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[Home Movies of Fresno (CA) Buddhist Temple; Girls Playing; Major Buddhist Event in Japan and more / circa 1929]
Maker
Sasaki, Sensho
Dateca. 1929
Mediumacetate
DimensionsFilm Format: 16.00 mm, L: 289 ft, Diam: 7 in
ClassificationsMoving Images
Credit LineGift of the Sasaki Family
Object number96.150.17
DescriptionBlack and white home movie footage of Fresno and Japan, filmed by Reverend Sensho Sasaki, circa 1929 (and possibly 1937). Footage includes the exterior of the Fresno Buddhist Temple, a family (likely Reverend Kyogoku, his wife, and two children), a Buddhist conference-type event, and a large formal event in Japan. The formal event in Japan includes a lengthy motorcade sequence and crowds (likely the wedding of Abbot Kosho Ohtani and his wife Kishi, in April 1937).
Timecode list:
0:30 – Close up view of two men in suits (one with a long tie, one with a bow tie) standing outside the Fresno Buddhist temple. [Early cataloging notes suggest one man is Reverend Kyogoku.]
0:49 – View of Fresno Buddhist Temple from across the street.
1:45 – Parents and two girls play with a ball on a lawn. The older girl bounces a ball, the woman persuades the younger girl not to hide from the camera, and the man (from 0:30 with the long tie) watches. The two girls toss the ball back and forth to each other, then throw it at the camera operator.
2:30 – Views of a lake from a motorboat; the two girls from 1:45 sit in the front of the boat facing the camera.
3:15 – Intertitle card in Japanese (“First Series” or “Volume One”)
3:19 – Intertitle card in Japanese (“Full of Joy / Hongwanji”)
3:23 – Grainy outdoor footage filmed in Japan; panning view of large buildings from a distant vantage point.
3:48 – Close ups of piles of fish and seafood on raised trays.
4:07 – A small sign in Japanese characters.
4:22 – A large vertical sign board covered with Japanese characters outdoors.
4:32 – Exteriors of a large city building.
4:38 – A man speaks on an indoor stage next to vertical paper banners with Japanese writing. Closeups of the banners, view from the audience seating. The banner gives a schedule for the day (opening remarks, multiple lectures, etc – see below for partial translation).
5:07 – View from the stage of a speaker and out to the audience.
5:13 – Closeup of a light colored flag with an eight pointed hollow “star”-like symbol on it.
5:33 – Pigeons on a roof ridge; overexposed trees blowing in the wind.
5:59 – View of a gated entryway and closeup of a sign over the entry.
6:18 – Closeup of a flower.
6:31 – Crowds lining a street; two men and a woman dressed formally pass close by the camera and get into a car. Views from above of the same area, with multiple photographers trying to take pictures. People exit the gateway and get into cars. Crowds try to follow the cars.
8:02 – At street level, the car convoy passes crowds lining the road.
8:12 – View of the car convoy from another moving vehicle.
8:40 – View of more crowds lining the road as seen from the front window of the leading car; approaching a large building complex (likely the same ones from 3:23). Banners with the double wisteria crest of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism are visible above an archway.
9:02 – Panning views of formally dressed men.
9:20 – Closer views of formally dressed men. (Men’s outfits may include a kassetsue = pieced robe worn over the left shoulder? )
9:42 – View of the car convoy approaching the camera straight on; crowds line the roadway.
9:57 – Car convoy passes left to right; women in formal dress line the road, with men behind them. Spectators bow as the cars pass.
10:15 – A long line of formally dressed men wait under a shade covering as the cars approach. Photographers run toward the front to catch up.
10:57 – The car convoy stops; a woman dressed very formally exits one car. She wears a many-layered kimono and has an osuberakashi hairstyle.
11:40 – Close-up of double wisteria crest banner.
11:45 – Interior views of long tables set with raised wooden trays; dark view of interior with more long tables.
11:59 – Group stands and sits outside for a formal portrait; other cameramen are visible. A mix of men and women, dressed traditionally and in Western clothes. A man and woman (likely Abbot Kosho Ohtani and his wife Kishi) sit at the center of the group.
12:44 – A man and woman (likely Abbot Kosho Ohtani and his wife Kishi) stand in their formal attire, likely having their portraits taken.
13:09 – Film ends.
Black and white home movie footage by Reverend Sensho Sasaki of Reverend Kyogoku, Fresno and an important Buddhist gathering in Japan that includes Gomonshu (Abbot) Koshin Otani and wife, 1920s.
0-27 ft. : Reverend Kyogoku(?) Fresno Temple(?).
27-45 ft. : Family with 2 girls playing ball (kyogoku?). (Excellent)
45-64 ft. : 2 little girls on boat in small lake. (Excellent)
64-289 ft. : Japan, major Buddhist gathering with royalty, etc. Long motorcade, much pomp and ceremony. Gomonshu (Abbot) Otani and wife(?). (Good stuff);1 film reel (289 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm. original reversal pos. , Title supplied by cataloger. , Reel 3/4 full. , AMPAS#f10570. , Edgecode 1937, 1957
Timecode list:
0:30 – Close up view of two men in suits (one with a long tie, one with a bow tie) standing outside the Fresno Buddhist temple. [Early cataloging notes suggest one man is Reverend Kyogoku.]
0:49 – View of Fresno Buddhist Temple from across the street.
1:45 – Parents and two girls play with a ball on a lawn. The older girl bounces a ball, the woman persuades the younger girl not to hide from the camera, and the man (from 0:30 with the long tie) watches. The two girls toss the ball back and forth to each other, then throw it at the camera operator.
2:30 – Views of a lake from a motorboat; the two girls from 1:45 sit in the front of the boat facing the camera.
3:15 – Intertitle card in Japanese (“First Series” or “Volume One”)
3:19 – Intertitle card in Japanese (“Full of Joy / Hongwanji”)
3:23 – Grainy outdoor footage filmed in Japan; panning view of large buildings from a distant vantage point.
3:48 – Close ups of piles of fish and seafood on raised trays.
4:07 – A small sign in Japanese characters.
4:22 – A large vertical sign board covered with Japanese characters outdoors.
4:32 – Exteriors of a large city building.
4:38 – A man speaks on an indoor stage next to vertical paper banners with Japanese writing. Closeups of the banners, view from the audience seating. The banner gives a schedule for the day (opening remarks, multiple lectures, etc – see below for partial translation).
5:07 – View from the stage of a speaker and out to the audience.
5:13 – Closeup of a light colored flag with an eight pointed hollow “star”-like symbol on it.
5:33 – Pigeons on a roof ridge; overexposed trees blowing in the wind.
5:59 – View of a gated entryway and closeup of a sign over the entry.
6:18 – Closeup of a flower.
6:31 – Crowds lining a street; two men and a woman dressed formally pass close by the camera and get into a car. Views from above of the same area, with multiple photographers trying to take pictures. People exit the gateway and get into cars. Crowds try to follow the cars.
8:02 – At street level, the car convoy passes crowds lining the road.
8:12 – View of the car convoy from another moving vehicle.
8:40 – View of more crowds lining the road as seen from the front window of the leading car; approaching a large building complex (likely the same ones from 3:23). Banners with the double wisteria crest of the Jodo Shinshu sect of Buddhism are visible above an archway.
9:02 – Panning views of formally dressed men.
9:20 – Closer views of formally dressed men. (Men’s outfits may include a kassetsue = pieced robe worn over the left shoulder? )
9:42 – View of the car convoy approaching the camera straight on; crowds line the roadway.
9:57 – Car convoy passes left to right; women in formal dress line the road, with men behind them. Spectators bow as the cars pass.
10:15 – A long line of formally dressed men wait under a shade covering as the cars approach. Photographers run toward the front to catch up.
10:57 – The car convoy stops; a woman dressed very formally exits one car. She wears a many-layered kimono and has an osuberakashi hairstyle.
11:40 – Close-up of double wisteria crest banner.
11:45 – Interior views of long tables set with raised wooden trays; dark view of interior with more long tables.
11:59 – Group stands and sits outside for a formal portrait; other cameramen are visible. A mix of men and women, dressed traditionally and in Western clothes. A man and woman (likely Abbot Kosho Ohtani and his wife Kishi) sit at the center of the group.
12:44 – A man and woman (likely Abbot Kosho Ohtani and his wife Kishi) stand in their formal attire, likely having their portraits taken.
13:09 – Film ends.
Black and white home movie footage by Reverend Sensho Sasaki of Reverend Kyogoku, Fresno and an important Buddhist gathering in Japan that includes Gomonshu (Abbot) Koshin Otani and wife, 1920s.
0-27 ft. : Reverend Kyogoku(?) Fresno Temple(?).
27-45 ft. : Family with 2 girls playing ball (kyogoku?). (Excellent)
45-64 ft. : 2 little girls on boat in small lake. (Excellent)
64-289 ft. : Japan, major Buddhist gathering with royalty, etc. Long motorcade, much pomp and ceremony. Gomonshu (Abbot) Otani and wife(?). (Good stuff);1 film reel (289 ft.) : si., b&w ; 16 mm. original reversal pos. , Title supplied by cataloger. , Reel 3/4 full. , AMPAS#f10570. , Edgecode 1937, 1957
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Sagara, Tomojiro
circa 1941-1942