6th May – 皐月 Today is the last day of Golden week. After this long holiday, some people feel melancholy – this is called 五月病 (Gogatsu Byou). Those people who get 五月病 can have those symptoms: -feeling depressed -feeling sick -do not want to go to work / school -no appetite -feeling tired all theContinue reading “5月病 (Gogatsu Byou) – Post Vacation Blues”
Category Archives: Culture
こどもの日 (Kodomo no Hi)
5th May – 皐月 Part of Golden week holiday, the day for children – Respecting the children’s individual characters, wishing for happiness for them and appreciating their mothers for bringing up the children. Some people might have heard that 5th of May is also called as 端午の節句 (Tango no Sekku). However, this is a differentContinue reading “こどもの日 (Kodomo no Hi)”
苗字 (Myouji) – Surname
4th May – 皐月 It is said that Japanese surname exists around 300,000 and there are very common ones to the rare one only 1 household owns. There are 3ways to say surname in Japanese: 苗字 (Myouji), 名字 (Myouji) and 姓(Sei). 苗字 was often used in Edo period, 苗 means seedlings so it has theContinue reading “苗字 (Myouji) – Surname”
招き猫 (Maneki Neko)
2nd May – 皐月 招き猫 (Manekineko) – The cat shaped ornaments with front hand up. Cats catch mice which harms crops and house. Thus, Cats were appreciated by people and 招き猫 has been considered as a lucky item. There are different shaped and various colored 招き猫. If the right hand is up, it is believedContinue reading “招き猫 (Maneki Neko)”
八十八夜 (Hachijuu Hachi Ya) -The Eighty Eight night
1st May – 皐月 88 days after 立春 (Risshun) is the day of starting summer. This year falls 1st of May. From around this day, there are less frost therefore it is considered as the starting day of farming. Now the day is becoming longer and longer, the temperature is getting above 20 degrees inContinue reading “八十八夜 (Hachijuu Hachi Ya) -The Eighty Eight night”
日本の怪談 (Nihon no Kaidan) – Japanese Scary Story
27th April – 卯月 Every month on 27th, I write Japanese 怪談 (Kaidan) stories. This time is about scary game that mainly Japanese school kids did (does?). Maybe it is better not to do those games, otherwise you might get cursed!? こっくりさん It was boomed in 1970’s at schools, the game is to bring theContinue reading “日本の怪談 (Nihon no Kaidan) – Japanese Scary Story”
箸 (Hashi) – Chopsticks
26th April – 卯月 Japan is the country where have the habit of using only chopsticks in the meal. There are many countries using chopsticks as well but they use spoons, forks as well at the same meal. This is related to the food Japanese eat mainly – now there are more choice of foodContinue reading “箸 (Hashi) – Chopsticks”
日本の変わった飲み物 (Nihon no Kawatta Nomimono) – Japanese unique drinks
25th April – 卯月 There are heaps unique things sold in Japan, one of the typical ones is drinks. Famous drink brand Coca Cola started to sell transparent cola ‘Coca Cola CLEAR’ in 2018, in Japan. The taste is similar to the original black colored cola, however the new looks have attracted Japanese. Also fromContinue reading “日本の変わった飲み物 (Nihon no Kawatta Nomimono) – Japanese unique drinks”
日本の風習 (Nihon no Fuu Shuu) – Japanese customs
24th April – 卯月 Suburbs and regions in Japan have many unique customs. Some of them still exists on the other hand some had already obsoleted. One example that has inherited is なまはげ (Namahage) in Akita prefecture. Namahage is a creature which wears scary 鬼(Oni=Demon) mask and straw clothes. He holds knife and breaks intoContinue reading “日本の風習 (Nihon no Fuu Shuu) – Japanese customs”
お弁当 (Obentou) – Bento
23rd April – 卯月 Bento – as a take away food box, is well known all over the world. This word came from Japanese word 弁当 (Bentou), and its quality is stunning in Japan. Many of Japanese students and workers bring their 弁当 to school and work and eat them at the lunch time. ItContinue reading “お弁当 (Obentou) – Bento”
Little Japan Dictionary 