Little Japan Dictionary

魚の漢字 (Sakana no Kanji) – Fish in Chinese Character

23rd March – 弥生

From the old time, 魚(Sakana=Fish) has been popularly eaten by Japanese. There are heaps different fish species exist in the ocean and Japanese enjoy tasting many different kinds of Sakana. It is interesting that each Sakana has its own Chinese Characters and many of them include 魚!

-鮪 (Maguro): Tuna

有 has meaning of having, wide range. As Tuna has a lot flesh and there are many places they are swimming therefore this Kanji was aplied.

-鰻 (Unagi): Eel

曼 means long, thin and extending in Japanese as you can imagine from eel.

‐鰹 (Katsuo): Bonito

Bonito has been dried and used for bonito flakes in Japan. Dried bonito is very hard so the Kanji 堅 meaning firm / tough applied.

‐鯖 (Saba): Mackerel

Mackerels are blue color and 靑 is the old style of 青 (Blue).

‐鯵 (Aji): Horse mackerel

The best season for Horse mackerel is in March, 参 is used as it has the meaning of 3.

‐鰯 (Iwashi): Sardine

Sardine is known as weak fish and it is easy to go bad. Therefore the Kanji meaning weak 弱 is applied.

‐鯛 (Tai): Red snapper

Red snappers can be caught everywhere and anytime of the year in Japan. Therefore using 周 with the meaning of around to express the characteristics of red snappers.

‐鰈 (Karei): Flounder

枼 means plant leaf, as Flounder is flat like a plant leaf this Kanji is applied

‐鮒 (Funa): Crucian carp

付, meaning of sticking, attaching and it is pronounced as ふ (Fu) so same sound as ‘Fu’na. Also Crucian carp swim with flock, sticking together, that is why this Kanji was chosen.

‐鱚 (Kisu): Sand borer

Again, this Kanji was used because of the sound of first letter ‘Ki’ is the same as the kanji 喜.

‐鱈 (Tara): Cod

Cod can be caught around the time when the first snow falls in the year. You can now guess that 雪 means snow.

‐鮭 (Sake): Salmon

Kanji for salmon used to be 鮏 with the meaning of fishy smell. Then it has changed to 圭, this shape is close to the previous kanji and 圭 can be fit into 2 triangle = good shaped fish. Now 11th of November is known as Salmon day, can you guess why? (11th November in Kanji is 十一月十一日)

‐鰤 (Buri): Yellowtail

The season for yellowtail is in December, the Japanese another name for December is 師走 (Shiwasu), so 師 is used.

-秋刀魚 (Sanma): Pacific saury

Pacific saury is eaten in Autumn (秋 Aki) season the most, and the shape of this fish is sharp like a sword (刀 Katana).

‐海老 (Ebi): Shrimp

Shrimp looks old as its back is bended, so people put the letter of 老, meaning of old.

All of these the Kanji characters for fish have the origin of why those kanji was used for the particular fish.

Isn’t it interesting?:)

団扇　(Uchiwa) Japanese round fan

22nd March – 弥生

Rounded fan – Uchiwa, making wind manually, was introduced to Japan in Kofun era (around 1700 years ago)from China.

In the older time, it was made of wood and rather used by higher positioned people for hiding their face than used for creating wind, intercepting sunshine like now. Or even it was used for getting rid of insects. Uchiwa was believed that it could chase away bad luck.

Some decades later, it started to be made of bamboo and washi paper, this type it could create stronger wind than the older wood type.

Then Japanese new style fan called 扇子 (Sensu) was born in Heian era, making Uchiwa foldable with waving shape.

Compared to Uchiwa as having stick handle, Sensu does not have the handle. Nowadays, it is generally used to make winds, however traditionally, it has been used for various noble things and high class events such as traditional rituals for gods, traditional dancing, tea ceremonies and so on. Many nobles wrote poems on Sensu and displayed at their home. At that time, Colorless Sensu was for men and colorful, patterned Sensu was for women.

Back to Uchiwa topic, from Meiji era, it started to be used for the purpose of advertising. Printing the ads on the Uchiwa and distributing to public to market companies’ products.

The use of Uchiwa changed from showing dignity to practical use.

Now, there are air conditioners and fans, so not many people use Uchiwa and Sensu anymore. However, it is eco-friendly, tasteful and elegant, so why don’t you get one and use it in this summer!

着物　Kimono

21st March – 弥生

The real meaning of 着物 (Kimono) in Japanese is clothes itself. Nowadays, the Japanese traditional wear is known and called as Kimono. This style was born in Heian era and generally considered as typical Japanese clothing style.

In the old time back in thousands years ago, Japanese used to wear simple material dresses, trousers and skirts. By some hundred years passed, the new style which cut the cloths straight (直線裁ち-Chokusen-dachi) and add many layers, became popular – this style is now generally known as Kimono in the world. Kimono can adjust the layer of cloths, so in the winter, adding many layers to make warm. On the other hand, in summer time, making Kimono with thinner materials to adjust the temperature comfortable.

Thanks to the arrival of Kimono in Japan, it have made Japanese unique coloration – by matching different color cloth layers. From that time, Japanese started to be conscious about the color and decide the special colors for hierarchy as well as the seasonal colors.

After many years has passed, dyeing and weaving became a trend and more different color were born and moreover heaps patterns on the clothes has developed.

From Meiji era, Japanese started to wear Western style clothes and traditional Kimono style has faded away, Now people only wear Kimono in the special occasions such as coming age ceremony, wedding, traditional rituals.

By the way, have you ever been to Japan in summer and went to 夏祭り (Natsu Matsuri=Summer Festival)?

In the summer festival, many Japanese wear Kimono ish clothes. This is one types of Kimono and called 浴衣 (Yukata) and very popular in those festivals.

The difference between Kimono and Yukata is:

Kimono: has double sided cloths (Using 2 piece of clothes to make one). Inside the Kimono, wear another layer of clothes called 袢 (Han). Wear socks called 足袋 (Tabi)

Yukata: Single layer of cloth. Inside the Yukata is just underwear. No need to wear socks and just wear sandals called 下駄 (Geta). Belt is simpler material compared to KImono ones.

日本の変わったアルバイト (Nihon no Kawatta Arubaito) Japanese weird part time job

20th March – 弥生

Japan has a lot opportunity to do a part time job – アルバイト (Arubaito) or shorter way to call バイト (baito). Many work place does not require previous related experiences so it’s easy to get in. In those Baito opportunity, there are some unique and interesting Baito, which not many people have ever done.

Some of the common ones in Japan but not many in the other countries can be…

–Event staff job

For Japanese event staff, they normally do not require for the previous experience and there are heaps advertisements wanting to hire people for one-day events. the works can vary from security guard, ticket office, selling merchandise and helping the event holders and performers etc. Sometimes for the event staff job can be getting into the mascot costume and meeting people or dancing in front of audiences.

–Giving tissue paper out on the road

When you visit Japan, you might have realize that there are people handing free tissue paper out on the road. Those people are Baito people, and they get paid depending on the number of tissue paper they distributed. Those people are hired by the company who put the advertisement paper on the tissue paper. People are happy to get tissue paper and they will see the advertisement till they finish using the tissue paper, so it is considered as a good publicity effect. Nowadays, there are many sampling advertisements like free drinks, free eraser or free fan and so on.

On the other hand, there are very unique and rare Baito exist too:

-Just sleeping is a job

Space medicine experiment company hires people for the purpose of human body experiment, the effect of weightlessness. This Baito continues for around 20 days and they can get US1,800 ~ 3,000 dollars for the reward. But the thing is they have to keep the sleeping posture for 20 days… seems pretty hard!

-Listening staff

For this job, only thing you do is to listen to the customers via Skype. You can earn money depending on how many customers you talked.

In Japan these days, 代行サービス (Daikou-service), which is ding something on be half of somebody, is a hot topic:

-Joining wedding ceremony

To make the wedding ceremony more fabulous, brides and grooms get helps from Daikou service agency. By getting people and make them pretend to be their friends, the actual joining people think they are famous and have many friends! One wedding ceremony, you can earn around 50 dollars to 200 dollars.

-Going to cemetery to clean up the grave + pray on be half of the customer

Many people are busy working and have no time to visit their ancestor’s grave. In this case, this service would be perfect for them, stranger will clean up the grave and pray on be half of them! For this service, you might mearn 100 dollars per grave.

-レンタル彼氏/彼女 (Rentaru Kareshi / Kanojo)

This service is actually getting famous as many people secretly use it. In this Baito, you pretend to be the customer’s boyfriend or girlfriend. Some people use this service to show off their friends that they have got a boyfriend / girlfriend or even they just want friend to do something so rent a person. Many case you can earn 20 dollars per hour. However, the customers will choose which person to be their Rentaru Kareshi or Kanojo, so if nobody choose you, you won’t get paid!

変な食べもの (Hen na tabemono) – Japanese weird food

19th March – 弥生

Just like the all countries eating different and unique food, Japan also have many food that people from other countries think its weird to eat, or looks grotesque. Some could be only eaten in Japan, so if you visit there, you should try them!

1.タコ (Octopus)

Octopus is pretty famous food for Japanese, we eat with raw or cooked. Octopus might look scary or grotesque, but it tastes amazing with ‘chewy’ texture – typical Japanese favorite texture. Sometimes Japanese eat alive ones too, this way of eating is called 踊り食い (Odori-gui), Odori means dancing.

2. ゴボウ (Burdock)

Gobou looks like a tree root so many other countries people does not eat, however it has a lot dietary fiber so very healthy. The smell and bitter tastes might surprise people if eating for the first time. Many traditional Japanese food use gobou, maybe you have already tried but did not realize?

3. 白子 (Shirako)

Do you know what Shirako is? It is actually a testis of fish! In most countries, people discard this part of fish but in Japan it is kept to eat and people love to eat this delicacy. Japanese love to eat this part with Ponzu sauce.

4. ふぐ (Fugu)

Probably you have already heard that Japanese eat this deadly poisonous fish – Blowfish. This fish can be cooked only by the people who own the license of Blowfish cooker, so don’t worry! Around one person dies every year in Japan from the Blowfish’s poison though…

5. 魚の卵 (Sakana no tamago – Fish Eggs)

This could be one of the most common delicacy gourmets in Japan. You can find たらこ (Tarako) – Walleye Pollack’s egg at anywhere at supermarket, convenience store, it is common ingredient of rice ball. Trout and almon’s egg is called いくら (Ikura) and it always be in Sushi train. Those fish eggs are very common food in Japanese dining table!

6. 牛タン (Gyuutan – Ox tongue)

Believe me that Ox tongue tastes amazing and many young generation love to eat it when they go to the BBQ place! Again, it has that particular texture of chewy, like soft bones. Many people might think it’s disgusting to eat tongue part, but it actually is edible and precious part of beef, don’t waste it.

7. 松茸 (Matsutake)

Matsutake Mushroom has strong unique smell so many people might not like it, but in Japan it is luxury food. The top-class Matsutake can cost around 7000yen (US70dollars) for one. Again and again, it has Japanese favorite texture, chewy and people appreciate that smell.

Did you surprise that Japanese eat those food?

You should try them when you come to Japan!

学校の校則 (Gakkou no Kousoku) – School Rules

18th March – 弥生

Japanese schools have various characteristics that are different to the other countries as I explained in the previous blog. Furthermore, each schools have many different rules (Mostly at Junior high and high school) and those rules are sometimes called ‘ブラック校則’ (Black Kousoku) which are unreasonable for school kids. Now this Black school rules are seen as a big problem and school kids are trying to change the rules.

Here are some of the common Black Kousoku at junior high and high school, can you believe those actually exist and kids are forced to follow them?

(Clothing / Grooming)

-Students have to wear the school uniform tidy: the skirt length has to be under the knees (if not, has to buy the new one), and have to close from the first button in order to show less skin

-No piecing allowed

-No nail polishing, do not put any colors

-Hair color must be black and if the natural color is brighter than that, have to show the evidence to the school

-Hair length has to be above the shoulder and if it exceeds, it has to be tied down (girls), or cut (boys and girls)

-For the girls, they have to tie the hair low, do not tie like a pony tail

-For the girls, if the fringe goes below the eyebrows height, they have to cut or use hairpin to show the forehead

-the hair scrunchies must be dark color such as black, dark brown

-Underwear has to be white or beige

-The socks must be white or school designated ones

(Classes)

-Do not bring phones to school, in the case if the students bring it, it must be left to the class teacher in the morning and get it back at the end of the school

-All the textbook must not be left at school, take them back to home every day

-During the lesson, all the students have to sit down on the designated seat with a good posture

-During the lesson, it is not allowed to drink water

(Other)

-On the way back home, do not take a detour but go straight back home

-Depending on how far students live, it is not allowed to commute by bicycle and has to walk to school

Do you agree with those rules?

Which rules do you think it is appropriate?

日本の学校 (Nihon no Gakkou) – Japanese school

17th March – 弥生

Japanese mandatory education is from 6 years old to 15 years old, during elementary school to junior high school. During this time, the school lesson fee is free (and text books too)

Ordinary day at Japanese elementary school & junior school

-School uniform

Many of Japanese schools have designated school uniform. Having school uniform helps to reduce the time to pick which clothes to wear every morning. It also shows equality so no students need to suffer the gap of family wealth.

-上靴 (Uwagutsu)

Once students get to the school, they change the shoes to the room shoes called 上靴 as many of the Japanese school prohibit outdoor shoes. Also when they go to the bathroom, they change to the toilet slipper, so that school floor can be kept clean. Moreover, for the gym class, students switch to the gym shoes.

-Classroom

If the school have huge number of students, they are divided into some classes. Each classes have class teachers who are responsible for one class and each class take lessons all together.

Each few months, class teachers shuffle the students’ seat so all the students can communicate with many different neighbor classmates. Thus, all the seats are designated for each students.

-In the morning

Weekly or daily representative called 日直 (Niccyoku) are chosen by the order of the seats or surname alphabet order, and this person will take everyday tasks (such as cleaning the blackboard, announce for a day, contacting with teacher). This person hold morning assembly and classes start.

-Classes

Japanese schools have various classes, and one of the interesting classes are called 家庭科 (Kateika), home economics class. In this class, students cook food together, learn sewing and nutrition in food and so on.

-Lunch time

The most exciting time at school! Students make groups and make their seat combine and put their own cloths, chopsticks, spoons and forks. One of the groups takes lunch representatives and get the food from storage, serve the classmates. After the lunch this group are in charge of bringing back to the lunch storage.

School lunch 給食 (Kyuushoku) is considered well so it has good nutrition balance. Each month, parents pay around 4000yen (US40dollars) for elementary school, 5000yen (US50dollars) for junior high school. By having the same meal all together, students can learn the eating manner, the balance of food and appreciation to the food, eating all the food and try not to leave left overs.

-Cleaning time

After the break time, all the students clean up the school. Each students are designated to the places and clean up silently for 20-30 minutes. The places can be entrance, classrooms, toilets, teacher rooms, corridors and so on. By doing this, students can learn not to mess the public places, use things with care and appreciate the people who clean the places.

-After school

Particularly in junior high school, many students join the clubs 部活動(Bukatsudou). There are variety of clubs from indoor to outdoor such as art club, brass band, calligraphy, swimming, baseball, basketball, judo, karate, tennis etc… Some school force students to join those school clubs. Students learn team works and actual skills for those sports and make their friend bonds strong.

-Going back home

School kids go home by themselves, or with friends. Some use bicycle, some use trains or walk back home without adult. This is possible in Japan because it is considered safe country to let the children commute by themselves.

Hope you get the brief idea of how Japanese school life is:)

七福神 (Shichifukujin) – Seven Lucky Gods

16th March – 弥生

Seven gods who brings luck for people. Worshiping them will avoid seven calamities and brings seven happiness. It has been believed among common people.

七福神 (Shichifukujin) has been well known in Japan and been worshiped from very long time ago. Those seven gods ride on the ship called 宝船 (Takara-bune), shipping many happy objects and seven gods – each gods have different background (Hinduism, Buddhism, Shinto etc) and brings different lucks to people.

恵比寿　Ebisu

The god of great business and good haul, harvest. The only god who was born in Japan. Hold sea bream on the left hand, fishing rod on right hand.

大黒天　Daikokuten

The god of fortune, good luck, descendant prosperity. He has the background of Hinduism god, Lord Shiva’s incarnation. Carrying huge bag and holding magic mallet.

毘沙門天　Bishamonten

The god of talisman and fortune. He is the Indian god and wearing armor. He is the only god who looks angry and also known as the god for fight. Holding pagoda on left hand, halberd on right hand.

弁財天 Benzaiten

The god of music, language, knowledge, fortune and relationship. She is the only female god in the seven lucky gods and came from Indian water god. Wearing angel’s raiment and hold instrument called Biwa (string instrument).

福禄寿 Fukurokuju

The god of long life and standing career. He is Chinese Taoism long life god, looking like an elderly man aged 1000 years old. He has long head, long beard with big earlobes. Turtle and crane is described together and holding cane on right hand.

寿老人 Juroujin

The god of long life and curing illness. Dear (implies long life) is drawn together and hold fun (believed as getting rid of bad luck) and peach (symbol of long life).

布袋尊 Hoteison

The god of happy laugh, happy family and good relationship. He is the only god who has the actual person model, Chinese Zen monk. It was believed that his fortune telling never missed marks. He has big belly, happy smiling face and carrying big bag.

As it was explained in the previous blog, Japanese tend to believe many gods. Maybe this was the reason that seven lucky gods were gathered as all those gods have different lucks!

八百万の神様 (Yaoyorozu-no-Kamisama)

15th March – 弥生

八百万(Yaoyorozu) = heaps, a lot and different. The actual meaning is the number of 8,000,000. Here implies not the actual number but so many. There are a lot of various different gods exist in Japan.

From the old time in Japan, Japanese have lived with nature, mountain, ocean, river, forest and so on. They cultivated rice field, went for fishing… Since then, people started believing all the natural phenomenon were caused by gods. Moreover, people felt gods on natural objects too.

Japanese have been believing not only natures, but also seeing gods in toilet, or even one piece of rice! Seems like almost everything have gods.

Nowadays, Japan has variety of different gods, gods of study, gods of relationship, gods of business.

In every October of Lunar calendar (Around November – December), all the gods gather in Izumo, Shimane prefecture. In this assembly, all the gods hold the conference to talk about the next year’s harvest, people’s relationships etc. The another name of November is known as 神無月 (Kannazuki) in Japan, meaning of no gods month. However, in Izumo area, it is called 神有月 (Kamiarizuki), meaning of gods exist month. This is because all the gods gather there in this months so other prefectures does not have gods during this time.

Japan believes 八百万の神様, so normally Japanese does not have specific god to believe. This diversity of belief is the reason that Japanese go to different shrines to worship different gods.

ホワイトデー White Day

14th March – 弥生

The day men give back gifts to the ladies who gave valentines day present.

White day – when the boys reply to the girls’ confession of love, was started in Japan and now it has spread to South Korea, China and Taiwan. Now many boys give back presents such as sweets, lollies, jewelry or stuffed animals in return to the valentines day chocolate.

This tradition was started around 1977, one shop sold white marshmallow as valentines day’s return gift. The name of the day was made from the color of marshmallow. Following this shops new marketing, other shops started to sell cookies and candies. From 1979, White day has officially known in Japan.

Japanese have the culture of ‘giving back’ – The culture of helping each other and avoiding to owe others, made this tradition.

In some other countries, 14th March is known as ‘Pi day’ as mathematics Pi is 3.14.

Is it true some people eat Pie on this day?