Meaning of Working

I saw TV documentary program of a Japanese Sushi Chef, is 82 years old. His Sushi restaurant was given 3 stars from Michelin last year. He has worked at his own restaurant as a chef until now.
Since his family was so poor, he had to leave his home. He lived in a high-class Japanese style restaurant and begun to work at 7 years old to survive. He always tries to do best in order to cook more delicious Sushi even now.
He said “I think working is so hard for anybody. However, I could not help his working when I was young. I had no place that he escape and I didn’t have other choices except working. Now my job is still hard, too.”However, he looks so young than his own age. Moreover he looks proud and joyful.
Hikikomori is a social problem in Japan now. Hikikomori means especially young people shut in own room without working and their parents support their sons or daughters. They shut out outer world and watch TV, play computer games or read Manga in the room. Our wealthy life generates situation like Hikikomori. This issue is deplorable for Japanese. Japanese must think what for we work and how we live in the future.

Kagami-mochi - a rice cake offering

Rice cake is one of the essential food to introduce Japanese food.Kagami-mochi is an offering for Oshogatsu (New Year) . We offer Kagami-Mochi until January 11. Mochi means rice cake.
As traditional ceremony we made rice cake for Oshogatsu at a yard in each houses. This is Mochi-tsuki. Kagami-mochi was handmade some decades ago. Mochi-tsuki will be done at countryside. However, I can't seldom see Mochi-tsuki in urban city like Tokyo. We can buy it at supermarket easily.
We eat Kagami-mochi as Oshiruko (Red bean soup) or baked rice cake after January 11. Mochi has a lot of kinds for food, as Zoni (rice cake soup) or deserts.
I love Mochi. I want to introduce how to eat Mochi to all over the world.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kagami_mochi

Boku Note - My Recent Favorite Song

I recently listen to this song "Boku Note" many times.

Skimaswitch is a duo group and one of my favorite J-Pop group.
I want to recommend. Please try to listen.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxUWiJdr3mw

Hakone Ekiden Marathon

Some sports events hold in New Year. Football or Rugby, Marathon.
Hakone Ekiden (Road relay) Marathon is very popular in Japan. This marathon begun from 1920 and is traditional sports event.
It is for each universities student runners and it holds for 2 days. 20 universities can entry in this marathon. The runners in 1 university are 10 people. 5 runners must run about 108 km in 1 day from Tokyo, Otemachi to Hakone. And other 5 runners run next day from Hakone to Otemachi.
Otemachi is one of downtown centers. Hakone is in Kanagawa prefecture next Tokyo and famous as a town of hot spring (Onsen). Hakone area has a mountain, Hakone-yama. Ups and Downs of the road is sharp. ( Hakone is very beautiful Onsen spot. I love Hakone.) Teamwork is important for Ekiden.
A lot of people go to see the runners to cheer. This event is on air in TV. Many people watch TV eating Osechi. Winner team this year is Komazawa University.
Marathon is one of sports that Japanese like.

Osechi

What do you eat in your country for New Year ?
The period from January 1 to 3 is New Year holiday for ordinary people. We eat special New Year food in January 1. At first we drink Otoso. We call Otoso Japanese Sake (alcohol) for New Year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Toso
After that we, Japanese eat Osechi during holiday. There are a lot of kinds of food in Osechi. Kurikinton, Kobumaki, Kamaboko, Tazukuri or etc.. Each food has a meaning to live long and peacefully in a year.
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osechi
Finally we eat Zoni. Zoni is rice cake soup. This is special food in New Year. The style of Zoni is different each area in Japan. Soy sauce, salt or Miso soup. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Zoni_soup
This is traditional Japanese New Year food.
A lot of People who live in Tokyo have their hometown of other prefecture. So they go back to their hometown and spend with their grandfather or grandmother eating Osechi and visit friends or relatives for holiday.

Hatsu- moude

Today is very beautiful blue sky without clouds in Tokyo.
Hatsu-moude is to go to shrine or temple for new year with family. We wish our happiness and health in a year. We basically go to shirine that Ujigami-sama who protect the place is enshrined.The place that most people who live in Tokyo go to Hatsu-moue is Meiji Jingu.　http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meiji_Shrine
I always buy Omamori on Hatu-moude. Omamori is a charm. There are many kinds of charm and they are sold. I love Omikuji. Omikuji is fortune slip.
Many booths (Yatai) sell foods or toys only Hatsu-moude. There is very lively.
Hatsu-moude is a big event for Japanese people in new year.

This is Omamori. (charm)

Osho-gatu お正月

A Happy New Year !
Akemashite Omedeto Gozaimasu ! 明けましておめでとうございます！
Today is the beginning of 2008 !
I hope that many people see my blog and have interests about Japan.

Osho-gatsu means January in Japanese. Gantan means January 1. Therefore Gantan is today.
There are a lot of traditional things in Osho-Gatsu. I will introduce about them.