ゆるキャラ Yuru kyara

 There are a lot of cute anime character or mascot of products or baseball team. I recently like ゆるキャラ "yuru chara".  Yuru chara is abbreviation of Yurui Character and new Japanese word.

A adjective  original "Yurui" ゆるい means loose, gradual, slow, or easygoing. This meaning of "Yurui" for "yuru chara" is strange, unique and crude, but cute and funny. (It is very difficult to explain in English! )
Yuru chara is mainly a mascot to introduce the prefecture, city, place or event.
For example, "Hyikonyan" ひこにゃん is a mascot of Hikoneshi 彦根市 in Shiga prefecture. Sento-kun せんとくん is a mascot of ancient city, Nara prefecture. I didn't know how many kinds of Yuru chara, however, so many mascots in Japan. 

My favorite mascots are Oshinari-kun おしなりくん and Tomapi トマピー. And I found a funny mascot, nashite-kun ナシテ君. It is a mascot of a local TV station in Niigata prefecture. You might find your favorite mascot in site of yuru chara. ↓  

Yuru chara grand prix in 2011 site  　      

上を向いて歩こう SUKIYAKI

I found good music on YouTube. My favorite Brazilian singer, Ivan Lins sings SUKIYAKI in Japanese for us. Japanese title 上を向いて歩こう is very famous Japanese song all over the world. It is beautiful song, however, lyrics is a little sad... The title's meaning is that "let's walk looking up to not tear."

I am touched hearing the Ivan's 上を向いて歩こう. The arrangement is so good ! Now I knew he came to Japan for show in Bluenote Tokyo. I want to go.....

上を向いて歩こう　Ue wo muite arukou  by Ivan Lins 

World Figure Skating Championships 2012

I was looking forward seeing World Figure Skating Championships 2012. And we are so glad to win Japanese two male skaters, Daisuke Takahashi and Yuzuru Hanyu and famale skater Akiko Suzuki.

Daisuke Takahashi won silver medal and Yuzuru Hanyu won bronze medal. Daisuke's performance was perfect and marvelous. His artistic presentation always fascinates us. I was so exciting at his free skating. I love his performances.


Moreover, Yuzuru Hanyu's performance of free was great. We especially cheered him because he is one of victims of The Great East Japan Earthquake on March 11,2011. He lost skating rink in his hometown and he practiced skating in other rinks. He wanted to desperately win for a lot of victims. His performance was incredibly great. It expressed our hope to conquer the damages of this earthquake and nuclear power plant. We were touched it and was encouraged. I hope he will be great skater.            


I want to see Japanese skater's great performances next season soon.

Daisuke Takahashi Free skating

Yuzuru Hanyu Free skating