akarijapanese

How do you cerebrate Christmas in Japan?

2015-12-092019-03-01akarijapanese

Some of my students asked me
“How do you cerebrate Christmas in Japan?”
Well, good question.

I would say, for most of Japanese people,
Christmas is a foreign festival, so it’s more like a commercial holidays.

*About religion in Japan, you can read
What is Japanese people’s religion?
https://akarijapanese.wordpress.com/2015/06/08/what-is-japanese-peoples-religion

There’s some Christian in Japan.
Also, there’s many Christian kindergartens,
schools, universities.
I myself went to christian University and I’ve worked YMCA for a while, so
I know the basic ideas of Christianity.
So most of the people in Japan knows it’s a birth day of Jesus Christ, but
for most of them, it’s not religious holiday, but just foreign festival.

Especially 1980’s and 90’s, when Japan’s economy was good,
Many companies try to advertise Christmas as
“Day to spend time with your someone special” and then,
somewhat they interpret Christmas as day for lovers.

Then jewelry shop tried to sell jewelry,
Cake shop tied to sell “Christmas cake”
KFC tried to sell “Christmas Chicken”

Luckily, I could spend warm authentic Christmas holidays in Prince Edward, Canada.
I got handmade cookies, scarf, and mittens from my coworkers, went to Church for Christmas Eve Mass,
and was invited my friends family gathering.
I prefer these warm authentic Christmas rather than commercial one.

Although, we do have warm authentic family gathering holidays in Japan, too.
It’s new years holiday.
I’ll write about it next time.

(the photo is Christmas tree at a super market in Japan)

#PresentingJapan on Youtube

2015-10-272017-02-11akarijapanese

It seems that a very interesting event will be held on Oct 24th-30th in London.

It is called “Presenting Japan”.
I can’t go to the event this time, but I found another way we can enjoy it even if we’re not in London.

Here,

痩せ菌サプリがおすすめ！人気の理由とランキング

If you scroll down, you can find lots of videos about Japan,
or you can search them with #PresenginingJapan on Youtube.
Find your favorite one 🙂

Rugby Japan

2015-09-222017-02-11akarijapanese

I think I’ve never seen a Japanese team get such a huge compliment from the world. I’m talking about the rugby match between Japan vs South Africa the other day.

Actually rugby is not a popular sport in Japan.
So this time, I was honestly surprised and still wondering about why so many people gave them warm messages.
It’s very nice of them, and I’m very happy as a Japanese.
But I still don’t get it yet.
Is it because of the game, right?

We’ll have Rugby World Cup in Japan in 2019, so now I start having more interest in rugby.
I learned the rules a little bit, and I learned the head coach, Mr. Eddie Jones is half Japanese- his mom is Japanese, and dad is Australian.

Thank you for the fans who gave the Japanese team warm messages.

Netflix finally came to Japan!

2015-09-092017-02-11akarijapanese

Netflix finally came to Japan.
I’m excited not only because I can see more movies, but I’m happy for my students who are learning the Japanese language outside of Japan.

I know they’re always looking for some way to watch Japanese movies, but there were not many ways. So they were using illegal websites to stream them.

I was feeling sad because I know there’s demand but because there was no system, Japan lost a good chance to introduce their culture, and my students were also sad because the illegal movies were low quality sometimes, and they didn’t feel good. They were ready to pay some money to watch it officially but there was no way.

I won’t say Netflix is the best way, but this is one of a good start.
I really hope Netflix Japan will share Japanese movies and dramas to Netflix in other countries.

Wish Peace, and make origami crane

2015-08-152015-08-15akarijapanese

One of my hobby is Origami, Japanese folding paper art.
I make animals, flowers, and some other stuff, but my favorite one is crane.

Origami crane is the symbol of Peace, Health, and Happiness in Japan.
If you visit Hiroshima Peace Memorial Park, and Nagasaki Peace Park,
you can see lots of origami crane. People made them to wish and pray peace.

Today is the Day to Commemorate the War Dead and Pray for Peace.
70 years passed after The WWⅡ, Hiroshima and Nagasaki atomic bomb fallout.
Wish peace for our future.

The country name “Canada” may be related to “kanata” in Japanese!?

2015-07-212019-06-27akarijapanese

It’s just my guess.
I’m wondering if the country name “Canada” related to Japanese “kanata”.
Let me explain why I think so.

I was reading a book. It said,

“The name ‘Canada’ comes from the Huron-Iroquois word ‘kanata’ meaning village or settlement, and the name was used by the early explorer Jacques Cartier. The word Canada started appearing on maps in the 1550s”

When I was in NL, Canada, I visited a museum.
There’s an exhibition about Inuits, the aboriginal people in Canada.
When I saw the exhibition, I was so surprised.
The face, body, hair style, clothes, tools- they look like Ainu, aboriginal people in Hokkaido, Japan.
Inuit or Inu, and Ainu sounds similar, too.
I started wondering if they might have same origin in long time ago.

Because a long time ago, the northern part of Japan connected to eastern part of Russia, and Russia connected to Alaska, and from Alaska people might have migrated to Canada.

“kanata/ 彼方/ かなた” means far away in Japanese.

A long, long time ago, if people start moving from Japan to “far away” Canada- it makes sense to me.

Imagining these things interests me.

My favorite Japanese singers

2015-07-132019-06-27akarijapanese

One of my students asked me what kind of music I like. Instead of just answering that I like pop, rock, and jazz music, I sent him Youtube videos. What a convenient era we live in!
This is the list I made. I think you can find some of these music videos on Youtube and other sites.

■B’z
「ALONE」「スイマーよ！！Swimmer yo」「光芒 Koubou」「MOVE」

■Dreams Come True
「何度でも Nandodemo」「未来予想図Ⅱ MiraiyosozuⅡ」

■Southern All Stars
「真夏の果実 Manatsu no Kajitsu」「いとしのエリー Itoshi no Ellie」

■中島みゆき　Miyuki Nakajima
「宙船 Sorahune」「糸 Ito」「時代 Jidai」

■井上陽水　Yoshui Inoue
「少年時代 Shonen jidai」

■Mr. Children/ Bank Band
「es」「to U」

My “Power Spot” in Japan

2015-07-112019-03-01akarijapanese

My “Power Spot” in Japan.

①Kamo river, Kyoto

②Aso, Kumamoto

③Setouchi, Kagawa

④Yokohama/Shonan, Kanagawa

⑤Kiyosato, Yamanashi

「イヌが教えるお金持ちになるための知恵」

2015-07-042015-12-24akarijapanese

たまには日本語で書いてみようと思う。
私が好きな本の一つ
イヌが教えるお金持ちになるための知恵

MONEY oder das 1×1 des Geldes
ボート・シェーファー著
瀬野文教訳

この本を読んだのは2000年頃だった。結構前だ。
この本を読んで「サクセス・ダイアリー」を書く習慣ができて
そのダイアリーも10冊を超えた。
１０年も経つと記憶は曖昧なものだ。せっかくなら楽しかったこと、成功したことを書いておきたい。恥ずかしかったこと、忘れたいことはどんどん忘れていいと思う。

とても好きなこの本を、今回電子本にしようと思う。
どんなに好きでも、そう何度も読み返すわけではないし、
第一、移動が多くて、常々シンプルに生活したいと思っている私には電子本にするのが一番いいようだ。
ちょっともったいない気もするけど、手元にほしくなったらまた紙の本を買えばいい。電子本でいつでも身近に好きな本を持っていたいと思う。

ところで、この本の原作はドイツ語で書かれているようだ。
勉強のために英語版のオーディオブックを探したけれど見つからず。
英語には訳されていないのかなぁ。いい本なんだけどな。

Language exchange site

2015-06-092015-06-30akarijapanese

I’m teaching Japanese online over two years.
Sometimes I got this kind of email.

“I wanna learn Japanese, but I don’t have money.
Could you teach me for free?”

Well…, no.
This is my job. I need money to pay rent, food, and clothes.
Also, I myself put lots of power, time, and money to learn English, and I’m still learning.
Japanese lesson is the same. I’m working hard to improve my lesson everyday.

But, here’s something I can suggest.
You can google “language partner” and there’s some website you can find person who speak Japanese, and wanna learn your native language.

italki is one one of good language website.
http://www.italki.com/?ref=916033

Good luck!