30.6.13

Women-only Passenger Cars in Japan

Women-only passenger cars (女性専用車) are railway or subway cars intended for women only.

In Japan, women-only cars were introduced to combat lewd conduct, particularly groping (chikan).[5]

Women-only policies vary from company to company; some are effective during rush hour, others throughout the day, while some limit women-only cars to rapid service trains, as they tend to be more crowded and have relatively longer distances between stops. But in general, the policy is effective only on weekdays, excluding holidays.

Platforms and train doors are marked with signs indicating boarding areas for the cars, and the days and times when the cars are women-only. Though intended to be exclusive to women, most train operators in Japan allow male elementary school pupils, disabled persons, and their assistants to board women-only cars.[6][7]

29.6.13

Okiagari-kobōshi

Okiagari-koboshi or Okiagari-kobōshi (起き上がり小法師?, getting-up little priest) is a Japanese traditional doll.

The toy is made from papier-mâché and is designed so that its weight causes it to return to an upright position if it is knocked over.[1]

Okiagari-kobōshi is considered a good-luck charm and a symbol of perseverance and resilience.[2]

The makers of the earliest okiagari-kobōshi likely modeled them after a Chinese toy called Budaoweng (不倒翁; not-falling-down old man) that is similarly weighted.

One kind of Daruma doll works on the same principle as okiagari-kobōshi and is sometimes referred to by that name; whenever it is thrown down, it rights itself.[7] This depiction of the Buddhist monk Bodhidharma likely arose in connection with a legend that says that he once meditated for nine years, which caused his legs to either atrophy or fall off.[8] 

Yumomi (Kneading Water) in Kusatsu, Gunma

Kusatsu (草津町 Kusatsu-machi?) is a small town in Agatsuma District in Gunma Prefecture, Japan. Kusatsu is situated about 1,200 meters above sea level

The Netsu no yu (熱の湯 lit. "hot water"?), though located adjacent to the Yubatake, is a hot spring in its own right. The water is about 54 degrees Celsius, so it is not possible to bathe in it. For that reason there is the ancient tradition of Yumomi (湯もみ?), which means kneading or bashing the water. Using 1.80 meter long wooden boards the hot water is stirred, bashed, kneaded and thus cooled down. The simpler method of pouring in cold water is not practiced as it would dilute the healing power of the water. During the Yumomi ceremony, the Kusatsu song is sung and Japanese traditional dance is performed.

The Yubatake, one of the biggest hot springs and the main attraction of the town, is located in the center of Kusatsu. The spring water pours out of the rock and is then conducted through several rows of wooden boxes. In these wooden boxes Yu no hana (湯の花?) one of Kusatsu's specialties is cultivated. The word Yubatake accordingly means "hot water field". Around the Yubatake there are 100 name plates of famous persons that visited Kusatsu.

Onsen Manjū and Nozawa Onsen

Manjū is a well-known sweet in Japan, consisting of a pastry crust made of flour, rice flour and buckwheat and a filling made of Azuki bean paste. In onsen resorts, manjū were often steamed using the steam rising from the hot springs.

Nozawa Onsen (野沢温泉村 Nozawa-Onsen-mura?) is a village located in Shimotakai District, Nagano, Japan.

The village is located just one hour’s drive from Nagano City in the northern part of Nagano - a charming hot spring village located at the foot of Kenashi-yama Mountain which is home to around 5000 people. Nozawa Onsen is said to date back to 8th century but has been renowned for its onsen hot springs since the Edo period.[1] Legend is that the first hot spring in Nozawa Onsen was discovered by a bear and it was later shown to a hunter by an injured bear. [2]

In recent times it has also gained a great reputation for its skiing. In the 1998 Nagano Olympics, Nozawa Onsen hosted the biathlon. The village hosts a popular fire festival (dosojin matsuri - 道祖神祭り) every January.[3] [4] 

Famous foods from Nozawa Onsen 

28.6.13

Fuji Rabbit: A Symbol of Nostalgia in Japan!

The Fuji Rabbit was a motor scooter produced in Japan by Fuji Heavy Industries from 1946 through 1968.

Although not very well known outside of Japan, the Fuji Rabbit has earned itself a place in Japanese pop culture as a symbol of nostalgia. Fuji Rabbits have been featured in Japanese animated series such as FLCL and Paranoia Agent and are a favourite amongst collectors of scooters and motorcycles in Japan.

Beni Shōga

Beni shōga (紅生姜?) is a type of tsukemono (Japanese pickle). It is made from ginger cut into thin strips, colored red, and pickled in umezu (梅酢, plum vinegar), the pickling solution used to make umeboshi; the red color is derived from red perilla. It is served with many Japanese dishes, including gyūdon, okonomiyaki, and yakisoba.

Umeboshi (Japanese: , pronounced [u͍meboɕi]; literally "dried ume") are pickled ume fruits common in Japan.

Auto Race

Auto Race (オートレース Ōto Rēsu?) is a Japanese version of motorcycle speedway, but combines gambling added into it and is held on an asphalt course, throughout Japan. It is regulated by the JKA Foundation.

A typical Auto Race bike is 599㏄. Autorace is predominantly a gambling sport. The first ever meeting was held at Funabashi in 1950, but the more traditional speedway and flat track dirt surfaces were banned by the government in the 1960s because they were considered too dangerous.

Unlike other forms of motorcycle and gambling sport, prior to race day, riders are required to reside at the dormitory with over 500 riders and refrain from contacting anyone within the outside world including any forms of communications to prevent race fixing.

An average rider usually spends half a year living away from home. A race usually involves eight riders and runs for no more than three minutes.

The sport also spawned a manga called Speed Star.

27.6.13

“Uwan!”

An uwan (うわん?) in Japanese folklore is a disembodied voice that inhabits old, abandoned temples and homes.

According to ancient legends from Aomori Prefecture Japan, when a person enters one of these buildings, the formless yōkai shouts out an ear-piercing “Uwan!” The voice is only audible to people inside the building — those outside hear nothing. Since an uwan does not physically exist and only consists of sound, it poses no physical danger.

Ancient Japanese legends provide several examples of formless yōkai like the uwan, which consist of nothing but sound, light or other natural phenomena. In the Edo period, however, these demon spirits assumed physical bodies as artists such as Sawaki Suushi incorporated them into their work.

Aomori Prefecture (青森県 Aomori-ken?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Tōhoku Region.[2] The capital is the city of Aomori.[3]

The Edo period (江戸時代 Edo jidai?), or Tokugawa period (徳川時代 Tokugawa jidai?), is the period between 1603 and 1868 in the history of Japan, when Japanese society was under the rule of the Tokugawa shogunate and the country's 300 

Otsumami: The Snack-like Origin of the Word "Sakana"

Sakana (?) or shukō (?) is a Japanese term referring to food eaten as an accompaniment to alcohol. Sakana may also be referred to as otsumami; this term usually applies to smaller dishes. Because fish, especially dried fish, was a popular choice for these dishes, over the years the term sakana also came to mean "fish".

Listed below are some common sakana.
Small snacks

Onekotan Island

Onekotan Island (Russian: Онекотан; Japanese 温禰古丹島; Onekotan-tō, occasionally Onnekotan-tō, Ainu: オネコタン or オネコタㇴ) is an uninhabited volcanic island located near the northern end of the Kuril Islands chain in the Sea of Okhotsk in the northwest Pacific Ocean. Its name is derived from the Ainu language for "large village".

Calpis (Karupisu)

Calpis (カルピス Karupisu?) is a Japanese uncarbonated soft drink, manufactured by Calpis Co., Ltd.  (カルピス株式会社 Karupisu Kabushiki-gaisha?), headquartered in Shibuya, Tokyo.[1] Calpis Co. is a subsidiary of Ajinomoto.

The beverage has a light, somewhat milky, and slightly acidic flavor, similar to plain or vanilla-flavored yogurt or Yakult. Its ingredients include water, nonfat dry milk and lactic acid, and is produced by lactic acid fermentation.

The drink is sold as a concentrate which is mixed with water or sometimes milk just before consumption. A pre-diluted version known as Calpis Water "Karupisu Wōtā" (カルピスウォーター?), or its carbonated variety, known as Calpis Soda "Karupisu Sōda" (カルピスソーダ?), are also available. It is also used to flavor kakigori (shaved ice) and as a mixer for cocktails and chuhai.

There are many flavor variations.  

It was first marketed on July 7, 1919. It quickly became popular in pre-war Japan as its concentrated form meant it kept well without refrigeration.

The polka dot packaging used to be white dots against a blue background until the colours were inverted in 1953. It was originally themed on the Milky Way, which is in reference to the Japanese festival of Tanabata on July 7, a traditional observation seen as the start of the summer.

26.6.13

Genmaicha (aka Popcorn Tea)

Genmaicha (玄米茶?, "brown rice tea") is the Japanese name for green tea combined with roasted brown rice.[1]

It is sometimes referred to colloquially as "popcorn tea" because a few grains of the rice pop during the roasting process and resemble popcorn.

This type of tea was originally drunk by poor Japanese, as the rice served as a filler and reduced the price of the tea; which is why it is also known as the "people's tea."

It was also used by those persons fasting for religious purposes or who found themselves to be between meals for long periods of time. Today it is consumed by all segments of society.
 
Tea steeped from these tea leaves has a light yellow hue. Its flavor is mild and combines the fresh grassy flavor of green tea with the aroma of the roasted rice. Although this tea is based on green tea, the recommended way to brew this tea is different from that of green tea. To make best aroma, it is recommended to use boiled water with brewing time of 30 seconds.

Genmaicha is also sold with matcha (powdered green tea) added to it. This product is called Matcha-iri genmaicha (抹茶入り玄米茶?) (lit. Genmaicha with added powdered tea). Matcha-iri genmaicha has a similar flavor to plain genmaicha but the flavor is often stronger and the color more green than light yellow.

Okobo

Okobo (おこぼ?), also referred to as pokkuri, bokkuri, or koppori geta from the sound made when walking,[1] are wooden sandals worn by maiko (apprentice geisha) during their apprenticeship.

Okobo are very tall and usually made from a block of willow wood. Usually, the wood has either no finish or a natural finish, but during the summer months, maiko will wear black-lacquered okobo. They are held to the foot by simple thong-like straps in colors that represent their maiko status. Red straps are worn by new maiko, while yellow ones are worn by those who have nearly completed their apprenticeship.

Okobo are worn to prevent the wearer's kimono from touching the ground.[2]

Arashiyama, Kyoto

Arashiyama (嵐山 Storm Mountain?) is a district on the western outskirts of Kyoto, Japan. It also refers to the mountain across the Ōi River, which forms a backdrop to the district. Arashiyama is a nationally-designated Historic Site and Place of Scenic Beauty.[1]

The Togetsukyō is a bridge across the river. The river changes names on either side of this bridge. West of the bridge it is the Hozu River and east of the bridge it is the Katsura River.

  • The Iwatayama Monkey Park on the slopes of Mount Arashiyama. Over 170 monkeys live at the park. While the monkeys are wild, they have become accustomed to humans. The park is located on a small mountain not far from the Saga-Arashiyama rail station. Visitors can approach and photograph the monkeys. At the summit is a fenced enclosure, from within which visitors can feed the monkeys.
  • The romantic "Moon Crossing Bridge" (渡月橋,Togetsukyō), notable for its views of cherry blossoms and autumn colors on the slopes of Mt Arashiyama.
  • The tombstone of the Heike courtesan Kogo of Sagano.
  • Tenryū-ji, the main temple of one the 15 branches of the Rinzai school, one of the two main sects of Zen Buddhism in Japan.
  • The hamlet of Kiyotaki, a small scenic village at the base of Mt Atago, the home to a notable Shinto shrine.
  • Matsuo Shrine, half a mile south of the area, which is home to a blessed spring. It is also one of the oldest shrines in the Kyoto area, founded in 700. The alleged restorative properties of the spring bring many local sake and miso companies to the shrine for prayers that their product will be blessed.
  • Kameyama koen has a stone commemorating Zhou Enlai's visit to Arashiyama. He was moved by the cherry blossoms and mountain greenery. The four poems Zhou Enlai wrote about his visit are engraved on a stone monument: "Arashiyama in the Rain."
  • Ōkōchi Sansō, the Japanese-style home and gardens of the film actor Denjirō Ōkōchi.

25.6.13

Puramo

Plamo (プラモ puramo?) refers to the hobby of plastic modeling, and to the products of this hobby.

In the West, the term is most often used in reference to fantasy, anime, or manga-related objects and characters, as this type of modelling has had a proportionately larger contingency in Japan than in the US.

However, in Japan "puramo" refers to any and all hobby modeling done in plastic, including military modelling, construction from pre-molded kits, "kit-bashing," Scratch building, and to pre-assembled, fully finished models acquired for decoration or collection.

Fighter Kites and Kite Fighting in Japan

Fighter kites are kites used for the sport of kite fighting.

Some Fighter Kites:

The Rokkaku dako(六角凧) is a traditional six-sided Japanese fighter kite. Traditionally, it is made with bamboo spars and washi paper. The rokkaku kite is often hand painted with the face of a famous Samurai.

The rokkaku kite is often used for kite aerial photography and in atmospheric science, thanks to its large surface area and simple construction.

The Rokkaku is 1-2m high hexagonal kite fought with teams of players flying each kite. Both the Rokkaku and the smaller rectangular Buka have been adopted and further developed by western kite enthusiasts.

Some Festivals:

In June every year, Shirone city hosts the week long Giant Kite Festival (takomatsuri). Opposing teams formed by residents battles across the Nakanogichi River using giants kites. The kites are hand made and painted by the team members for the entire year preceding the event. Each kite measures about 7m x 3m and typically sports a portrait of a renown samurai, local figure, or mascot signifying the area or team sponsor.

Hamamatsu Festival, held from May 3 through May 5 each year, is well known for Takoage Gassen, or the kite fight, and luxuriously decorated palace-like floats. The festival originated about 430 years ago, when the lord of Hamamatsu Castle celebrated the birth of his first son by flying kites. In the Meiji Era, the celebration of the birth of a first son by flying Hatsu Dako, or the first kite, became popular, and this tradition has survived in the form of Hamamatsu Festival. It is extremely exciting to see over 160 large kites flying in the sky to the sound of bugles. Those who visit Hamamatsu at this time of the year can experience the city at its most exciting time.During the nights of Hamamatsu Festival, people parade downtown carrying over 70 yatai, or palace-lake floats, that are beautifully decorated while playing Japanese traditional festival music. The festival reaches its peak when groups of people compete by violently marching across town.

Hamakita Hiryu Festival:

This festival is held in honor of Ryujin, the god of the Tenryū River, and features a wide variety of events such as the Hamakita takoage (kite flying) event and the Hiryu himatsuri (flying dragon fire festival) which celebrates water, sound, and flame.

Satsuma/Edo Kiriko (Cut Glass)

Satsuma Kiriko (薩摩切子?) cut glass was produced by the Satsuma clan from the final years of the Edo period to the beginning of the Meiji period (1868–1912). Today, a reproduction is manufactured.

Edo Kiriko features transparent and colorless glass, while Satsuma Kiriko is more delicate and features overlaid colored glass. The main feature is the deep color of the overlaid colored glass. Also, cutting the glass boldly gives a beautiful gradation of color.

From 1985 a glass factory, an artisan, and a researcher together succeeded in reproducing Satsuma Kiriko. In 1989 Satsuma glass industrial art, under the supervision and direct management of the Shimadzu Corporation, was certified[clarification needed] as a traditional artifact of Kagoshima. At present, they produce both reproductions of the old-style Satsuma Kiriko and new designs and colors based on that style.

Satsuma Kiriko is made in Kagoshima Prefecture

24.6.13

The Other Kiyomizu-dera: Isumi, Chiba Prefecture

Kiyomizu-dera (清水寺?) is a Buddhist temple located in the city of Isumi in Chiba Prefecture, Japan.

According to an alternate reading of the name in Japanese, the temple is also referred to as Seisui-ji, and is commonly known as the Kiyomizu Kannon. Kiyomizu-dera is the 32nd temple in the Bandō Sanjūsankasho, or the circuit of 33 Buddhist temples in Eastern Japan sacred to bodhisattva Kannon.

According to legend, Kiyomizu-dera was founded in the Heian period by Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, the first shogun of Japan. Sakanoue no Tamuramaro, closely associated with the construction of Kiyomizu-dera in Kyoto, reputedly built the Isumi temple as a replica of the well-known Kyoto temple of the same name.

Nearly all temple structures of the Heian period were destroyed by fire at some time in the Muromachi period between 1469-148, and today few Heian period remnants are extant.

The present hon-dō (Main Hall) was reconstructed between 1688 and 1703.

Chiba Prefecture (千葉県 Chiba-ken?) is a prefecture of Japan located in the Kantō region and the Greater Tokyo Area.[1] Its capital is Chiba City.[2]

The Heian period (平安時代 Heian jidai?) is the last division of classical Japanese history, running from 794 to 1185.[1] The period is named after the capital city of Heian-kyō, or modern Kyōto

Tisshu Kubari (Tissue-pack Marketing)

Tissue-pack marketing (ティッシュ配り?) is a type of guerrilla marketing that is a phenomenon in Japan.

Companies use small, portable tissue packages to move advertising copy directly into consumers' hands.

About 4 billion of these packages of tissues are distributed on the streets annually in Japan—largely outside of subway stations. This industry generates sales in the range of ¥75 billion annually.[1]

The concept of tissue-pack marketing was first developed in Japan. Its origins date back to the late 1960s when Hiroshi Mori, the founder of a paper-goods manufacturer in Kōchi Prefecture called Meisei Industrial Co., was looking for ways to expand demand for paper products. At the time, the most common marketing freebie in Japan was boxes of matches. These were often given away at banks and then used by women in the kitchen. Mori figured tissues would have even wider appeal than the matches, and as a result he developed the machinery to fold and package tissues into easy-to-carry, pocket-size packs. The new product was marketed only as a form of advertising and was not sold to consumers.

Japan is still the main market for tissue-pack advertising, but the practice has begun to spread overseas.

Kōchi Prefecture (高知県 Kōchi-ken?) is a prefecture of Japan located on the south coast of Shikoku.[1] The capital is the city of Kōchi.[2]

Japanese Candlestick Charts and Spinning Tops

A candlestick chart is a style of bar-chart used primarily to describe price movements of a security, derivative, or currency over time.

It is a combination of a line-chart and a bar-chart, in that each bar represents the range of price movement over a given time interval. It is most often used in technical analysis of equity and currency price patterns. They appear superficially similar to box plots, but are unrelated.

Candlestick charts are thought to have been developed in the 18th century by Munehisa Homma, Japanese rice trader of financial instruments.[citation needed]. They were introduced to the Western world by Steve Nison in his book, Japanese Candlestick Charting Techniques.[1]

Spinning top is a Japanese candlesticks pattern with a short body found in the middle of two long wicks. A spinning top is indicative of a situation where neither the buyers nor the sellers have won for that time period, as the market has closed relatively unchanged from where it opened; the market is indecisive regarding its trend. The upper and lower long wicks, however, tell us that both the buyers and the sellers had the upper hand at some point during the time period the candle represents. When a spinning top forms after a run up or run down in the market, it can be an indication of a pending reversal, as the indecision in the market is representative of the buyers losing momentum when this occurs after an uptrend and the sellers losing momentum after a downtrend.