>

Many countries require signatures on contracts. But in Japan, name seals are used instead. From marriage registrations to car registrations, from birth certificates to death certificates, the stamp of a name seal is required on many public documents. Carving the face of a name seal is a task that requires painstaking workmanship. Seals with beautiful decorative designs can be artistic masterpieces in their own right. The samurai competed among themselves to have the most exquisite name seals, which were vital symbols of identity. Japan's imperial seal, the mark of the emperor, has been in use for more than 130 years. Even in our high-tech times, demand for name seals remains strong. Advances in digital technology have led to an entirely new type of name seal with some fascinating features. On this edition of BEGIN Japanology, our theme is name seals. We investigate the large role that these small carved stamps play in Japanese life.

Release Date: 2008-04-14
Seasons: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7
TMDb: 8.0/10
  • Country: JP, GB
  • Language: English | 日本語
  • Runtime: 28

Other episodes for this season

Ekiden
Episode 1 - Ekiden
Batteries
Episode 2 - Batteries
Cafes
Episode 3 - Cafes
Hot Water Bottles and Pocket Warmers
Episode 4 - Hot Water Bottles and Poc...
Ikebana
Episode 5 - Ikebana
Excavators
Episode 6 - Excavators
Woods & Forests
Episode 7 - Woods & Forests
Japanophiles - Dhugal Lindsay
Episode 8 - Japanophiles - Dhugal Lin...
Japanophiles - Richard Emmert
Episode 9 - Japanophiles - Richard Em...
Japanophiles - Art Lee
Episode 10 - Japanophiles - Art Lee
Japanophiles - Philip Harper
Episode 11 - Japanophiles - Philip Har...
Kabuki
Episode 12 - Kabuki
Wild Vegetables
Episode 13 - Wild Vegetables
Horses
Episode 14 - Horses
Massage Chairs
Episode 15 - Massage Chairs
Shikoku Pilgrimage
Episode 16 - Shikoku Pilgrimage
Regional Fast Food
Episode 17 - Regional Fast Food
Department Stores
Episode 18 - Department Stores
Kimonos
Episode 19 - Kimonos
Aquariums
Episode 20 - Aquariums
Confectionery
Episode 21 - Confectionery
Dolls
Episode 22 - Dolls
Moss
Episode 23 - Moss
High School Baseball
Episode 24 - High School Baseball
Planetariums
Episode 25 - Planetariums
Japanophiles - Adam Booth
Episode 26 - Japanophiles - Adam Booth
Japanophiles - Dave Spector
Episode 27 - Japanophiles - Dave Spect...
Japanophiles - Euan Craig
Episode 28 - Japanophiles - Euan Craig
Shamisen
Episode 29 - Shamisen
Crested Ibises
Episode 30 - Crested Ibises
Abalone
Episode 31 - Abalone
Tokyo Station
Episode 32 - Tokyo Station
Tokyo Skytree
Episode 33 - Tokyo Skytree
Tokyo Bay
Episode 34 - Tokyo Bay
Potatoes, Taros, and Yams
Episode 35 - Potatoes, Taros, and Yams
Name Seals
Episode 36 - Name Seals
Mushrooms
Episode 37 - Mushrooms
Vending Machines
Episode 38 - Vending Machines
Scissors
Episode 39 - Scissors
Satsuma Mandarins
Episode 40 - Satsuma Mandarins
Gift-giving
Episode 41 - Gift-giving