All Nippon Airways Co., Ltd. (“ANA”) launched their new online content “IS JAPAN COOL? DOU”
(https://www.ana-cooljapan.com/contents/DOU/), focusing on introducing Japan’s rich cultural heritage, hereby referred to as “DOU”, depicting it with cutting-edge technology through promoting tourist destinations and popular Japanese cultures to the world.
The spirituality, skills/techniques, forms, and manners have long been a valuable asset to the country, passed down
from generation from generation in an intangible manner. As the annual number of international visitors to Japan has exceeded the all-time high record of 24 million visitors, the project aims to provide a deeper understanding and a new perspective of the true nature of Japan by introducing “the way of life”, hereby referred to as DOU, valued greatly in traditional Japanese culture.
DOU (often romanized as “do” or “doh”) is the way of life in which one approaches the essence of existence in pursuing one’s own field. DOU can be divided into two segments, budo (Japanese martial arts) and geido (Japanese
traditional performing/fine arts). The ultimate goal of budo such as judo, kyudo, kendo, karatedo, iaido, etc. is not only to acquire the techniques of these martial skills, but is also a way of life in training the body and spirit to build up one’s character. Similarly, the ultimate goal of geido such as shodo, nihon buyo, sado,
noh, etc. is not simply to acquire the forms, actions, and manners of these artistic skills, but also is to the never-ending pursuit to perfect beauty.
In this latest issue, the project team introduces these DOU through masters who demonstrate the way of life in each
field, using video contents which feature key techniques and manners significant to each DOU.
