The great consolidation

Japanese municipalities have been decreasing since 1999. (about 40%)
Why since 1999...Because,the government said that support finance if municipality consolidation 1999 to 31th March. (YES,the rest 2 days)
It's reason DEFICIT FINANCING in national and local.
So,The government want to clear it.
It's better that less municipality.
There is one more big reason.
Japanese population has been decreasing.
It meams no need many municipalities.

Just information...
We call 市町村 [Shi Cho Son] Japanese municipality.
Shi means city.
Cho means town.
Son means village.

Choiwaru?!

ちょいワルオヤジ [Choi Waru Oyaji].
It's quite new Japanese slang.
Choi means [a bit],[a little],[a few].
Waru means [bad (boy)],[juvenile],[misconduct].
Oyaji means [BIG BUDDY],[old man] and sometimes men call it for their father.
Yeah,it's strange word but actually good words for old men.
This word from one of Japanese magazine LEON.
The magagine said for old men that Be more BAD your clothes.
Because,many Japanese old men wear dark colour clothes. And,they don't care it much.
It's Okay but nothing special.
So,some old men have been tried to wear colourful or bad taste clothes.
I guess that fashion give women the willies. haha.
I think it's good that increasing fashionable OYAJI!!

TO BE BAD IS NOT BEHAVIOUR. IT'S ABOUT ONLY FASHION!!!!

Shunbun Day

Today is Japanese national holiday. (I haven't got a work! yahoo!)
We call the day 春分の日 [Shun Bun No Hi].
It means spring equinox day.
It's almost the same between day time and night time.
The day is dicided astronomically.
So,there is a case the day, wold be 20th March.　

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There is one more news,I'd like to write.
Japan got a victory WBC (World Baseball Classic) today!
I'm not interested in baseball but I'm glad that news.
Because,there was big enemy in this series.
It's not othre teams,it's not great player.
It's American referee Bob Davidson. haha.

Art Of Ikebana

Hello!!
Today,I went to a meering of Ikebana.
Ikebana means Japanese flower arrangement.
I had a lecture on it...but,it was difficult for me.
So,I was bored bit. haha.
However,I'm interested in very big arts.
I've never made such a big Ikebana.
Have a look these photos.
I HOPE YOU ENJOY THEM!!

3 days cold...

There is an expression word in this season.
三寒四温 [San Kan Shi On].
「三」means three.
「寒」means cold.
「四」means four.
「温」means warm.
It means 3 days cold and then 4 days warm.
Actually,this is a old the northeast of China and Korean peninsula word for the end of autumn to winter.
Siberia high atmospheric pressure makes this weather.

As for Japan,we use it for winter to early spring.
I think it's very good expression.
Because,in this season,the temperature swings wildly from hot to cold.
In fact,last weekend were quite hot day although now it's cold...
But,I feel that spring has been coming until here. haha.

I've just seen that a news programme said some cherry blossom come out in Kochi prefecture!! Wow!!

White Day

I wrote about Japanese funny anniversarys last post.
Today is White Day.
It's very common day in Japan.

Tha day is a man return gift to woman who gave to him chocolate at Valentin's Day.
In Japan,woman give chocolate to man at that day.
And,14th March man give something in return to woman.
What is a gift in that day?
Marshmallow,Candy,Chocolate...anything is Okay!! Sometimes add more. (Handkerchief,something lady's stuff and so on...)

That day is Japanese custom.
Firstly,candy/confectionery organization startd Candy Day in 1978.
And,it became White Day in 1980.
It has spread now!!

Yeah,firstly candy/confectionery's PLOT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I'm looking forward to it today!! haha.

What day it is today?

I write about anniversary,annual events and national holiday sometimes.
Actually,each day has some like...anniversarys.
It's NOT all day are known.
Some of them are for only specific business circles.
Some of theme are just a funny PLAY ON WORDS!!!

I'm telling you examples...
Today is the day of SUGAR.
10th March,we write 3月 [month] 10日 [day].
3 is pronounced as SA.
10 is pronounced as TO.
Sugar...we say さとう [Sato] in Japanese.
So there you have it!!

And,it's funny. Yesterday is the day of THANK YOU.
9th March,we write 3月 [month] 9日 [day].
3 is pronounced also as SAN.
9 is pronounced as KYU.
So,SANKYU is pronounced as like Thank you!! haha.
I know Th is pronounced as not SA by English native speaker.
That's Japanese English pronunciation!! haha...

It's quite complex how to read numbers in Japanese.
Number's pronunciation change by waht is count...

Hina Matsuri


3rd March is day of ひなまつり [Hina Matsuri].
It's the Dolls Festival for girls.
Sorry,I was lazy...I should have writen this post 3rd March... I know already it's past this year.

For this festival,we display hina dolls,which are dolls attired in ancient court costume.
There is a something superstition that if not put away the dolls after the festival day,girls may be late in getting married. haha.
I guess my mother had put away hina dolls late before. Do you understand what I want to say? haha.

There is nothing special to do that day for me since I'm a grown-up.
But,there are someting events in kindergarten etc. And,the girl in the family celebrate with a special food or something...