A day in Osaka

Bsicaly I write about Japanese news,information...etc
But in this post,I write about my diary. Can I?? haha.
I went to Osaka 29th January.

←I had lunch at a cafe in Osaka.
I guess European people think cheap.
Because,I've heard that eating out is a pricey in some Europe countries.
This set...soup (there isn't in this photo),salad,bread or rice (eat as much as you like) and ox tongue stew.
It's just 1,000yen.
※ about 7 Euro / about 5 pound / about 8 dollar


→I came across it!!
What do you think of it?
It's a halfway point of the marathon.
There was Osaka international woman's marathon race that same day.
I've never seen it before.
I was surprised that that point was crowded place...


Oh yeah,why did I go there? Becauseo of Jason Mraz live show!!
It has been a long time since I went to INTERPOL live show in last year.
You maight think that there is a big difference between INTERPOL and Jason Mraz.
Yes,I like many sort of music!!!
↑I could meet him and took a photo!! I'm happy.

And,I enjoyed his live show very much!!!!!!
He sings so well!!!
I was glad listend to new 2nd album songs at live.
I was surprised that he sang 「wonderwall」by oasis in his song's interlude...
It was an unexpected!!!

This his Japan tour's titlle was 「Jasonのオタク祭り」.
オタク [Otaku] means like...GEEK!! haha.
He likes that word!!
He was wearing a jacket which print 「萌え」.
萌え [Moe] is special Japanse GEEK word. quite poplar now.
(It's difficlut haw to explain to you this word for English.
It means somthing... like... love,pretty,ummm...hard to say...)

Any way,his songs made me happy...


Jason Mraz official site

Japanese mind...

Hello!!
pallaver gave me a topic what do I write this time.
What are most Japanese people's reactions one of the news?
16 years old girl had been poisonibg her mother...
more details by The Times

That news came out in November last year.
There are shocking keywords 16 years old girl･poisoning･to her mother...
Moreover,she had been making blog about her mother's condition!!!! She passed herself off as a man.

She has admired Graham Young so much.
He is British serial poisoner.

Of course,we were very surprised and shocked!!!!!!!!!!!
It had be big topic on many newscast for a quite long while.
It was big news.
We worryed about her mother condition and herself!!
One of analyst said she might has got problem with her brain...

However,many other big news one after another...
So,that incident maight be without our mind.
We are waiting to see how this case will unfold...

Livedoor shock

He is Takahumi Horie.
We call ホリモン [Horiemon].(It's his nickname)
He is the president of Livedoor.
Livedoor is a portal site like Yahoo!.
They've been M&A (merger and acquisition) many companys.
So,their business is great variety.
He became famous. Because,he pffered an owner of one of professional baseball team in 2004 and one of TV station. (He couldn't be both of owner)

And now,he became more famous.
Because,his office and hous were subjected to seach about share (stock) problem at 16th January.
Then,shareholders have been panic now.
There was a sharp fall...
19trillion yen disappeared just a day. wow!!
Livedoor site (Japanese)
The Japan Times (nwes about Livedoor shock)

in memory of...

It was 17th January yesterday.
11years have passed since there was 阪神淡路大震災 [Hanshin Awaji Dai Shinsai].(great Hanshin Awaji earthqake)
There was a memorial service 「１･１７の集い」 in KOBE.(It means gathering (service) of 17th January.)
The time at 5:46 a.m. (Of course,the time what the occurrence of an earthquake)･･･People offered a silent prayer for 6,595 afflicted people at that memorial service.
We have to remember it...

I felt so fear when the eathequake broke out.
There is a quate long distance gap between my place and Kobe area although!!!
You can check both of places. (click this this map,see more big)
My town is SHIKOKU area and Kobe is KANSAI area.
Yeah,difference island.
So,you might understand how much the eathquake was strong...

JUDO

Do you know 柔道 [Judo]?
JUDO is Japanese martial arts.
Now,international convention is holding in Japan.
It's 嘉納治五郎 [Kano Jigoro] cup. (14th to 15th January.)
He is called 柔道の父 [Judo No Titi]. It means father of JUDO.
Because,he is founder of JUDO.
He was born 9th December and died 4th May.
And,that his invention startd 1978.　
It's Japanese sport although non Japanese players are strong now...
The firast day (14th January),there were 4 classes men's tournaments.
Japanese players got champion 2 classes.
60kg class's champion...Lundwig Paischer (Australian/left's photo)
73kg class's champion...Farncess Bruyere (Italian/right's photo)
However,I think that it means JUDO has became international!!!!

By the by,it start system judge with video at this convention officially...

Kagami Biraki

11th January...today is 鏡開き [Kagami Biraki] day.
What is Kagami Biraki day?
We set up a display of special rice cake "Kagami Moti" (like this photo) in new year's day.
One meaning is that make an offering to the gods.
And then, it's time for split these rice cakes today.
It's from Samurai custom.
So,don't use any blade. Because,it might give Samurai people an idea of Harakiri (ritual suicide).　
Of course,we don't care it at all now...
Actually,that day was 20th January.
But,Iemitsu the third Tokugawa shogun died 20th April 1651.
So,old people avoided 20th for taht day.

What should we do for split rice cakes??
We eat!! haha. We cook rice cakes boiled in vegetable soup and so on.
We think that thanksful for the gods and wish for the safety our family.
And,it means ending new year's day and start working hard...

Umm...acually,it's not all family doing it now...
However,it's traditional Japanese custom.

Coming Of Age Day

Hi!!
It's still cold in Japan.

Today is 成人の日 [Sejin No hi].
It means Coming Of Age Day.It's national holiday. (yahoo!)
In Japan,young people are officially regarded as adults when they reach the age og 20.

There is a ceremony each local government unit.
They dresses up in their best when attending that ceremony.
It started in 1946.
And,Japanese government decided to the national holiday 15th January from 1949.
And then,changed that day the second Monday in January since 2000.
Because of happy Monday. (make 3 days-off.)
So,now that ceremony hold today. (or some places yesterday)
But,some prefectures hold that ceremony in summer.
Because,there are some prefectures, what many young people go to city side to working
. It's easy to come back in summer.

However,there were many accidents at that ceremony recent years.
They had bit riot. Perhaps,they drank alcohol...
I hope nothing problem in this year...

Have anice day!!

P.S. I wrote about the seven herbs at 6th January as I thought 7th January,last post. I was silly, haha.　

The SEVEN herbs

Hello!!!
Today is 7th January.
It's 七草粥 [Nana Kusa Gayu] day.
「七」[Nana] means Seven.
「草」[Kusa] means grass,weed... But,in this case herb.
「粥」[Kayu] means rice porridge (gruel).

So,today is the day what eating rice porridge containing the seven herbs.
It's traditional Japanese custom. (I guess it from China.)
It's for thanksful for God and nature.
And,it's very simple meal.
So,the meal makes us healthy. We want to rest stomach and intestines.
Because,most of people eat too much or eat stmptuous food in end of year to new year's day.
However,some Japanese do,some Japanese do not...
I didn't eat rice porridge containing the seven herbs today.
So,sorry there isn't that photo. 　

SEVEN herbs.(for spring)
･Japanese parsley
･shepherd's purse
･cottonweed
･chickweed
･Lamium amplexicaule
･a turnip
･a Japanese radish

MATSUKEN Samba


What do you think about him?
You might think that he is anachronic person. haha.
He is マツケン [MATSUKEN].
What is MATSUKEN?
Actually, his name is 松平　健 [Ken Matsudaira].
Matsudaira Ken abbreviated to MATSUKEN.

He is basicly serious famous actor in Japan.
He act mainly historical dramas...
I don't know why,he suddenly became MATSUKEN.
And,singing,dancing MATSUKEN Samba
It was quite hit!!!
You can see that singing and dancing on official site for a minute.
Sorry,it's Japanse.
But,you try to click REAL or WMP!!

Let's dance that samba!!
official site

A Happy
Nwe Year
2006


Hello!!
Welcome the nwe year...
Are you having nice new year's day?
We say あけまして　おめでとう。[Akemashite Omedeto] It's A HAPPY NEW YEAR in Japanese.
And,do you know this year of the Dog in the Chinese asrilogic calender?
There is a symbols animal each 12 years.
So,we've got each animal symbol by which year was born.
It's important thing for us.
So,a lot of this year's new year greeting card were drawn DOG.


We call 年男 [Toshi Otoko] (It means year of man),年女 [Toshi Onna] (It means year of woman) for person who animal symbols is Dog in this year.
(So,0,12,24,36,48,60,72,84,96,108...years old people in this year)
Must be lucky year for them!!

Any way,
BEST WISHES FOR A HAPPY NEW YEAR ALL OF YOU!!