: Japanese art began with traditional forms like calligraphy, ceramics, and 17th-century Ukiyo-e paintings. Early cinema in the late 1890s was uniquely Japanese, featuring benshi —professional storytellers who narrated silent films for live audiences.
: Japanese art began with traditional forms like calligraphy, ceramics, and 17th-century Ukiyo-e paintings. Early cinema in the late 1890s was uniquely Japanese, featuring benshi —professional storytellers who narrated silent films for live audiences.