Japanese traditional culture

Today's topic is Japanese traditional culture.
I was trying to find something traditional in my house.

In the first photo, you can see archery in a glass box.
When my younger brother was born, my grandparents bought it.
I remember that my grandfather told me about the archery. When a family has their first son, they get an ornament expressing strength like archery or armor. It means they hope he will be strong and brave. Families with girls get a doll set displayed on the Girl's Festival day on March 3rd. My family used to have one, but my mother gave her sister's family. So now we have only this archery in the corner of a closet. Actually I didn't even know we still have it.

The second photo is a catalogue of "Furisode" for Coming-of-age Day. Coming-of-age Day(Seijin no hi) is the second Monday of January. We celebrate this day to welcome young people who are 20 or going to be 20 in that year as new members of society. This year, my sister has this ceremony. For that day, she had had her own kimono made almost one year in advance. Lately, it has arrived and she got excited so much.

Japanese pop culture

Today's topic is Japanese pop culture.



I think online shopping is getting popular among lots of Japanese people.
Younger people mainly buy clothes on shopping websites. Actually I got a jacket for this winter on a shopping website. Sometimes they sell much cheaper than stores do. I also have some shopping catalogues.



I'm wondering why their models are not Japanese. Though most of customers are supposed to be Japanese people.

These bears are "rela-kuma", and white one is "ko- rela-kuma". "Rela" means "relax" and "kuma" means "bears". "Ko" means "小(small)" in Japanese. They are expeced to get people relaxed and feel comfortable. They have been loved by girls in Japan for a few years. At first I didn't like them at all, but after one of my friends gave me a key ring of ko-rela-kuma, I found them so cute.
Now they are appearing in the TV commercial for TOYOTA.

Japanese people

The topic is Japanese people.


I was born and brought up in Japan, so I think the Japanese people I know the most are my family. Let me write a little bit about my family.


In the first photo, my family is having dinner. Today's dinner is sukiyaki.


We have meals with sitting on the floor. I think lots of Japanese people like sitting on the floor when they have meals. A pot is set in center of the table, and my sisters are putting vegitables and meat into the pot.

The man sitting in front of TV is my father. He is working for a construction company. After he came back to home and took a bath, he drinks a can of beer. That is one of his pleasure.

My mother is a houseworker. She is into Korean dramas now like other middle-aged women.

My family has four children, and I am the oldest girl. My younger sisters really like watching foreign movies. They often go to TSUTAYA together and rent some DVDs.

This is my brother. He looks relaxed and seems to be falling into a sleep on the massaging chair.

By the way, the TV show we were watching this evening was interesting. The show is "笑ってコラえて". You can watch it on Channel 10 from 8 p.m. on every Wednesday. I am sure it shows real Japanese people.

http://www.ntv.co.jp/warakora/

Neighborhood Nara

Nara is a prefecture next to Osaka.
My house is in Nara-city.
I hope you could know about my hometown Nara.

This city used to be a capital of Japan about 1300 years ago in Nara era. Because of that, it has a lot of historical places and shrines. For good example, Daibutsu, the Great Buddha of Todaiji, is very famous. It is the biggest wooden architecture in the world.

Around Todaiji, it is Nara Park. In the park, there is lots of deer. Many couples of deer have babies in this season. So if you go there, you can see baby deer following their parents.

Nara is going to have special festival in 2010.

2010 is 1300th anniversary of having relocated the capital to Nara.
We have a mascot for the festival. His name is "Sento", which means relocating the capital, and he has horns like deer. I do not like him so much. How about you?

from: http://www.itmedia.co.jp/news/articles/0806/02/news073.html#l_yuo_manto_02.jpg

Athletic meeting

Fall is coming. A lot of elementary schools have a big event this weekend. It is "undo-kai"("athletic meeting"). I would like you to know about this annual school event.

After the long vacation in summer, pupils start preparing for their undo-kai at the end of September.

In the event, pupils compete in many kind of sporting activities. They perform footraces, three-legged races, piggyback fight and so on. Parents also come to watch their children doing the activities, and sometimes they participate in an activity.

The day I visited an elementary school to take pictures, the pupils were rehearsing the event.

It is said that "undo-kai" bigan more than a hundred years ago.

This traditional event has been continued for long time .

Pupils and parents are looking forward to this Sunday.