A Happy New Year! あけましておめでとうございます！

It was late to say a happy new year for everyone.

あけましておめでとうございます！今年もよろしくお願いします！

Japanese people, especially office worker usually don't work until 3rd January. So tomorrow is first day to work. I will work from tomorrow.

I am so excited in 2014. Olympic winter game and soccer World cup in Brazil. I cheer every great performance of athletes.

I hope you enjoy and have a lot of happy things in this year. Please keep good health !       

ゆるキャラ ２ (Yurukyara)

I introduce very popular ゆるきゃら Yurukyara now.

くまモンKumamon
http://kumamon-official.jp/

ふなっしー Funattushi
http://terawarosu.jimdo.com/
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0OeVzKxBuI

バリィさん
http://www.barysan.net/

Ｓｏ cute....?

Full Moon 中秋の名月

Moon is so beautiful today....

風立ちぬ The Wind Rise

I saw a film of Hayao Miyazaki. 風立ちぬ "The Wind Rise" last week. This is last film that he produce. All character in his film are single-minded. Japanese that the characters speak in it is so polite and beautiful. There are people who criticize this film. However, I like it simply as a story of  an architect of airplane. He loves airplane and his dream is flying in the air. This period that he lived is during hostilities.

Also I enjoy a love story. I sniffled. Young couple are so pure and single-minded.

The song in ending is ひこうき雲 (hikoukigumo) "contrail" The singer is 松任谷由実 Yumi Matsutoya. and  superstar in J-pop for a long time. We call her Yuming ユーミン She makes a lot of albums and hit songs in Japan. She sings in Stagio Ghibli's film,  魔女の宅急便 "やさしさに包まれたなら" Yasashisani Tsutsumaretanara    Her lyric is especially great and emotional. I love a lot of her songs. If you learn Japanese, her lyrics is so beautiful and might be useful for learning Japanese. 

I hope you can see this film in your country near future in the theater.

The Wind Rise Trailer

 

 

Two Big Topics

Recently we heard two big topics about Japan. One is that Japanese animation director Hayao Miyazaki retired. 
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/opinion/2013/09/07/editorials/an-anime-icon-retires/

Another is Tokyo won the competition for Olympic game in 2020. 
http://www.japantimes.co.jp/news/2013/09/08/national/tokyo-wins-bid-to-host-2020-olympics/

We are so sad for his retirement. A lot of children and even adults are big fan for his animation film. We enjoy the story and are touched his message for our life, sometimes warning about egoism of human nature for nature.  His delicate and beautiful pictures always give an impact to our heart. 

We hope being the host country of Olympic game leads to economic effect  for Japan. I am glad to see a lot of games in our hometown Tokyo ! Foreign people were worried about nuclear problem in Fukushima. However I live in Tokyo and we are safe. It is no problem. (I am worried about big earthquake.)

I think two topics are symbolic for our present society. Nature and economy are very important for our life. We must not forget that we can live thanks to nature. And we feel happy economically and emotionally.     
   

Japanese Film in Cannes Festival

I heard delightful news. A Japanese directer, Hirokazu Koreeda won award in Cannes Festival.

http://www.japantimes.co.jp/culture/2013/05/28/entertainment-news/koreedas-film-wins-jury-prize-at-cannes-festival/

I like his film, 誰も知らない "Nobody Knows". It is a serious theme about society or family. It was shocking story for me. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GLtMmJoBIB4

We are glad many people know and see Japanese films. His new film そして父になる "Like Father,Like Son" seems so interesting. Masaharu Fukuyama, very famous singer and actor appears in it. Now his TV drama series, "Galileo" is on air and so popular in Japan.

I want to see Like Father, Like Son soon. (We can see it in October in Japan.)

Like Father, Like son trailar    

Amazing Music Video

I didn't know about this MV of Muse, UK rock band. The song is Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)

This animation was created by a Japanese comedian, Tekken. It is amazing !

Exogenesis: Symphony Part 3 (Redemption)