Learning About Japan

Sense of Japan

First off let me say that my heart and prayers go out to Japan. I have been watching the news and keeping up with what has been going on and it’s just so sad to watch.

But let’s not get to much into that, I have some wonderful videos for you! While I was in LA this past week I watched a Japanese channel that is not broad casted in my area: http://utbhollywood.com/en/index.php

I would watch shows such as Ultraman, Mobile Detctive Zenigata Kai and anything from NHK. Some of you might remember a previous post to a NHK website that was Japanese radio broadcasts that you could slowdown and speed up which is great when trying to get used to listening to Japanese. But NHK also has a site and show in english! They not only have news but they also have shows on the Japanese Language, culture, food and more! (I will talk about it more in a later post ;3)

One amazing show from NHK is called Sense of Japan. It’s a silly 5 minute show about an American named Andy who is visiting Japan and is trying to get a better understanding of the culture. So he stays at a Dojo with a Sense (and the sense’s daughter, his assistant) who helps Andy understand the culture even more!

Here is a link to the show off of Google, it has a few episodes stuck together, enjoy!

http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-947505031411605217#

Omamori- Temple Trinkets

When you go to a Shinto Shrine there will usually be an area where you can by Omamori (temple trinkets). Omamori are pretty mush small good luck charms with the blessings from the Okami (gods).

Above is a picture of where you can buy the omamori in the shrine area.

This might be what it looks like when you go up to purchase an omamori. As you can see there are many different types of omamori to buy and each one does something different like blessings in: love, child birth, safe driving, school, friendship, happiness, marriage and so on…

ひなまつり -Hinamatsuri- Girls Day

Girls day is just around the corner! (March 3rd) See, in Japan there is a girls day and a boy’s day, each are quite different and each has it’s own tradition and festival.

ひなまつり Hinamatsuri is well known for the ひな (hina) doll displays in the homes of families with daughters. These doll displays are said to bring good luck (happy life, marriage, that sort of stuff) to the daughter of the house hold. The displays are put out sometime around or after February 3rd and they stay out until March 3rd which is the day of the Hinamatsuri festival. But the displays must be put away on the evening of the festival or else it will bring bad luck to the daughter and no one wants to have their daughter become a hag! (They put these hina doll displays up until the girl is 15 years old.) These can go from very large with many pieces to very simple with few pieces.

Above is a fairly large traditional display. (Some times you can see the hina dolls displayed in glass cases.) This picture above I believe even has a small offering of food.

 So as you can see there are different people sitting on different steps in the display and altogether it represents the royal court. At the top is an emporor and empress and the people on the lower levels are different courtiers that help the emperor and empress in the palace. Then under the courtiers there are material things that are useful in the everyday life of the emperor and empress

Above is a not so traditional hina doll set, this one is Hello Kitty! It also has less pieces then the traditional one above this picture.

I found this and thought you might want to see it too! It’s a list with pictures and names of all the items that are generally found in a traditional hina doll set! :3

はなみ Hanami (Flower Viewing)

さくら Sakura- Flowers

So since it is getting closer to spring time,weather is still a bit like winter, I thought this would be a nice topic to do!

Apparently in Japan when all the cherry blossom flowers are in bloom people will gather under the cherry blossom trees and enjoy the flowers. People will have picnics under the trees with loved ones (or alone) to relax and enjoy the beauty of the flowers. This is something I definitely want to do if I ever do go to Japan. Grab my friends, some yummy Japanese food, maybe some sake, and get the best spot under the trees! :3

Learn Hiragana + Katakana (Gomenasai! ; ;)

Gomenasai! I’m sorry! I have not been on in a very long time! We had our lesson one test in Japanese and I was studying like crazy! I even lost a few followers due to my absence! ; ;

So in my Japanese class we found this great website for people who are trying to learn both Hiragana and Katakana:

www.learn-hiragana-katakana.com

Here are a couple of other great links:

www.jlpt.jp/e/samples/folearners.html

http://web-japan.org/kidsweb

I know it’s not much at the moment but I will post a video or another fun culture piece in a bit!

ねむいです。-o- *yawn*

I am tired from all this studying! Japanese class has me busy busy busy. But as you can see I learned how to type in にほんご (Nihongo)

 Anyways, I will post something on here a little later. ;P

Valentine’s Day

So Valentines Day is approaching quick and I wanted to do a post on it before I forget. ;P

Valentines Day in Japan is a little different than what we are used to in the USA. Instead of trading chocolates, stuffed animals or gifts it’s just the girls who give chocolates to the guys. Even guys they might not like! It’s kind of like “pity” chocolate to make sure no one feels left out. They apparently don’t do it out of feelings but more out of kindness and appreciation. They also have a White Day on March 14th where the guys give back to the girls.

Here is a Happy Hour Japan Video on Valentines Day/ White Day:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j8RE47TixvY

Apparently there are spa’s in Japan that actually mix cocoa powder into the water and pour chocolate on the bathers so they can enjoy smelling like chocolate, smearing it on each other and licking it up. XD