My Favorite Japan

2007-12-03T06:08:00.000-08:00

SHIWASU -- the last month of year --

The Japanese character in above picture is read " SHIWASU ".

We call December "SHIWASU".

SHIWASU means that it is the busy season even teachers have to run, they have a lot of thing to do.

Acutually, in December, people have many things to do.

They will have winter holiday for some days, so they need to prepare in their job.

In their home, people is engaged to do OOSOUJI, clean up!

Also people prepare season's greeting card, Chirstmas gift, new year decoration in their house.

In spiritual meaning, Year End is the point for review themselves and building new plan of next year.

Not only teachers but also you have to run in December!

2007-03-27T06:04:00.000-07:00

SOTSUGYO -- graduation --

March is the season of graduation in Japan.

Fiscal year in school starts at April ends at March.

At the graduation ceremony we can see girls who wear Haori and Hakama, those are Japanese traditional costume.

In the ceremony they sing songs "Hotaru-no-Hikari" and "Aogeba-totoshi".

Hotaru-no-Hikari is expression from attendance and the other is from graduates.

Wish graduates brilliant future!

2007-03-21T04:55:00.000-07:00

Shunbun-no-hi -- Vernal Equinox Day --

Shunbun-no-hi occurs on about March 21, the day when the sun reaches the vernal equinox, and the length of the day and night is equal. In Japan it is designed as a national holiday.

Also we call a week which includes Shunbun-no-hi "Higan".

In those days we are required to respect our ancestor with visiting tomb to pray for them.

And more we eat Ohagi in that week.

It is traditional food made by rice covered with bean jam.

Originally it was made in the home to offer to the spirits of the ancestors, but now it is a typical Japanese confectionery.

2007-02-27T03:51:00.000-08:00

HINAMATSURI -- doll's festival --

Hinamatsuri occurs on March 3 and is an occasion to pray for young girls' growth and happiness.

Most homes with girls display small dolls contained several kinds of rolls for this festival.

But recently it is increasing the families who have not enough space to display these dolls in their houses.

Instead of these traditional dolls, they display only two representative dolls called Odairi-sama and Ohina-sama.

People believe they should put away it as soon as the day passed otherwise the girl might be late for marriage.

2007-02-19T03:31:00.000-08:00

YUKIMATSURI -- snow festival --

At deep snow area there are snow festivals in winter season, mostly February.

Main content of the event is snowy statue.

The arts are so beautiful, wonderful and great.

Especially in night time, they are lighted by colorful spot lights so they seem so fantastic.

Most popular festival is taken place in Sapporo.

At there it is held contest of snowy statue every year, among several dozen of those.

To make only just one snowy statue, it needs plenty snow.

Self Defense Forces takes a part for carrying and building snow.

When you go there, do not forget pocket warmers.

2007-02-14T04:13:00.000-08:00

St. Valentaine's Day

Feb 14th is the day which makes men fidgety all the day.

Because in Japan, on the Valentaine's Day girls (women) would give chocolates to boys (men) for the sign of love, appliciation, and respect.

10% of yearly sales of chocolate is made during this season.

This is almost the day like festival.

But for men it is not all happy things, because one month later, The White Day is coming, which is the day turned around men and women.

This day is not based on regional story, but on the strategy of chocolate company!

2007-02-06T04:17:00.000-08:00

KANI -- a crab --

The sense of taste in winter is crab.

In Japan there are several kinds of crabs, Taraba-gani, Ke-gani, Watari-gani, etc.

Its name depends on its place of production.

Each of us has the favorite way how to eat the crabs.

Fresh as sashimi, broil, boil in the pot with vegetables, etc.

My favorite is fresh as sashimi.

But it is served only at specialized restaurant.

Usually we can enjoy boil one.

We have it with vinegar soy sauce.

It is so delicious!!

2007-01-30T02:59:00.000-08:00

SETSUBUN
-- the eve of the first day of spring --

Setsubun signifies the turning point day of season.
It changes from winter to spring.
The day is February 3rd.

At the day, people scatter parched soy beans inside and outside their homes with yelling "Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi! ".
The yelling means "Out with the ogre! In with the happiness! ".

And people eat the beans same number as age.

In big shrines and temples it is held the festival of this beans scattering.

2007-01-23T04:09:00.000-08:00

OSHIRUKO
-- sweet red-bean soup with rice cakes --

This is one of the representative foods in winter season.
It makes our body so hot.

Red-Bean is very famous food in Japan.
Especially it is congenial with rice cake.

You can make it with no knowledge.
You can get a package of red-bean soup and rice cake at supermarket.
Just make those hot and put rice cakes into soup.
That is it!

Some Japanese who is traveling to overseas bring the package in their bags.
Let's try!

2007-01-16T02:43:00.000-08:00

Ski season is coming

At last Ski season is coming this year.

In this year it has not been so cold so far.

For most of the people it is comfortable to live, but for some people it is so serious situation, who works at winter resort like ski area.

But recent cold weather has brung snow to those areas.

The best ski area in Japan is Hokkaido.

There is powder snow like Canadian resort and it is getting popular among foreign people for their vacation.

For example, the ski resort 'Kiroro' is full of Australian year by year.

The best season of Ski is February. There is plenty snow.

My favorite one is Nozawa Onsen Ski Resort which has many courses for all skills player.

The Skyline Course has wonderful view.

Let's go and enjoy winter resort!

2007-01-09T04:25:00.000-08:00

Osechi Ryori -- New Year dishes --

Osechi Ryori is eaten as special side dishes in three days of New Year.
Since long time ago until this recent ten years, the period of New Year three days is the holiday for mostly people.
That is why we need Osechi Ryori, there had been no place to buy fresh food or to go out for dinner and lunch.
The peaces of the dishes are suitable for preservation.

But recently the situation of society has been changed.
The shops and stores open through the year including New Year holidays.
The choice of meal has been spread.
So people who do not cook and eat Osechi Ryori are getting a lot.
The one for take out has been popular.

2007-01-03T17:33:00.000-08:00

A Happy New Year

The New Year's Day is celebrated by so many people all over Japan, and one of the important days through the year.

At the New Year's Eve and the Day, lots of events are held in each community or religious place.

At the Eve, called Oomisoka, major event is Joyanokane.
In some temples there is a big bell. People strike the bell hundred eight times, it is the number of year's worldly passions.

The countdown event is also held in many places.

At the Day and usually through three days, people go Hatsumode, visit to shrine to pray wellness and good luck for New Year.

And it is going to end the Happy Holiday season.

2006-12-21T00:41:00.000-08:00

YUKIMI-DAIFUKU

This is kind of ice dream dessert and one of the Japanese favorite snacks.

Ice cream is covered with soft rice cake.

YUKIMI means to enjoy snowing.

DAIFUKU means the snack made from rice cake.

Usually ice cream is eaten in summer season, but this ice is popular in winter because of its name.

You can get this at any convenience store, supermarket easily.

2006-12-13T05:06:00.000-08:00

Aisatsu-mawari

Aisatsu means greetings.
Mawari means going around.

This is the word represented at business occasion in period of year-end beginning of the year.
Business people visit each other for greetings sometimes with calendars or notebooks made by their companies.

Also they often have parties called Bonenkai or Shinnenkai.
Especially in December weekend many pub will be fully booked.

It is very important as communication method of Japanese.

2006-12-11T08:33:00.000-08:00

OOSOUJI -- cleaning out once a year --

This is one of Japanese traditional yearly event.

Of course people clean up house day by day.
This OOSOUJI means special one.
For example, they clean up windows, backside of furniture, cover of the lump shades, etc.

So in December the useful goods for cleaning up are sold a lot.

This is why Japanese think New Year should be freshness.

I have also just started to do OOSOUJI at last Sunday.
New Year is coming soon.

2006-12-06T05:52:00.000-08:00

Illumination

December is the season of illumination.

At theme park, shopping center, and other spots we can enjoy to see fantastic art.

Recently, like Europe or U.S.A, it is a boom to decorate house with illumination in winter season.

Sometime we go out at night time to see around those illumination.

The biggest events of illumination are Luminarie of Kobe and Millenario of Tokyo.

But Millenario had already terminated till last year due to construction of Tokyo station.

Luminarie will start on DEC 8th 2006 for 2weeks.

2006-12-04T04:03:00.000-08:00

Winter season is coming!

People feel the sign of winter when they hear the word of December.

Actually I saw snow first time in this year on yesterday.

Some of ski resort has already opened with artificial snow by machines and little of real snow.

According to weather forecast, this winter season will be not so cold.

This news might be not welcome for those people whom it may concern with winter sports.

I am looking forward to enjoy skiing.

2006-11-30T03:29:00.000-08:00

NENGAJOU -- season's greetings message card --

In Japan the biggest event through a year is New Year but Christmas.
Like Christmas cards for foreign people, we send NENGAJOU at New Year as season's greetings.

Every year has its sexagenary cycle once per twelve years.
So, the card design will be related to that.

Post office sells public card which has lottery.
But recently many people use own cards made by their PC.

Now it is coming December, it is the season for preparing of season's greetings!

2006-11-27T05:09:00.000-08:00

MOMIJI MANJYU -- bun with a form of maple --

I have introduced about trees turned red at previous story.

The main tree is maple.

It becomes red, yellow and orange with autumn sunshine.

Speaking of maple, MOMIJI MANJYU is very famous.

It is bun including bean jam formed as maple.

Particularly as a speciality of Hiroshima prefecture it is well known in Japan.

But you can get it at department store at anywhere of major city in Japan.

2006-11-24T20:44:00.000-08:00

KOHYOU -- trees turn red --

I took this photo yesterday.

The famous landscape of autmun is this turning red of trees.

Kohyou starts from the colder area and spreads to south warm area through autumn.

On this weekend it will make heavy traffic jam at those area.

Also on website, many information sites are ready before season.

The way to enjoy Kohyou which I like best is combination with Onsen, hot spring.

After viewing Kohyou, Onsen makes me hot both heart and body.

Further more, if it is possible with viewing from outside bath at Onsen, it is nothing to say.

2006-11-22T04:17:00.000-08:00

THE JAPAN TIMES

This is great helpful daily newspaper for English speaking people to know what happens in Japan.
You can get it at convenience store, Kiosk and bookstore.

For the Japanese, it is also helpful for carrier change to foreign foundation company.
So, the readers of it seem to be serious. ( just kidding! )

If you are lucky, you can get it inside airplane forwarding to Japan.

2006-11-20T05:00:00.000-08:00

RADIO STATION

While staying in Japan, you can listen to the radio at your hotels, rent-a-cars and shops.

Basically the language is Japanese, but some station has English program, further more there is some English based channel.

Disk Jockey is bilingual, sometimes native speaker.

You can get the latest information of the news, music about your country.

You do not have to worry about becoming homesick!

2006-11-15T05:10:00.000-08:00

MUSICAL

For all people of the world, it is associated musical with Broadway in New York.
It is so high quality culture spot.

In Japan, SHIKI THEATRE COMPANY is famous as a professional musical group.
They have private theaters in Tokyo, Nagoya, Osaka, Kyoto and Fukuoka.
Incredibly all theaters are always fully booked.

Ticket's cost is around JPY10000-.
Quite only a few day tickets are available.
Advanced reservation is strongly recommended.

2006-11-09T05:49:00.000-08:00

NOH -- Japanese performing art --

NOH is Japanese oldest form in musical theater.
The player wear mask and do not speak just express by their whole body.

The play proceeds with background song which is traditional one called UTAI.

The atmosphere is so mysterious.
The stage located outside suits for NOH, especially night time.

You might feel Japanese spirits.

2006-11-07T03:00:00.000-08:00

KABUKI

This is one of Japan's main traditional theater forms.

There are some specialized theaters for KABUKI in Japan.

Not same as other theaters, those have characteristic equipments which are elevated runway, revolving stage, trapdoors.

One of the important things is casting.

KABUKI is played only by actor with no actress.

Because of that reason, they need too much make up when they play as female.

KABUKI is proceeding with slow pace.

And sometimes audience is hard to hear the serif due to their unique and traditional saying.