Archive for 'Lifestyle' Category

The day of Azuki bean porridge on the first full moon’s day

Today  Jan.15th is a special day called “Shou-shou-gatsu(/The Minor New Year’s Day)”, ”Mochi-no-hi(/望の日)”, a full moon’s day,  and used to be the New Year’s Day in the lunar calendaor.  And traditionally, it has been customary to eat  “Azuki-gayu”( /小豆粥, sweet bean porridge) on this day since around 1200 years ago, for people have believed in the fact that  that food contains special secrad  power to ward off evil and  keep people from suffering every disease.

 

That idea and custom of  dispel evil with the beans were originally introduced from China maybe  in early days in Heian Period(794-1192).  Azuki sweet beans have  color of  red or purple, which were believed to have a magic power to repel evil.

On this date, Yoneura-sai(/粥占祭, a festival of  fortune-telling using azuki beans) is hosted at a lot of  Shinto shrines, where people put rice and azuki in a long bamboo tube and boil them to read outlooks of  timing of the prospective paddy harvests of the year as well.  In some areas,  people also host a festival of tug-of-war between a “land team” and a “sea team” to read if they can enjoy rich field harvests or rich fishey yields in the year.

HAPPY NEW YEAR ! 2012-The Year of The Dragon

Happy New Year , everyone !!   In Japan  last year was kind of a year of  hardships and tragedy, but I do hope this year is full of  happiness and good fortune for everyone.

This year 2012 is a Year of the Dragon according to the Chinese zoidiac. And what is more, personally I am a “Toshi Otoko”(a man who was born in a year with the same Chinese zodiac sign as the current year) . One Chinese zodiac sign comes once in twelve years and now I experience being  my third time  Toshi Otoko in my life this year.

In general on the January 2nd (today) , the Imperial Palace  opens to the public for its visitors to offer congratulations to the emperor ,and the emperor and some imperial members will show up in front and wave to them.

“The New Words- / The Buzzwords-of -The-Year 2011 ”

“The New Words- / The  Buzzwords-of -The-Year 2011 ” (/２０１１　ユーキャン新語・流行語大賞) awarding ceremony was hosted by U-Can on Dec.1st. http://singo.jiyu.co.jp/

The Grand prix was given to the word “Nadeshiko Japan”, the name of the winner of  FIFA Woman World Cup 2011.    The Top 10 are as follow;

Grand Prix-  ○ ”なでしこジャパン”(/Nadeshiko Japan)

○”絆”（/Kizuna,  bonds）, ○”スマホ”（/Sumaho, smartphone）,○”どじょう内閣”（/Dojoh Naikaku,  a loach cabinet）,○”どや顔”（/Doya Gao, a boastful facial expression）, ○”Kitaku-nanmin, a stranded commuter ”,○”こだまでしょうか？”（/Kodama de shouka?, Is that an echo ?）,○”３.１１”（/3.11）,○”風評被害”（/Fuhhyou Higai,  damages caused by rumor）,○”ラブ注入”（/love injection）

Some of the words are related to the earthquake and tsunami disaster on March 11th, some are contemporary fads of young people, some are expressions used by a politician or a TV personality.

 

Forever with guitar and friends

Uncle Notes Live Concert 2011 has been successfully praised at KFC hall  RYOGOKU yesterday. It was their 15th commemorative concert. The group: Uncle Notes consists of 8 members who has been enjoying guitar since they first met when they were students. The musical performance was favorably received by more than 200 audience. The more they play, the more audience exited. People dance to the music. So did I. My favorite are Quizás, quizás, quizás and coffee rumba. I had a wonderful evening. I’m very looking forward to next year’s concert.

“Music can keep friendship. I met a lot of wonderful people through music. I also thank to all people who kindly came to the concert  today.”  Yumiko Obata one of the member’s wife said.

Romantic road in Japan to find autumnal colors and World heritage NIKKO

NIKKO is located about 180 kilometers north from Tokyo. It is famous for the elaborately constructed Toshogu shrine  dedicated to Tokugawa Ieyasu who is the first Shogun of  the Tokugawa Shogunate.

There are also many beautiful falls.  Autumnal colors are so beautiful in NOKKO this time of the year.

 

SYUUBOKUGA : Mitsuko’s art

SYUUBAKUGA is Mitsuko’s original art which was given a patent in 2006. The  combination of  Japanese embroidery and SUMI painting is amazingly beautiful. Her arts are favorably received not only in Japan but  also in America, Korea, China and, France .

She ‘s been holding a lot of exhibition in abroad as well as in Japan.She was invited to France for the exhibition : HARINO SAITEN .

I really enjoy her masterpieces at National musium in Roppongi, Mitsukoshi Department store in Ikebukuro, and Senbikiya Art Garely in Tokyo, and more and more.

Mitsuko Arita said that I always thank to be given a life. Having hope, courage, modesty, love in heart , life is wonderful.

If you are interested, you can attend the trial lesson at ASAHI culture center.

http://www.asahiculture.com/LES/list.asp?JCODE=0005&CACODE=06&PJ=1&NECODE=201101

green tea

Green tea was introduced from China by Buddhist monks as a medicine. It is served after meals, or people drink it at any time. Matcya is one of green tea: which is served at Tea ceremony together with Japanese sweet. Gyokuro and Sencya is high quality green tea because which is made from only new leaves. Green tea in season: April and May, is very tasty. Bancya, Hojicya can be drink freely. We can also buy canned green tea from a vending machine. You can find this brand in Shizuoka prefecture. Having green tea every day, people keep good health condition.

Jogging is fun

This is my jogging course at my home town.
When I jog, many strangers greet me, and I greet them.Though nobody greet me when I walk. 

The yellow sigh board says that here is a starting point and ending point in KATAKANA.

KATAKANA, angular phonetic characters which is simplified from KANJI are mainly used for writing forign words.

a healthful activity

Jogging , and walking are fun. People enjoy them to concern about their good health condition. When you jog, you don’t need to run fast. If you can talk with friends while jogging, the speed is just right. There is a good running course around imperial palace in Tokyo. http://www.kanko-chiyoda.jp/tabid/1665/Default.aspx

Morning glory

This is my first blog. I’m happy to join the Tenkai-Japan. com.  I’ve found writing blog is fun.I should have begun sooner.Thank you everybody. Thank you.

I’d like to write what is happening in Japan as well as around me. I’m trying to open my heart to learn from other people. I like to try something new.  

 Morning glories are beautiful during the summer.In Japan, they are called ASAGAO which means “morning face”. It is because the flowers last only a single morning. In the afternoon, they lost the vital and close. ASAGAO market is held in IRIYA Tokyo in the early July. Asagao will please our eyes untill the end of summer season.

Tohoku Rokkon Festival being held

  A special  festival  “Tohoku Rokkon Festival”(/東北六魂祭, the festival of the six souls of  the Northeast  Region of Japan) is currently being held  Jul.16-17th in Sendai City in Miyagi Pref. http://www.rokkon.jp/index-en.html

　There are six prefectures in Tohoku, namely, Aomori,Akita,Iwate,Miyagi,Yamagata,and Fukushima. Each prefecture of those have  traditional and famous one festivals respectively called The Six Major Festivals of Tohoku, all of which are usually  held separately in their own prefecture in summer. However,  some city mayors in those prefectures jointly resolved to host those six festivals together in one venue to make them a special ”one big festival of Tohoku” this year in order to commemorate the souls of  the casualties of the earthquake and tsunami disasters in East Japan in March and  declare the determination and mental preparedness  of the people for reconstruction of the damaged areas in Tohoku.

The six major festivals of Tohoku are; 

 Aomori Nebuta Festival(Aomori Pref.) http://www.nebuta.or.jp/english/index_e.htm ,

 Akita Kanto Festival (Akita Pref.) http://www.kantou.gr.jp/english/index.htm,

 Morioka Sansa Odori Festival(Iwate Pref.) http://www.sansaodori.jp/pdf/2011_pamphlet_english.pdf ,

Yamagata Hanagasa Festival(Yamagata Pref.) http://www.hanagasa.jp/ ,

Sendai Tanabata Festival (Miyagi Pref.) http://www.hanagasa.jp/ ,

and,   Fukushima Waraji Matsuri festival (Fukushima Pref.) http://www.fmcnet.co.jp/waraji/index.html .

 In the beginning,   the steering committee of the Rokkon Festival  expected some 100,000 people would visit the festival.  What is surprising is, however,  actuyally more than 360,000 visitors in total joined the festival in the two days, which forced the facilitators to operate the parade of  the decorated floats of  all the six festivals on a smaller scale than oroginally planned in order to avoid possible accidents and confusions .  

At the venue of the festival, there are a lot of stalls to sell agricultural or fishery produces from the damaged areas of the disasters as a part of  supproting efforts of  rebuilding economy in those areas or Tohoku as a whole.

There are a lot of visitors to the festival who buy such produces of  the regional specialties. 

The unexpectedly  huge numbers of  visitors to the event clearly and positively shows the people’s energy and passion of  reconstructing  the  damaged areas and  Tohoku region or whole of Japan.

Hina Matsuri

March 3 is Hina Matsuri (Doll Festival or Girls’ Festival), when people pray for the happiness and healthy growth of girls. Most families with young daughters display beautiful dolls called hina dolls at home.  Hina dolls wear ancient court costumes from Heian period (794-1192) and they are arranged on a tiered stand covered with red felt.

It’s customary to eat Chirashi-zushi (scattered sushi) and Hamaguri Ushio-jiru (clear clam soup) on this day.

Just as other homes, my mother used to make Chirashi-zushi and Hamaguri Ushio-jiru when I was a girl. But it was like a long time ago…

Since I became a mother of two boys, my family and I hadn’t celebrated Hina Matsuri because this festival is basically just for girls. But the paper ornament of Hina dolls, which my elder son made at the kindergarten, suddenly reminded me of the taste of Hina Matsuri meal.

Why don’t my family and I  celebrate this day for a used-to-be girl (= me) as well as girls in the world?

Here are Chirashi-zushi and Hamaguri Ushio-jiru, which I cooked today.

Let me tell you this;

Some of my female friends, who have sons not girls, also celebrate Hina Matsuri for themselves.   We, mothers, are forever girls, aren’t we!?

Happy Hina Matsuri!!

Masami Nagasawa, Emi Takei attend a Valentine chocolate campaign event

Actresses Masami Nagasawa(長澤まさみ）, 23, right, and Emi Takei（武井咲）, 17, attend a Valentine chocolate campaign event for Lotte in Harajuku. Lotte has opened a chocolate support house for its Ghana brand at Cafe Studio in Jingumae until February 13.

Nagasawa and Takei also appear on Valentine commercial for Lotte’s “Ghana Milk Chocolate“. As with every year, the 2011 edition of the commercial features Nagasawa and her co-star making their very own chocolate hearts. This time, Takei has the honor and it seems like she really wants to find love this year.
Korean girl group KARA’s song, “SOS“, is used as the theme song.

Chocolate is the primary gift given in Japan on Valentine’s Day.

Coming-of-Age Day in Japan

Japanese women dressed in kimono, who will reach the age of 20 this year, pose in front of the Cinderella Castle after attending a coming-of-age ceremony at Tokyo Disneyland.The second Monday of January is a national holiday called Coming-of-Age Day in Japan.
Many women celebrate this day by wearing furisode kimono (a style of kimono with long sleeves that drape down).Since most are unable to put on a kimono by themselves due to the intricacies involved in putting one on, many choose to visit a beauty salon to dress and to set their hair. A full set of formal clothing is expensive, so it is usually either borrowed from a relative or rented rather than being bought especially for the occasion. After the ceremony, the young adults often celebrate in groups by going to parties or going out drinking.

“Children’s Day” falls on May 5th

 Today May 5th is the final day of the  consecutive  national public holidays of  the Golden Week like some other writes have referred to.  This  is ” Children’s Day” (/こどもの日,Kodomo no hi ) . This holiday used to be called “Tango no Sekku”(/端午の節句, May’s season-related festival) to celebrate boys which was said to have had started in China in the 3rd century.

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