Hello! from Japan

About Japan and music

Taka

What is Sumo? : All you need to know

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Sumo, written as 相撲 (meaning “Striking on another”) in Japanese, is a traditional wrestling and is the Japan’s national sport.
Japan is the only country that has professional tournaments and it has been one of the most popular sports here for a long time.
Let’s learn the history and the rules about it and enjoy the unique culture of Japan!

History

It is believed that Sumo originated as a way to wish for a good harvest by entertaining the Shinto deities. The first mention of sumo can be found in a manuscript from 712. According to the folktale written in it, there was a match between two Shinto deities (or 神/Kami in Japanese) called Takemikazuchi (the ruler of the common people) and Takeminakata (the god of wind, water, and agriculture) to find which was stronger and suitable for ruling lands. At the end, Takemikazuchi won the mach and claimed Takeminakata’s land for his Kami. 

Then, it became a culture to show strength in front of them as a sign of respect and in hope of bringing a good harvest.
First as an ritual dance, then as a combat between two men.

Until the Japanese Middle Ages (1185-1603), there weren’t much regulations and the wrestling matches were rough. Wrestlers often fought to the death of one of the fighters like gladiators.
Sumo became so popular especially within the Imperial court that it was regularly held and ceremonial and religious elements were added.

During the Kamakura period (1185-1333), many training Samurais joined Sumo wrestling to strengthen their combat abilities. By the Muromachi period (1336-1573), Sumo became a huge event for the masses as the 大名 (Daimyo, powerful Feudal lords) sponsored wrestlers. During this period, some rules regarding the match were established including the use of 土俵 (Dohyo. It is 4.55m in diameter and 16.26 m2 in area, and is made of clay and covered in a layer of sand ) as an elevated ring for the battle.

In the Edo period (1603-1867), Sumo fights were banned because they could lead to wild fightings on the streets. However in 1684, it was allowed to be held as a charity event at Shinto shrines. In the Meiji era (1868-1912), the Emperor Meiji organized a tournament and the length of tournaments was extended from 10 days to 15 days in 1949. 

Today, professional sumo holds six grand tournaments a year (3 in Tokyo during January, May and September, 1 each in Osaka in March, Nagoya in July and Fukuoka in November). Each tournament lasts 15 days, and currently only men do the sport professionally in Japan. 

Customs and Rules

Sumo developed from Shinto rituals, so it has the ritualistic characteristics. The wrestlers stomp their feet on the ring to ward off evil and throw salt onto the ring before a match to purify the ring. 

The rules are straightforward. 力士 (Rikishi/wrestler) tries to force his opponent out of a 土俵 or into touching the ground with any body part other than the soles of his feet. A match usually lasts only a few seconds, but in rare cases it continues for minutes. There are no weight restrictions in Sumo, so wrestlers train themselves and try to gain as much as they can. There’s a special kind food for their diet called ちゃんこ鍋 (Chanko-nabe), which is a protein-rich Japanese hot-pot designed to help them gain weight. Many ingredients such as fish, meat, shells, and vegetables are in a broth and it comes in a large portion.  

About Rankings

There is a ranking system called 番付(Banzuke), and all wrestlers are classified depending on their performances. The top two divisions are called 幕内(Makuuchi) and 十両(Juryo), and they are like major leagues. Wrestlers in these 2 divisions are called 関取(Sekitori), and they are considered as fully-qualified fighters. The best rank of 幕内 is 横綱(Yokozuna), and then 大関(Ozeki), 関脇(Sekiwake), 小結(Komusubi), and 前頭(Maegashira). 横綱 is never demoted but if he keeps on losing matches he has to retire and leave the position.

Where to enjoy Sumo

It is the best to attend a sumo tournament to fully enjoy the matches. Tickets are available during the 15-day tournaments. You can purchase tickets in advance online or at convenience stores or at the stadiums. 両国国技館(Ryougoku Kokugikan) in Tokyo is the most famous venue.

Right now, Sumo matches are held with less spectators to avoid the spread of coronavirus. It is really sad that we can’t enjoy it in an arena.
I do hope the current situation will be over soon…

Thank you for reading today’s post!
See you next time.
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

Blood type personality theory in Japan : What it says about you?

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Although there are still a lot of things unknown about the relationships between blood types and personalities, many people in Japan (and also in Korea and Taiwan) believe that checking the blood type helps understand a person’s character. It is not uncommon to be asked “What is your blood type?” in Japan, which might be a strange question for people from western countries. The study lacks evidence but it is an interesting theory and it’s a fun topic to talk about with an Asian friend.
Let’s learn a short history about it and find out what it says about you!

How did it start?

In 1927, Takeji Furukawa (he was a professor at Tokyo Women’s Teacher’s School) published his study about blood type, “The Study of Temperament Through Blood Type” in a scholarly journal. Though he only had ten to twenty people for the investigation and the study lacked credentials, it took off with the public in Japan and many believed it.

Later in 1970s, Masahiki Nomi, who graduated from the University of Tokyo, developed blood type personality theory and published a book called “Understanding Affinity by Blood type”. His study was heavily criticized by the Japanese psychological community because Masahiko only graduated from the engineering department and didn’t have any medical background and the book didn’t include enough scientific evidence.
However, the theory itself was very interesting and the book became a bestseller. Nowadays, discussion of blood types is a popular topic especially when women talk about relationships, and it often appeares in magazines.

Blood types and personalities

Blood type A (about 40% in Japan)

Positive  traits
Responsible
Perfectionist
Wise
Cautious 

Negative traits 
Over-earnest
Obsessive
Stubborn 
The least temperate

According to the theory, people with blood type A are generally friendly and dependable, but sensitive and somewhat reserved. They prefer staying alone than being in a group. They get along well with blood type O people but have difficulties making friends with blood type B.

Blood type B (about 30% in Japan)

Positive traits 
Creative
Active
Optimistic
Easy-going

Negative traits 
Irresponsible
Lazy
Unreliable
Impatient

People with blood type B are active and easy-going. They are social, independent, and like to go their own ways. But on the other hand, they could be irresponsible and selfish. They get along with people with AB blood, and the worst with A.

Blood type O (about 20% in Japan)

Positive traits 
Confident
Strong-willed
Competitive
Athletic

Negative traits 
Arrogant
Cold
Aggressive
Envious

This blood type is the most common in the world. About 40% of people (and about 90% in Latin America!) all over the world have this type.
People with O type are energetic and confident. They are natural leaders and good at caring others. However, they are afraid of being rejected. They sometimes have difficulties expressing feelings and can be sensitive inside. They go along well with Blood type B people but the worst with AB.

Blood type AB (about 10% in Japan)

Good traits
Talented
Rational
Intelligent
Adaptable

Negative traits
Critical
Indecisive
Aloof
Not trustable

Only about 10% of people in the world have this blood type, and they have mixed characteristics of A and B. They are eccentric and talented but can be either genius or psycho. They are adaptable and can go one place to the another easily. Some people see that they are moody and not trustable because of their unpredictability. 
They go well with AB and B ,but not with O.

Some claim that all this is no more than a superstition but it’s often a good topic and fun to talk about. To this day, there are many books on blood type and personality relationships in Japan.

My blood type is AB by the way. How about yours?
Did the study above show your personality?

Thank you for reading today’s post!
See you next time.
Taka

*I’m a professional composer.
You can listen/download my music below.

What is Kabuki? 4 things to know

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Kabuki is a traditional Japanese performance art known for the elaborate makeup called Kumadori worn by some performers. It has been a major theatrical form in Japan for over 4 centuries. Kabuki plays have been growing in sophistication incorporating music, dance, and costumes and sets. It is gaining popularity internationally nowadays, and Kabuki theater was added to the list of an intangible heritage by UNESCO in 2005. Three years later, it was inscribed in the UNESCO Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity. Here’s about the brief history, meaning, and where to enjoy it today.

1.What does Kabuki mean?

Literally, the word Kabuki (歌舞伎) means the art of songs(歌), dances(舞), and skills (伎) associated with the stage performances. It is said that the word Kabuki is derived from the verb Kabuku(傾く), which means to be extraordinary, avant-garde, or bizarre. Kabuki is a theater entertainment to show such outrageous, unusual performances.

2.How and When did Kabuki begin?

Today’s Kabuki actors are all male, but it was originally created by a woman named Izumo no Okuni in 1603. She formed a female dance troupe and they played both men and women in comedic plays about ordinary life. This style is known as Onna Kabuki (Female Kabuki). They began performing in the early 1600s at various locations around Kyoto and their performances became so popular that Izumo no Okuni was asked to perform before the Imperial Court. But later, Onna Kabuki was banned in 1629 because the troupe had local misfits who were often available for prostitution. The ensuing moral panic led to the prohibition of all-female Kabuki.

Then, young boys kabuki called Wakashu-Kabuki followed but was banned again because they too were eligible for prostitution, and the Tokugawa Shogunate didn’t welcome the mixing and trading between merchants and performers, artists, and prostitutes at the event.

Later in the middle of 1600s to 1673, all adult male Kabuki called Yaro Kabuki was made and this style, what we call Kabuki now, has been kept and growing since. Male actors play both female and male characters and play are more focused on drama more than dancing (Note that some local Kabuki troupes today have female actors in female roles) .

After the Tokugawa shogunate era ended in 1868, Kabuki gained more popularity in the Meiji period. Even Emperor Meiji sponsored a performance on 21 April 1887. You could say that Kabuki together with Shinto animism have the significant influence on the form of Japanese pop culture today such as Manga and Anime.

3.About Performance

・Kumadori makeup 

The exaggerated facial lines are meant to produce dramatic animal or supernatural images. The color of it represents the character’s traits as below.

Red lines: Passion, heroism, righteousness, and other positive characteristics

Blue or black lines: Villainy, jealousy, and other negative characteristics

Green lines : The supernatural, Mysteriousness.

Purple lines : Nobility.

Together with Kumadori, Kabuki actors do the Mie (a picturesque pose to establish characters) during the performances.

・Three main categories

There are three main kinds of Kabuki play: Jidaimono (Historical stories), Sewamono (Domestic stories), and Shosagoto (Dance pieces).
Famous Kabuki plays include, 

Chushingura (Treasury of Loyal Retainers) 
A Jidaimono based on the true story of the 47 Ronin (masterless samurai) and their mission to avenge the death of their master.

Sugawara Denju Tenarai Kagami (Sugawara and the Secrets of Calligraphy)
A story based on the life of a scholar ,Sugawara no Michizane lived in Heian era (794-1185). He showed in talent in poetry and got promoted as a public servant in Kyoto but some people were envied. Later he was exiled to Kyushu due to false accusation and then…

Sonezaki Shinju (The Love Suicide at Sonezaki) 
A Sewamono about a forbidden love between a merchant named Tokubei and his lover Ohatsu, a courtesan. It was based on a similar incident happened in 1703.

・Colors and clothings 

Emotions are expressed through the colors of the costumes.
Eye-catching and strong colors represent foolish or joyful emotions, and severe or muted colors mean seriousness and focus.

4.Famous Kabuki Theaters

Here are the places where you can enjoy Kabuki plays in Japan.

In Kyoto

Minamiza Theater

In Tokyo

Kabukiza Theater

National Theater

In Osaka

Shochikuza Theater

In Fukuoka

Hakataza Theater

English guides and pamphlets are available at Kabuki theaters so don’t worry if you can’t understand Japanese. Due to the coronavirus, there’s a new attempt to play Kabuki online (a very first online Kabuki was performed in June this year). In the near future, we might be able to enjoy Kabuki performances at home, from anywhere in the world.

Thank you for reading today’s post!
See you next time.
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

Why do Japanese do Seiza?

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The word Seiza (正座)  literally means “Proper sitting”. It is the formal, polite way of sitting on Japanese tatami floors with knees together, back strait ,and buttocks resting on ankles. Even for Japanese, it takes a practice to get used to sitting in this posture and Seiza can be very painful for anyone who is not accustomed to it. So, why do Japanese people sit this way in Japanese houses? Is there a meaning?

What meant “To sit” in Japan

If you take a close look at the Kanji, you can learn history behind sitting culture in Japan. 正 means “The right way”, and the Kanji 座 (Sit) is composed of 4 parts: 广(Roof)＋人(human)＋人(human)＋土(Ground/Soil), signifying 2 people sitting face to face on the ground in a house. That means, the right way of sitting in Japan inside of a house has been sitting on the floor/ground with the eyes about the same level to the one you are talking to, without using any furniture. But isn’t it easier to use chairs? Why do we sit the hard way?

How did Seiza-style became the formal, right way of sitting?

The reason why we didn’t use chairs was to avoid damaging tatami mattress, which has been the essential part of Japanese traditional houses (though we see some special kinds of chairs that won’t damage tatami at Japanese inns nowadays). This thick straw mat has good breathability and is important to prevent mold to grow in a humid country like Japan. Tatami was and still is expensive ,and back then it was only used as seating for the highest aristocrats ,so rules concerning seating and etiquette were made. By the middle of the Edo period, Samurais sat in Seiza when meeting authority figures as a symbol of obedience and loyalty, and Seiza meant the respectful way to sit on Tatami. Because of this tradition, we do Seiza especially in a formal settings like at an official tea ceremony, Japanese style wedding, Noh drama, Shodo (Calligraphy), Ikebana practice (Flower arranging), or funeral. Also, it is a requirement of most Japanese martial arts to sit in this manner.

Don’t worry if you can’t do Seiza in Japan!

We know that if you are from a different country, it is very difficult to sit this way for a long time. And some people are physically impossible to do Seiza ,so nowadays it is OK not to do it even in a formal setting.
But you don’t want to be rude ,so here are some tips when you can’t do Seiza in a formal situation.
If you are not used to sitting down in Seiza position, it’s ok to have knees a little bit apart or you may sit with a cross-legged position called Agura. It is informal but acceptable especially when you eat at a low table in a Japanese restaurant.

This is Agura style

For women, Agura is generally considered wrong and rude especially for those who are wearing skirts or certain types of traditional clothing like Kimono. Instead, Yokozuwari, one side (or both sides) of hips touching the floor, is preferred.

This is Yokozuwari style.

Even if you CAN do Seiza, you should take a break every 30 min or so to avoid decreasing blood flow. While keeping the beautiful tradition of showing respect, it is also important not to overdo it to take care of your body. 

Seiza has been taught at home and schools traditionally, but taking people’s health into consideration, a new law came into effect this year. According to Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, forcing children to do Seiza for extended periods of time will be recognized as a punishment. It is not mandatory to do Seiza anymore, and you can still be respectful without doing it so don’t worry if you can’t!

Thank you for reading today’s post!
If there’s anything you want to know about Japan, feel free to contact: [email protected]

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

Why do people drive on the left in Japan? Reason and History behind it

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About 35% of all the countries drive on the left and Japan is one of them. But do you know why Japan keep to the left while there are many other countries that keep to the right? There’s a reason and an interesting history behind it.

During the Edo period (1603-1868) in Japan

Historically, almost everyone in the world travelled on the left side of the road/street because most people are right-handed, and that was the same in Japan. During the Edo period in Japan when still many Samurais were there, people had to follow the strict rule to keep to the left side.
They preferred that way to have their right arm closer to an opponent/passenger and swords and scabbard away from him. In that way, it reduced the chance of the scabbard hitting each other, that could spark a fight. Most streets in Japan are very narrow so keeping to the left rule back then makes sense to avoid unnecessary conflict.

How did keep-to-the-right rule come up?

For the same kind of reason, people naturally kept the left side in other countries as well.But things changed in the late 1700s in France and the United States where people started carrying farm products in wagons pulled by horses. The drivers of the wagons sat on the left so that they could hit the horses with their whips using their right hand. Because they had to stay on the left side to control horses, they wanted people to walk on the left while keeping wagons to the right side of the road to make sure they kept clear of the coming passengers or wagons. 

Later, Napoleon conquered many countries and spreaded this custom. However, countries that went against him, such as Britain, registered to follow this rule and they kept the left side. Britain made the left side driving mandatory in 1835, and countries that were colonized by Britain followed suit.
But Japan was never part of the British Empire and we keep to the left to this date. Why is that?

During the Meiji period (1868-1912) in Japan

When Japan entered the Meiji period, Samurais were not there anymore. Japan was trying to catch up with the advanced technology and industries in other countries overseas. Japanese government was especially interested in Britain and its infrastructure. Japan’s first railway was introduced from Britain in 1872. Because the technology came from there, railways and roads were constructed accordingly. In 1924, left-side driving became an official law in Japan.

Okinawa, the southernmost part of Japan, was once ruled by the United States and made to drive on the right side until it was returned to Japan in 1978. It changed back to the left side driving and people drive on the left side in all parts of Japan now.

Thank you for reading today’s post!
See you next time.
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

Legal age in Japan: Drinking,Smoking,Driving and more

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The age of adulthood is 18 years old in many countries, but it is 20 years old in Japan. At the age of 20, a person is said to have become an adult here. There’s a celebration called 成人の日 (Seijin no hi: Coming-of-Age day) for people who will turn 20 on the second Monday of January every year.
You need to be careful if you are younger than 20 years old and planning to stay in Japan. Japanese laws affect visitors from different countries as well, so it’s important that you know them. Here is the information about legal age and what you can and can’t do in Japan.

About Drinking (Must be over 20)

In Japan, you can get alcohol very easily at a convenience store, supermarket, or restaurant. But the legal drinking age in Japan is 20 years old. Just like in many other countries, people younger than that cannot purchase or drink alcohol under a law called the Minor Drinking Prohibition Act. If you look younger than 20, you will be asked to provide your ID. 

But the great thing is that you can drink at any outdoor or public places in Japan. In a park, at a station, and even on a bullet train (But keep in mind that drinking inside of a train or bus is considered rude).

You are not allowed to drink while driving of course. A law called Driving Under the Influence of Alcohol and Related Conduct states that if you get caught drunk driving, you can be subject to up to five years in jail or up to a million yen fine. If you give access to a vehicle to a drunk person, you can also be subject to the penalties.

About Smoking (Must be over 20)

According to the Act of Prohibiting Minors from Smoking, age restriction goes the same for smoking: You can’t smoke or buy cigarettes if you are under 20. Japan used to be a very smoking country. In 1960’s, 80% of men and about 20% of women smoked cigarettes. However, as more and more scientific evidence appeared about how harmful the smoking is, smoking is no longer considered as “Cool” like it once was. The consumption of cigarette is decreasing across the board. In 2017, only 28% of men and 9% of women smoked.

Cigarettes are available in most convenience stores and supermarkets, but smoking in restaurants, cafes, and streets are generally prohibited. If you are a smoker, you should be done at designated smoking areas. Having a secret smoke in toilets and other private spaces will cause the fire alarm to activate and you will be in trouble if you do!

Driving (Must be over 18)

You can get a driver’s licence at the age of 18 in Japan. Even if you have an international driver’s license, you can’t drive in Japan if you are younger than 18 so you have to follow the rule here. You can get the license to ride on motorbikes that are from 50cc to 400cc if you are over 16. Motorbikes over 400cc are for 18 and over.

Pachinko and Pachi-Slots (Must be over 20)

Gambling itself is illegal in Japan and currently we don’t have casinos but we have similar gambling games called Pachinko and Pachi-slot machines. You are allowed to enter the parlors if you are over 20 years old and enjoy playing them.

Pachinko is a pinball game with a LCD screen. Player turns a handle to launch a metal pachinko ball ,and when the ball enters a hole in the center of the board, three numbers on the LCD screen begin spinning. Just like a slot machine, if you hit the jackpot by getting the three numbers match, a part of the machine at the bottom will open. If you can get balls in there, you will get more pachinko balls. 

You can exchange your pachinko balls for money. Pachi-slots are like slot machines. You use medals to play the game instead of metal balls.

Things that people under 20 can do

People under 16 can stay in Karaoke places and Game centers until 6:00pm (until 10:00pm for people aged from 16 to 18). If they are accompanied by parent or guardian, people aged 16 to 18 can stay at Karaoke places until 11:00pm and Game centers until 10:00pm (However the rules are slightly different depending on the area). There’s no age restriction in entering live music venues so you can enter concert halls regardless of your age. The minimum marriage age in Japan is 18 for men and 16 for women but the same-sex marriage is still illegal in Japan. Voting age in Japan has been changed to 18 years old from 20 years old in 2016 to increase young people’s awareness of politics.

Thank you for reading today’s post! 
If you need more information about Japan, feel free to contact me:[email protected]
See you next time.
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

How to introduce yourself in Japanese: 6 useful phrases and more!

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Self-introduction is called 自己紹介 (Jiko shoukai) in Japanese. 
How to do it is pretty simple and not difficult at all. Here are some of the most used words and phrases when you introduce yourself in Japanese.

1.はじめまして
(Hajimemashite : Nice to meet you)

This is the most common phrase used to greet someone you meet for the first time.

2.私は〜です。
(Watashiwa – desu : I’m – )

This phrase is used to introduce your name. To make it a little more casual, you can omit 私は(Watashiwa) and just say “- desu”. 
In Japan, people introduce themselves by their family names or full names. If you want to be very polite, you can say 私は〜と申します(Watashiwa – to moushimasu).But in many cases, this is too formal and not commonly used. If you want to be called by your nickname, you can say  〜 と呼んでください ( – to yondekudasai : Please call me – ).

3.〜から来ました。
( – kara kimashita : I’m from – )

You can tell where you are from by using this phrase.
Another way of saying this is 〜出身です( – shushin desu).

4.〜が好きです
( – ga suki desu : I like – )

This is a common phrase when you want to talk about what you like. 
You could talk about your favorite activities, food, places, and just about anything you like using the same expression. If you say 〜が大好きです( – ga daisuki desu), the meaning will be “I love -”.

5.仕事は〜です
(Shigoto wa – desu: My job is -)

Shigoto means Job. When you want to talk about your job, you can say like this. If you want to talk about the company or the place where you work, you can say, 〜で働いています ( – de hataraite imasu: I’m working at  – ).

6.よろしくお願いします
(Yoroshiku onegai shimasu: Nice to meet you/Please treat me well)

This is a phrase that you use at the end of a self-introduction to express politeness especially to whom you will be working with.

Example self-introduction

1.はじめまして。　　 (Nice to meet you)
2.私はジョンです。    (I’m John)
3.アメリカから来ました。 (I’m from America)
4.日本のアニメが好きです。(I like Japanese anime)
5.仕事は英語の先生です。 (My job is to teach English)
6.よろしくお願いします。 (Nice to meet you/Please treat me well)

To keep the conversation going

You can use あなたはどうですか？/あなたは？(Anata ha doudesuka?/Anata ha? : How about you? /And you?) to keep the conversation flowing.
You can talk about yourself and then ask the person the same questions like below.

私は旅行と音楽が好きです。あなたはどうですか？
(Watashi wa ryokou to ongaku ga suki desu. Anata wa dou desuka? :
I like travelling and music. How about you?)

Next time when you have a chance to meet and talk to a Japanese, try using these phrases! If you would like to work more on Japanese or have any questions, feel free to contact me :  [email protected]

Thank you for reading today’s post. 
See you next time! 
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

8 ways to say Hi in Japanese (Formal and Informal)

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If you want to start a conversation in Japanese, you need to know how to greet in Japanese! Here are the most common ways to say Hi in Japanese in informal and formal ways. Words are very short and easy to memorize, so have fun learning and greeting!

Very casual

Here are some very casual words for greeting. Some of them are informal slang and you might be surprised to know how short the words are. If you have some close friends, it will be cool to communicate using them.

1.やあ (Yaa)

It is used casually between friends especially when you want to say like, “Hi, I’m here/I just got here”.

2.おす(Osu)

It is like saying “Hey!” . It is a slang to greet other guys so girls don’t use this word and guys don’t usually say it to girls.

3.どうも(Doumo)

Depending on the situation, the meaning of this word changes. It could mean hello, good-bye, thank you, very much, somehow, just.

・In greetings

A:やあ (Yaa)     B: やあ、どうも(Yaa, Doumo) 
(A:Hi.       B:Hi, how are you?)

A:お先に失礼します(Osakini shitsurei shimasu)     B:どうも(Doumo)
(A:I’m leaving ahead of you.   B:Good-bye)

・To say thanks

A:これ、どうぞ (Kore, Douzo)     B:あー、どうも(Ah, Doumo)
(A:This is for you. B:Ah,Thanks.)

・To say “Very”

A:遅れて、どうもすみません。   B:大丈夫です（Daijobu desu)
(A:I’m very sorry to be late. B:It’s OK)

A:親切にどうもありがとうございます。
(Shinsetsu ni doumo arigatougozaimasu)　
B:とんでもないです（Tondemo nai desu)
(A:Thank you very much for your kindness.   B:It’s nothing)

・Used with negative

どうも理解できません。(Doumo rikai dekimasen)
(I just can’t understand)

どうもあの人は気に入らない。(Doumo ano hito wa kiniiranai)
(I don’t like that person somehow)

4.よー/よっ(Yoo/Yo)

These are used to get someone’s attention and the meaning is the same as in English. It is common for guys to greet friends saying like this but some girls also use them. 

Casual

5.元気ですか？元気？(Genki desuka?/Genki?)

These are the most common ways to say “How are you?”.
If you just say “Genki?”, it gets more informal than saying “Genki desuka?”. They are used between friends or someone close to you, and not to your boss. To ask “How are things going?” ,we say
調子はどうですか? (Chousi wa dou desu ka).

元気ですか?/元気?
調子はどうですか？

Formal

6.おはようございます/おはよう
(Ohayou Gozaimasu/Ohayou)

7.こんにちは (Konnichiwa)

8.こんばんは(Konbanwa)

I think every Japanese learner knows these famous words. 
They are all formal and mean “Good morning/Good afternoon/Good evening”. People often say just “おはよう(Ohayou)” to greet a little more casually. The time when you use Konnichiwa and Konbanwa is different depending on the person. Some people use Konnichiwa at all times (Even in the morning) and Ohayou Gozaimasu in the evening. This is because the kind of job he/she has. If the person starts work very early, they feel that the morning time is afternoon. And if the person wakes up in the afternoon and starts working in the evening (like at a nightclub), evening time is morning for him/her.

In addition to those common words ahove, the phrase we use when starting a conversation on the phone is もしもし (Moshi moshi), meaning “Hello?(Are you there?)”, and we use お久しぶりです/久しぶり (Ohisashiburi desu/Hisashiburi) to say hello to someone you have not met for some time. 
It’s really fun to learn a different language, isn’t it?

もしもし
お久しぶりです/久しぶり

Thank you for reading today’s post. 
See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

No screaming or shouting: Japan’s amusement parks in the coronavirus era

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Welcome to Japanese amusement parks in the coronavirus era.
Now that the government lifted the state of emergency, the amusement spots in Japan are slowly reopening. In order to reduce the risk of infection, park operators have released guidelines on how to operate safely under the threat of the virus. The guidelines were made and issued by the East and West Japan Theme Park Associations, which are made up of over 30 major amusement park operators in Japan. 

According to the guidelines, visitors are asked to wear masks at all time and refrain from speaking/screaming loudly. Japan’s theme park associations are telling roller-coaster riders and thrill-seekers entering haunted houses not to scream but to keep silent. There’s a movie of two executives from the Fuji-Q Highland amusement park (the place is known for one of the scariest coasters of Japan that goes 80 miles per hour) showing an example of this new style of enjoying the entertainment wearing masks and holding the safety bars tightly, and off course without screaming.

It must be really hard to keep calm like this unless you were used to riding scary coasters or a zen master… lol

Don’t worry if you can’t stay silent. The screaming ban is voluntary and riders won’t be charged or punished!

People need to keep social distance in haunted houses without exception. Scary looking ghosts and zombies won’t get closer to you any more. They keep a healthy distance of at least 1 meter away from visitors, so don’t worry about getting killed or eaten by them.
You are invincible in Japanese amusement parks now.

Here’s something sad. Park staff dressed as mascots and superheros will not shake hands or high-five with you. Heroes in fights with villains won’t whip up support from spectators to prevent cheers and screams. Instead, they will give you some gestures or smiley faces to communicate with you.

According to the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry, the revenue of amusement parks altogether in Japan dropped 97.5% in March (compared to last year), causing about 17.7 billion yen loss.
Business owners of parks are struggling to find some ways to regain profit at the same time preventing the infection.

Disney land and Sea in Japan have already reopened on July 1, and Universal Studio will reopen from July 20, and it seems that the new guidelines will remain effective until the outbreak of coronavirus ends.

Thank you for reading today’s post.
See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

3 things all Japanese learners should know

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Japanese is a difficult language to learn. In fact, the Foreign Service Institute of the U.S Department of States categorizes Japanese as an exceptionally difficult language to learn for a native English speaker (along with Arabic, Chinese, Korean, and Pashto). Why is it so difficult? One reason is that Japanese culture is a high context, meaning that it is a culture where everyone shares and understands common concepts so if you don’t know the way people see or the meaning behind words and phrases, you can easily lost during the conversation. Another reason is that there are 3 ways to write: Kanji, Katakana, and Hiragana. Depending on the situation, people choose to use one of them to express their thoughts.

If you are thinking about starting learning Japanese, you might get scared to hear that it’s not easy to acquire the language. But if you know these 3 things below about Japanese, mastering it will get a lot easier!

1.Nouns (Subjects and Objects) often get omitted

As Japanese is a high context language, when speakers know what they are talking about, Nouns often get cut off during the conversation. For example, at a school when a teacher is collecting homework, he/she could just say “Did?(やった?)” instead of saying “Did you do your homework?” because it is obvious what the teacher is asking the student in the situation. When communicating in Japanese, you need to comprehend what people are talking about (what the Subject or Object is on talk) based on the circumstances you are in and expect that they get omitted.

2.The last part of a sentence is important

In English, Subject usually comes first and then Verb. If you are negative about something, you use “Not” when you use a Verb so it’s very direct and clear.
However in Japanese, you need to listen till the end of a sentence to know what the speaker is saying. For example, when you want to say “I won’t go to work tomorrow” in Japanese, you could say like “私は明日仕事に行きません (Watashi wa, ashita, shigoto ni, ikimasen: I, tomorrow, work, don’t go) “. If you say 行きます (Ikimasu: I will go) at the end (like, “私は明日仕事に行きます”), the meaning will be completely different so you need to pay attention to the last part of a sentence. In other words, it gets easier to understand if you focus on the tails of sentences.

3.People change the words they use depending on a situation/relationship

People care relationships a lot in Japan. Depending on the person you are talking to, you need to change the words you use. There are 3 ways: 尊敬語(Sonkei go:Respectful/Honorific language.),謙譲語(Kenjo go:Humble language), and 丁寧語(Teinei go: Simply polite language). We use 尊敬語 when talking to someone in higher position to show that the person is superior to you, 謙譲語 when making ourselves lower to be humble, and 丁寧語 when we want to be polite. For example, a word for “Eat”, 食べる (Taberu) becomes 召し上がる(Meshiagaru 尊敬語), 頂く(Itadaku 謙譲語), or 食べます(Tabemasu 丁寧語). So, what you should be careful when you talk in Japanese is the situation and relationship between you and the person.
Next time when you read a manga or watch a Japanese anime, you could check the different expressions characters use based on the situation/relationship. For the list of the word changes, check “敬語” (Kei go) listed here: https://en.wikibooks.org/wiki/Japanese/Grammar/Honorifics

If you know these 3 things above, learning a Japanese will get a lot easier. If you would like to master it, it is the best to attend a language school to learn Japanese. But you could use an app/textbook to study vocabulary to take the first step. A good way to study is to learn words in context and in conversation (and also to think about the situation/relationship between the speakers). I also recommend that you write a diary in Japanese everyday. Maybe a few sentences about what happened the day or what you did. 

Learning a new language is very exciting at first but the main problem is burnout. Don’t push yourself too much or try to master it within a few months! It just takes time so study little by little, at your own pace.
I teach Japanese online and can check your work so if you are interested in taking a class, send me a message to [email protected]

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

Avoid using them! Japanese unlucky numbers

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There are superstitions in almost everywhere in the world and Japan is no exception. Many Japanese superstitions have been imported from different countries especially from China and they are meant to teach or advise people. Most of them are related to language or based on the animistic beliefs from Shinto. Let’s take a look at some of the most common unlucky numbers that you should avoid in Japan or when you communicate with Japanese people.

Unlucky numbers

Number 4

It is unlucky because the pronunciation of it is “Shi”, which is the same for the word for death (死). 4th floor or rooms with the number don’t exist in most hotels and hospitals to avoid bringing in bad luck to the area, and most companies avoid using consecutive number of 4 for their phone numbers. 42 and 49 are usually not used for cars and racing because they sound Shi-ni:To death (死に) and Shi-ku:To run over/To suffer death(轢く,死苦). In order to avoid the “Shi” pronunciation, the number is often read as “Yon”.

Number 6

A homophone of this number, “Mu” means Nothing/Empty. The number 6 is not popular for number plates for cars and railway platform. Number 6 is often read as “Roku” in order not to let the energy around disappear in emptiness.

Number 9

It is read as “Ku”, which means “Torture/Agony/Suffer in pain”. In order to avoid the “Ku” pronunciation, people often change the pronunciation of it to “Kyu”, which is the same sound as 休/救:Relief/Save.

It is the best not to use these numbers in Japan or when you are talking to a Japanese. In addition to 4,6,and 9 numbers, even numbers are considered bad for weddings because they can be divided in half. To wish the couple won’t be divorced and separated, odd numbers are preferred at the occasion. For the same kind of reason, people use odd numbers at a funeral to wish the relationship between the deceased and the rest of the family will not be cut.

Lucky numbers are 7, 8, and 10. 7 is pronounced “Shichi” ,and it is traditionally believed as a lucky number. 8 is read as “Hachi”, which sounds similar to the word Han-ei(繁栄):Prosperity. The sound for 10 is “Ju”, which is a homophone for the word Enough/Replete/Ample.

Thank you for reading today’s post. 
See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]

Uber and Uber eats : Are they popular in Japan?

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Uber in Japan

Currently, you can use Uber only in big city areas like Tokyo, Kyoto, Osaka, Fukuoka, and Nagoya. The service started in May 2018, and it is still kind of new. But it is not a convenient option for travelling around in Japan so most people use it for airport pickups and dropoffs only. People choose to use better ways to travel like trains, buses, and taxis because transportation services in Japan are excellent in keeping time and they are not too expensive. What’s more, there are strict regulations on ride-sharing in Japan so the Uber service is not gaining popularity.

However, from this month, Uber started a new service called Uber Taxi in Tokyo. Uber is partnering with local taxi operators in the central business district and areas of Shinagawa, Akihabara, and Asakusa. Users can find and pick up a taxi using Uber app, and they can share information like the arrival time and real time tracking with friends and family. 

The number of travellers is getting significantly lower after the coronavirus hit Japan, and taxi industry here has been struggling. Some started to deliver food and drinks ,and by working together with Uber, they are hoping to bring in new revenue. Uber is looking the goal of bringing the number of cities in Japan (where Uber Taxi service is available) to 12. More about Uber Taxi service in Japan, check the link here: https://www.uber.com/jp/ja/ride/ubertaxi

Uber eats in Japan

Now that using food delivery service is a common thing in Japan, Uber eats is becoming more and more popular. Uber eats service started running in Japan in 2016 and became big after many influencers like YouTubers started using the service. After the spread of coronavirus, more and more people began to stay indoors and work from home and Uber eats service is on the rise now. During Feb to March of this year, Uber eats saw 20 % increase in the number of restaurant contracts in Japan. In addition, many people lost jobs because of the pandemic and becoming a Uber eats delivery driver is one of the most popular options for a side business in Japan now. Depending on the performance, a delivery driver can get about 700 to 1,800 yen per hour and it is easy to start plus it will be a good exercise for him/her. More about Uber eats service in Japan, check the link here: https://www.ubereats.com/jp/category/tokyo/japanese

It always takes time for a new business to flourish in Japan because of strict regulations and laws, but a lot of people like trying new services and once it gets popular, the market just grows continuously.
I hope the current situation of pandemic will be over soon and until then, we need to change the way we work and live to survive.
Please stay safe and well!

Thank you for reading today’s post. 
See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]

eSports:Why is it underdeveloped in Japan?

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Nowadays, we hear a lot of news about bursting popularity of eSports over the last two decades. Japan makes and sells a lot of video games every year but surprisingly, eSports is not so popular compared to other countries. Why?

eSports: What’s been going on in the world and Japan

eSports is a kind of sport competition using video games. It is often held online between players individually or as teams. Now that the network technologies have been improved and services like Live streaming and 5G appeared, eSports is growing popularity internationally. In fact, 106 million people viewed the 2017 Worlds eSports competition and global revenue is growing to more than $1 billion over the past few years. The number of eSports players and fans are getting bigger and bigger each year. Many game developers provide funding for tournaments and everyone in the world can enjoy watching the games online from anywhere now, and even the International Olympic Committee is thinking about including eSports for future Olympic events: In 2017, Olympic committee concluded that eSports could be considered as a sporting activity which involves preparation and intense training that can be comparable to athletes in sports.

Nonetheless, eSports is still underdeveloped in Japan because of anti-gambling laws which prohibit paid professional gaming tournaments. For example, under a law called “Act against Unjustifiable Premiums and Misleading Representations”, organizers of an event can not give a monetary prize over 100,000 yen (About $930) to a winner of a competition. Viewers can not bet for competitions and tournaments can not be held at a venue that has no permission for holding such events.

Japan is on the way to join the trend

Seeing the rapid growth of eSports all over the world, the Japanese government started to look it as a new way to boost its economy. In 2019, eSports revenue in Japan was over $56 million and the market is just getting bigger and bigger. The Ministry of Japan hopes to make $2.6 billion a year by 2025 and now legal experts together with game industry are trying to create guidelines to promote and organize eSports tournaments and events.
Some events to use eSports to help rehabilitate people with disabilities and also to promote their engagement with society were held several times and most people in Japan are positive about the growth of eSports. Tokyo alone have over 9 eSports cafes where customers can play games and brush up their skills to win for a tournaments with high spec PC and gadgets. 

Japan has been a leader in making video games and there are a lot of skilled video game players. I’m sure there will be a lot more professional players from here once the environment for eSports is set!

Thank you for reading today’s post.
See you next time,
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.
Multicolors
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]

No more free plastic bags: Japan started charging a fee

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Mandatory charging for plastic shopping bags

From July 1, all retail stores including convenience stores and supermarkets in Japan started to charge shoppers for plastic bags as a measure to save the environment. Under the guidelines set by the government, stores are now asked to charge customers at least 1 yen for each bag, hoping that more people will bring their own bags when going shopping.

Although the percentage of plastic that is recycled is 84% in Japan, about 9 million tons of plastic waste are produced and there have been domestic and international pressure to reduce the amount of it (precisely speaking, among 56% of so-called recycled plastics in Japan is not “Reuse” of the material but they are burned to create thermal energy… hmm is it really recycling?). Single-use plastic bag garbage takes about 200,000 tons a year in Japan so the percentage of plastic waste that can be reduced by this policy is not huge but taking the possible environmental damage into consideration, the government decided to work on plastic bags first.

The introduction of this system came from the global issue of marine plastic waste. Many areas in the world have seen birds and fish consume plastic waste by mistake and wasted plastic bags have been a cause of destroying the coastal landscape. In fact, plastic waste flowing into the world’s oceans is estimated to at least 8 million metric tons every year.

By charging all shoppers for plastic bags, the government is hoping to raise awareness about the global issue and planning to increase the number of shoppers who do not seek plastic bags to 60% by the end of 2020 (the proportion was 30% in March this year). 

Over 90 countries have bans or restrictions on single-use plastic items and people there are more aware of the damage that they could cause to the environment. In addition to the use of plastic bags, Japan’s excessive plastic wrapping for food and sweets is often pointed out by many environmentalists. We have a lot to work on about plastic materials.

How to say “I don’t need a bag” when shopping in Japan

If you are in Japan (or have chance to come in the future) and asked if you would like a plastic bag at a store/shop, you can say these phrases below to tell that you don’t need.

・大丈夫です（Daijobu desu)

大丈夫(Daijobu) is a casual way of saying “I’m OK (I don’t need it).”

・袋はいりません（Fukuro ha irimasen)

袋(Fukuro) means a bag. いりません(Irimasen) means “I don’t need it”. 

We all need to work more on saving the environment. I do hope this new policy will be a step to raise a concern about environmental issues nationwide.

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.You can listen/download my music below.

Multicolors
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]

Karoshi: Why do many Japanese die from working too much?

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People work really hard in Japan. When I was working as a teacher at a major language institute in Japan, I taught 8 lessons, had a meeting for an hour, checked homework for students between classes, and prepared for next day. That was my typical day and I kept that for a few years. When I was working for a marketing company, I worked from noon to 1:00 am almost everyday. I’m one of a guy who puts a lot of time for work but workstyle like this is pretty common in Japan. You need to work a lot to advance and as you get promoted, your responsibility gets heavier and you will have to work even more. I guess this sounds a little awkward for people in western countries where workers in higher positions can have more time and power to ask subordinates to work for you. And it’s sad to say but many people die from working too much. Here’s all about Karoshi and what’s been happening in Japan.

What is Karoshi?

Karoshi (過労死) can be translated as “Overwork death” in Japanese. The major medical causes of it are heart attack and stroke due to stress and a starvation diet. The first case of it was reported in 1969 with the stroke-related death of a man (29 years old worker in the shipping department of a major newspaper company). There had been many cases like this until late 1980s and the Japan Ministry of Labour finally began to publish statistics on Karoshi in 1987. Next year the Labor Force Survey reported that about quarter of male employees worked over 60 hours per week (typical time for work is 40 hours a week). Since then, Japan has been trying to reduce the work hours but 3,970,000 people (6.7% of the population) are still overworking as of 2019 BuzzFeed News .

What is causing it?

Japan’s rise from WW2 and the huge war reparations we paid in the post-war decades are regarded as the trigger for Karoshi. We had no choice but to work really hard to get to the point where we could surpass companies overseas to evolve. As a result, it got more and more competitive within a company as well. Advancement is earned through back-breaking effort so people seldom leave their jobs until late to get the best result and show loyalty to the company.

Is the situation getting better?

Being competitive and productive is important, but now that Japan takes the 3rd largest economy in the world, we have been trying to curb cases of Karoshi through policies. In 2016, the federal government announced its Premium Friday plan with that workers would get the chance to leave at 3pm on the last Friday of each month. And nowadays more young people claim to leave their office without working overtime based on their contracts, so the work environment in Japan is getting better each year. Also, after the spread of coronavirus, more and more people started using hours efficiently working remotely. I hope this will be a way to stop this intense work culture. After all, we only live once and enjoying it is much more important than suffering from it, isn’t it?

What is important to you in life? Send me a comment to [email protected]

See you next time!
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.
Multicolors
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

Coronavirus in Japan: How is it changing the way we live

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Number of cases(as of June 30)

When the virus began spreading in March and April, Tokyo reported as many as 201 new cases a day (on April 17) and total cases rose above 10,000 on April 18. The state of emergency was announced on April 7 and then extended until the end of May. Schools were closed and people mainly had to stay home and work from home during that time. Although once the number of cases dropped to below 10 people per day in the middle of May, it is slightly rising over the past 7 days (as of June 30, average was 55 cases per day in Tokyo). There are reports of cases in Hokkaido and Yokohama as well and total of 135 cases were reported nationwide on June 30. Schools have already began to reopen on June 1 and the government lifted requests for restrictions on crossing prefectural borders on June 19. Provided they take measures against infection, live music venues can open and events with up to 1,000 people can take place now but many people are concerned about the 2nd wave.

Before and After the virus

・Before the virus 

We clearly did not see what would come… we were welcoming visitors to Japan from overseas more than ever believing a big success of Tokyo Olympic and never thought of changing the way we commute and work. The number of visitors to Japan from overseas was constantly rising since 2012 hitting over 31,800,000 people last year. There were a lot of companies trying to attracts tourists and individuals who started offering rooms for use on Airbnb. Before the virus, it was pretty normal for many companies to start work together at the same time (sometime from 8:00 to 9:00),so there were always rush hours in the morning. Trains and buses were packed in city areas with people trying to be on time for work because you could be well evaluated for keeping time. The vacation time and holidays were set during the same seasons and days in many major companies and that allowed majority of people to go out together. That’s good if you would like to make plans with friends from different companies but because of that, tourists spots were usually really crowded.

・After the virus

With Coronavirus Era

Many people in Japan call this era “With Coronavirus Era”, seeing it will take a few years to overcome the virus and need to find ways to live with it. People are trying not to catch or spread the virus wearing masks everyday. Some restaurants, cafes, and supermarkets won’t let you in if you don’t wear a mask. At museums and events, your temperature is measured and you are asked to fill in a document with your information. After the spread of the virus, the percentage of remote work rose to 35.5% nationwide (52.2% in city areas). I personally think that this shift to remote work and more flex schedule for commuting to work are great changes to work more efficiently with less stress. And there’s a report about the significant reduce in catching the flu (minus 4,500,000 cases compared to last year) because people are more concerned about getting infected.

Impact on economy

The coronavirus outbreak is having a serious impact on the Japanese economy. Confidence among companies like automobile and electronics fell to minus 8, the lowest since March 2013. The index for non-manufacturers (including the service sector) dropped to 8 from 20. The number of travellers from overseas dropped 99%. According to a research by Newsweek, among 5,730,000 subjects of the investigation who had to close their businesses temporary in April and May, 49.4% of them are still closing and 1.7% lost their jobs. (The total number of unemployed is 1,980,000 now and it is increasing for 4 months in a row). NHK says that there’s an estimate that Sports, Stages, and Music events (that could not be held) alone could be the loss of 3 trillion yen this year.

New services/Products

HIS Japan, a major travel agency, has started a new service which is to cover your business trip for you. You can assign an agent to do some research and manage business remotely. This kind of new business is rapidly emerging in Japan now. And products that make your time at home enjoyable such as window decoration, rice flakes, and potteries that change color as you pour some drinks are getting more and more popular.

When will Japan be open to other countries ?

If things work well, people with PCR negative in Thailand, Vietnam, Australia, and New Zealand can travel to Japan from August but we will have to wait and see. Many economists and scientists estimate that it will take a few years to be able to travel overseas freely like we used to. Japanese government is currently hoping to test vaccine sometime in April next year so it is most likely that there won’t be a big change until then. I will keep on posting updates on my blog. 

I hope things will get better soon. It is really sad that we can’t go overseas or gather at a big event but on the other hand, it is a chance to be creative and start new business online. Please keep safe wherever you are. And I’m looking forward to meeting you in person after when everything is over!

See you next time.
Taka

*I’m a professional composer by the way.
You can listen/download my music below.
Multicolors
Free Somebody
Skyhigh

If you have any questions, feel free to contact me: [email protected]