Itadakimasu and Gochisousama いただきます、ごちそうさま

Before and after we eat each meal, almost Japanese say a word. We learn these words at first as compliment or discipline when we are childhood. We say “Itadakimasu” before meal and “Gochisousama” after meal.

Both words express appreciation for being able to eat foods and a person who cooks meals. A verb, "Itadaku" いただく in Japanese means polite way of saying for eat or get something. So Itadakimasu expresses thanks for bless of nature and foods. Gochisosama express thanks for all people who are concerned with foods, especially a person who cooks meal, bot include of producers or farmers.

They are simple words, however, very important to think about appreciation of foods. I think they are good words. When I was a small child, I didn’t know much the meaning of words and why we should say before and after meal. I just said as a custom. However, I really know about the importance of using this word. We can’t live without all of nature. And eating is fundamental to our life. These words remind us of blessing of foods and my present happy situation.

Eating delicious food is my pressure of my life. I always want to say Itadakimasu and Gochisousama appreciating all of nature.

おくりびと "Departures"

I couldn't have posted for a long time. Because my PC haven't worked.

I saw wonderful Japanese film, "Departures" that won Oscar Best Foreign Language Film last month. It is first time to win Oscar for Japanese film. The big news was reported on large scale in our countries and we were greatly glad to hear this news.

There were a lot of people in the movie theater. Departures is set in Yamagata prefecture, northern rural area of Japan. I have known by this film first time about the ceremony in Japanese funeral. It expresses a kind of Japanese delicate feeling for the departed. You can know about Japanese funeral situation in this film. The scores that are composed by Joe Hisaishi and scenery in Yamagata are very beautiful and magnificent. They are very effective for this film.

Today is Girls Festival (Hina Matsuri) in Japan. You can see a set of Japanese traditional dolls (Hina Ningyo) for Girls Festival in the film.

Haruichiban 春一番

I heard weather news today. A weather reporter said Haruichiban blew tonight or tomorrow. Haruichiban 春一番 means very strong wind that blow after the first day of spring. February 4 was the first day of spring by the old calendar. (This letter "春" means spring.)

Haruichiban is like storm with warm and strong wind. When I heard this word, I think that spring is coming.

Tomorrow is St. Valentine Day. As I explained this day in Japan last year, almost Japanese women buy and send sweet chocolate for their boyfriends or coworkers. A trend for Valentine Day this year is "Gyaku Choco". This means men may send chocolates to their girlfriends. I think Japanese people love commercial events as St. Valentine day. A lot of people go to shops to buy many chocolates today. Wave of people will be just like Haruichiban.

A Happy New Year 謹賀新年

明けましておめでとうございます

It is fine and calm day. I ate traditional Japanese food, Osechi ryori

This is soy sauce based Zoni of my home. I love it.

Kamaboko and Datemaki

I went to shrine for Hatsumode. There were a lot of people at the shrine and prayed for our happy life in this year. I received new years postcards (Nengajo) from my friends. Reading these postcards is pleasure time for me.

I read sad world news today. It is disappointed that some people couldn't spend safely at this new year.

January 1 is a good day that we plan how we spend in this year. I will plan for my schedule of this year tonight.

How to spend in the end of the year for me

I live in Tokyo. Tokyo is my hometown. So I will clean up my house or prepare traditional decorations for new year. Other people who have another hometown go home by airplane or Shinkansen. And they will spend their hometown in new year.

When I go to bookstore in the end of the year, I can find a lot of fortunetelling books. I don't care about fortunetelling usually. I sometimes read fortunetelling in fashion magazines. (I think Japanese women like fortunetelling.) However, I recently bought a fortunetelling book of Feng shui (風水) for 2009 and I read it carefully. Feng shui is a Chinese thought. I knew that there is good directions in 2009. In case of me, good directions in 2009 is southeast and northwest. A lot of things were mentioned in this book. Since I was unlucky this year, I will try to do good things in the book next year in order to remove bad conditions.

I have my recent favorite songs. Listening to good musics is good way to relax and change my gloomy emotions me.

はじめて by 一青窈　She is Taiwanese-Japanese and I think she is excellent poet. I like her songs. This is a song for charity of TV program. It is very beautiful melody.

Another song is Hi-Five by Superfly. I recently know this band, Superfly. I like voice of vocal. Her voice gives me power and energy.

How do you spend in the end of the year ?

Yuzu

Yuzu is a kind of citrus and good smell. It is fruits for winter. We use it for accent of taste for dishes. For example, we put a few spots of juice in sauce for nabe ryori or salad dressing. Or Yuzu juice, jam, tea etc.

There is a custom that we take a bath of Yuzu in the winter solstice (Toji) . It is for our health. However, it is not usual now.

The smell is so special and I like it

Itareri Tsukuseri

I think that Japanese hospitality at shops, hotels or restaurants is best.

We sometimes use the Japanese word "Itareri Tsukuseri" for good services and hospitality (Motenashi in Japanese). Itareri Tsukuseri means that customers are given a personal service. We often say "The services of that shop is Itareri Tsukuseri." This means the services are excellent.
When you go to a restaurant, you can drink a glass of water and oshibori (rolled hand towel) before meal. These services are free. When you eat Japanese style restaurant, you might be a cup of green tea or Houji-cha (roasted tea) after the meal. To be sure, it is free. This is just "Itareri Tsukuseri"

I remember a cashier during my trip in Europe. When I bought some foods at a supermarket, the cashier worked so slowly chatting with another cashier. A lot of customers waited without complaining. Moreover, she blew her nose in front of us. I was so surprised. This scene was unbelievable in Japan. Almost Japanese cashiers always work quickly to not wait for a long time. And they never blow their nose in front of customers. We think the attitude is impolite.

I think sincerity for visitors or customers are very important at the time in Japan. So the hospitality is comfortable. We are proud of "Itareri Tsukuseri" spirit.

Shugaku Ryoko (School Trip)

"Shugaku ryoko" is a big event for Japanese elementary school, junior high school, high school students. They go for a trip once with friends of same grade in each school days in order to learn historical places for a few days. Since I have lived in Tokyo, I went to Kyoto and Nara (Kansai, west area of Japan) at junior high school days. I learn and feel Japanese old culture. It takes about two hours by Shinkansen (Super express train). People who lived in other prefectures go to the place that is far from the their area. For example, students in Osaka go to Tokyo or other area but Kansai.

Shugaku ryoko is very fun for almost students. They can travel with classmates and have free time to walk around the city or town as one group. We often meet these groups of students in Tokyo in spring or autumn season. They seems to be fun smiling and finding the way on a map.
I have good memories of Shugaku rhoko. I think Shugaku ryoko is a school custom of only Japan. It is very instructive for young students to visit historical places and learn own history and cooperation with other students.

Jugoya

Today is Jugoya. Jugoya means night of full moon. We have a traditional custom in Japan. It is Tsukimi. Tsukimi is to view full moon in September. Weather in Tokyo today has a little cloud, however, I can see beautiful moon. Some typical offerings for Tsukimi are dango (white dumpling), Sake and Japanese pampas grass. There was porch (Engawa) at Japanese traditional house. We have enjoyed viewing the full moon at porch hearing chirp of bell-ringing crickets (Suzumushi) outside. We have felt beginning of autumn season.

Now we actually don’t do this custom at big city or town. We are forgetting these traditional customs like feeling nature or season, especially at town. Tsukimi might be a custom of other days. However, I will view the moon even if I don’t prepare the offerings.
every year. Not to forget this good Japanese custom.
By the way, what can you see in the full moon at your countries? In Japan, we imagine a rabbit that makes rice cake.

Okaeri , Tadaima - I'm home

There are two salutations for going home. They are very heartwarming words.
For example, when I enter into my home , I say "Tadaima" to my family who be my home. "Tadaima" means "I'm home" in English. And my family members say "Okaeri" or "Okaerinasai" to me after I say "Tadaima".
It is so simple word, however, I feel relief when I hear this word, "Okaeri". Also family members feel relief when I can get home safely.
I feel that these words "Okaeri" and "Tadaima" symbolize family ties.
I'm happy that I have my family who say "Okaeri" to me.

I want to introduce a Japanese song of the title "Okaeri" by Ayaka. Ayaka is popular J-pop singer among young people now. This video is Ayaka sings and Hiromi Uehara, very talented Jazz pianist, plays piano. I found special version "Okaeri". It is so excellent.

Okaeri by Ayaka with Hiromi Uehara

Postcards in summer (暑中見舞い and 残暑見舞い)

We don't recently write a letter or postcard to friends. We can contact them easily now. Almost people use e-mail of cell phone or computer. Even elder people can use e-mail and contact with grandsons or granddaughters with photos. Handwriting is rare thing in daily life or business. It is so convenience, however, e-mail is sometimes literal and it is difficult to feel emotions of the sender. There is a custom to write postcard in summer in Japan.
"Shochu Omimai Moshi Agemasu" and "Zansho Omimai Moshi Agemasu" are first phrases to write in postcards. Japanese write postcards to ask friends how he or she has been getting along in summer. "Shochu" 暑中 means the hot period from the end of rainy season to Liqiu (August 7 in this year). and "Zansho" 残暑 means the heat after Liqiu. So we write "Shochu Mimai" before Liqiu and "Zansho Mimai" (We call each postcards as "Shochu Mimai " and "Zansho Mimai".)
I have received a Shoshu Mimai from my friend this year. I was very glad. Receiving a letter or postcard is glad and special for us. (Do you think so ?) As I mentioned before, we seldom write a letter now. However, I think that this is good custom.

This is image of Shoshu Mimai

Tanabata

Today, July 7, is Tanabata festival. We can wish our dream t0day. When we were a child, we hang a card (Tanzaku) that we wrote our wishes on bamboo tree. We were taught that our wish can come true.
And there is a romantic legend in Tanabata day. (Please see "the story" in Tanabata.) Hikoboshi and Otohime are lovers for a long time ago. They were torn apart by milky way, "Amano gawa" in the sky and always couldn't meet. However, they can meet in July 7. It is very special day.
We hope that they can meet in July 7 every year, however, it is usually rainy season. So the possibility is very few every year.
It is cloudy and rainy today. We often talk about Hikoboshi and Otohime. It is very sad that they wouldn't meet in the sky this year.

Fair Skin

We consider that fair skin is better for women in Japan. Fair skin is a word for praise. We have a proverb about fair skin. It is " Fair skin can conceal seven faults." When we praise beautiful skin of women, we can say that your skin is like be transparent or silk.
Japanese skin is very fine and delicate. Now women take care of their skin especially to whiten and protect skin from sunshine and ultraviolet rays. Sunburn is the most fearful matter for Japanese women. Also sunburning much is a cause for skin cancer. We recognise ultraviolet rays are so strong not only in summer but all of season. I put sun block foundation on my face all the time.
In summer a lot of women bring an umbrella for shutting out ultraviolet rays and hot heat. There is sun block or cosmetics to protect our skin. Reflected heat or light from the asphalted pavement is very strong in town. Most women are so nerves for fair skin.
On the other hand, Japanese women prefer Japanese men who have brown and sunburned skin. Because women prefer sportsman, not indoor type.
Anyway, Japanese women always take care of our ski to whiten.

Tatami

Now almost Japanese houses are western style, the room with carpet or flooring, sit down sofa, eat foods sitting down chairs, sleep on the bed, etc. However, there is one Tatami room in almost houses. I think that it is special for Japanese people.
We can relax better in Tatami room. In case of general Tatami room, there is a low table there. We sit on the Tatami mat and eat something or talk with family. When someone visits and stay in the Tatami mat, there is a special thin cushion, Zabuton and we arrange it.
You can see the life on Tatami room in old Japanese movies, for example Yasujiro Ozu film. It is comfortable to nap without Futon on Tatami mat on holiday. The hardness of it is suitable for a nap. The line of Tatami is sometimes marked on our face at a nap. It is very funny. However, Tatami mat is a token of calm Japanese daily life.Tatami is made from rush. New tatami is especially unique and good smell. When I walk on the Tatami mat, I feel calm. There is a proverb. New Tatami and wife is better.
When you would stay in Japanese style hotel, Ryokan, you would spend the comfortable time on Tatami room.