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Tuesday: Nihon-no Kotowaza
09/02/2015 blog
Nasake-wa Hito-no Tamenarazu (Kannon-sama) It would not be too much to say that Jesus in Christianity is equivalent to Buddha in Buddhism while Maria is to Kannon Bosatsu (Goddess of Mercy). In Buddhism, Kannon embodies compassion, mercy, benevolence, kindness, and affection. So, people (especially women) who are compassionate, merciful, benevolent, kind, and affectionate are worshipped and admired in Japan. They are sometimes depicted as “Like Kannon-sama” by other Japanese. It is easy to tell them to be compassionate, merciful, benevolent, kind and affectionate, but it is NOT easy at all to be actually like that all the time. That’s when the proverb on top was born so people are to be …
Monday: One Point Nihongo Clinic
09/02/2015 blog
Driver’s License (Very Trendy Driving School!?) One of the biggest differences between US and Japan – Getting a driver’s license. You will see at least couple of “Driving Schools” like the one in the picture above in one town in Japan. Why? 95% of people go to driving schools in Japan! In addition, each driving school is BIG like the one above. Students learn how to drive (theory and actual driving skills) at driving schools. It’s a day school. You have to come and take required classes all day until you get a driver’s license. Usually it takes over 6 months for you to get a driver’s license (Since I was …
Saturday: ナバホインディアンのくにへ #16
09/02/2015 blog
１９９５ねん 2がつ ５か しんにゅうしゃにごようじん！！ たずねてきたウイルフォード（チャプターハウスではたらくちゅうねんのナバホだんせい）をうっかりいえにいれてしまったけっか、ながいされてこまった。つごうのわるいことに、かれは、かなりよっぱらってくだをまいた。 しゅうまつに、ひとりでいえのばんをするのは、しょうじきいってこわい。なにしろ、ほりゅうちでは、「おとこたちはほんとうにおんなにうえている」から。ちょしゃがいくさきざきで、おとこたちからこえをかけられるのは、これがげんいんだ。
Friday: Kojiki (「乞食」ではなく『古事記』ですヨ！！) #28
09/02/2015 blog
Guided by Yatagarasu (Yata Crow) (Emperor Jimmu and Yatagarasu/Yata Crow) (Yatagarasu/Yata Crow) The sacred sword, Saji Futsu-no Kami (Mika Futsu-no Kami/Futsu-no Mitama), which was dedicated to him, saved Kamuyamato Iwarebiko’s life. Now Takagi-no Ookami (Takami Musuhi-no Kami) , because of this very incident, made a special suggestion to him. “From now on you cannot proceed by yourself because there seem to be very many indigenous gods who are rebellious to you. I will send Yatagarasu to you. The crow will guide you so you can proceed safely.” The Heavenly Child followed Takagi-no Ookami’s suggestion. Following Yatagarasu, he arrived at the downstream of Yoshino River, where he found the person fishing with …
Thursday: Japanese Food
08/28/2015 blog
Natto (Fermented Soy Beans) (Natto over Rice) Since you read this blog here in JapaneseExperts.net, I assume you know a bit (at least) about Japanese culture. And a fun part – Japanese food including Natto, too! The picture above is a typical way of eating natto in Japan – Natto over rice. You mix natto with spice, like Japanese mustard, and Soy Sauce called Shoyu. All you need to do is put the mixture over warm rice and mix the rice and Natto. If rice is freshly boiled, that will be super! As you may know it, Natto is fermented soy beans. “Fermented” is a key here. Whatever fermented it …
Wednesday: Nihon-no Manga
08/27/2015 blog
“ATTENTION PLEASE” (Beginning of the TV show: https://youtu.be/s0UR6hdtMwk) This is the first TV show which dealt with cabin/flight attendants called “Stewardess” in those days. Since Japan Airlines launched their business in 1951, the stewardessship was the most popular job among young Japanese women (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Japan_Airlines). “ATTENTION PLEASE” was created by one of the biggest movie production companies called TOHO and aired by the TBS network in 1970 (https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Attention_Please). The manga version followed this TV version, which sometimes happened in those days. (Actress selected to play the heroine role – Kino Hiroko) (One Scene from the show) (Actors wore the real uniforms of Japan Airlines in those days) (Manga Version) Because this show …
Tuesday: Nihon-no Kotowaza
08/26/2015 blog
“Tada-yori Takai Mono-wa Nai” (Saito Hitori’s Logo – Can you read it?) There is a super charismatic entrepreneur, who can lead people spiriturally, in Japan. His name is Saito (Last Name) Hitori (First Name). He is often called “Hitori-san.” Hitori-san is such a celebrity, but he never shows up in media. So, you will never know what he looks like until you attend his meeitn to listen to his speech. He is very good at keeping himself secret so he would never been bothered by media. Hitori-san doesn’t have a respectable educational background – He is a middle school graduate, unlike all other successful entrepreneurs. He can make people believe …
Monday: One Point Nihongo Clinic
08/25/2015 blog
“Watashi-wa Mansion-ni Sundeimasu(!?)” (A Mansion) When in Japan or when you talk to your Japanese friend on the phone, you will often hear him say, “Watashi-wa Mansion-ni Sundeiru (= I live in a mansion).” You will be surprised if you find out where he actually lives. He means he lives in a condominium or even a rental apartment at best. (A Condominium) I have no idea who started to call condos or apartments “mansions” or when, but there are very few Japanese who know the difference between condos and mansions in Japan. You will be confused when a single man in his early 20’s says, “I live in a mansion.” …
Saturday: ナバホインディアンのくにへ #15-3
08/24/2015 blog
（つづき） きじその２ (Death in the Gallup area – Alcohol and snow can be fatal) – ２フィートのゆきをおしていえまでかえりつこうとしたせいねんがとうしした、というきじ。 ぎゃらっぷでのんだわかもののいちだんは、ひっちはいくをしていえにかえろうとしたが、おろされたところはいえからまだ４まいる（６．４４キロ）もはなれたところだった（よるの９じ）。このときのきおんは、かし１４ど（せっしマイナス１０ど）だったが、きしゃは、「さんちゅうはもっとさむかっただろう」とつけくわえている。 ばしょが、サンフアンとかマッキンリーぐんとなると、まいとしこのようなじたい（「exposure death」とよばれる）がおこってとうぜんのこととなっている。そこには、いつも、３つのよういんがともなう。すなわち、「さむさ」と「ぬれたふく」と「あるこーる（さけ）」である（ぎせいしゃにおちどがあるばあい）。 そのほかには、ベビーシッター（こもり）が１さいのこどものせわをわすれていんしゅしているうちに、こどもがさむさでしんだ（ぎせいしゃにおちどがないばあい）というきじも。アルコールがらみで「exposure deaths」をひきおこすケースがほりゅうちではひんぱつしている（Navajo Police Deputy Chiefによる）。こういったじじつが、しだいにたいしゅうのちゅうもくをあつめるようになってきている、ときじはむすぶ。 くるまによるいどうがふかのうなため、このように、にゅうきょいらい、こうどうはんいもかぎられ、しょうしょうたいくつなひがつづく。
Saturday: ナバホインディアンのくにへ #15-2
08/24/2015 blog
（つづき） 『インディペンデント』（じもとし）より。 きじその１ (Navajo cops say cutbacks harm safety) – Eastern Navajo Agency police officersが、 Eastern Navajo Agency Councilに２がつ４か、こうぎ（ていそ）をもちこむことになっている、というはなし。 ようするに、ナバホのけいさつかんたちが、じぶんたちのふまんをとうきょくにじきそしたのである。かれらのふまんとはおもにつぎのようなもの。 １．きゅうりょうのみはらい ２. かんりふゆきとどき ３. まともとはいえないしょくばかんきょう １のもんだいにかんして。ちんぎんがちゃんとしはらわれない。あるけいかんは、「さくねんのざんぎょうぶんがまだしきゅうされない」という。かれがこうぎすると、たんとうしゃは、「だいきゅうやきゅうかをとることでしょりするように」というが、「じょうじよびだされ、かいさつじたいひとでぶそくなのに、じじつじょう、これはむりなはなしだ」とはこのけいかんのべん。 たしかに、このもんだいのおこっているクラウンポイントというしでは、しみんひとりにたいするけいさつかんのにんずうがいじょうにすくなく、いかにひとでぶそくで、こくしされているかがよくわかる。とうぜんのことながら、せんじゅつのけいさつかんは、「はたしたやくめにたいして、しはらいがないのではやっていけない」とうったえる。 しょくばかんきょうのれつあくさは、よさんぶそくからおこっているようだ。たとえば、よさんきんしゅくによって、しゃりょうのしようもせいげんされ、ちいきをパトロールすることもこんなんになっている。このため、はんざいりつが７０％もじょうしょうした。また、おおくのけいかんがよんりんくどうのくるまをもっていない。あめやゆきのために、どろみちでしゃどうからはずれると、たちおうじょうしてしまう。ときにはすうじかんもくるまのなかで「きゅうじょ」をまたねばならない。 そちらのばあいもん、じょうしたちはきくみみをもたないという。「それがかんりふゆきとどきのりゆうである」と、けいかんたちはくちをそろえる。 ＊りゅうちじょうについて ナバホもちくごとにりゅうちじょうをもっている。このクラウンポイントのけんでもんだいになっているすうかしょのりゅうちじょうは、ぜんねんのあき、もとナバホネイションのPublic Safety Directorによってへいさされたが、そのご、そのいくつかはざいどりようされている。しかし、さいばんしょめいれい (Court Order) により、はんざいしゃを８じかんいじょうこうりゅうできないことになっているので、けいかんたちがせっかくほねおってふこころえものをたいほしても、「8じかんしたらまたもどれるんだから」などといったぐあいで、はんざいしゃにひらきなおられてしまう。けっきょく、どうじんぶつがはんざいをくりかえしたすえさいたいほされるというような「いたちごっこ」がさいさんさいしおこっている。 （つづく）
Saturday: ナバホインディアンのくにへ #15-1
08/24/2015 blog
１９９５ねん２がつ４か コインランドリーにいく。 せんざい ー ５０セント せんたく ー １ドル かんそうき ― ５０セント きょうはジーンズが１ぽんあったので、２５セントではかわかなかったから。 それにしても、きょうはどようなので、ひどくこんでいた。これからは、ウイークデイにいかなければ。 （つづく）
Friday: Kojiki (「乞食」ではなく『古事記』ですヨ！！) #27-2
08/23/2015 blog
Itsuse-no Mikoto Killed in the Battle <2> (Tachi or Sword) Thus, Kamuyamato, who recovered from illness, asked Takakuraji how he had gotten hold of the Tachi. Takakuraji said, “I had a strange dream. Amaterasu Oomikami and Takagi-no Kami (Takamimusuhi-no Kami) summoned Takemikazuchi-no Kami to order him to go to Ashihara-no Nakatsukuni (the Earthly World), where it seemed like a chaos and their children had hard time assuming their missions, so the Earthly World would come back to order. According to both Heavenly Gods, it was Takemikazuchi that led the Ashihara-no Nakatsukuni to a peaceful place for their offsprings to live and flourish. Takemikazuchi said, answering to the Heavenly Gods, that he wouldn’t …
Friday: Kojiki (「乞食」ではなく『古事記』ですヨ！！) #27-1
08/23/2015 blog
Itsuse-no Mikoto Killed in the Battle <1> (Map of Wakayama, Japan) Itsuse-no Mikoto, the older brother of Kamuyamato Iwarebiko-no Mikoto (later Emperor Jimmu), got a serious bow injury on his arm during the battle against Tomibiko. He said, “We waged the battle toward the sun though we are the Heavenly Gods’ children. That is the reason such an ignoble creature as Tomibiko could seriously hurt me like this! From now on, we have to fight with the sun on our back.” That’s what he did, leading his army northward from the south. He and his army finally got to Chinuno Umi, where he washed off his blood-covered arm. Chinuno Umi (Sea of …
Thursday: Japanese Food
08/22/2015 blog
Yomise (Night Fair/Night Stall) (Lots of people and food) (Tons of Fun Stuff Too!) The Japanese people enjoy summer nights by goint out to Yomise with their family. When you visit Japan in summer, you will have an opportunity or two to participate in Bon Odori Events (Bon Festival Dance) here and there! With or without Bon Odori, you can walk around Japanese Yomise (Night Fair or Night Stall) in Japan in this season. Some are huge – hundreds of merchants (and/or Yakuza!?) get together, selling their goods and services; others are probably 20 to 30 booths in one event of Yomise. What’s fun? Of course, FOOD!! Food, food, …
Wednesday: Nihon-no Manga
08/20/2015 blog
Debiru Man (Devil Man) (Opening Song: https://youtu.be/hTVj-4uiOt4) “Debiru Man” (manga version) started in 1972 in Shukan Shonen Magajin (Weekly Magazine for Boys). Like “Tiger Mask” which I previously discussed in my blog, the hero was designed to be evil, but turned into a great hero! The original manga version is a horror – The main character (Akira Fudo), who is amalgamated with a devil, is getting more and more apocalyptic in terms of the world view. On the other hand, TV version of “Devil Man” is a typical hero for boys and tries to protect humans from his fellow divils, which even 3 year olds can understand! Manga readers, who were identified …
