The following is a guest post by Peter Baggaley. Thanks, Peter!

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The samurai armor pictured is a Halloween costume that I made using paper, string, and other household materials. Most high school students do not go trick-or-treating for Halloween. For the past few years, I have been a proud exception to this rule. My costumes are all handmade and reflect a historical warrior idea, in chronological order. First, I was a hoplite, a Greek heavy infantryman from the Bronze Age. I then progressed to a Roman centurion, followed by a Viking/barbarian. As I entered high school, I entered the middle ages in the guise of a crusader. Last year, I made the slight leap to Renaissance period infantry.

For this year’s costume, I was faced with a dilemma. I didn’t plan on trick-or-treating my senior year, so this would be my last costume; thus, I reasoned that it would have to be spectacularly elaborate. However, following the Renaissance was the age of gun-powder, and elaborate armors gave way to more simple cloth uniforms. That was no good, especially since I despise working with cloth. I was considering my options when I received an unexpected present. My aunt, Dr. Katharine Burnett, sent me a copy the 2009 summer issue of the AAM Treasures, featuring an amazing set of samurai armor on the cover. Traditional samurai armor, made from silk, lacquer, steel, gold, and other materials, was notoriously elaborate. Additionally, the samurai persisted as warriors until long after the Renaissance, until the late nineteenth century.

Having decided on an idea for a costume, and with a great picture to model it from, I was ready to begin. I worked on my costume for most of the summer, and much of the fall in my spare time. Most of the materials I used were paper and other common household materials. I used:

• poster board
• printer paper
• tissue paper
• construction paper
• black crafts paper
• foam board
• gold cloth
• white muslin
• string
• black ribbon
• scotch tape
• lots of Elmer’s glue
• duct tape
• brass fasteners
• several gold-colored curtain rings
• 1 gold-colored shower curtain ring
• black netting w/ a gold floral embroidered design
• two different sizes of decorative red upholstery cording
• a black, long-sleeved shirt

By far the most time-consuming aspect of the costume was weaving the string into the body armor. The front of the main body piece (cuirass) also features hand-drawn floral designs with birds and animals. The back has two hand drawn butterflies and an elaborate knot modeled off a uniform I found in a book I was referencing. Arguably the most impressive feature of the armor is the pattern on the plates over the forearms of the costume. It features a golden plant design that I cut out using my Swiss Army knife. Of course, a samurai needs a weapon; I also created a paper katana (sword) and sheath.

I had planned to indulge my ego by showing off the costume in my neighborhood on Halloween night. Unfortunately, my tour of the area was cut short by rain. I intend, however, to make the necessary repairs. Then the samurai costume will be retired to my bedroom; paper may not last forever, but I hope it will be remembered through these pictures.

– Peter Baggaley

Objects wait for a final condition check before packing

Over the past week we’ve been busy packing up the show. This is always a process of carefully controlled chaos. On average, breaking down an exhibition takes less than half as long as putting it up. With another show to immediately follow, it’s a tight schedule and one with little room for delays.

Textile conservator Denise Migdail unmounts a banner from its support

The deinstallation process involves museum staff, representatives from lending institutions, and additional art handlers and packers. In just a few days the Samurai team deinstalled, condition checked, and packed more than 160 objects for their return to Japan. It’s was quite an effort.

Registrar Cathy Mano wraps lacquers for their trip home

With artwork safely out of the way, preparation crews are busy retrofitting the galleries for Emerald Cities: Arts of Siam and Burma. At the same time, other exhibition staff are busy planning the installation of our 2010 exhibition, Shanghai. We move quickly from one exhibition to the next, but I think that even through this haze of new activity, we will remember Samurai with a special fondness.

Travel crates lined up outside of the gallery, with curators Yoko Woodson and Melissa Rinne standing by

While all exhibitions are special, this one in particular has been among the hightest attended shows in the museum’s history. So A huge thank you to to the tens of thousands of visitors who have helped make Lords of the Samurai a resounding success, and to the staff and partners who worked to make this exhibition possible.

Goodbye Samurai, and safe travels home.

Always a strange feeling–we’ve spent so much time together, and soon it will be time to say goodbye.

Memory, that persistent, unfailing shadow.  Not nostalgia, no.

We’ll remember the good times, the first glimpse of new-old treasure.

But to be honest, I’m going to be really happy that I don’t have to keep turning over the Japanese books.  For the record, in Japan, books start from the other side.

If it has the price on it and a barcode and it looks like the back of the book, it’s the back of the book.

Maybe I should have mentioned this at the beginning of the exhibition.

Yes, better luck next time on that.  We’re open, time to go upstairs.  If I get a chance to leave the building for lunch, expect a picture of some epic queue.

*ではまた後で。= “see you later.”

In hindsight, I should have spent more time focusing on the artistry and craftsmanship involved in making samurai masks, armor, helmets, swords and sword guards in my blog posts. But hindsight is a funny thing, and when exploring this with the person responsible for the parody website last weekend, I was told it wouldn’t have swayed his opinion that the activities promote militarism and glorify war.  I respect his position and hope the final two art activities provide a counter to the previous projects.

The next project lends a different perspective and highlights the more sophisticated nature of the samurai class.  This haiku project was beautifully designed by Corinne Takara, local artist, arts educator and creator of the previously posted samurai activities. In addition to more refined pursuits like go, Noh theater, painting and tea, poetry was a common samurai endeavor. Haiku is a short poem (often a meditation on nature) consisting of three lines—5 syllables, 7 syllables, 5 syallables. Next time you’re outside, stop in the moment and write a hiaku about the smells, sounds and colors washing over you. Then use these instructions to write and illistrate your poem.

For the record, this is not the first time I haven’t been able to penetrate the large mass of enthralled on-lookers gawking at the swords and sword guards. They are impressive works of art, and people seem genuinely curious about, and humbled by, them. I heard one gentleman say repeatedly, “That blade is so sharp! That blade is so sharp!”

Luckily, you can make your own samurai sword and sword guard at home with a few simple materials. Click here to learn how.

NEW PEOPLE is the country’s first center dedicated exclusively to all things “Jpop” (as in Japanese popular culture, and not strictly Japanese pop music). Launched by the founder / CEO of VIZ Pictures and VIZ Media (manga and anime powerhouse), NEW PEOPLE houses a cinema, gallery, shop, food court (featuring local favorites Delica and Blue Bottle Coffee), boutiques specializing in subculture fashions (be it “Gothic Lolita” or the over-accessorized, rainbow palette of Harajuku).

Here’s a perfect example of “if you build it, they will come.” NEW PEOPLE opened with fanfare. Healthy amounts of like-minded but incredibly diverse people — all clamoring for their youth (sub)culture fix — waited in line to experience this “authentic” slice of Tokyo right in the middle of Japantown. I’ve never seen so many “lolitas” and “kawaii” gals. They flew out celebrity artist Yoshitaka Amano (most known for Final Fantasy artwork) to debut his latest works, and indie comic fave Yuichi Yokoyama (who did a live painting). There was also a lively red carpet movie premiere of 20th Century Boys, based on the manga.

As for the museum, we (including our samurai ambassador) handed out materials to the public, said hi to familiar faces, and had a great time. Couldn’t have asked for better weather.

I for one, am personally excited since this all resonates with my interests. But whatever your cup of tea may be, one can’t help but find this latest venture a fascinating one. It’s a bit of a cultural phenomenon, and a genuine effort on NEW PEOPLE’s part to foster the appreciation, preservation, and exposure of Jpop culture among the Bay Area. In addition, I’ve heard many say that this is exactly what Japantown needs, an infusion of energy and excitement. Some hope that NEW PEOPLE can help revitalize the beautiful but sometimes worrisome quiet of this charming community-minded neighborhood (also our neighbor).

Please click here for scenes from the day.

Have you been to NEW PEOPLE yet? Are you interested in going? Do you think this will bring some pep to Japantown? We’re curious to hear your thoughts.

On August 6, 1945, eight-year-old Takashi Tanemori was playing hide-and-seek with friends in Hiroshima when the atomic bomb fell less than one mile away.

The blast killed his parents, a brother, a sister, and other members of his family. Takashi, whose father was of samurai class, became an Oyanashigo—a street urchin, who survived by scrounging from garbage cans and refuse piles.

He vowed to avenge his family’s deaths, but over the course of many years he had a change of heart and chose instead to devote himself to a path of peaceful wisdom and helping others. Recently he visited the Asian with his guide dog, Yuki (in Japanese, “falling snow under moonlight”).

“In marveling over the exhibit of Miyamoto Musashi,” Takashi said, “I was reminded of my reading of The Book of Five Rings, and an important basis of Musashi’s philosophy: Nurture the heart, and the brain will follow.

“It’s important to remember the root of the word Samurai is saburi, which means ‘servant’ or ‘attendant,’  Takashi went on. “I learned from my father that I should live my life in service to others. This is a central Samurai teaching.”

Takashi Tanemori lives in Berkeley. He is an artist, a poet, and the author of Hiroshima: Bridge to Forgiveness (2007)