants this wish, also, and a pattern is
established. Repeatedly, Yoshi wishes to be something he
perceives to be more powerful – the sun, a cloud and a rock
– and the kami grants his wishes. Finally, Yoshi the rock
wishes he were a human, the kami grants that wish, also,
and the cycle is completed: Yoshi finds himself a humble
lantern maker once again. The story illustrates the
traditional Japanese belief that every person and everything
has its proper place in the universe, and, as such, any desire
to be someone or something else is unreasonable – indeed,
foolish.
Beyond being a captivating story, Yoshi, the Lantern
Maker illustrates several key traits of Japanese society.
• Social hierarchy and the belief (based on the
influence of Confucianism which came from China
in the 6th century) that social harmony can be
achieved when each person accepts his or her social
role.
• The importance of Shinto (the way of the gods) and
its focus on spirits and nature.
•
The high value placed on the “quiet arts” in Japan
– sado (tea ceremony), ikebana (flower arranging),
ukiyoe (woodblock prints), bonsai (miniature trees),
origami (paper folding) and ishi toro (stone
lanterns).
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VIEWER OBJECTIVES
After viewing this video and participating in the suggested
activities, viewers should be able to do the following:
1. Summarize the story.
2. Briefly explain the role of Shinto in the story and in
Japanese society.
3. Explain the function of kami (spirits) in Shinto.
4. Identify the theme of the story and discuss how it
demonstrates ways of life in both ancient and, to some
degree, contemporary Japan.
5. Discuss five kinds of traditional “quiet” artistic
expression in Japanese society.
6. Distinguish between fiction (make believe) and nonfiction (real).
7. Identify the story elements of character, setting, plot,
point of view and theme in Yoshi, the Lantern Maker.
The producers encourage you to make adaptations and changes
to the following lesson plan whenever you feel it will enhance
your students’ learning experiences. Only by tailoring the
material to your unique classroom situation will you be able
to maximize the educational experience afforded by these
materials.
SUGGESTED LESSON PLAN
Viewing Strategies
Various strategies may be employed when showing Yoshi,
the Lantern Maker to your class. If you are using the
folktale as part of your language arts instructional program,
the story can help explain fiction and folklore. It also can
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be used to illustrate various facets of story structure –
setting, plot, theme, character and point of view. If you are
using the program for social studies/geography, you may
find it useful to integrate the story into your unit on Japan
or Asia since it illustrates many cultural facets of Asian,
and in particular Japanese, society. Regardless of the
curriculum area in which the story is used, you may find it
useful to show the program more than once – first without
instruction, then with a structured lesson or series of
lessons (see below) to help students understand the richness
of the folktale from both a language arts and social studies
perspective.
Previewing Activities
The producers encourage you to prescreen the program to
familiarize yourself with its content.
If you have not done so already, have someone in the class
locate Japan on a globe or topographical map. Ask what is
noteworthy about the country’s geography. Help your
students understand that there are two key topographical
features of Japan – it is an island country (composed of
four large islands and thousands of small ones) and it is
mountainous. Ask what kinds of work people might
undertake in a mountainous country composed of islands.
Your class may come up with various possibilities,
including fishing, forestry and perhaps farming (in
mountain valleys).
Introduce the Video
Tell the class that another job in Japan, at least long ago,
was making lanterns from large stones that came from
mountains, and that they will see a video that shows a
man who was a lantern maker. Next, hand out the
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Vocabulary List and go over the words with your students,
making sure they understand each word. Note that the
story was set long ago. (The characters wear clothing seen
in the Heian period of Japan, which lasted from 794-1192
AD. Often called “Classical Japan,” the period was known
for its peace and stability.) Now hand out Shinto and
Kami and explain that the information in this handout will
help everyone better understand the story. If your class is
composed of primary level students, you should read the
information aloud and discuss the concepts as needed. The
exercise at the bottom need not be done by primary level
students. At the intermediate level, have the class read the
information, either aloud or to himself or herself. Discuss
the material, then explain that everyone will complete the
exercise after viewing the program. Tell the class that after
they see the video, you will ask them about the ways of
living in Japan, many unique, that are shown in the
program.
Mention the following items: religion,
architecture, clothing, climate, geography, arts and politics.
Primary level teachers may find it useful to use only three
to five of these items. List the items on your chalkboard or
overhead projector.
Post-Viewing Activities
Turn the class’s attention to the list on the board or on the
overhead projector: Ask your students if they saw anything
in the video that might give clues to those items. Under
“religion” you should list Shinto (the priests and the kami).
Did your students notice the torii gate in the scene of the
priests and Shinto shrine? You might mention that the torii
gate, traditionally made of three pieces and found near the
entrance of Shinto shrines, marks the gateway between the
physical and spiritual worlds. You should also mention
that Buddhism is an important religion in Japan. Under
“architecture,” you may list the merchant’s house, Yoshi’s
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wooden workshop, and the houses along the street (when
he walks home from the merchant’s mansion). Help your
students understand that these buildings were built mostly
of wood, which is plentiful in Japan because Japan’s
mountains are heavily forested. Under “clothing,” list
Yoshi’s traditional workman’s clothing, his princely garb,
the clothing of the prince’s attendants, and the yakuta
(somewhat like a bathrobe) worn when Yoshi looks out his
window and notices the prince. Mention that today most
Japanese wear western clothing, but for weddings and other
ceremonial events, they may wear more traditional
clothing. Did your students notice that Yoshi left his
sandals (zori) at the door when he entered his new home?
Explain that, by custom, Japanese leave their shoes at the
door when entering a home. Did your students notice the
futon in Yoshi’s bedroom? Explain that a futon, a Japanese
quilted mattress unrolled on the floor, is used as a bed.
Under “climate,” list the heat and rain. Mention that Japan
is found in the middle latitudes (as is the United States and
much of Canada) and thus experiences four seasons each
year. Under “geography,” list mountains, valleys and
rivers. Under “arts,” list the artwork and pottery seen in
the merchant’s bedroom, as well as the bonsai tree on the
table, also in the bedroom. Your students may be
interested in knowing that Japanese stone lanterns, or ishi
toro, traditionally were used to light Shinto shrines and
Buddhist temples. Over time, they became decorative
objects used in tea gardens, or roji. Candles or oil provided
illumination. The lanterns themselves were fashioned from
granite or syenite, a course-grained igneous rock. (The
Japanese islands are in a volcanic zone in the Pacific “Ring
of Fire” and they experience frequent volcanic activity.)
If you wish, use the Discussion Questions – Yoshi, the
Lantern Maker to further explore the story.
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At this point, primary teachers may duplicate and hand out
the Make Believe or Real? and The Prince’s Puzzle
worksheets. After your students have completed these
exercises, review and discuss their answers. Materials
needed for these activities: magic markers or crayons and
a pencil.
Now ask the class if Yoshi was foolish. If so, why? If not,
why not? Help your class understand that in our country,
people often like to take better jobs after educating
themselves to do a different kind of work. But many years
ago, in Japan, that wasn’t the case. People in ancient Japan
felt that they were born to be one kind of person – such as a
lantern maker or farmer – and shouldn’t try to be another
kind. A person could try to be better at his or her job, but it
wasn’t acceptable to have another job. (In short, there was
no social mobility.) The story of Yoshi was told to show
that it was foolish to try to be someone (or something) you
were not born to be. Explain that Confucianism, a
philosophy that came to Japan from China in the sixth
century, fostered this belief. One of the key beliefs of
Confucianism was that each person was to act according to
his or her status to create a harmonious society.
Intermediate level students should now return to the Shinto
and Kami handout and, if possible, complete it as a class
activity. If a classroom computer with an Internet
connection is not available, assign someone to go to the
media center or school library to find the answers. Next
turn your attention to the kami in the story. Remind the
class that, to followers of Shinto, kami are believed to be
spirits that rule parts of nature, such as mountains, rocks,
forests and rivers. Did the kami play a trick on Yoshi? (Is
that why he laughed when Yoshi wished to be a lantern
maker?) Did the kami know all along that Yoshi would
eventually wind up as a lantern maker once again? What
might be the moral (central message or theme) of the story?
Help your students understand that in ancient Japan, the
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moral would be that it is foolish to try to be someone or
something that you are not born to be. For older or more
advanced students, hand out Confucianism. After the short
essay is read, have your students discuss how the story
illustrates the Confucian belief that each person should act
according to his or her status to create a harmonious
society. Did anyone notice that the storyteller was an
elderly person? Note that Confucianism honors the elderly
and that one of its tenets is that the elderly are sources of
wisdom. What happened when Yoshi became a prince?
(Nature became unbalanced: there was excessive heat when
Yoshi became a prince. Moreover, there was a drought
when he became the sun, and flooding when he became a
cloud.) Next, turn the discussion to Yoshi’s job. Explain
that the Japanese people are famous for their unique arts
and crafts. In intermediate level classes, hand out Sado
and the Quiet Arts of Japan and have your students do this
exercise as seatwork or as homework. Display their work
on a bulletin board. Now turn your attention to the music
heard in the video. Did the class like or dislike the music?
Explain that Japanese musicians do not use the same
instruments as their counterparts in the west. Hand out
Japanese Music. If you are a primary level teacher, you
may read the information to their class, if you feel they will
benefit from it. Intermediate level teachers may have their
students read the information aloud, then discuss why
Japanese like western music. Explain that since World
War II, Japan has had close ties to the United States, and
those ties have strongly influenced the Japanese people,
especially in areas of the country’s economy, government
and culture.
Description of Blackline Masters
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS – Gives questions that may be asked
after the program is screened.
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VOCABULARY LIST – Helps familiarize students with some of
the Japanese words used in the program.
SHINTO & KAMI – Explains the importance of Shinto and kami
in Japanese culture.
MAKE BELIEVE OR REAL? – Helps primary students distinguish
between fact and fiction.
THE PRINCE’S PUZZLE – Reinforces the Japanese terms used in
the program and the lesson.
CONFUCIANISM – Helps more advanced students understand the
philosophical underpinnings of the story.
ANALYZING “YOSHI” – Helps more advanced students analyze
the story’s setting, plot, theme, characters and point of view.
AN INTERVIEW WITH THE PRODUCER – Gives additional
information on the program and how it was produced.
SADO AND THE QUIET ARTS OF JAPAN – Helps students
understand the unique arts of Japan.
JAPANESE MUSIC – An enrichment activity that gives students a
basic understanding of traditional Japanese music.
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ANSWER KEY
Real or Make Believe: 1. real
3. real
4. real
5. real
2. make believe
6. make believe
Shinto & Kami: Izanagi no mikoto is the god who,
according to Shinto, created the Japanese islands.
Amaterasu Omikami is the wife of Izanagi. She also
was responsible for creating the Japanese islands.
Confucianism in Japan: 1. importance of the group
2. question authority 3. Individual wishes must give
way to the group’s wishes.
Vocabulary List: Although sentences will vary,
definitions should be similar to the following: 1. An
outcrop is a rock formation visible on the surface.
2. Exhausted means to be very tired, drained.
3. A prefecture is a geographical area, or district,
similar to a county or state. 4. A shrine is where
persons who are of the Shinto faith go to worship their
ancestors and the religion’s spirits. 5. Kami are
Shinto spirits. 6. Shinto is Japanese religion that
worships ancestors and nature spirits known as kami.
7. To scorch means to burn the surface. 8. A torrent
is a strong, fast-moving burst of water or other liquid.
9. When something is metallic it resembles metal,
usually in composition, sight or sound. 10. Tremble
means to shake involuntarily.
Analyzing “Yoshi”: Plot exposition: A humble
lantern maker goes to work every day chipping stone
and making lanterns. Rising action: The lantern
maker wishes to be various persons and things, and
his wishes are granted by a kami. Climax: The
lantern maker, after becoming a prince, the sun, a
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cloud and a rock, wishes he were a human once
again – and his wish is granted. Falling action:
Yoshi once again goes to work each day, just as
before. Resolution: Yoshi is happy being a lantern
maker and no longer wishes to be someone or
something else. Conflict: Person vs. him/herself
Theme: One should be happy with him/herself and
should not attempt to be something he or she is not.
Setting: A small village in ancient Japan.
Characters: Yoshi, the lantern maker; the prince; the
kami, the workman who chips stone. An unseen
character is the rich merchant. Point of view:
omniscient.
The Prince’s Puzzle: Down: 1. Shinto
2. Outcrop
3. kami Across: 1. Yoshi
2. prefecture 3. priest
TRANSCRIPT OF THE VIDEO
Long ago, there was a humble lantern maker named Yoshi.
Each morning, he would walk to a great stone outcrop on the side
of a mountain that overlooked his village.
Once there, he would remove some tools from his wheelbarrow
and then carefully chip a block from the stone.
Then Yoshi would put the block into the wheelbarrow and return
to the village.
There, in his small workshop, he would spend the rest of the day
fashioning a lantern from the stone.
It was very hard work, and by the end of the day Yoshi was
always exhausted.
Even so, he often worked long into the night. Thus, as the years
passed, he made countless numbers of lanterns.
They were placed in gardens throughout his prefecture, the
region where he lived.
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And they were found at shrines, also. Indeed, Yoshi’s lanterns
were known throughout the country for their great beauty.
One day, when Yoshi was placing some of his lanterns at the
home of a rich merchant, he spied, through an open window, the
man’s bedroom.
Yoshi had never seen anything like! Such exquisite pottery,
furniture and artwork!
On his way home that evening, the lantern maker could not stop
thinking about what he had seen.
“I would be the happiest man alive if I had a bedroom like that!”
he said to himself. “Oh, how I wish my home were like that
mansion!”
As it happened, a kami – a spirit – had come down from the
mountains that very evening, and overheard Yoshi.
Kami have magical powers, including the ability to grant wishes.
And so, when Yoshi returned home, he found not his simple hut,
but instead, a large mansion – just like the merchant’s!
And the bedroom was precisely what Yoshi had seen earlier in
the day! He was overjoyed!
Summer came early that year. One morning, the sun turned
fiercely hot.
Yoshi decided to stay home until sunset, when it would be cooler.
He was about to turn from his window, when suddenly he noticed
a prince in the street below.
The nobleman, fanned by an attendant and shaded by an
enormous golden umbrella, sat in a magnificent carriage.
“Aiee! If I were a prince like that,” Yoshi said to himself, “I would
be the happiest man alive. For I would have a fine carriage to
take me from place to place and a giant umbrella to shade me
from the sun’s heat!
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“How I wish I were nobility!”
And so it was!
Yet, as the summer set in, the giant umbrella – and even the
servant’s fan – could not shield him from the sun’s oppressive
heat.
“Hmm! The sun is mightier than I,” thought Yoshi. “I wish I were
the sun so I could be so powerful.”
And so it was. Proud of his newfound power, Yoshi flashed his
sunbeams toward the earth where they scorched plants and
burned skin.
Then, one day, a mighty storm blew in from the ocean.
The storm clouds caught Yoshi’s sunbeams, preventing them
from reaching the earth.
At the same time, the clouds dropped rain onto the scorched
lands below.
Try as he might, Yoshi could not burn away the clouds.
“Aiee! They are mightier than I,” he said, “for they are able to
capture my rays. Oh, how I wish I were a cloud so I could be so
powerful!”
And so it was!
Yoshi rejoiced at his new powers, for he found that he could send
life-giving rain to the earth below.
The flowers opened and the fields turned green.
But alas, that was not enough for Yoshi.
He sent more and more rain downward. It fell in torrents.
Streams overflowed, trees and other plants were swept away,
and towns and villages were destroyed.
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Only the great outcrop on the mountain near Yoshi’s village
remained unchanged.
Yoshi tried to wash it away, but could not. “The rock is mightier
than I,” he thought. “Oh, I wish I were a mighty rock so I could be
so powerful!”
And so it was!
For many years Yoshi stood proudly as the great stone.
Neither the heat of the sun nor the force of the rain could move
him; neither the money of rich merchants who walked by to
market nor the power of princes could change him a speck.
“Ahhh”, he thought, “this is best of all!”
Then, one day, a strange, metallic tink! tink! tink echoed through
the mountains and forests.
The great rock Yoshi trembled.
And a large block fell from his side!
“Surely,” thought Yoshi, "this human is mightier than I, for he can
break stone with the simplest of tools! Oh, how I wish I were a
human!”
And so it was. Once again, Yoshi was a humble lantern maker.
And once again, he labored late into the night and walked each
morning to the stone outcrop on the mountain that overlooked his
village.
But now Yoshi no longer wished to be something else or
somebody else. Yoshi, the lantern maker, was content to be
himself.
And so it was!
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Web Resources
Japanese Culture
http://www.nihongo.org/english/culture/
An excellent source of links to pertinent information on
many different aspects of Japanese culture.
Japanese History
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e641.html
An excellent overview of Japanese history with many links.
Folktales from Japan
http://www.pitt.edu/~dash/japan.html
Eight Japanese folktales compiled by Prof. D.L. Ashliman
at the University of Pittsburgh
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Discussion Questions – Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
1. What was the name of the main character in the story? (Yoshi)
2. What did he do for a living? (He was a
lantern maker.)
3. What did Yoshi do every morning? (He
went to the great stone outcrop near
his village and chipped off part of the
outcrop to make a lantern.)
4. Was Yoshi a good lantern maker? How
do you know? (Yes, because he was
known throughout his country for his
beautiful lanterns and they were found
at many Shinto shrines and many other
places.)
5. What did Yoshi use to carry his tools
and chipped stone? (A wheelbarrow)
11. What did Yoshi do as the sun?
(He sent sunrays to the earth to scorch
plants and burn skin.)
12. Why did Yoshi wish to be a cloud?
(Because he thought it was more
powerful than the sun)
13. What good and bad things did
Yoshi do as a cloud? (He sent
rain to the earth; he sent too much
rain, causing foods.)
14. Why did Yoshi want to become a
rock? (Because he thought it was
more powerful than a cloud)
15. What made Yoshi the rock tremble?
(The chisel and hammer of the person
chipping rocks)
6. What did Yoshi see at the rich merchant’s house? (The beautiful pottery,
furniture and artwork in the merchant’s
bedroom)
16. What did Yoshi the rock wish to be?
Why? (A human, because he thought
the human was more powerful)
7. What did Yoshi wish for when he walked
home from the merchant’s house?
(That he had a home like the merchant’s
mansion)
17. What does the old saying, “The grass is
always greener on the other side of the
fence” mean? How does it apply to the
Yoshi? (Answers will vary.)
8. Who overheard Yoshi’s wish? What
did he do? (A kami. He granted the
wish.)
18. Is Yoshi a foolish person? Why or why
not? (Answers will vary.)
9. Why did Yoshi wish to be a prince?
(So he could ride in a carriage and have
a giant umbrella to shade him)
10. Why did Yoshi want to be the sun?
(Because it was more powerful than
the prince)
Yoshi, the Lantern Maker
19. How did Yoshi abuse his power? (He
caused a drought as the sun and floods
as a cloud.)
20. Have you ever wanted to have all your
wishes granted? Do you think it would
be a good thing or a bad thing?
(Answers will vary.)
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
Vocabulary List
The program you will see, Yoshi, the Lantern Maker, takes place in ancient Japan.
Because of that, there will probably be some words in it that will be unfamiliar to you.
Also listed are some words that will help you understand ancient Japanese culture.
They are listed below. After finding their definitions, write a sentence using the word.
1. Outcrop
Sentence:
2. Exhausted
Sentence:
3. Prefecture
Sentence:
4. Shrine
Sentence:
5. Kami
Sentence:
6. Shinto
Sentence:
7. Scorch
Sentence:
8. Torrents
Sentence:
9. Metallic
Sentence:
10. Tremble
Sentence:
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
Make Believe or Real?
Directions: Color the pictures. Then, on the line below each one, tell whether
the picture shows something that could be real, or whether it is make believe.
1. __________________________
4. __________________________
2. __________________________
5. __________________________
3. __________________________
6. __________________________
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
Shinto & Kami
A Shinto Shrine
Directions: Read the paragraph below. Then conduct a web search of the two Shinto terms listed
beneath the paragraph. Write sentence or two about each term on the lines provided.
Shinto is the ancient religion of Japan. It is still practiced today by about three
million people around the world, most of them on that island nation. Although
Shinto has a scripture, the Kojiki, or “Record of Ancient Matters,” members of the
Shinto faith do not believe it is sacred. The most important part of the Shinto
faith is its belief in “kami.” Kami are spirits that can be found anywhere and they
can take many different forms – as a spirit found in natural objects such as trees,
mountains, streams and rocks; or as a spirit of an ancestor; or as a divine being.
Shinto shrines are where the spirits are worshipped. Shrines are found in many
different places – in homes, woods and even lakes. Worshippers often leave
small pieces of folded paper with wishes written on them at special places
(sometimes twigs or a board) near a shrine, hoping that a kami will grant their
wishes. Shinto has no specific code of conduct, such as the Ten Commandments, but loyalty, family, nature and cleanliness are very important beliefs.
Shinto festivals are called matsuri. These celebrations are held throughout the
year to honor various kami. The most important Shinto festivals are held at
harvest time and at New Year.
1. Izanagi no mikoto: ______________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
2. Amaterasu Omikami ____________________________________________
_____________________________________________________________
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
The Prince’s Puzzle
Yoshi was too busy to do puzzles, but not the prince. One of the prince’s
favorite puzzles is found below. See if you can complete it.
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
Confucianism in Japan
Confucius
Directions: Read the paragraph on Confucius. Then, on the lines below, tell three key
differences between Confucian beliefs and western beliefs, those found in the U.S.,
Canada and Western European countries.
Confucius was a very important Chinese philosopher who lived about 2,500 years ago.
His ideas spread from China to Japan in the 6th century. At the same time, Buddhism,
which began in India, spread to Japan, also. Together, the two beliefs formed the moral
codes most Japanese people still follow. (Shinto, the original religion of Japan did not
deal with morals. It dealt with spirits and ruling families). Confucianism is not a religion.
It is a set of rules that guide behavior for leaders and their followers, as well as for
parents and children, friends and neighbors, husbands and wives, brothers and sisters.
According to Confucian beliefs, if the rules are obeyed there will be few arguments and
no wars. In the Japanese form of Confucianism, people must always be loyal to their
superiors – to the ruler and parents, for example. In western countries (Europe and
North America), people are taught to question authority, not give unquestioned loyalty.
Getting along with each other, not competition, is another important value of
Confucianism. Competition is a way of life in most western countries. Confucianism
says that each person’s wishes must always give way to the group’s collective wishes.
The individual’s wishes are more important in the west. Japanese Confucianism’s most
important values are loyalty, practicing rituals, courage, sincerity and wisdom.
1. Western: Importance of the individual
Confucian: _________________________
2. Western: ______________________
Confucian: Unquestioned loyalty to superior
3. Western: Competition_____________
Confucian: _________________________
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
Analyzing “Yoshi”
Directions: Analyze the folktale according to the story elements listed below. Be
succinct.
Plot – Exposition :
Plot – Rising Action:
Plot – Climax:
Plot – Falling Action:
Plot – Resolution:
Conflict:
Theme:
Setting:
Characters:
Point of View:
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
Sado and the Quiet Arts of Japan
Japanese Tea Ceremony
Yoshi, the Lantern Maker hinted at the importance of beauty, harmony and
peace in Japanese society. To the Japanese, the “quiet arts” are a way to create
beauty and harmony, and to form a peaceful place far from the difficulties of
everyday life. The quiet arts of Japan include ikebana (flower arranging), ukiyoe
(woodblock prints), bonsai (miniature trees), origami (paper folding) and perhaps
most famous, sado (tea ceremony). Sado, as with the other quiet arts, follows
very strict rules and practices. The tea maker and the guest(s) sit in special
places on the floor and tea preparation is done in a very precise way. The
utensils used in the ceremony represent the “Five Elements” of Buddhism, a
religion widely practiced in Japan. The elements are wood, fire, water, metal and
earth. The room where the ceremony is performed is small because Buddhists
believe that simplicity and thriftiness are important virtues. Sado became
extremely important between 1467 and 1572, a period when Japan experienced
almost continual warfare. The ceremony became a way to escape the fighting.
By custom, warring parties would never attack enemies engaged in sado.
Moreover, when a military leader surrendered, he often handed over tea utensils
to the victor, signifying that peace had been made.
Conduct an online search on one of the other quiet arts and write several
paragraphs describing it. Then draw a picture that illustrates the art. Or research
and write several paragraphs one of the following Japanese performing arts:
Kabuki Theater, Noh Theater or Bunraku.
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
Japanese Music
A Koto Player
There are two basic kinds of traditional Japanese music – art music and folk
music. Folk music, sung and played for thousands of years, is the oldest. In the
8th century gagaku, or court music, developed. It was played for the nobility and
upper classes. All the music heard in Yoshi, the Lantern Maker was played on
traditional Japanese musical instruments. There are no brass instruments such
as trumpets, or reed instruments such as the clarinet, in traditional Japanese
music. But there are drums, flutes and stringed instruments. One of the most
widely used string instruments is the koto, a 13-string zither (a wooden box with
strings) that usually lies flat on the floor. Koto players pluck the strings using
picks on their thumb and the first two fingers of the right hand. The left hand is
used to change the pitch and tone of the string. Another popular string
instrument is the shamisen. It is a 3-string lute that looks something like a banjo.
There is also the biwa, a 4-string instrument similar to a guitar. The most famous
Japanese wind instrument is the shakuhachi bamboo flute. It has 4 or 5 finger
holes on the front and a thumb hole in the back. The shinobue is similar to a
western flute and is often played at festivals. Drums, or taiko, are very important
in traditional Japanese music. The most dramatic is the Odaiko, a very large
drum often played at festivals. Two hourglass-shaped drums, the kotsuzumi and
otsuzumi are often used in traditional Japanese theater, noh (dramas for the
court and upper classes in ancient Japan) and kabuki (plays for commoners).
Vocal music is very important in Japan, some say even more important than
instrumental music. Today, all kinds of music are popular in Japan – ancient,
modern, western pop, jazz and western classical.
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
An Interview with the Producer
Guide writer Barri Golbus recently interviewed Warren Colman, the producer of
Yoshi, the Lantern Maker, to learn more about the program and its production.
BG: There are many Japanese folktales. Why did you select this one?
WC: The story perfectly met the three criteria we set out before we began our
search. First, it had to be a story that students would enjoy watching, which
means it had to have some intrinsic interest, either in the plot or thematically –
hopefully, both. Second, it had to mirror some key cultural factors from its
country of origin. “Yoshi,” for instance, has many Shinto and Confucian
elements, and those are two key aspects of Japanese society. And third, the
story had to lend itself to a visual presentation. I found the possibility of showing
Yoshi as the sun, cloud and rock very enticing. And, of course, Japan is a
stunningly beautiful country and its architecture, clothing and so forth are very
unique.
BG: I understand you brought more than a passing familiarity of Japan to this
project. Did it help?
WC: You’re referring to my project in Japan, right?
BG: Yes.
WC: It helped immensely. I was fortunate enough to produce and direct a series
of programs on Japan in the mid-1980s. I spent more than a month there,
traveling to all four major islands. Of the hundreds of projects I’ve been involved
in over the years, that one had to be my favorite. I came away with a deep
appreciation of Japan’s natural beauty and the uniqueness of its culture. Every
morning I’d wake up and think, “I can’t believe I’m getting paid to do this!”
BG: What was your favorite experience there?
WC: There was certainly more than one. But if I had to name just one, it was in
Kyoto. We were on a mountain that overlooks the city and it was dusk. A Shinto
shrine and a Buddhist temple – exquisite buildings – sat next to each other on top
of the mountain and the sun had just set. There was still a warm glow in the sky
and the lights of Kyoto were glittering below. To top it off, there was a winding
cobblestone street with small shops on each side leading up to the shrine and
temple. A few window shoppers were slowly walking along the street. It was
quite an amazing, magical scene.
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
An Interview with the Producer, page 2
BG: Were you able to get it on tape?
WC: Well, we shot on film in the 80s. But yes, we got it.
BG: Let’s talk a little about the Shinto and Confucianism exhibited in the story.
Can you be a little more specific?
WC: The spirit in the story is typical of Shinto kami. He has the power to grant
wishes. Whenever you go to a Shinto shrine, there’s always something like a
display board or bush where people can leave little slips of paper with wishes
written on them. Supplicants hope the kami will grant their wishes. Kami are
really an integral part of the Japanese belief system, at least to a significant
portion of the population. The Confucian idea that one should not try to rise
above his or her station in life is certainly evident in Japan, also. Groupism,
which integrates Confucian beliefs about social harmony, is a key aspect of
Japanese culture. You see it everywhere. Children, teens and adults travel in
groups, hang out in groups, do almost everything in group settings. Japanese
typically feel uncomfortable in an individual setting. Not that it isn’t done, but
Japanese much prefer to do their activities within a group. Group consensus is
extremely important when decisions are made. There’s an old saying in Japan
that “the nail that sticks up gets hammered down.”
BG: What was the purpose of having the drought and floods? Is that about
power corrupting?
WC: That would be a western interpretation – the Benjamin Disraeli admonition
that “Power tends to corrupt; absolute power corrupts absolutely.” But in Asian
cultures, there would be a different interpretation. When Yoshi becomes
something, or somebody, that he wasn’t meant to be, the universe becomes
unbalanced and harmony is lost. Nature runs amok as a result.
BG: There are many periods in Japanese history. In which period did you set
the story?
WC: We set it in the Heian period, which lasted from the late 8th century to late
12th century. The Heian period, along with the Nara period, is called “Classical
Japan,” a time when there was uninterrupted peace and prosperity. Culture
flourished in Heian Japan. We thought it was appropriate because other periods
were chaotic with lots of warfare, and the folklore from those eras had much
more to do with samurai and things of that ilk.
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.
Name _________________________
An Interview with the Producer, page 3
BG: When you say, “set in the Heian period” what exactly do you mean?
WC: The clothing, architecture and artifacts seen in the production.
BG: The program was scored completely with traditional Japanese music. Were
you afraid that non-western music would be distracting?
WC: It might be discordant to some, but education is about expanding horizons
and sometimes that involves some discomfort. In today’s world, which is very
small indeed, I feel it’s extremely important that kids understand that people in
foreign countries don’t necessarily experience life the same as we do. Our music
isn’t necessarily their music. That’s a huge lesson for kids because they tend to
be egocentric by nature. A good education, in my estimation, helps children
overcome their natural egocentricity.
BG: Did you change anything from the original story?
WC: There are always changes because we’re dealing with a different medium.
But on the whole, the story remained pretty much intact. The only real change
was Yoshi’s job. In the original, he’s a stonecutter.
BG: Why the change?
WC: It gave us an opportunity to show another distinct – and beautiful – aspect
of Japanese culture, ishi toro (lantern making). And it also gave us a springboard
to have activities on Japan’s quiet arts, which are very unique. We have a
worksheet and some suggested activities on the quiet arts.
BG: Did you change anything else?
WC: We changed the depiction of the kami somewhat. We felt that most of the
classical portrayals, if we used them, would be much too frightening for younger
children. So we softened him in our version.
Yoshi, The Lantern Maker
© 2008 Colman Communications Corp.