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

 

 

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  　      

Doll Festival ひな祭り - Sakuramochi

Today, the third on March is a day of Doll Festival. It is for girls. Family that have daughter display the dolls for Hinamatsuri in the room. Hinamatsuri is called seasonal festival of peach (momo) 桃.


I feel spring's coming in Japan. It is cold in March in Japan, however, we can see some flowers of spring. Peach or Japanese apricot (Ume) 梅....
I love Japanese sweets and Sakuramochi さくらもち is eaten on Doll Festival. Japanese "momo" is same as pink of color. We can call pink Momoiro 桃色in Japanese. The color of sakuramochi is pink. It is covered with leaf of Sakura. The taste of leaf is salty. Since the pink rice cake is sweet, harmony of taste is excellent.

We put away the dolls after March 3. Because a popular belief says that daughter could marry soon when the dolls are put away soon. I think it is just a superstition. However, every parents always hope their daughters become happy.                

Ambiguity 曖昧

Radioactive contamination of rice in Fukushima was announced in recent news. In not only Fukushima and neighboring prefectures but almost other prefecture radioactive materials are measured. Eight month has passed since nuclear power plant’s accident happened. We spend ordinary life. However, we are afraid of invisible fear. We don’t know when radioactive materials are influenced in our body.

Other countries people might not be able to understand some ambiguous expression or attitude of Japanese. It is a one of Japanese culture and ambiguity is sometimes a good way for our communication. A candid expression sometimes stirs up discord in our society. Japanese fortunately can suppose the real meaning of ambiguous attitude or expression. It is difficult to explain why we can, but we imagine real meanings by the tone, the look, or atmosphere. In case of friend, we often use these ambiguous expressions on purpose to avoid quarrel between us.

However, the ambiguous expression or attitude of government or TEPCO will bring distrust for us and in international society. We suspect that TEPCO conceals the truth for us to avoid confusion. Everyone is interested in this problem. This isn’t a problem for Japan. It is serious issue for everyone who lives on earth. It isn’t too much to say that this fact influences to our future.

Japan must unveil all of truth and data for radioactive materials.

Owaraigeinin お笑い芸人 (Japanese Comedian)

Laughing is essential in our life. When I am depressed or can't keep energy, I can relax after laughing.

Rakugo is traditional comedy. It is performance of story telling by one person (rakugoka) who is sitting on the cushion (Zabuton). Manzai (Stand up comedy) or comic skit is popular. A lot of comedians who called "Owarai geinin" appear every day in TV show now. "Owarai" means generic name of performance for comedy like Rakugo or Manzai and "geinin" means comedian in Japanese. A unit of a trio has a name. Geinin originally plays comic skit or manzai, however, appear in various situations. For example, Downtown is well-known unit. Hitoshi Matsumoto and Masatoshi Hamada is duo. They have a lot of own TV programs as hosts and these programs are very popular. Off coarse one comedian exists and they who are called "pin geinin" have a special own gag. These gags or phrases in there performance get vogue-word "ryukougo" 流行語 every year.

Japanese comedians belong to agencies. There are a lot of agencies. The biggest agency "Yoshimoto Kougyo" employs a lot of popular comedians. Popular geinin are genius for the art of storytelling. They are used in all of genres, TV, TV commercial, drama, quiz show, radio personality, movies or theater. Yoshimoto is an agency in Osaka, west area in Japan . So these comedians are almost from Osaka and they speak a special dialect "Osaka ben". Yoshimoto has some schools for people want to "owaraigeinin" in each area in Japan. Geinin of Yoshimoto play in theater in Osaka and Shinjuku (in Tokyo).

I like to see "Owarai" in TV. When I want to forget sad or bad news and feel negative, I can relax after having a lot of laugh. Laughing is an important prescription in my life.

Fukubukuro 福袋 (Lucky Bag)

A Happy New Year!  How do you spend in this new year ? 

Almost worker doesn't work from January 1st to 3rd in Japan. We call this three days "Sanganichi".
However some stores are open at January 2nd and new year sale begins. Special goods for new year, Fukubukuro. 福袋 is very popular in Japan and women especially like to buy it. We can't know what items are put in this bag. It is excited about opening it at home for customers. 

"Fuku" 福 means luck or happiness and is auspicious character in Japan. There are 7 gods who bring happiness for us. It is Shitifukujin (Seven lucky gods) 七福神.  Ebisu 恵比寿 is one of them. Ebisu, a place in Tokyo is same name of this god. 

I hope you have a lot of Fuku 福 this year and enjoy my blog !                

Bookstore and Japanese History

I like to go to bookstore. My favorite bookstores are Maruzen 丸善 in Marunouchi, Kinokuniya shoten (bookstore) 紀伊国屋書店 in Shinjuku or Junkudo ジュンク堂 in Shinjuku and Ikebukuro. They are very big chain bookstore in Japan. We can find all genre of books including foreign books.
   
I recently found a book at Maruzen. The title is "Nihon ryoku" 日本力. It was a book that was edited a talk for Japan by Seigou Matsuoka 松岡正剛 who is researcher of Japan or Japanese culture and Everett Kennedy Brown who is a photographer. I knew them after reading it. It was very interesting. 

I read some Seigou Matsuoka's books and I feel that we need to know and learn about especially Japanese history again. I learned about Japanese history when I was high school students. However, I might not understand importance of it. After graduating school I experience many things in our society. By leaning Japanese history again, I can understand some present events and problems in our life or I realize the reasons or real meanings for them. 

There are a lot of his books in Japanese, however, I'm sorry that I can't introduce his translated books, English or other languages. His opinions for Japan are interesting  for me. He read a lot of books and it is certainly he is an intellect.

We have a lot of social problems now. Japanese economy is unstable. Learning and knowing our history or ancestral wisdom again might be a key to solving them.                

Visit Japan Year 2010

Falling leaves are very beautiful in Japan now. Autumn is my favorite season.   

I found a web site for tourists who want to visit Japan. If you have a plan to visit, it must be useful. 

Visit Japan Year 2010 

Casutella カステラ of Nagasaki

I love a Japanese cake, Castella カステラ. It is simple taste, however, soft and so delicious. I ate a piece of castella recently. I felt happy.

This cake was introduce to Nagasaki from Portugal in 16 century. It is classic sponge cake and very popular in Japan.

Nagasaki is historical and important place for Japanese. It is the oldest trade port. Japan dealt with Portugal, Holland or China. A lot of other countries products, language or culture were introduced into Nagasaki and Japan. There are some Japanese words that are derived from Portugal or Holland. And many Christians live in Nagasaki because of historical background.

Tomorrow is a memorial day of atomic bomb in Nagasaki. We must not forget tragedy for World War Ⅱ. I will pray for world peace tomorrow.

Nagasaki City / Peace & Atomic Bomb

Takoyaki たこ焼き

Paul of octopus is a topic during world cup 2010 in Japan. It is surprising talent (Is it a coincidence?)

Octopus 蛸 is one of well-known ingredients in Japan. We eat some mollusks, octopus or squid for traditional Japanese food.

Takoyaki たこやき is very popular food for us. Originally it is a food of Osaka, west area (Kansai area) in Japan. It is eaten in Tokyo now. (I think culture of west and east, Osaka and Tokyo, is very different.)

Takoyaki is a grilled dumpling and small piece of boiled octopus (tako). It is very Japanese worcestershire sauce, mayonnaise, a piece of dried bonito (Katsuobishi), and dried green laver (aonori) are put on takoyaki. Combination of these flavoring is excellent. *Aonori あおのり is one of seaweed.

When I was a child, takoyaki didn't prevailed in Tokyo. I had never eaten it. However we can eat anywhere in Japan now.

If you visit Osaka, you must try to eat Takoyaki and Oconomiyaki. They become typical Japanese cuisine.

招き猫 (Maneki Neko)

Which do you like, dogs or cats ? We often ask someone a question about pets. I like dog better than cats. There are a lot of people that have pets and dogs and cats is so common for pets.

(I have no pets.)

Now cats (Neko 猫) is very popular. I heard a news in TV that some photo books about cats are sold well. I like kitten, however, I am a little bit scary about big cats.

Maneki neko　招き猫 is very cute and I like it. It is a traditional ornament for bringing customers in business or 商売繁盛 Shoubai Hanjou (this is a slogan that we use when we hope that business prospers)

We sometimes see it in shops or restaurants in Japan. Maneki (verb, Maneku 招く) means beckon. This is a cat for bring good luck.

Animals or pet sometimes heal in our life. Maneki neko isn't real animal. However, the look is so cute, it might bring fortune to us.

Taiyaki たいやき

There are a lot of Japanese cakes (wagashi 和菓子). Taiyaki たいやき is one of hot cakes and shape is a fish that is called Tai 鯛 (bream). The mold is made in the shape of fish. Taiyaki is sold at the special stand,"taiyaki-ya" 鯛焼き屋. It is one of food of cold season, however, we can eat all the year around. Bean paste is put in the body of taiyaki. Taste is simple but it is so delicious. Tai, bream is thought as a lucky fish in Japan. It is eaten as congratulatory food. Japanese "Medetai" めでたい means happy or auspicious. "Tai" of Medetai rhymes with "Tai" as fish.

There is a song of Taiyaki. The song is "Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun" . It was a song in TV program for children in 1975. And it became big hit in the year.

I ate Taiyaki today. Taiyaki is well-known cake in Japan. I recommend you to eat it when you visit Japan.

Oyoge! Taiyaki-kun

ランドセル "Randoseru"

Almost elementary school students walk to school and carry on their Japanese special school bag, Randoseru ランドセル. It's like backpack. Randoseru for boys is black and it for girls is red. Randoseru is sturdy and used for six years.

I used it for six years when I was elementary school students. I was six years old when I carry on first time. Since it is made of leather or artificial leather, it was very heavy and big for a little girl. However, I was glad to have randoseru. And it is so useful and economical. We don't need to change new randoseru for six years.

I like to see children who walk to school and shoulder their randoseru in the morning. I remember my childhood when I see randoseru. Randoseru is a symbol for elementary school students for our happy school days for Japanese.

Goma 護摩 (Homa) in Fukagawa Fudouson 深川不動尊

Narita 成田 is place in Chiba prefecture next to Tokyo and there is a international airport, Narita airport. This airport is very far from downtown in Tokyo. It takes about half an hour by train.

Narita is famous for location of a big temple, Naritasan Shinshoji Temple　成田山新勝寺. A lot of people visit this temple at new year.
I visited Fukagawa fudouson 深川不動尊, a branch temple of Naritasan shinshoji temple, this year. Fukagawa fudouson located at Monzen-nakacho 門前仲町 in east Tokyo.
I like to see a ritual, Goma 護摩. Some Buddhist monks who wear clear colorful robe, Kesa 袈裟 pray for peace in front of fire. And sound and rhythm of Japanese drum 和太鼓 is so powerful.
I felt as if I can get rid of my bad feeling.

If you have a chance to visit Narita or monzen-nakacho, seeing Goma ritual will good experience for you to feel Buddhism.

Bounenkai (忘年会) and Izakaya (居酒屋)

December is season of bounenkai in Japan. Bounenkai (忘年会) is year-end party. It is very big event in the end of the year for adults, especially businessmen. There are some purposes of bounenkai. Communication for co-workers or friends, eating delicious foods, and drinking...

It is very important to reserve restaurants for bounenkai. Reasonable restaurants is better for everyone because we eat and drink a lot after work. Izakaya (居酒屋) might be good choice.
Izakaya is essential place for our society. We can eat different type of foods and drink alcohol with reasonable price. Japanese homely foods, small hous d'oeuver of Japanese foods, pizza, sashimi (raw fish), nabemono, and so on. There are a lot of types of alcohol, too. Beer, cocktail, whiskey, Japanese sake, wine....

Menu of a izakaya, "Watami" 和民, one of chain izakaya shops

(You can see next page clicking the right side above of menu.)

We can see some drunken person at cold night in December. They enjoy bounenkai after chatting about their work or their life. Depression has continued for this year. Everyone are worried about our future of next year. However, we will forget all anxious things and refresh at bounenkai.

Brown Rice 玄米 (Genmai) - Macrobiotique Diet

We eat every day and food that we eat is very important for our body. I read about macrobiotic diet and cooking book.

Macrobiotic diet is recently known in Japan. A Japanese philosopher recommended macrobiotic diet and it become well-known around the world now. Brown rice （玄米）or millet (雑穀) become recently popular among especially Japanese women. One of reason is loosing weight, however, another reason is health.

Traditional Japanese food is originally very healthy. Brown rice is one of these foods. When we eat brown rice, it is organic and chewing well is very important for assimilation.
Brown rice tea 玄米茶 (Genmai cha) is good for health. It is aromatic and one of my favorite tea.

I cooked genmai dumpling reading macrobiotic cooking book yesterday. It substitutes ground brown rice and tofu for meat. Genmai risotto with porcini that I cooked few weeks ago was so delicious !

One of triggers that I am interested in healthy foods is my disease and of my parents. I feel daily food that I eat form my body afresh. I will cook delicious and healthy food.

運動会 (School sports)

Sunny day in Autumn is very easy to spend and sky is so blue. Holiday in October is Taiku no hi. 体育の日　(Physical Education Day).

We can see school sports at weekend in Autumn season. School sports (運動会Undoukai) is special event at elementary school and junior high school in Japan. It is held once in a year. Students play a lot of games or sports. It is very enjoyable event for students.
Some games at elementary school are special. Tamaire 玉入れ, it is a game to put balls in a basket, Tug- of-war 綱引き and so on. There are some games that parents can participate.
Relay race for each class is final sports. Relay is very exciting for everyone. I like it. Undoukai is special event for parents. They take the seats that they can see this big event on playground. Fathers bring handy camera and shoot their children who play games. Mother make lunch box (Bento bento) and each family eat it on the seat.

We have a lot good or bad memories for Undoukai. I like hearing children's voice or cheer in front of school. I remember my memories at school days.

Respect-for-the-Aged Day

I took a bus yesterday. More than half of passengers are old people. I was surprised.
We have national holidays in this week. Yesterday is Respect-for-the-Aged Day. (敬老の日) We recognized yesterday there are a lot of old people in Japan.

There are some reasons that prolong our life. However I think that the biggest reason is medical treatment progress and we can live longer. In Japan 60 years old is very important age. When people get 60 years old, we celebrate the longevity as Kanreki. (還暦). But now 60 year old in Japan is very young and seventy or eighty years old is not unusual. These people are very powerful and have a lot of energy.

We need respect old people who work hard after the war and contribute to our modern society.

There is some cerebration year for longevity in Japan.

60 year old for Kanreki (還暦)

70 years old for Koki (古希)

77 years old for Kiju (喜寿)　

88 years old for Beiju (米寿)

90 years old for Sotsuju (卒寿)

Firework 花火(Hanabi)

Rainy season is over in Tokyo and hot summer began at last.

Firework is one of essential entertainment for us in summer season. A lot of firework festivals are held in July and August around many areas of Japan. These festivals usually take place near the waterside. Most traditional and biggest festival in Tokyo is Sumida River Firework Festival . It is held on July 25th this year.
Sumida river is located on east area in Tokyo. We call this area "Shitamachi" 下町. Shitamachi is historic place in Tokyo and a row of Japanese traditional houses subsist there.

A lot of people go to the big event every year and enjoy dynamic and beautiful fireworks. Hanabi competition of this festival is a feature. 10 Hanabi companies compete this year. Various and original rockets 打ち上げ花火 (Uchiage hanabi ) bloom like flower in the sky.
Wearing yukata 浴衣, kimono for summer, is Japanese style. Yukata is remarkable Japanese item for young people now.

Uchiage hanabi is gorgeous, in contrast, sparkler 線香花火(Senko hanabi) is very tiny and not gorgeous, however, I like the small sparks and sound. (線香 means incense stick. However, this hanabi has no smell.) When I was a child, I used to play Senko hanabi or small hanabi near my house.

Hanabi disappears soon. We can never see same beautiful hanabi in the sky. Hanabi teach us the present and moment is very important.
If you visit Japan in summer, I recommend to see Hanabi festival and try to play small hanabi.

島国 (Shimaguni) Island country

There are some battles of various nationalities in the world. I read or see about these world news in recent days. I feel sad when I know these facts.
Japan consists of a lot of small islands as you know and we sometimes say Japan is 島国 (Shimaguni). I think we can live happily without these conflicts.

However,culture or custom is subtly different by two areas, east and west, or 47 prefectures in Japan. Dialect, food culture or various customs as each districts etc.
There is a TV show that introduces differences of each prefectures. I like to see it.

秘密のケンミン show

I can know various difficulties and am surprised at them every time. It is like 47 nationalities live here though Japan is a small country. Especially there are a lot of different food cultures in Japan.

Your impression for Japan might be different by places you visit in Japan. This diversity is our feature.