8th June – 水無月
梅雨 (Tsuyu = rain season) has started in western to middle mainland and I can hear many frogs are singing outside. There are various proverbs in Japan but today I would like to introduce the ones with frog in it.
蛙の子は蛙
(Kaeru no Ko wa Kaeru)
Frogs’ kids are frogs
Meaning: the talents and characteristics of the parents are inherited by their kids. Even the frogs’ kids are tadpoles, they will become adult frogs in the end. Therefore, things will be the same as their parents when the kids grow up.
蛇に睨まれた蛙
(Hebi ni Niramareta Kawazu)
Frog that is stared by snake
Meaning: very scary and cannot move.
蛙の面に水
(Kaeru no Tsura ni Mizu)
Water to the frog face
Meaning: does not care, no concerns. As frogs live with water, they won’t care if they are splashed with water.
井の中の蛙 大海を知らず
(I no Naka no Kawazu, Taikai wo Shirazu)
Frogs in the well does not know the ocean
Meaning: does not have knowledge and experiences. Narrow minded. Because frogs likes to live near wells, they never see the ocean.
Somehow, the proverbs with frogs have negative meanings, but they are very cute aren’t they???
Little Japan Dictionary 
Yes, It is cute.
I have one question. When we were children we used to collect tadpoles in our bottle thinking it was fish. We used to hide, well preserved it at home just to get the bottle thrown out by mom in later days.
Did you guys ever in your dream even misunderstood tadpoles with fish in childhood?
I know it sound strange. We hear one popular slogan.
“Japan lives 10 year ahead than any other world and smartness is in their genes.
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