+Roger Federer (ch)
+Lleyton Hewitt (au)
Do you know him?
He is from Australia. And good player.
Sunday, September 30, 2007
Tuesday, September 25, 2007
The harvest moon
+September 25th
On the day of the full-moon in September, we have a special moon-viewing.
We call it Jugoya and it is said to be the best day for moon-viewing.
We display pampas grass on the veranda and offer dumplings to the moon.
I took a picture.
On the day of the full-moon in September, we have a special moon-viewing.
We call it Jugoya and it is said to be the best day for moon-viewing.
We display pampas grass on the veranda and offer dumplings to the moon.
I took a picture.
My sister's birthday
My sister's birthday is September 17th.
The table was spread with dishes!
It was "Sushi" and "Miso soup".
It was delicious!
So I had a good time.
The table was spread with dishes!
It was "Sushi" and "Miso soup".
It was delicious!
So I had a good time.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
Japanese Sports
+Sumo
This is traditional Japanese wrestling
and in 1909 was established as the national sport.
In ancient times, it was practiced as agricultural and Shinto rituals,
so it still today includes many ceremonial elements.
In a sumo match, two wrestler's wearing only a sumo wrestler's loincloth enter the ring,
and they fight until one either leaves the ring or touches the ground
with any part of his body other than the bottom of his feet.
The Japan Sumo Association puts on six annual tournaments of the professional sumo per year,
and these are broadcast on both television and radio.
Since the 1960s, overseas tours of the tournaments of the professional
sumo have frequently made, and have become so popular internationally that
an English sumo magazine called "Sumo World" is avidly read
in a number of countries. In addition,
the accomplishments of foreign wrestlers recently have attracted attention.
+Judo
Judo is one of Japan's representative techniques of hand-to-hand combat.
About one hundred years ago KANO Jigoro reshaped traditional martial
arts and developed judo as a sport through the establishment of Kodokan Judo.
The key point of judo is to overwhelm an opponent
by taking advantage of his force and weight.
Judo techniques can be roughly divided into two categories:
throwing techniques and grappling techniques.
The color of participants' belts shows rank which indicates physical ability.
For example, those of the fifth class, the lowest rank, wear a white belt,
those the first to the fifth rank wear a black belt,
and those of the ninth and the tenth rank, the highest ranks,
wear a red belt. After World War áU,
judo spread everywhere in North America and Europe and became
an official Olympic event. The International Judo Federation was founded
in 1951 and currently 152 member nations(by Augus1992)
+Kendo (Japanese fencing)
Kendo is somewhat similar to fencing.
It originally was propagated as a discipline
for warriors and took its current form from around
the middle of the Edo Period(1603-1867). In a kendo match,
the two combatants wear protective outfits resembling armor(yoroi)
and attack with bamboo swords. They score points
by hitting their opponent's head, trunk, forearms or charging
at their throat with the bamboo sword.
The match lasts no more than five minutes and the winner is
the first to score two out of three points.
Kendo is well known overseas as a sport that can discipline mind and body.
The International Kendo Federation was founded in 1970 and currently has 31 member nations(by August 1992).
This is traditional Japanese wrestling
and in 1909 was established as the national sport.
In ancient times, it was practiced as agricultural and Shinto rituals,
so it still today includes many ceremonial elements.
In a sumo match, two wrestler's wearing only a sumo wrestler's loincloth enter the ring,
and they fight until one either leaves the ring or touches the ground
with any part of his body other than the bottom of his feet.
The Japan Sumo Association puts on six annual tournaments of the professional sumo per year,
and these are broadcast on both television and radio.
Since the 1960s, overseas tours of the tournaments of the professional
sumo have frequently made, and have become so popular internationally that
an English sumo magazine called "Sumo World" is avidly read
in a number of countries. In addition,
the accomplishments of foreign wrestlers recently have attracted attention.
+Judo
Judo is one of Japan's representative techniques of hand-to-hand combat.
About one hundred years ago KANO Jigoro reshaped traditional martial
arts and developed judo as a sport through the establishment of Kodokan Judo.
The key point of judo is to overwhelm an opponent
by taking advantage of his force and weight.
Judo techniques can be roughly divided into two categories:
throwing techniques and grappling techniques.
The color of participants' belts shows rank which indicates physical ability.
For example, those of the fifth class, the lowest rank, wear a white belt,
those the first to the fifth rank wear a black belt,
and those of the ninth and the tenth rank, the highest ranks,
wear a red belt. After World War áU,
judo spread everywhere in North America and Europe and became
an official Olympic event. The International Judo Federation was founded
in 1951 and currently 152 member nations(by Augus1992)
+Kendo (Japanese fencing)
Kendo is somewhat similar to fencing.
It originally was propagated as a discipline
for warriors and took its current form from around
the middle of the Edo Period(1603-1867). In a kendo match,
the two combatants wear protective outfits resembling armor(yoroi)
and attack with bamboo swords. They score points
by hitting their opponent's head, trunk, forearms or charging
at their throat with the bamboo sword.
The match lasts no more than five minutes and the winner is
the first to score two out of three points.
Kendo is well known overseas as a sport that can discipline mind and body.
The International Kendo Federation was founded in 1970 and currently has 31 member nations(by August 1992).
Wednesday, September 5, 2007
Annual Events in Japan
+January
【1/1】 The New Year's Day
New year's Day is considered to be the most important annual event in Japan. We exchange New Year's cards called nengajo on New Year's Days. Some go to Shinto Shrines in our best dresses to pray for good luck and happiness for the year.We visit our relatives and friends to exchange New Year's greetings. Children are given a gift of money called otoshidama. People relax by flying kites or playing cards. We make our resolutions for the year on New Year's Day.January 15th is Adult's Day, which is a kind of initiation ceremony for people who have turned 20. Ceremonies are held in every city, town and village.
+February
【2/3】 The bean-throwing ceremony
February 3rd is "Setsubun" or "the bean-throwing ceremony", when we throw dried beans to drive demons away and invite fortune to come in!! When we throw beans, we shout "Oni wa soto Fuku wa uchi" (Devils out, fortune in!) Afterwards, we eat as many beans as we are years old!
【2/14】 Valentine's Day
February 14 is Valentine's Day, but the day has been largely Japanized recently. It has become the day on which young women should give small gifts, commonly chocolate, not only to their boy friends, but also to their male colleagues or bosses, as a token of their love or good will.
In the latter case, the gift is called "Giri Choko", or Obligation Chocolate, since it is given from the sense of obligation, and not from love. The proper manners for the recipients are that they should duly reciprocate the gifts on White Day ( March 14 ), which is a genuinely Japanese institution!!
+March
【3/3】 The Doll's Festival
March 3rd is Hina-Matsuri, the Doll's Festival for girls. People display a set of dolls and pray for the sound growth of girls in the family. We offer sweet mild sake and diamond-shaped rice cakes on the doll-stand. Hina dolls wear ancient court costumes.
+April
April is the season of an entrance ceremony in most schools. At this time of the year, many people get together under the cherry blossoms in the park and enjoy viewing the blossoms drinking "sake" and "beer".
+May
It is not too cold or too hot in May in Japan, and May is said to be the best season for outings. Especially in golden week... Many national holidays are concentrated together during this week.
【5/5】 Children's Day
May 5th is Children's Day, which is held mainly for boys. Families with little boys fly carp streamers outside the house. People display a set of warrior dolls inside the house.
+June
The rainy season begins in June. Generally speaking, the rainy season lasts three or four weeks, and people consider it the worst season of the year. Rice is planted in the paddy fields during this season.
+July
【7/7】 Tanabata (The Festival of the Weaver Star)
July 7th is "Tanabata" or the Festival of the Weaver Star. The Festival of the Weaver Star is said to come from ancient China. Tanabata is a very romanticfestival and attractive to the children. In old times people believed that the Weaver Star and Altair are allowed to meet only once a year on this evening.
+August
【8/13～15】 Obon (Lantern festival)
Obon is held on August 13, 14 and 15 and is the festival of the dead spirits. People visit their family cemeteries during Obon. We offer various foods on the family altar. In the evenings, Bon Festival dances are held here and there to entertain the spirits of the dead. A lot of people wear yukata, a casual kimono for summer, and dance until late at night to folk songs and drumming.
+September
On the day of the full-moon in September, we have a special moon-viewing. We call it Jugoya and it is said to be the best day for moon-viewing. We display pampas grass on the veranda and offer dumplings to the moon.
+October
We always use the phrase "XXX no aki" (Autumn for "XXX") in autumn. For example, "Dokushono aki" (reading), "Shokuyokuno aki" (Appetite) "Sports no aki" (Sports) and so on... How about me?? "Shokuyoku no aki" for sure ;D
+November
We have shichi-go-san in November. It literally means seven-five-three. This is a celebration for seven, five, three year-old children. Parents dress their children in their best clothes and visit shrines. They pray for the good health and a happy future of their children.
+December
We celebrate Christmas in Japan, but the meaning is a bit different from that in Western countries. It can be said a commercial event rather than a religious one. Stores are crowded with shoppers buying Christmas presents.
December 31st is called "Ohmisoka"(New Year's Eve). We have a custom to eat toshikoshi soba (year-end buckwheat noodles) on New Year's Eve. We listen to one hundred and eight strokes of the temple bells at night! Why 108 times?? That's because these pearls are said to drive away 108 kinds of our worldly concerns!
Monday, September 3, 2007
Sunday, September 2, 2007
Japan
+Kinkakuji-temple[World Heritage Site]
+Himeji-jo-castle[World Heritage Site]
+Tokyo tower
+Shirakami Sanchi[World Heritage Site]
+Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area[World Heritage Site]
+Kiyomizudera-temple[World Heritage Site]
+Hiroshima Peace Memorial[World Heritage Site]
+Himeji-jo-castle[World Heritage Site]
+Tokyo tower
+Shirakami Sanchi[World Heritage Site]
+Buddhist Monuments in the Horyu-ji Area[World Heritage Site]
+Kiyomizudera-temple[World Heritage Site]
+Hiroshima Peace Memorial[World Heritage Site]
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