No.1 A green lamp
I often find a green lamp on a desk, especially in a scene of a lawyer’s office or an executive’s room.
Like this
It always has a green shade. I’ve never seen one in blue or brown or whatever but green. I’ve been wondering if it exists in reality? I mean, does it look so lawyers or executives?
No.2 Patient’s clothes
In medical dramas or crime dramas, patients or victims are always wearing clothes with small and blue patterns.
Like this
Maybe these are so common for the American that nobody cares, but for me they are very interesting.
Have you ever found any interesting or unfamiliar thing for you in Japanese dramas?
はろう〜最近、断酒中です。
居酒屋のノンアルコールカクテルドリンクメニューに
カルピスコーラを見つけたので
うちでやってみた。なんか美味いような気がする。
カロリーオフカルピス+ゼロコーラでやるのね。
I’m sorry I’ve been absent!!
I went home to the US for a while, and now I’m back in Japan. There are many new foreigners in my office and I’ve had to help someone almost everyday… I have no time, I’m like a mom.
I had a gum graft (歯肉移植) a few weeks ago too.
(T_T)
There’s no easy, simple answer to these questions!
That sort of lamp is traditional for bankers. It’s common for people who count money or keep records, and must read small typed numbers all day. The design and color help you avoid eyestrain. My dad has one of these at his desk!
And the hospital gown? Maybe a small pattern is more pleasant than plain paper? I think that plain paper might also show smudges or blood spots more easily…. It’s very true to life. Even at the dentist’s office, the paper bib is made up in patterned design!
Hey〜! long time no see!
I’m very happy to hear from you again!
How’s your stay in the US? Did it make you re-charged? I hope so.
I’m sorry for your gum graft. It sounds painfull. How is it going? OK now?
Thank you for your info about the lamp. Uh! it makes sense! I think the light through the green shade must be soothing.
And the patterned paper bib?? Funny! I guess the American love the blue small patterns!
When I saw who wearing a gown in blue pattened, I thought she was wearing the Japanese traditional pattern “kasuri” which is used for kimono or yukata.
So I was surprised why she was wearing the Japanese kasuri gown. Then I always check what they put on in hospital scene.
kasuri is like this
http://www.kimono-bito.com/gds/0550/005959.htm
or
http://www.inatoku.com/2010/06/post_236.php
IMHO the lamp has a deeper meaning when used in media, it symbolizes that the person who has one on their desk is very traditional and belonging to a different, usually higher, social class.
Thank you, Mark! I’ve noticed somehow what you mentioned. When I saw the lamp in a drama first time, I thought it was beautiful and I wanted one. But after that I found the lamps again and again. So I started wondering WHY do they have the same lamp???
good observations. I like the green lamp. It matches wood desk very well. Has a very “English” feeling, right? Maybe it’s a little expensive, so only professionals buy it for office. I don’t know. In Korean dramas, I always see the bronze-colored pot used for cooking ramen! ^^ In Japanese dramas, I can’t remember… maybe housewives always wear an apron outside to go grocery shopping? ^^ Very interesting post!
Hahaha〜 with an apron outside to go grocery shopping!
Yeah, I see what you talking about in dramas too. BUT, it’s exaggerated, I think. I’ve never gone out with an apron nor seen anyone like that. Maybe,, there were many moms with aprons in 60′s to 70′s.
Thanks for your comment, if you find something weird for you in the Japanese dramas, please let me know!
I worked for attorneys for many years and I never saw that lamp in any of their offices; as for hospital gowns I haven’t been in a hospital for many years so I don’t know what’s fashionable now; and finally my husband has been watching quite a few Japanese movies and his complaint is that everybody dies in Japanese movies, the good guy, the bad guy, the girl, EVERYBODY! Husband likes happy endings and he said all Japanese movies have sad endings.
And a lot of the times, their dog/child/wife/partner dies in first 15 minutes! A very dark way of moving the narative along.
Early incandescent lights were very harsh to look at. Green shades reduced this harshness and the eye strain that accompanied it. Antique lamps, or designs that are imitating them, have green shades for this reason. See green eyeshade on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_eyeshade
Now, the very first people who were important enough to warrant having a desk lamp were often lawyers or in the financial industry. So this type of lamp has become known as a “banker’s lamp” (a Google Image search will verify this). The reason people buy this type of lamp today is because it is fashionable/traditional.
Hollywood set designers are well educated on matters such as this, and they are trying to set a specific tone with every scene they create. Therefore, it is very common to see such lamps in movies. In reality though, lawyers and bankers are often more practical or modern people. The green lamps are not as common as movies would suggest.
Hospital gowns are usually lightly coloured for cleanliness reasons (stains are apparent), the patterns are small for this reason as well. Blue is the traditional colour, although I don’t know why. A variety of pale colours have been used for many years.
Early incandescent lights were very harsh to look at. Green shades reduced this harshness and the eye strain that accompanied it. Antique lamps, or designs that are imitating them, have green shades for this reason. See green eyeshade on wikipedia: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Green_eyeshade
Now, the very first people who were important enough to warrant having a desk lamp were often lawyers or in the financial industry. So this type of lamp has become known as a “banker’s lamp” (a Google Image search will verify this). The reason people buy this type of lamp today is because it is fashionable/traditional.
Hollywood set designers are well educated on matters such as this, and they are trying to set a specific tone with every scene they create. Therefore, it is very common to see such lamps in movies. In reality though, lawyers and bankers are often more practical or modern people. The green lamps are not as common as movies would suggest.
Hospital gowns are usually lightly coloured for cleanliness reasons (stains are apparent), the patterns are small for this reason as well. Blue is the traditional colour, although I don’t know why. A variety of pale colours have been used for many years.
I started to read your blog tonight and i love the spirit of it!
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