Yuru-chara

Kumamon and  Bari-san

Do you know Yuru-chara（ゆるキャラ）?
These are cute character.In Japan,
each prefecture has its own character.

It shows the image of the prefecture.
The championship of Yuru-chara took
place yesterday.

Kumamon（くまもん） in Kumamoto city won the
first prize.He is the most popular character
in Japan.
My home town Ehime,Bari-san(バリィさん)
won the second prize.

Shimanekko(しまねっこ)in Shimane prefecture
was 21st.Shimanekko shows the image of Shimane,
Izumotaisha.（出雲大社）
I voted Shimane's Character many times.

They are a kind of the event which cheer up the
prefecture.Many people joined the contest.

SUMO

Sumo is japan’s national sports.

Sumo is a ritual based on traditional Japanese Shinto religion.

In many parts of Japan today, local residents have festivals as part of the so-called "Sumo dedication".
 In order to show respect and gratitude to the gods, men must practice goodwill in order to be blessed with good health.

Which is a very important thing because it shows good manners.

Sumo has been organized as a box office since the early Edo period in the 17th century.

sumo

Old Tale of Japan

Hi! I introduce about Japanese Old Tale. It is a story called "Momotaro" that I think to be the most famous in an old tale. Do you know this??

Once upon a time grandfather and grandmother lived in some place. One day a big peach flowed when an old woman washed it in a river.
Grandmother took it home with grandmother to eat the peach with an old man. And a cheerful boy was born from the inside when they broke a peach !!

The old couple named "Momotaro" to the baby and brought you up carefully. Momotaro who grew up before long knew that an ogre of the ogres' island tormented people and made up my mind to start on ogre extermination.
He shared a dog, a monkey, a pheasant and, with the millet dumpling which he got from grandfather and grandmother, was accompanied by it to a retainer on the way and went to the ogres' island. He exterminate an ogre, and Momotaro who gained victory wonderfully takes the treasures which an ogre took home with Momotaro who gained victory wonderfully, and it is said that he lived with grandfather, grandmother happily.

Urashimataro

Kachikachiyame

There are a lot of old tales in Japan. So, if you interested in my article, please read some old tales!!

Kaguyahime

Japanese culture

We have traditional food in Japan and one of them is sushi.  Sushi is very popular all around the world now, but sushi dates back to 江戸 era(1700s and 1800s).  Now in the most of restaurant in Japan, machines makes sushi, but there are also restaurants where a workman makes sushi.  The way to make sushi is not only one but there are many ways to make sushi in traditional way.  It is said that the tastes of sushi depends on the way to press rice ball and that you need to spend 10 years to be a special sushi workman.  There are many opinion about the origin of sushi, but now sushi is the most important symbol of Japan.

spider roll(America)

The first time when sushi go overseas to America is 1962 and it is also the first time when California roll, the original sushi in America, was created.   After that, sushi started to be famous in America and in other countries.  The first restaurant of sushi in America is called "sushi bar".  In Russia, sushi is already popular too, and there are many sushi bars in Russia.  I know "Canadian roll", maybe the origin is Canada.
Then I introduce the unique sushi in Japan and America.

rainbow roll(America)

 very big sushi(Japan)

Sushi cake(Japan)

sushi burger(Japan)

Kabuki (歌舞伎）

 Kabuki　is a Japanese traditional drama and entertainment. Kabuki's expression comes from katamuku (傾く）. katamuku is an archaic word is Kabuku（かぶく）. It was changed noun, Kabuki （かぶき）.  At the beginning of the Edo period, some people liked to wear colorful clothes and strange fashion. So people who wear these things were called kabukimono(かぶき者）.

 Kabuki started when Izumonookuni  gave a performance which women in Kyoto were dancing.
At the Edo period, prostitutes played but it corrupted public morals, so men played  male parts and  woman parts.

After WWⅡ, Kabuki was regulated but during 1950s, people became rich and their life styles became diversified. So Kabuki is not a main popular entertainment. But during 1960s the popularity was restored because Danzyuuro Ichikawa succeeded to his name.

Japanese culture

Today, I'd like to write about Japanese culture. I focused on Japanese way of architecture.
 Japan is famous for wooden architecture.Have you ever heard "Houryuji"? It's the temple in Nara which is the oldest known wooden architecture.
 The feature of Japanese wooden architecture is "column". Most architectures in the world make a point of wall though. Also we use many timbers to reinforce columns. They make Japanese house stronger. As you know, Japan is often hit big earthquake. So it's wisdom of ancient.
 Anyway, Houryuji is the great architecture. When you come to Japan, I recommend you to visit there.

I was writing long sentence about Kagura. But it is erased... Oh no. There is a Kagura one of Japanese culture. There are some kinds of Kagura in Japan. My area's Kagura is called ''Iwami-Kagura''. Kagura is classical theater in order to dedicate to God. You can it in temple, festival and public hall. In fact Kagura is held one night(from nine at night to six at morning), so it is very long long performance. However it often play one hour in festival. Iwami-Kagura treat Japanese myth such as 'Ebisu', ' Orochi', 'Tenzgin'. My favorite is 'Ebisu' which is played in auspicious occasion for example wedding reception. There is a mask used by Kagura. Children often make it. It is very good chance to touch Japanese culture.

Japanese culture♥

I'll talk about how to spend Oshogatsu.　Oshogatsu means New Year's Day. We go to the shrine and pray there. Some go to in midnight and others go to in the morning and so on.　At shrine, we buy "omamori" and do "omikuji" to spend luckly for 1 year ♥ If you go to shrine in midnight or early morning, you can see "hatsuhinode".　It means Sunrize which you see the first time in the year.　If you can see it, good things might happen ♪ This day, we get a lot of New Year's curds.　These days many people spend the message like "Happy New Year!" by e-mail not post curd, but some people spent New Years curd.　I also spent New Year's curds to my friends this year and maybe next year,too. The best reason why children like New Year's Day must be "otoshidama".✿haha It is money which you can get from your parents, cousin, relatives and so on.

OZOUNI

Do you know Ozouni? That is rice cakes boiled with vegetables. Ozouni is one of the famous Japanese food.We eat this the special day to thank for harvest and hope for good harvest at new year.For example, New Year's Day.
We add many kinds of foods like radishes, carrots, dried bonito, and rice cake.But the taste is different as region. In east Japan, Ozouni is made from Light soup tailoring. The shape of the rice cake is a square.But, in west Japan, it's made from white miso tailoring. The shape of the rice cake is a round.
It is very interesting, isn't it? I like Ozouni.
Please try this;-D

Manga!!

jgjkjk

Look at this picture! Do you know him? He was called 'God of Manga' in Japan. His name is Osamu Tezuka.

I'm going to introduce about Japanese comic and animation. He made a lot of work for example, Astroboy or Blackjack, Jungle Emperor Leo. Astroboy is the first series of animation in Japan. He raised several revolutions in manga world. After so many years, his work still is loved by many people.

Now, Japanese comic and animation became famous in even other countries. WEEKLY JUMP is very popular comic magazine in Japan. That is also published in some other countries and some popular Japanese comic such as Dragon Ball, One Piece and NARUTO are translated. The biggest circulation is 653 million copies and that was recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records.

Studio Ghibli is representative animation company of Japan. I really like Princess Mononoke. I think that Mononoke Hime is the best production of a lot. Spilited Away has won some prize!! In this summer, Studio Ghibli released new work, The Borrower Arrietty based on the fantasy novel The Borrowers by Mary Norton. Unfortunately, I don't watch this movie yet. Songs that is used in movies is really nice too. The history of comic and animation is still short, but this culture is part of our everyday life!!

Tezuka Osamu

Japanese Culture!

We have a lot of culture which is different from American culture and I would like to introduce Japanese temples and castles. I like visiting old temples ,shrines, houses and so on. They make me relax because they don't have connection with our daily life so they let me forget our stress. Especially I like Kyoto for visiting temples and shrines. I've visited there for some times because my grandmother lives in Hyogo which is the prefecture next to Kyoto. Maybe Kyoto is famous in foreign countries. My favorite temple is Kiyomizu-temple. It was built on the hill and it has big stage. The view from that stage is very beautiful.

And in this spring, I went Itsukushima-shrine with my family. It's in Hiroshima prefecture which is next to Shimane. It was my first time to visit there. It was very nice and beautiful. The torii(it's like a gate for the shrine) is in the sea and when the tide goes out, we can see different beautiful landscape. We can touch the torii then. And there are deers! They are so cute. We can touch them. But we must not kill them because it is said that they are the messenger of god.

New Years Day!

One of the big event in Japan is "New Years Day". Japanese New Year is pretty simple. My family usually have Japanese traditional dish called "OSECHI"(おせち) and "TOSHIKOSHI-SOBA"(年越しそば). Osechi is a dish which has many kinds of foods inside. It has eggs, shrimps, black beans, seaweeds, kazunoko and so on. Each food has meaning. For example, Kazunoko symbolizes a wish to be gifted with numerous children in the New Year.　Kazu means "number" and ko means "child". Black soybeans means "health," symbolizing a wish for health in the New Year. Seaweeds is associated with the word yorokobu which means "joy". Toshikoshi-Soba is a type of thin Japanese noodle made from buckwheat flour.
In Japan, there are few fire works or party in New Years Day. Instead, we enjoy spending time with family and watch TV together.
I like Japanese winter especially New Years Day very much.

Omisoka(大晦日)!!

One of my favorite events in Japan is… Omisoka! This day is a last day of one year. We clean house hardly and make an osechi (like a lunchbox which we eat them on new year day) to ready for a new year day.
Japanese have a culture called ‘toshi-koshi soba (year-crossing noodle)’. Japanese people traditionally eat toshikoshi noodles on New Year’s Eve before midnight. But most members of my family don’t stay up late usually, so I spent this day at midnight with my younger sister every year. That means my sister is the first person for me to say ‘Happy new year’ word. 
But this year, I’m going to spent Omisoka with my old friends at friend’s house. Because this year is special for us! (We have coming-of-age ceremony in January.)

How about you?
What plan do you have in the day end of this year??

Japanese culture♪

　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

Japan has a lot of interesting culture. And I want to talk about Children's Day. On Children's Day (May 5th) , they wish that children will be glown up and happiness. This picture is 'Koinobori'. They raise flag in the hope that theire children will be career success. But Children's Day calledBoy's Day in the past. So, we have Garl's Day.

Girl's Day is called Hinamaturi (March 3rd). On that day, they wish same thing Children's Day. I like these days. Pearents give some present on Children's Day♪　...but this is my house pattern. So, other families don't give present..

Do you have some good day?

picture resorces: 1st one,http://sozairoom.com/FS_S1016.html

2nd one,http://www.mablog.jp/us_life/archive/95

My favorite Japanese culture

Hi,
my favorite Japanese culture is Oshogatsu.

Do you know Japanese culture?
I like Oshogatsu(お正月) in Japanese culture.
Oshogatsu is a new year Jan.1st-3rd.

Source

In Japan,family get together at house and celebrate to start a new year.

In my family,we go to a shrine and pray for that we will spend safely in the new year.We call Hatsumoude(初詣) to go to shrines in Oshogatsu.
Have you been to shrines?
Japanese often go to there when there are good things and we wish for good.

Now I live alone and in Oshogatsu,I can go to my hometown,so I'm happy to meet my family and my friends.
In this winter,I will go to my hometown so I'm looking forward.
What will you do in Oshogatsu?Please,tell me✿

Setsubun

I'm going to talk about "Setsubun".
The day is February 3th. On February 3th, we eat "Makizushi" wihtout talking.
Throwing soybeans in the entrance, garden and the person who wearing Oni mask saying "Oni wa soto Fuku wa uchi", which means "Demons out, Luck in". The action is called "Mamemaki".
Lasat Feburary 3th, I made Makizushi with my friends and did Mamemaki.
It was my first time to do Setsubun with my friends, so it was very fun:)

Japanese culture!

I like Shogatsu!

Shogatsu is an event that celebrate the new year.

Japanese go to shrine to pray for health of one year.

This is called "Hatsumoude".

And we draw a Omikuji and drink a libation in the shrine.

I like Shogatsu because in shrine open a stall on the street. For example, takoyaki, dango, ikayaki, manju, yakitoumorokosi etc...

When I went to shrine in Shougatsu, I always buy them:)

I 'm looking forward to going shrine next year:D

In Shogatsu we send "Nengajou" to our friends.

Nengajou is New Year's greetings.

I'm happy when it wa send from my friends:)

But recently we send e-mail to our friends as Nengajou.

So I'm little sad ; (

But Shougatu is pleasant event:)

I can't help waiting...

Do you know Oshogatsu（お正月）?? I think it is the most symbol of Japanese custom. The first three days in a new year are called Oshogatsu.
1st January, Japanese eat Omochi（お餅） and Osechi cooking（おせち料理）. Adults eat them with some alcohol such as Nihon-shu（日本酒）. And we meet our relative within these three days to greet and celebrate for each new year's start. Then, we say "あけましておめでとうございます" each other.
As traditional custom, we children gain money from them. But in the next Oshogatsu, maybe I can't get money because I'm 20 years old(T^T). When I was a child, I always gained money a little from them! The money called "Otoshidama（お年玉)". So, after Christmas, I was looking forward to Oshogatsu every year because of it.
Also, we write a letter called "Nenga jou（年賀状）" as well as a new year card.
I can't help waiting Oshogatsu!!
Please go to this link if you want to know more. Of caurse, ask me:^)

My favorite holiday

I like New Year's Day (January 1st) because there are many interesting events on this holiday. I'd like to tell you two of my favorite event on Japanese New Year's Day.

In Japan, most of the families eat Osechi-ryori. Osechi-ryori is traditional food which is put in square lunch boxes. Some of Japanese people buy it and others make it by themselves.There are many kinds of Osechi-ryori in these days. For example, Japanese traditional Osechi, Disney character's Osechi, French Osechi which hotels sell and so on. I heard that most of the families made Osechi by theirselves because stores were closed on New Year's Day when my mother was child. But we can buy Osechi and we can try many kinds of Osechi every year.

Fukubukuro (Lucky bag) is also Japanese New Year's Day custom. Many department stores sell Fukubukuro. There are many things (usually cloths or accessories) in Fukubukuro but we can't see what are in Fukubukuro. So it's really exciting to open Fukubukuro after buying it. The things put in Fukubukuro are usually 50% or more off than list price. So many women go to department stores and they line up in front of them. I'm one of these people.

There are interesting events on Japanese New Year's Day so I love this holiday. Do you do anything special on New Year's Day in your country?

Japanese Culture

http://www.maff.go.jp/chushi/nousei/shimane/22photo/20_05.html#06

I like Japanese cultures!! Like food, music, language, heritage, and so on. Japanese culture is beautiful. Most I like Japanese foods! For example rice, misosope, nabe, sushi. I like eating rice. I eat it everyday. My family give it to me. My grandfather 's house make rice, so I can eat a lot:) I help to grow up sometimes. When we plant it season we do "Tauebayashi". It means pray to rich harvest. It's traditional event. My hometown do that every year. We play Japanese drums, flute, and sing a song. It's very long song and drums is very hevy. So it's very tired event. But some booth held and we can enjoy eating!

Do you know that?