冬の風物詩（fuyu no fuubutsushi) 6 Special Attractions of Winter

日本のクリスマス (nihon no kurisumasu)  Christmas in Japan

The oldest Christmas tree since 1950(Beppu)

The biggest tree in Japan (USJ in Osaka))

Most people in Japan, not only Christians, enjoy celebrating Christmas regardless of their religion by exchanging presents with family and sweethearts and by eating together. The strategy of department
stores and businesses, which is to stimulate consumer desire, has created this sort of Christmas culture.

By the end of November, large trees decorate shopping districts and the advertising for Christmas sales in department stores and shopping street arcades is in full swing.

In Usuki City

日本の料理 (nihon no ryoori) Japanese Cuisine 5

お好み焼き（おこのみやき, okonomiyaki)

Okonomiyaki is a Japanese-style pancake usually grilled on teppan (an iron plate).  It is made from batter with a variety of ingredients such as bits of pork meat, seafood, egg and chopped cabbage.


Cooked okonomiyaki is topped with ingredients that include otafuku/okonomiyaki sauce (similar to Worcestershire sauce but thicker and sweeter), aonori (seaweed flakes), katsuobushi (bonito flakes), Japanese mayonnaise, and pickled ginger (beni shoga).

日本の料理 (nihon no ryoori) Japanese Cuisine 4

鍋料理 (なべりょうり, nabe ryoori) Cookpot Dishes

　Japanese culture, which can be called "a culture of harmony," places importance on harmony among friends as well as family members.
　Soup stock and ingredients are put in a pot and heated; our or five persons sit around it, put soup and ingredients from the pot into their own bowls and eat. There are all sorts of ingredients and soup stocks, as many flavors and ways of preparing, for example, Sukiyaki, Shabushabu, Yosenabe, Chankonabe, Kakinabe, Mamonabe, Botannabe, Chirinabe, etc.

すきやき(sukiyaki)

なべ材料( ingredients)

ちゃんこ鍋 (Chankonabe)

ゆるキャラ(yuru-kyara) --- 日本のサブカルチャー(nihon no sabukaruchaa) Japanese Subculture 3

Hiko-nyan (Hikone City)

さのまる(Sanomaru, Tochigi)

ゆるキャラ (yuru-kyara)  Local Mascots     

Yurukyara (literally meaning "loose character") is a term for cute mascots originally created by local governments to promote tourism to take on a form of a famous produce or feature for the region. Yurukyara are heartwarming mascot-like characters that represent different organizations, events or groups for PR purposes too. 

くまもん＆パリーさん(kumamon & parii-san)

 

 Youtube: しまねっこ(shimanekko)

Yurukyara Grand Prize: http://www.yurugp.jp/pref_list.php?next_key=1&goflg=1&acflg=search

盆栽(ぼんさい, bonsai) --- 日本の文化 (nihon no bunka) Japanese Culture 4

Pine tree

盆栽（ぼんさい、bonsai)  Bonsai

Bonsai is a miniaturized potted plants and trees which have been dwarfed and shaped by such methods as pruning and wiring in order to create particularly aesthetic shapes.

Plum tree

Chrysanthemum

折り紙(折り紙, origami) --- 日本の文化 (nihon no bunka) Japanese Culture 3

折り紙（おりがみ, origami) Paper holding

Paper folding, or "Origami" is one of Japan's unique traditional arts. It is an amusement and a skill of holding square paper without using paste or scissors to shape things such as birds, goldfish and helmets, in particular the crane is widely recognized as the masterpiece of origami. One thousand folded cranes linked together by thread is called senbazuru (one Thousand Cranes) and is made and given to a sick person with the wish for a speedy recovery upon visiting him.

夏の風物詩（natsu no fubutsushi) --- Special Attractionｓ of Summer 4

花火大会 ( Hanabi-taikai, Fireworks display)

 Hanabi-taikai constitute a typical summer scene. They originated in the Edo Period (1603-1867) with the exhibition of fireworks held competitively between Tamaya and Kagiya, which were firework factories. In summer, fireworks displays occur throughout Japan. Because Japanese summers are hot and humid, these are appropriately lively gatherings for amusement on nights when one is unable to sleep. Japanese people enjoy viewing fireworks in “yukata”, a very casual type of cotton kimono, while eating snacks and drinking.　

 　　　　　　　　　　The most beautiful fireworks in the world
　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

生け花(いけばな, ikebana) --- 日本の文化 (nihon no bunka) Japanese Culture 2

生け花（いけばな、Ikebana) Japanese Flower Arrangement

Ikebana is the traditional Japanese art of arranging flowers. In its earlier stages of development it was closely related to the tea ceremony, being used as a special technique for decorating the tearoom.

丼物(どんぶりもの, donburi-mono) --- 日本の料理 (nihon no ryoori) Japanese Cuisine 3

丼物 (どんぶりもの, Donburi-mono)

Donburi-mono is a meal served in a large, deep bowl, with various kinds of ingredients on top of rice. Typical ingredients include Japanese fried food, pork cutlets (Katsu-don), boiled eel (Una-don), chicken and egg (Oyako-don), tuna sashimi (Tekka-don), sliced beef and onions (Gyuu-don), and so on.

Katsu-don

Una-don

Oyako-don

Tekka-don

Gyuu-don

漫画(まんが, manga)--- 日本のサブカルチャー（nihon no sabukaruchaa) Japanese Subculture 2

  漫画（まんが、manga)

  From “One Piece” and “Naruto” to “Doraemon” and “Sazae-san,” manga (comic books or cartoons) have been the heart of Japanese pop culture.
  It was created in Japan, or by Japanese creators in the Japanese language, conforming to a style developed in Japan in the late 19th century. They have a long, complex pre-history in earlier Japanese art.
  In Japan, people of all ages read manga. The medium includes works in a broad range of genres: action-adventure, romance, sports and games, historical drama, comedy, science fiction and fantasy, mystery, suspense, detective, horror, sexuality, and business/commerce, among others.
Most “anime,” “cosplay” and other made-in-Japan examples of “otaku” (“nerd”) culture that have spread worldwide would not exist without “manga”
Top-selling mangas in April 2013 are [「進撃の巨人(Shingeki no Kyojin)」,　「One piece」, 「宇宙兄弟 (Uchuu Kyoodai)」,　「バジリスクー甲賀忍法帖(Bajirisukuu Kooga ninpochoo)」,　「黒子のバスケ (Kuroko no Basuke)」.

アニメ(anime, Animation) --- 日本のサブカルチャー (nihon no sabukaruchaa) Japanese Subculture 1

アニメ (anime, Animation)

 Anime (animation) has gained popularity as one of Japanese culture around the world over the past half century. Japanese animation started in 1917, and the characteristic anime style developed in the 1960s-notably with the work of Osamu Tezuka such as 鉄腕アトム(tetsuwan atomu, Mighty Atom). Anime is distributed via television, video, video games, commercials and Internet as well as at theaters.

 Most popular Japanese anime characters: Doraemon, Totoro, Mario, Astro Boy, Pikachu, Sazae-san, Chibi Maruko-chan, Kureyon Shin-chan, Son Goku, Lupin III, Arale-chan, Amuro Rei (Gundam),   Nobita Nobi (Doraemon), GeGeGe no Kitaro, Kenshiro, Bakabon no Papa (バカボンのパパ), Ashita no Joe, etc.

Kenshiro

Astro Boy

Kitaro

                                  Gegege No Kitaro ( Entry of Neko-musume)

                                              Tensai Bakabon

日本の料理 (nihon no ryoori) Japanese Cuisine 2

 駅弁 (ekiben)

Ekiben, boxed meals sold at railway stations with long-distance trains are very popular among the Japanese.  They are typically filled with locally grown ingredients and dishes unique to their region, and their wrapping paper usually depicts the scenery or a specialty of the particular place. One of the joys of travelling in Japan is eating ekiben and local food.

                                   Otaru --Yaki-taraba-bento (crab meat)

                                       Sendai--- Gyutan bento (beef tongue)

                   
                      Yokohama-- Chuuka bento (shuumai dampling, ｓweet and chili shrimp)

                               Shin-Osaka-- Midosuji bento (conger eel, takoyaki)

                            Nishi-Akashi-- Hippari-dako meshi (octopus, conger eel)

                                   Hiroshima--Shamoji-kaki-meshi ( oyster)                           

                            
                                   Tottori-- Ikasumi-bento Kuro-meshi ( squid ink)

                                 Hakata--Hakata-mentai bento (spicy cod roe)

                                 Nagasaki-- Rantan bento (chiken soboro, egg soboro)

                               


                                    

日本の料理 (nihon no ryoori) Japanese Cuisine 1

回転寿司 (kaiten-zushi) Conveyor Belt Sushi
Kaiten-zushi literally means "circulating sushi". Plates of sushi are set on a conveyor belt encircling the serving bar, and as the plates pass by, the customers select what they want. Plates with different colors, patterns, or shapes have different prices, usually ranging from 100 yen to 500 yen  Some conveyor belt sushi restaurant chains have a fixed price of 100 yen for every plate.

                                         High-tech kaiten-zushi

                           

日本の祝日（nihon no shukujitu) 4---- National Holiday

子供の日（kodomo no hi) ---- Children's Day

 May 5 is Kodomo-no-hi. Originanally it was called Boy's Festival and was for celebrating the healthy growth of boys untill immediately after World War second, but now it has become a day to celebrate children in general. Warrior dolls and miniature suits of armor are displayed inside the home and carp-shaped streamers called 'koinobori' are flown outside.

春の風物詩 (Haru no fuubutsushi) 2 Special Attractions of Spring

花見（はなみ、hanami)  Flower Viewing

Hanami is "Cherry Blossom Viewing." In spring, when the cherry blossoms are in full bloom, people picnic under the trees. Sometimes the parties last late into the night and can become quite lively.

花見弁当（はなみべんとう）　Boxed Lunch for Sakura Viewing

日本の文化 ( nihon no bunka) 1 Japanese Culture

The importance of blood type in Japanese culture

Many Japanese people believe that each blood type has a certain personality and affinity, so it is a common topic on someone's blood type to predict his or personality, temperament, and compatibility with others similar to how astrological signs are used in other countries. The popular belief originates with publications by Masahiko Nomi in the 1970s.

General personality of people who have type A blood
—Consider things carefully
—Can understand other people’s feelings easily
—Good at hospitality
—Don’t express themselves in order to avoid possible quarrel
—Do things carefully and steadily, and don’t take the next step if they are not satisfied
—Big on cleanliness

General personality of people who have type B blood
—Like to go their own way
—Do what they want without considering other people’s feelings, rules and customs
—Optimistic
—Not pretentious
—Pragmatists
—Don’t get heart-broken over lost love

General personality of people who have type AB blood
—Chase ideals and dreams
—Don’t have secular needs such as greed and a desire to succeed
—Sensitive and easily hurt
—Have a complicated personality
—Vigorous in pursuit of knowledge in wide range of fields
—Have unique ideas and are creative

General personality of people who have type O blood
—Realistic
—Strong in face of adversity
—Dream of getting rich quick, but actually take a steady approach—Go straight toward their goal
—Very cautious
—Don’t care about small things, taking a wider perspective instead
—Devoted, but with a strong desire to monopolize

春の風物詩（haru no fuubutsushi) 1 Special Attractions of Spring

ひな祭り（ひなまつり、hina-matsuri)

Hina-matsuri is the Doll Festival or Girls' Festival observed on March 3. Dolls dressed in beautiful Heian-era costumes and representing the Emperor, Empress, and their court are displayed to celebrate the growth of the family's girls and to express their hopes that they will become as graceful and beautiful as the Heian nobility.