Thursday, July 10, 2014

だるま- Daruma

日本の文化 (nihon no bunka) Japanese Culture 7

だるま (Daruma dolls)
だるま

 Daruma are dolls without hands and feet representing the sitting meditation (zazen) posture of Bodhidharma, founder of the Zen sect. His legs were said to be paralyzed because of the continuous meditation on top of a rock for some nine years with his legs crossed.


だるま市 (Daruma Fair)
  Most daruma are made of papier-mache and painted red except for the face. The bottom is heavy and works as a tumbler. Because it bounces back to its original position when it's pushed over, it serves as a good luck charm. There is the custom of painting in the eyes, which are usually white,when a wish has been fulfilled.





Sunday, June 1, 2014

自動販売機(じどうはんばいき, jidoo hanbaiki)

 日本の文化 (nihon no bunka) Japanese Culture 6

自動販売機(じどうはんばいき、jidoo hanbaiki)    Vending Machines

  Vending machines are everywhere throughout Japan. Products in them range widely, from drinks cigarettes, sweets flowers, cup noodles to underwear. Vending machines are probably more widespead in Japan than anywhere else in the world.

 Even when stores are closed  items can be purchased from vending machines, so they are convenient for consumers. in addition, it is said that they would be provisions in the case of natural disasters.

 The biggest reason why vending machines have proliferated in Japan is "safety".


 
The Vending Machine speaks Osaka-ben






                   お

Wednesday, April 23, 2014

百円ショップ ( Hyakuen shoppu, 100-yen shop )


せんす (Sensu)
日本の文化 (nihon no bunka) Japanese Culture 5

百円ショップ (Hyakuen shoppu, 100-yen shop) 
(Acutually 108 yen including consumption tax) 


100 yen shops are very popular in Japan for not only the cheap price but also the quality for the price. The
goods in 100 yen shops are abundant in varieties of daily neccesities such as kichenware, underwear, bags, cosmetics, gardening materials, food and so on.


There are thousands of 100 yen shops across Japan, ranging in size from multi-story department stores to small corners in shopping malls. Some of the largest 100 yen shops in Japan are Daiso Harajuku in Tokyo, Daiso Sapporo Chuo in Sapporo city, Hokkaido, Daiso Osaka Keihan City Mall, Daiso Kobe Sannomiya Centergai, and Daiso Fukuoka Kotsu Center near Hakata Station.

Saturday, March 29, 2014

電気炊飯器(Denki suihanki, Electric Rice Cooker) -- 日本の発明 (nihon no hatsumei) Japanese Invention 1

  Denki Suihanki (Electric Rice Cooker)


 In the past, cooking rice was not as easy as now. Housewives had to watch the rice cooking on a stove( in many cases a fire), hoping the grains didn't burn or stick to the pot. Thanks to the invention, it contributed for them a lot to decrease cooking time. 
Kamado

First Electric Rice Cooker

IH Rice Cooker

 Since Toshiba Electric Corporation produced the first fuccessful electric rice cookers in 1956, electric rice cookers have developed to IH (Induction Heating) cookers which enable to make rice tastier.

Tuesday, February 25, 2014

日本の世界遺産 (Nihon no Sekai Isan) World Heritage in Japan 2

Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities)

  The UNESCO World Heritage Site Historic Monuments of Ancient Kyoto (Kyoto, Uji and Otsu Cities) encompasses 17 locations in Japan, within the city of Kyoto and its immediate vicinity.
Kinkaku-ji

  The locations are in three cities: Kyoto and Uji (Kyoto Prefecture) and Ōtsu (Shiga Prefecture). Of the monuments, 13 are Buddhist temples, three are Shinto shrines and one is a castle.

Kiyomizudera
  The properties include 38 buildings designated by the Japanese government as National Treasures, 160 properties designated as Important Cultural Properties, eight gardens designated as Special Places of Scenic Beauty, and four designated as Places of Scenic Beauty.

 UNESCO listed the site as World 
Heritage in 1994, which marks the 1200th anniversary of the transfter of national capital to Kyoto.



Saturday, January 25, 2014

日本の世界遺産 (Nihon no Sekai Isan) World Heritage in Japan 1

Mr.Fuji & Lake Kawaguchi
Mt. Fuji was designated as Japan's 17th site of World Heritage in January in 2013.

Mt.Fuji in Ukiyoe
It spans roughly 70,000 hectares, including Sengen Shrine at its foot, five major lakes, the Shiraito Falls and the Hiho-no-Matsubara pine grove. Mt. Fuji is Japan's highest mountain (3,776 meters high), known throughout the world for its beauty.
    《Mt.Fuji from Shinkansen》

Wednesday, January 1, 2014

日本の料理 (nihon no ryoori) Japanese Cuisine 6

お節料理(おせちりょうり、osechi-ryoori )

Osechi-ryori are special side dishes for the New Year holidays. A variety of ingredients such as seafood, black beans, rolled kelp, and vegetables are prepared and arranged artfully in a set of layered lacquer boxes.

Traditional style Osechi

Modern Osechi