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Gifu To Toyohashi 60 Years On!
2008-05-26 11:24:00
?????Last week I had yet another glimpse in to the weird world of Japanese train spotters.Traveling by train, mostly at the weekends with a train-mad 6-year-old, I have gradually become more and aware of this parallel word of Japanese densha otaku (train geeks).Densha otaku tend to be thicker on the ground at weekends, they are no doubt busy as software programmers, shop assistants or newspaper delivery boys during the week, so events which will attract the spotters are held on Sundays.Last Sunday, we were at Meitetsu Gifu Station as the 12.40 Panorama Car to Toyohashi was about to depart. This departure was special, however, and marked the 60th anniversary of the west-east Gifu to Toyohashi service. Special plaques were attached to the front of the train and on each carriage. The Panorama Car was no doubt chosen as it is Meitetsu's oldest running model and soon to be phased out.The geeks had been milling for hours on the platform to get the best spots for photos, the best seats on...
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Japan This Week: 25/05/08
2008-05-25 11:35:00
?????Nintendo game designer Shigeru Miyamoto.NY TimesJapan reviving coal mining in wake of rise in oil prices.NY TimesJapan ends forty-year ban on militarization of space.GuardianBulgarian becomes first European to win sumo tournament.Japan TimesG8 environment meeting begins in Kobe.Daily YomiuriFood checks shoddy.AsahiJapanese women spikers qualify for Beijing.Yahoo! SportsGroup of four arrested for filming a porn film in a McDonalds.MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsSuntory Hibiki was voted the world's best blended whisky for the second year in a row. Nikka's Yoichi 20 Years Old won the best single malt title for the first time.Source: Japan Times27.46 million people in japan are aged 65 or older making up 21.5% of the population. Nearly 10% of Japanese are 75 or older.Source: National Institute of Population and Social Security Research48% of 90 categories of shore fish stocks have declined in fiscal 2007. Japan's seafood self-sufficiency rate was 59% in 2006, dow...
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Golden Rule(s) for Living in Japan
2008-05-24 02:14:00
???????????Living in a foreign country requires adjustments, some minor, some not so minor.Unless you live in a diplomatic compound or in an area full of other expatriates, your neighbors will have different ideas of how to live, what is (in)appropriate, the done thing, etc. This may result in conflict.In Japan , with a high population density and somewhat complicated interpersonal relations, this takes on even greater importance.Here then is a short, arbitrary list of suggestions for making life in Japan smoother. This is especially true if you live in a neighborhood as opposed to a "mansion" (apartment in a large building).1) ???aisatsu?GreetingsAlways greet your neighbors. A simple ??????????ohayo gozaimasu, "good morning"?goes a long way. Even if you speak no Japanese, learn and use simple greetings.2) ????shizuka ni?Keep it quietNo piano practice after 8 pm. Turn the volume down on the tv at night. ?????kinjo meiwaku?literally means to cause trouble for the neighborhood. This is...
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Japan Taxi Signs
2008-05-22 17:38:00
????As Japan ese manhole covers are unique to their area, so are the often ornate, Japanese taxi company signs on the roofs of taxi cabs in Japan.Illuminated at night when vacant, these taxi cab signs advertise the taxi company the cab belongs to, or the motif proclaims that the taxi is independent and owned by the driver., although the driver will still probably be working through one of the larger taxi groups.Taxi fares in Japan begin at a hefty 720 yen for the first 2km in Tokyo but cabs are a safe means of transport if you have missed the last bus or train. If you are traveling in a group of four don't think twice, jump in a taxi if you are without public transport. Common motifs for Japanese taxi signs are lanterns and symbols that represent the area's main characteristics or major products. Thus Tendo taxis in Tohoku have Japanese chess (shoji) motifs as Tendo is the major producer of Japanese chess pieces in the country.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with B...
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Japanese Compound Words
2008-05-22 11:52:00
?????Japanese compound words are the most important element of Japanese vocabulary.Common examples are hana+mi ?? = "flower looking," i.e. cherry blossom viewing, gai+shoku ?? = "out eating," i.e. eating out, bi+jo ?? = "beautiful woman," or, a beauty, furu+hon ?? = "old book," i.e. second-hand book.Learning a few of the most common mostly two-kanji compounds is a good way to expand your Japanese word power.The compounds can be formed by combining:noun+noun such as kawa+zakana ?? = river fish. Notice the pronunciation of zakana as the first consonant of the second part of the compound is voiced, which is known as rendaku ?? in Japanese, hito+bito ?? = "person person," i.e. people, is another common example of this sequential voicing.adjective+noun kuro+fune ?? = black ship, as in Admiral Perry's Black Ships.adjective+adjective usu+gurai ??? = "lightly dark," i.e. dim.noun+adjective kokoro+zuyoi ??? = "heart strong,' i.e. encouraging, reassuring, securenoun+verb hiru+ne ?? = "no...
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Maiko Sighting in Kyoto
2008-05-21 02:41:00
?????On a sultry spring day in Kyoto , there was a large crowd gathered outside of the Kaburenjo Theater (pictured below) on Pontocho. This is the narrow street on which there are many bars, restaurants, and tea houses.That could mean only one thing: Maiko were nearby.Sure enough, under a makeshift tent two were sitting surrounded by a camera-toting mob.Middle-aged Japanese men jostled for position next to the two women as their pals snapped photos on cell phones and tiny digital cameras."O-nee-san, o-nee-san (sister, sister), look this way!" called out other older people with rural accents and red badges marking them as being part of a tour group from central Japan.French tourists in t-shirts and sunglasses held their cameras aloft, snapped, checked the photo, frowned, and reshot.Then, without a word, the two maiko stood up and left. The crowd silently parted, then scrambled after them clicking away.The woman pictured above right is named Ichiraku, and is a Pontocho maiko. And a vis...
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FOMA SH 705i II
2008-05-20 06:19:00
????????I recently upgraded my cell phone from a Sharp FOMA SH 700 to a FOMA SH 705i II. The phone is lighter, the camera has increased from 1.3 megapixels to 3.2 megapixels and the phone can be used overseas in Europe, Russia and even Saudi Arabia. There's a 50,000 yen limit on calls made while overseas, and the calls themselves are charged as international calls so are liable to be pretty hefty as will the phone charges for people calling you.Sticking with the same model means I don't have to re-learn the phone as most of the functions are identical, with the exception of built in TV which runs on the One Seg channel. One Seg (1seg) is a newish mobile digital audio/video and data broadcasting service, that by use of Broadcast Markup Language, or BML, allows TV images and text to be displayed on the screen.The phone costs 43,000 yen for which I took out a two year loan and insurance in case I lose the thing. I changed color from black to white hoping the thing will be visible in ...
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Is fashion dying in Japan?
2008-05-19 06:49:00
????????????I went for a drink in Tokyo 's Ni-Chome last night on my way home, to my favorite bar, Usagi. I sat next to a guy who works in sales of advertising.The bar was in full swing when I came in, so I spent most of my hour or so there mainly listening. No matter how good my Japan ese may have become, all it takes is an unfamiliar word, or a slightly muffled expression, to lose the thread somewhat. But I added the odd comment, and occasionally contributed at some length if given the opportunity.The conversation was mainly about fashion, especially fashion victims. They were talking about Comme des Garcons and there was mention that it was basically subsidized by the Mitsui-Sumitomo Corporation, a senior executive of which organizes support of it in the name of keeping alive a Japanese cultural institution.One notable observation by the owner was about how high fashion is being increasingly eschewed by the young, and how the rough, cheap look rules on Ni-Chome. One interesting st...
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Japan This Week: 18/05/08
2008-05-18 12:17:00
?????Japan running out of engineers.NY TimesChina allows Japanese earthquake experts into Sichuan.NY TimesCigarette machines to be fitted with age sensors--and prevent underage smokers from buying.GuardianUS marine gets four years for sexually abusing 14-year-old.Japan TimesJapan Feeling Left Out as U.S. Talks to PyongyangWashington PostTsukiji fish market not moving--yet.Daily YomiuriEconomy grows on back of increased exports.AsahiJ.League soccer club trying to lure Hidetoshi Nakata out of retirement.Yahoo! SportsThe secret and seedy world of "encounter cafes."MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsA Hyogo family made sick by Chinese-made dumplings donated 5 million yen ($50,000) to the hospital where they received treatment . The family said this was a gift for saving their lives.Source: Yomiuri ShinbunPercentage of Japanese, by prefecture, who have been abroad.1) Tokyo: 25.92) Kanagawa: 21.83) Chiba: 18.34) Aichi: 16.55) Nara: 16.56) Osaka: 15.97) Hyogo: 15.68) Saitama: 1...
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Cell Phone Decorations
2008-05-17 04:09:00
???????Cell phones are no longer just a tool for business and pleasure and communication.They are now a statement. As such, the owner must express herself by decorating and or personalizing it.Colorful straps with dolls and bells and good luck charms are popular. For a time, one seemed to suffice; now four or five or more are de rigueur.Women with a bit of verve attach bright rhinestone-like bits directly on to the body of the phone itself.Stickers are also popular, even among young men who plaster their phones with "puri-kura" head shots of their best friends. For women, "cute" stickers are more common (see the embossed ice cream cones above).A pink phone brimming with accessories says to the world "Aren't I cute!" A darker color phone with fewer accessories tells the world "You can only dream about being as cool as I am!"Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsCell P...
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Sonic City Saitama
2008-05-16 05:24:00
???????At 137m the Sonic City building dominates the skyline in Saitama City (previously Omiya, before the merging of Omiya, Urawa, Iwatsuki and Yono to form Saitama City).The multi-use building was completed in 1988.The building houses a hotel, the Palace Hotel Omiya, conference center, offices, shops and restaurants. Sonic City plays hosts to musical performances and international conferences. There is a Wi-Fi spot in Tully's Coffee in the building.Sonic City1-7-5 Sakuragi-cho Omiya WardSaitama CitySaitama 330-8669AccessFrom Tokyo , Omiya Station is on the main Joetsu Shinkansen and Tohoku Shinkansen Lines from Tokyo and Ueno Stations.From Ueno Station the Tohoku Line runs to Omiya in 25 minutes, from Tokyo Station take the Keihin Tohoku Line (50 minutes), from Ikebukuro Station, Shinjuku Station and Shibuya Station take the Saikyo Line or Shonan-Shinjuku Lines (25-40 minutes).Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodati...

Japanese Lesson: Expressions Using Body Parts
2008-05-15 03:11:00
?????????????Today we will look at a few expressions using different body parts, all above the neck: head, eye, nose, and ear.First is ? (atama), which means "head." There are many expressions related to the head. Some are obvious:?????atama ga ii?= "head is good," which means smart?????atama ga warui?= "head is bad," which of course means...not so smart, thickSome are not as obvious.???????atama ga yawarakai?= "head is soft," which means flexibleNext let's look at ??me), or eye.?????me ga ii?= to have a good eye for somethingMoving on to the nose, ??hana?.?????hana ga takai?= "nose is high," which means arrogant or haughtyLast, let's look at the venerable ear, ??mimi?.?????mimi ga itai?= "ear hurts," which translates as being ashamed to hear?????mimi ga hayai?= "ear is fast" = having sharp earsAnd, why not, one for the road:?????kuchi ga katai?= "mouth is hard," which means you can keep a secret, hold your tongueRead more about the Japan ese languageYahoo Japan Auction ServiceBoo...
More About: Body , Japanese , Language , Face

Nagoya Friends Party at Shooters 5/17
2008-05-15 01:16:00
Nagoya Friends is holding it's 52nd party in Nagoya! PARTY AT Date: May 17th, 2008 (3rd Saturday) Time: 18:30 - 21:00 Drinks will be served between 6:30pm-8:45pm. Place: Shooter's Bar (Pola Bldg, 2-9-26 Sakae, Naka-ku (very close to Fushimi Station) Fee: 3000 Yen Dress code: Anything (Casual, etc) Reservations: Not necessary but recommended and appreciated. Just show up to the party! Over 25,000 Yen worth of exciting prize giveaways each month! There will be free food along with free drinks (beers, wine, cocktail drinks and juices). Our party is not a dinner party, but we will have light food & snacks. Quantities are limited, so please come early! Please free to come alone or bring your friends. EVERYBODY is welcome to join regardless of nationality/gender. Reservation is greatly appreciated. About 125-150+ people are expected to attend. Approximately 55% female and 45% male,...
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Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry & Technology
2008-05-14 04:49:00
???????After visiting the Toyota Automobile Museum earlier this year, I was inspired to visit Toyota's other showpiece museum in Nagoya , the Toyota Commemorative Museum of Industry & Technology , not far from Nagoya Station.I was not disappointed; the museum is superb. The museum is housed in the original red brick buildings of the Toyoda (the forerunner of present-day Toyota Corp) textile factory and research center.The museum is divided in to two parts in separate buildings. The first building exhibits early automatic looms and outlines the history of spinning cloth. Sakichi Toyoda, the founder of the Toyota empire developed a wooden hand loom in 1890 and went on to patent an automatic loom based on a British model in 1924, which guaranteed the financial success of his enterprise.The second building is all about car production. Toyoda's son, Kiichiro, developed the model AA passenger car - Toyota's first mass-produced automobile introduced in 1936. Various production line un...

Cosmetics on Tokyo Subway
2008-05-12 18:23:00
?????I recently came across this sign (below) on the Tokyo subway urging women not to apply their make up on the trains.Women (I have yet to see a man) applying their cosmetics on trains is a common sight in railway carriages up and down the country. It really does prove how smooth the ride is.The Japanese cosmetics market is huge - the world's second largest after the US - with annual sales well over US$4 billion. The giants of the Japanese cosmetics industry, Kanebo, Shiseido and Kose are also engaged in a massive expansion drive in the rest of Asia, especially in China and Thailand.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapanese cosmetics Tokyo subway
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Kobe Ijinkan (Western Houses)
2008-05-12 13:13:00
???????Kobe was one of the first Japanese city's in which foreigners settled. Like Nagasaki and Yokohama, which are also port cities, Kobe had a large community of expatriates following the opening of the country in the mid-nineteenth century until 1940.What remains of that community is primarily in Kitano-cho, the section of city at the foot of the Rokko mountains.Today there are a handful of mansions and former consulates remaining that are now open to the public.The area is also home to many restaurants, shops, cafes, churches, a Jain temple, synagogue and a mosque.Uroko no Ie, pictured above right, and the Former Chinese Consulate are among the most beautifully preserved of the houses. The garden of England House is pictured below.AccessFrom JR/Hankyu/Subway Sannomiya Station, go out the north exit and walk up Kitanozaka Street. You are going in the right direction if you can see mountains in the distance. Cross Ijinkan Street and continue one more block to Kitano Street. Turn ...
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Japan This Week: 11/05/08
2008-05-11 10:57:00
?????Chinese leader Hu visits Japan .NY TimesJapan battles urban crow menace.NY TimesPoison free fugu specially bred challenges industry authorities.NY TimesJapanese rice remains expensive and difficult to sell as domestic tastes change.Washington PostChina accuses Dalai Lama of "ruining Olympics."GuardianUS pushing Japan to consume cloned beef.Japan TimesAlleged wife killer Kauyoshi Miura's extradition on hold.Daily YomiuriGovernment accuses Konica Minolta of dodging 1.8 billion yen in taxes.AsahiLiverpool coach hired by JEF United soccer club.Yahoo! SportsThe life of a female journalist in Japan.MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsJapan will provide up to $10 million in aid to Myanmar.Source: AsahiThere are an estimated 150,000 crows in Tokyo.Source: NY TimesTokyo had a net influx of 94,500 people in 2007, Kanagawa Prefecture 32,474, Aichi 20,520. Hokkaido had the largest exodus with 20,267 people leaving followed by Aomori 10,274 and Nagasaki 10,064.Source: Internal Af...
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Kobe City Museum: Louvre Exhibit
2008-05-10 05:01:00
????????????????The Kobe City Museum currently is exhibiting items from the Louvre until July 6th.140 items from the French court of the 18th century are on display.They include gold and silver works, elaborate furniture, and luggage.This period was known for its excesses, and the items reflect that.The Kobe City Museum also has a solid collection of artifacts and other historical items related mainly to the port city of Kobe.Kobe City Museum24, Kyo-machi, Chuo-ku, Kobe, 650-0034Tel: 078 391 00351,400 yen for adults. Closed Mondays.AccessIt is a ten-minute walk from the south exit of JR Sannomiya Station.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kyoto Kobe Louvre

Wenceslau de Moraes
2008-05-10 04:44:00
??????????????Wenceslau de Moraes (1854-1929), the Portuguese writer, translator and poet, who spent his later life living near Mt. Bizen in Tokushima, is regarded as the Portuguese Lafcadio Hearn, of whom he was a contemporary.Born in Lisbon, Moraes attended Naval College before joining the Portuguese navy and serving on battleships in the Far East. He settled in Macao, where he married a local woman and started a family. In 1889 he visited Japan for the first time and appeared to fall in love with the country. In 1898 he deserted his wife and children in Macao and took up residence in Kobe as Portugal's Consulate General in the port city. It was while in Japan that Moraes began writing about his life in the East for several Portuguese newspapers and magazines.In 1913, saddened by the death of his Japanese wife Oyone, Moraes resigned from his official posts in Kobe and moved to Tokushima in Shikoku (his wife's birthplace) and began a relationship with her niece Koharu. It was dur...
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Sezu ni
2008-05-08 15:26:00
???The ?zu suffix on verbs is one that - once you know enough Japan ese, but perhaps not quite enough yet - can be rather difficult to grasp the gist of. Because it is not used that much, it can seem difficult. But despite its obscurity, in terms of meaning it is actually very simple.-zu means ?without doing?. It is basically the same as the more commonly heard ?naide, but could be said to have a stronger nuance of having failed to do, or missed out on doing, something before doing something else, or for something not happening that would otherwise normally be expected to happen.Suffixing -zu to verbs takes a bit of getting used to. For example, suffixed to the verb suru, or to do, changes it to sezu: ?without doing?. This is an irregular one, but one of the most common, so let?s look at a couple of examples of it first. (NB For the sake of clarity, the English translations of the following example sentences follow the Japanese sentence structure, even if often at the expense of soun...
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Nagoya International Speed Dating May 10th at Tsurumai
2008-05-06 18:26:00
Nagoya International Speed Dating Returns May 10th!!Time: 6-9pm registration from 6:00 to 6:30pmPlace: Nagoya Tsurumai City Public Hall, 1-1-3 Tsurumai (very close to JR Nagoya Station)PREPAY FEE: Men 2500, Women 200030 couples only! 30 men and 30 women!Reserve and prepay to join!Get off at Tsurumai Station (JR Chuo Line[South Exit] or Subway Tsurumai Line[Exit #4])
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Anaguma or Tanuki
2008-05-05 17:17:00
????A few days ago we posted a video of what we thought was a tanuki in Shimane Prefecture. One alert reader pointed out the error of our ways and correctly identified the creature as the much rarer anaguma (a badger).Here is an image of a stuffed tanuki taken at the excellent Ibaraki Nature Museum in Moriya.Apologies for any confusion caused.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan tanuki anaguma

Qatar Forum Competition
2008-05-05 11:29:00
We are holding a competition over on our Qatar website. To enter all you have do is to join our new Qatar forum and post, and you could win $50 dollars either as an Amazon voucher or as money sent to your Paypal account. All you have to do to enter is join the forum - and post! So, if you have ever been tempted to work in a country where there is no tax and petrol costs 10p a litre, or if you are curious about a country which, though just 100 miles long, is the second richest nation in the world head over to ask your questions.See you at the forum!Qatar competition
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Kawagoe breakdance
2008-05-05 02:59:00
???Kawagoe is a historic castle town to the northwest of central Tokyo , about 45 minutes by express train from Shinjuku. Certain streets of the central city are lined with weighty, ornate old merchant buildings, and, of course, the temples and shrines that grace most Japanese cities. It prospered so much in the Edo era from its trade with nearby Tokyo (then known as Edo) that it became known as "Little Edo."Kawagoe is now a tourist town attracting over 5 million visitors a year. It is easily accessible from Tokyo on the Seibu Shinjuku Line or the JR Saikyo Line.As we walked the 30 minutes from the JR station to the historic area, we happened upon something rather more contemporary, the final leg of a breakdancing competition.Watch the breathtaking acrobatics of the two finalists, all to a DJ beat.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Tokyo Kawagoe breakdancing
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Japan This Week 04/05/08
2008-05-04 02:53:00
?????Film stirs debate on free speech in Japan .NY TimesVirtual golf at Links Bar courtesy of Nintendo.GuardianApproval rate for PM Fukuda Cabinet dips below 20%.Japan TimesChofu area of Tokyo to be evacuated later in May to defuse unexploded WWII bomb.Daily Yomiuri54-year-old Briton found not guilty in drug smuggling case.AsahiChiba Lotte Marines coach Bobby Valentine to feature in documentary.Yahoo! SportsHistory of oral sex in Japan.MainichiLast week's Japan newsJapan StatisticsAverage gas prices in Japan hit 153 yen per liter, up 22.8 yen from April 28.Source: Asahi.comBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsJapanese FictionHappi CoatsTagsJapan Japan News Japan Statistics politics
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Rocket Building Omiya Saitama
2008-05-03 15:12:00
????????????Another of the numerous follies that either (depending on your point of view) blight or brighten Japanese cities up, this gold colored rocket building caught our eye from the train arriving in Omiya city in Saitama Prefecture.Surely a love hotel we thought, but a later inspection of the place revealed it to be a multi-use building including offices, weekly and monthly apartments and a kindergarten - all rather humdrum for such a whacky, shall we say, flight of architectural fancy!Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Saitama Omiya Rocket building
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Rapi:t Train To Kansai International Airport
2008-05-02 04:20:00
????The Nankai Rapi:t train service from Namba Station is the quickest way to access Kansai International Airport (KIX) from central Osaka .The award-winning Nankai 5000 trains were designed by Japanese architect Wakabayashi Hiroyuki. The quickest service takes 29 minutes from Kansai International Airport to Namba.Yahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Osaka Namba Rapi:t train
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Japanese Word Endings: ppoi
2008-05-01 15:32:00
???A very large part of Japan ese grammar is all about word endings.A very useful word ending for the learner of Japanese is the ending "ppoi"the p here being repeated to represent a stop, as an English speaker doeswith the phrase "top price".ppoi has the same role as the -y or -ish or -like endings in English in thatit is used to create an adjective. It could be defined as indicatingqualities usually associated with the noun it is attached to.For example, take apple, or ringo, and kaori, or fragrance. "an apply kindof fragrance" is, ringoppoi kaori.Or the Beatles, biitoruzu, and hairstyle, kamigata. "a Beatles-like haircut"is biitoruzuppoi kamigata.Or a bank, ginko, and atmosphere, foon-iki. "a bank-like atmosphere" isginkoppoi foon-iki.Get the idea? Simple, and very useful.Read more about the Japanese languageYahoo Japan Auction ServiceBook a hotel in Japan with BookingsTokyo Serviced ApartmentsBudget accommodation in JapanHappi CoatsJapanese For Busy PeopleTagsJapan Japanese langu...
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Honorific Prefixes in Japanese
2008-05-01 03:35:00
???Last week we talked about some word endings, which are very important in Japan ese.Today, we will look at prefixes, in particular the honorifics "o" and "go."Using the noun fish, a simple example is ?? (o-sakana). A literal translation would be "honorable fish" or "Mr./Ms. Fish." In Japanese , though, this sounds quite normal and it should be translated simply as "fish."Why add the "o"?It sounds polite and softens one's language.In general, "o" is placed in front of words of Japanese origin. Other examples are:??? (0-namae) = name?? (o-kusuri) = medicine??? (o-yasumi) = vacation, day off?? (o-kane) = money???? (o-kaimono) = shopping???? (o-isogashi) = busyTo make things a bit complicated, there is another honorific: "go."This is used for words of Chinese origin.??? (go-shokai) = introduction??? (go-jusho) = address??? (go-chumon) = order??? (go-kazoku) = familyFinally, keep in mind that these are terms to be used for others. You should refer to your neighbor's family as "go-kazok...
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Sesshu in Masuda
2008-04-30 13:07:00
??Went down to Masuda (Shimane Prefecture) last weekend to photograph a couple of Sesshu's gardens in the spring.After Hokusai, Sesshu is probably the Japanese artist most well-known outside of Japan.Sesshu was born in Bitchu province, present-day Okayama Prefecture in 1420. As a youth he became a Zen monk at a local temple, and as a young man he moved to Kyoto and studied under the greatest painter of the time, Shubun.In his middle-age he moved to what is now Yamaguchi Prefecture, and made an important visit to China in 1468-9. He was based at his studio in Yamaguchi in his later life, but also spent some time in nearby Masuda, Shimane Prefecture. He died in 1506, though historians are undecided exactly where. Masuda claims he died there, and has built a memorial museum next to his reputed tomb.Known mostly for his monochromatic ink paintings, Sesshu was also a garden designer, and what is considered one of his best remains at Iko-Ji temple, where he was head priest for a while. T...
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