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 

Time Travel

I recently heard a song in a shop. I have heard it in my childhood and felt nostalgia to hear it. It is "Time Travel" that is a song about 30 years ago. The song that I heard was a cover of Spitz. Spitz is my favorite Japanese rock band. It is in new Spitz album.   

I have forgotten the song, however, I remember that days that I heard a lot of songs in '70 and '80. "Time Travel" was a one of my favorite songs and it was jazzy and funky for me. It is a good song and not old-fashioned arrangement now. I feel happy to hear beautiful song..                 

Time Travel by Shinji Harada.  This is original.  

Time Travel by Spitz  

After 1 year

I remember that day one year ago. I didn't think how serious the earthquake was and influenced to our future in Japan and all of the world.

A lot of people in Tohoku have lived in temporary housings and children don't play outside for a long time in Fukushima. There has been many debris in devastated area for a year. Nuclear power plant problem is so serious even now and our anxiety for radioactive material continues for a long time.....
Sorrow of victims and anxiety for future don't disappear. Mental situation deteriorates.   

As my personal opinion, we don't need nuclear power plant. The damage is inestimable. The present condition in Japan proves that it is huge. It is too risky for us. There is a problem of nuclear fuel waste We have to change to alternative energy and think about our daily life. Japanese think about energy after this earthquake. I try to not to use useless electricity every day.

It might take long time to reconstruct for all problems. However, we have to resolve it step by step.
      

     

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.                

Saint Valentine's Day in Japan

 14th in February is Saint Valentine's day. We can buy a lot chocolates for Valentine's day in department stores in Japan. Many women select chocolates for their boyfriend, co-workers and themselves. Valentine's day is special event in Japan. 

I went to a famous department store in Tokyo this weekend. The store was crawling with so many women. And there are so many counters in the store. Belgian, Italian, Swiss, German, America, Japan, UAE...... I saw delicious chocolates of a lot of countries and could taste them. I was satisfied with some piece of them. All of them were so delicious. 

Since Valentine's day in Japan is one of commercialism, I always haven't send chocolates to my friends for a long time. The chocolates are so expensive. I know they are famous maker's ones. When I went to Belgian, I ate delicious chocolates of Neuhaus or Pierre Marcolini. I love them. However, too expensive in Japan. The frenzy is strange for me. 

However, I yielded to temptation this year and bought chocolates that made in Japan for my family and off course myself. The box and chocolate's shape is so cute. The price is not expensive. I especially liked the box. Also chocolates are so delicious!

Is Valentine's day special event in your countries ?

Chocolate box is decorated with paper cherry blossom (Sakura)