Long time no write!
I let this blog fall on the wayside to allow me to better focus on my Japanese studies. However, having passed the JLPT N1 last winter, I've decided to make writing a bigger priority in my life.
Therefore, starting in August, I will be updating this blog twice a month on the second and fourth Saturdays of each month. The first update each month will highlight some sorts of interesting products such as foods, or drinks that I have encountered in Japan. The second update each month will be a cultural anecdote, a travel journal, or something else that I want to talk about.
日本人の皆さん、ひさしぶり！
日本語能力試験N1を合格しましたのでもっと時間をかけてこのブログをいいものにするつもりです。
八月に始まって毎月二回このブログを更新します。 第二週土曜日では日本で売っている限定品を話題にします。 第四週土曜日で僕が日本で体験したことについて書きます。
よろしくおねがいします！
Friday, July 27, 2012
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Shinigami love apples!
Culture note 1: Eating an apple whole in Japan is called Marukajiri (lit. Round Biting) (Ma-roo-ka-jee-ree)
Culture note 2: Eating an apple in Japan is believed to cause Kaburitsuki which near as I can tell means that because of the way you are eating the apple, you will bash in your gums and bleed all over the place.
Never had that happen... ever. (Ka-boo-ree-tsoo-key)
Culture note 3: Eating an apple in Japan while walking is seen as similar to hocking a loogie onto the sidewalk. It's apparently really that bad in the manners department. Of course this is only generally speaking, I think.
Trivial note 1: One of Death Note's Shinigami (death gods/soul reapers) had a penchant for apples and often eats them marukajiri in the anime, manga, and live actions movie versions of Death Note.
Now that you are armed with that information, please proceed to the core material of this post.
I was walking out of the school while munching on my apple (like I do about every day) when I got stopped by the principal. She was gesturing strangely and saying something I could barely make out through the windows of the school office. I thought she was just teasing me about my marukajiri, like everyone else seems to want to do. This thought wasn't helped by her exaggerated tone, and weird apple-eating mimicry gyrations she made as she repeated over and over again "Dame," "Dame," occasionally even making an X with her arms for added effect.
(Dame, btw, means "No! No good! Don't do that!" when said in succession.) (Da-may)
At the time, I just smiled and kept walking. She was most certainly not going to make a good conversation partner. After all, when Japanese people revert to speaking in simple, single words, it is because they've assumed a mental posturing that is insulting to me. They assume that you are a small neanderthal monkey incapable of basic communication in their "very difficult" language. Of course, it's only made more difficult by these inane attempts at communication.
I was technically on the way home, so I had just slipped out of my slippers into my normal shoes and was about to leave school grounds before this all happened. However, upon exiting I saw another teacher on smoke break. Seeing a chance, I immediately sought out his thoughts on what just happened. This was a shot in the dark because I'd never actually held a conversation with this teacher before longer than a couple minutes, but he was more likely to prove to be a communicating adult.
So while he smoked, I ate my apple, and we chatted.
I asked him if the principal was serious and whether I should stop eating the apple I was already eating. (Wouldn't that be a waste!) He basically said something similar to "it would be better if you just joined me here until you finish that apple." Translated through the English cultural barrier that means something closer to "Don't even think about walking anywhere while eating that apple, idiot."
My stream of consciousness is running like mad as I continue chewing my apple to gain time. "Ouch! that was harsh.. but at least he's using full sentences... gotta focus on the positive.. the positive .. ugh, I'll have fun sorting this one out later... " >_<
While I recovered, he said in plain terms something about eating apples while walking is Dame. My response was quick and far too direct for Japanese communication, but it was basically "Eh? Really? I've been doing that since I came to Japan and no one has done me the favor of ever telling me that."
-insert dejected look here-
Then I asked a string of questions that would sound utterly simplistic and pandering in English but just happen to be the best way to sound curious in Japanese. I had a short five to ten minute conversation with him as I scarfed my apple down. About the time I finished my apple, the teacher was kind enough to tell me that I had ten minutes to get the train station... and then smile while saying "If you hurry you can make it right?"
Before taking off running, my response was "了解、焦ります." (Literally: Roger that, Hurrying.")
Yes, it sounds stupid, even in Japanese, I think.
The results of my conversation with that teacher are basically contained in culture point #3 at the top of this post, but apparently, it is extremely bad manners to walk and eat anything in Japan. I repeat, anything. Eating an apple is okay, just not while walking. The reasons given for this were basically two-fold. (1)Some teachers are afraid that the students might start imitating me, but (2)the principal is particularly nervous that people in the neighborhood will start spreading rumors about the local ALT eating apples while walking.
Sadly, I do not know the cultural reasons for Japan being up in arms against eating while walking.
However, the breakdown of the above reasons are as follows.
(1)Japan for whatever reason has, in general, a serious manners taboo about not sitting down or at least staying in one place to enjoy your food. Teachers, per their position, have not only a responsibility to educate their students but to set a good example as well. This seems contradictory to me because I see students in Japan often eating at their desks in the classrooms, mainly at lunchtime, but even between classes. However, they never eat in the halls, and near as I can tell, there is a punishment if they do.
Thankfully the teachers won't mind if I eat my apple in the office while sitting down even if it is marukajiri. So, I will continue to do it that way.
(2)Okay, so for this one you're probably thinking something similar to my initial knee-jerk thoughts. Right, so what if the neighbors spread rumors about me eating an apple while walking? I mean, I do eat apples while walking, so where is the harm in that. It's just the chatter of some busy bodies.
Well, let me work a little cultural translation magic for you. The phrase "spread rumors about you" (噂をする) doesn't mean just that they are simply talking about you. The phrase has the connotation of stating that they see you as 不良 (furyou)... which transliterated means "not-good," but is more like "delinquent" or like the "bad" in the phrase "bad company" (不良仲間). If you have this kind of image, it can reflect badly on the school because in Japan people are not thought of as individuals but are thought of as individuals of this organization, that group or whatever. So, I would be causing problems unwittingly and unnecessarily for my fellow teachers.
So, moral of today's story? It took som
e strange comical antics on the part of my principal for me to finally learn that something I was doing was considered bad manners by Japanese people. I'm still trying to fully convince myself that I should be grateful for that.
But, I am grateful that I now know.
Even if it took almost eight months of me eating apples marukajiri for someone to tell me.
^- That is one 不良 looking guy, eh?
Culture note 2: Eating an apple in Japan is believed to cause Kaburitsuki which near as I can tell means that because of the way you are eating the apple, you will bash in your gums and bleed all over the place.
Never had that happen... ever. (Ka-boo-ree-tsoo-key)
Culture note 3: Eating an apple in Japan while walking is seen as similar to hocking a loogie onto the sidewalk. It's apparently really that bad in the manners department. Of course this is only generally speaking, I think.
Trivial note 1: One of Death Note's Shinigami (death gods/soul reapers) had a penchant for apples and often eats them marukajiri in the anime, manga, and live actions movie versions of Death Note.
Now that you are armed with that information, please proceed to the core material of this post.
I was walking out of the school while munching on my apple (like I do about every day) when I got stopped by the principal. She was gesturing strangely and saying something I could barely make out through the windows of the school office. I thought she was just teasing me about my marukajiri, like everyone else seems to want to do. This thought wasn't helped by her exaggerated tone, and weird apple-eating mimicry gyrations she made as she repeated over and over again "Dame," "Dame," occasionally even making an X with her arms for added effect.
(Dame, btw, means "No! No good! Don't do that!" when said in succession.) (Da-may)
At the time, I just smiled and kept walking. She was most certainly not going to make a good conversation partner. After all, when Japanese people revert to speaking in simple, single words, it is because they've assumed a mental posturing that is insulting to me. They assume that you are a small neanderthal monkey incapable of basic communication in their "very difficult" language. Of course, it's only made more difficult by these inane attempts at communication.
I was technically on the way home, so I had just slipped out of my slippers into my normal shoes and was about to leave school grounds before this all happened. However, upon exiting I saw another teacher on smoke break. Seeing a chance, I immediately sought out his thoughts on what just happened. This was a shot in the dark because I'd never actually held a conversation with this teacher before longer than a couple minutes, but he was more likely to prove to be a communicating adult.
So while he smoked, I ate my apple, and we chatted.
I asked him if the principal was serious and whether I should stop eating the apple I was already eating. (Wouldn't that be a waste!) He basically said something similar to "it would be better if you just joined me here until you finish that apple." Translated through the English cultural barrier that means something closer to "Don't even think about walking anywhere while eating that apple, idiot."
My stream of consciousness is running like mad as I continue chewing my apple to gain time. "Ouch! that was harsh.. but at least he's using full sentences... gotta focus on the positive.. the positive .. ugh, I'll have fun sorting this one out later... " >_<
While I recovered, he said in plain terms something about eating apples while walking is Dame. My response was quick and far too direct for Japanese communication, but it was basically "Eh? Really? I've been doing that since I came to Japan and no one has done me the favor of ever telling me that."
-insert dejected look here-
Then I asked a string of questions that would sound utterly simplistic and pandering in English but just happen to be the best way to sound curious in Japanese. I had a short five to ten minute conversation with him as I scarfed my apple down. About the time I finished my apple, the teacher was kind enough to tell me that I had ten minutes to get the train station... and then smile while saying "If you hurry you can make it right?"
Before taking off running, my response was "了解、焦ります." (Literally: Roger that, Hurrying.")
Yes, it sounds stupid, even in Japanese, I think.
The results of my conversation with that teacher are basically contained in culture point #3 at the top of this post, but apparently, it is extremely bad manners to walk and eat anything in Japan. I repeat, anything. Eating an apple is okay, just not while walking. The reasons given for this were basically two-fold. (1)Some teachers are afraid that the students might start imitating me, but (2)the principal is particularly nervous that people in the neighborhood will start spreading rumors about the local ALT eating apples while walking.
Sadly, I do not know the cultural reasons for Japan being up in arms against eating while walking.
However, the breakdown of the above reasons are as follows.
(1)Japan for whatever reason has, in general, a serious manners taboo about not sitting down or at least staying in one place to enjoy your food. Teachers, per their position, have not only a responsibility to educate their students but to set a good example as well. This seems contradictory to me because I see students in Japan often eating at their desks in the classrooms, mainly at lunchtime, but even between classes. However, they never eat in the halls, and near as I can tell, there is a punishment if they do.
Thankfully the teachers won't mind if I eat my apple in the office while sitting down even if it is marukajiri. So, I will continue to do it that way.
(2)Okay, so for this one you're probably thinking something similar to my initial knee-jerk thoughts. Right, so what if the neighbors spread rumors about me eating an apple while walking? I mean, I do eat apples while walking, so where is the harm in that. It's just the chatter of some busy bodies.
Well, let me work a little cultural translation magic for you. The phrase "spread rumors about you" (噂をする) doesn't mean just that they are simply talking about you. The phrase has the connotation of stating that they see you as 不良 (furyou)... which transliterated means "not-good," but is more like "delinquent" or like the "bad" in the phrase "bad company" (不良仲間). If you have this kind of image, it can reflect badly on the school because in Japan people are not thought of as individuals but are thought of as individuals of this organization, that group or whatever. So, I would be causing problems unwittingly and unnecessarily for my fellow teachers.
So, moral of today's story? It took som
e strange comical antics on the part of my principal for me to finally learn that something I was doing was considered bad manners by Japanese people. I'm still trying to fully convince myself that I should be grateful for that. But, I am grateful that I now know.
Even if it took almost eight months of me eating apples marukajiri for someone to tell me.
^- That is one 不良 looking guy, eh?
Tuesday, March 15, 2011
For whom are you living?
So, do you live for the sake of someone else (ie. others), or do you
live for yourself?
I usually like to think I understand my answer to this deceptively simple-sounding question, but because of the earthquake/tsunami disaster stuff up North, I’ve been doing an excessive amount of thinking recently. Some of my musings on this topic are contained here, and hopefully they aren’t all that rambling.
So first of all, I am, at my core, part gamer. I say this warily because I know that I don’t rank up there with the masters at Street Fighter, Tetris, Super Mario etc, nor would I claim much in the way of skill. I do, however, claim passion and experience. Also, the previously mentioned game’s are probably beside the point, because I usually indulge in the solitary RPG or adventure type games.
Well, despite the traumatic situation in maybe a fifth(probably less) of Japan, here in Hiroshima you’d think nothing was happening. Life goes around me as normal. I went out and did darts on Saturday. I even played Border Break: Air Burst for about an hour. (Tangent: Border Break is one of those hardcore games you find at an arcade that only the serious gamer can even understand the basic controls.) Then I got to wondering; isn’t it interesting how we spend our limited time on this planet so frivolously?
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t going to turn into some sort of kudaranai (worthless) discussion on how evil video games are or some other rubbish like that. Video games are at the end of the day, a form of entertainment like any other that is probably best done in moderation.
Logical Tangent Alert: Of course, given my usual tendency to head butt new obstacles after hitting the ground with both feet running, moderation is from my perspective something best done in moderation… as they say “moderation in all things” (most people just forget that moderation just happens to be a thing too.)
Keeping this in mind, entertainment is usually best done in moderation for another reason. Moderation of gaming makes it sweeter; treat it like an all-you-can-eat buffet and it just grows bland. Varying opinions abound, I'm sure.
But I digress.
On a more broad scale, I am simply wondering why we, humans, aren’t always doing something of external value. External value benefits more than just ourselves and even usually has a limited "lasting factor." However, I suppose that answer is that many of us just turn inwards and become selfish creatures. Which I suppose then brings up the dilemma of "is this a good thing?" Being selfish is, of course, not a good thing, but “me time” or doing things for yourself becomes a vague category and is in fact probably a necessity for most.
So how does this fit into the seemingly bipolar atmosphere in my life at the moment? A place, on the opposite end of the island that is Honshu, is in possibly the worst state it has ever been, period, but life goes on as normal where I am. In fact, the number of people commuting to Nagarekawa (the nightly party district for Hiroshima) and the arcades (why do you think I know?) doesn’t even seem to have taken
a hit.
On a more personally social level, I’ve even noticed that I’ve put up a shell around me that makes it look like I’m going about my normal life, but I feel like there is
this itch on my heart that I can’t hope to scratch. I even find myself pondering “what if’s” like “if only I lived closer to the recent events perhaps I could be volunteering and be useful. Then again, would I just get in the way?” Perhaps you aren’t thinking this way, but I am.
(READ CAREFULLY)
Not that I’m not doing it, but I feel like donating would be just throwing money in that direction. While donating is a very good thing indeed and I recommend you do it, it just makes me feel like I’m trying to clear my own conscience and walk away from my worries. It’s a start, but insufficient to alleviate my desire to help. I want to get my hands dirty so to speak.
Then it hit me. I’m pondering this because it is my personality to prefer to be in a position where I am helping people, enriching other people’s lives, or I suppose (gasp) teaching.
Tangent: I have trouble thinking of myself as a good mass educator. I just want you aware of one thing; I have my own philosophies concerning education and growth that put me in opposition to most public education systems… despite the fact that I work in one. This doesn't prevent me from doing my job, or doing it well for that matter. I just prefer to do what I can for my students real learning.
Anyway, back to the personal me:
I prefer to be actively learning either on my own or by helping others…which is probably why I switched more than half of my entertainment forms into Japanese. Initially, dictionary at my side, I couldn’t proceed a few clicks in a game without looking up a myriad of unknown vocabulary and kanji. Now, the issue is just speed of
understanding and the occasional particularly tough or specialized vocabulary that involves some guesswork or a Japanese-Japanese dictionary to understand. Movies that lack subtitles make this guesswork very difficult sometimes.
So, having attempted to follow the advice of the Oracle at Delphi (Know thyself) I turned the questioning beyond myself. Thinking about it, I realized that I obviously can’t put myself literally into the mind of another, but I can mentally peruse the possibilities that I would usually only perceive if my I chose to go off some sort of self imposed “deep end.”
Therefore I came up with this situation; what would happen if my gaming interest went off the deep end again like it did for three months in high school? What sort of mental positioning would I have to do to prevent the cognitive dissonance at that time and extend that situation out into the rest of my days? (Not a goal by the way)
I looked around, in my minds eye, and I thought, well, the Otaku category of people in Japan is a unique example. Or perhaps even the pachinko gamblers. Ignoring the ones, of course, that have a social life, family etc by having properly balanced the real world and their entertainment form. What I find that I am puzzled by are the
people who fall into addiction and burn out their entire lives on their solitary passion. I would have to descend into a tier 6 depression in order to potentially move in that direction. Or in other words, I think the thing most necessary for me to have such a single-minded selfish passion would be a total paradigm shift.
I would have to come to believe that I was the most significant individual on Earth. After all, how else could I justify that kind of use of time, talent and treasure to myself? Perhaps, I would even have to sincerely come to believe that “ignorance is bliss” so that I could ignore the rest of the world and go on day by day with my selfish pursuits. I know I would have to find a way to shut down my cognitive
dissonance antennae because my current standards of value wouldn’t allow for such waste...
So my answer to my initial question in its most simplistic and enigmatic form is “yes.” You live for yourself by living for others. Factoring in that personalities vary along a plane of extroverts and introverts, what this means is that you don’t ignore your own entertainment time but instead that you take your personal entertainment in appropriate doses, and you never let it take priority over friends, family, work and other “real” responsibilities.
In concluding, by means of me trying to pull this wandering mess of a blog post together, I do have a point to make. And well I know it is completely cliche to bring up matters of how dire situations really test our mettle, I must say that I hope this situation in Japan is finding you NOT panicking but gaining new knowledge and learning what you can do for your fellowmen.
Now, let’s see how well I can live out my own thoughts. Wish me luck.
(BTW, this was written between the 13th and 15th of March 2011, while I was having some down time at work. The great earthquake in Japan was on the 11th.)
PS.. if even one of you gets on my case for saying "fellowmen" and bringing up that PC nonsense... I will write you a blog post on why PC is for those with closed minds and an inability to think. Why? Because you obviously didn't get the point of my post. Get your priorities straight. So there.
live for yourself?
I usually like to think I understand my answer to this deceptively simple-sounding question, but because of the earthquake/tsunami disaster stuff up North, I’ve been doing an excessive amount of thinking recently. Some of my musings on this topic are contained here, and hopefully they aren’t all that rambling.
So first of all, I am, at my core, part gamer. I say this warily because I know that I don’t rank up there with the masters at Street Fighter, Tetris, Super Mario etc, nor would I claim much in the way of skill. I do, however, claim passion and experience. Also, the previously mentioned game’s are probably beside the point, because I usually indulge in the solitary RPG or adventure type games.
Well, despite the traumatic situation in maybe a fifth(probably less) of Japan, here in Hiroshima you’d think nothing was happening. Life goes around me as normal. I went out and did darts on Saturday. I even played Border Break: Air Burst for about an hour. (Tangent: Border Break is one of those hardcore games you find at an arcade that only the serious gamer can even understand the basic controls.) Then I got to wondering; isn’t it interesting how we spend our limited time on this planet so frivolously?
Don’t get me wrong, this isn’t going to turn into some sort of kudaranai (worthless) discussion on how evil video games are or some other rubbish like that. Video games are at the end of the day, a form of entertainment like any other that is probably best done in moderation.
Logical Tangent Alert: Of course, given my usual tendency to head butt new obstacles after hitting the ground with both feet running, moderation is from my perspective something best done in moderation… as they say “moderation in all things” (most people just forget that moderation just happens to be a thing too.)
Keeping this in mind, entertainment is usually best done in moderation for another reason. Moderation of gaming makes it sweeter; treat it like an all-you-can-eat buffet and it just grows bland. Varying opinions abound, I'm sure.
But I digress.
On a more broad scale, I am simply wondering why we, humans, aren’t always doing something of external value. External value benefits more than just ourselves and even usually has a limited "lasting factor." However, I suppose that answer is that many of us just turn inwards and become selfish creatures. Which I suppose then brings up the dilemma of "is this a good thing?" Being selfish is, of course, not a good thing, but “me time” or doing things for yourself becomes a vague category and is in fact probably a necessity for most.
So how does this fit into the seemingly bipolar atmosphere in my life at the moment? A place, on the opposite end of the island that is Honshu, is in possibly the worst state it has ever been, period, but life goes on as normal where I am. In fact, the number of people commuting to Nagarekawa (the nightly party district for Hiroshima) and the arcades (why do you think I know?) doesn’t even seem to have taken
a hit.
On a more personally social level, I’ve even noticed that I’ve put up a shell around me that makes it look like I’m going about my normal life, but I feel like there is
this itch on my heart that I can’t hope to scratch. I even find myself pondering “what if’s” like “if only I lived closer to the recent events perhaps I could be volunteering and be useful. Then again, would I just get in the way?” Perhaps you aren’t thinking this way, but I am.
(READ CAREFULLY)
Not that I’m not doing it, but I feel like donating would be just throwing money in that direction. While donating is a very good thing indeed and I recommend you do it, it just makes me feel like I’m trying to clear my own conscience and walk away from my worries. It’s a start, but insufficient to alleviate my desire to help. I want to get my hands dirty so to speak.
Then it hit me. I’m pondering this because it is my personality to prefer to be in a position where I am helping people, enriching other people’s lives, or I suppose (gasp) teaching.
Tangent: I have trouble thinking of myself as a good mass educator. I just want you aware of one thing; I have my own philosophies concerning education and growth that put me in opposition to most public education systems… despite the fact that I work in one. This doesn't prevent me from doing my job, or doing it well for that matter. I just prefer to do what I can for my students real learning.
Anyway, back to the personal me:
I prefer to be actively learning either on my own or by helping others…which is probably why I switched more than half of my entertainment forms into Japanese. Initially, dictionary at my side, I couldn’t proceed a few clicks in a game without looking up a myriad of unknown vocabulary and kanji. Now, the issue is just speed of
understanding and the occasional particularly tough or specialized vocabulary that involves some guesswork or a Japanese-Japanese dictionary to understand. Movies that lack subtitles make this guesswork very difficult sometimes.
So, having attempted to follow the advice of the Oracle at Delphi (Know thyself) I turned the questioning beyond myself. Thinking about it, I realized that I obviously can’t put myself literally into the mind of another, but I can mentally peruse the possibilities that I would usually only perceive if my I chose to go off some sort of self imposed “deep end.”
Therefore I came up with this situation; what would happen if my gaming interest went off the deep end again like it did for three months in high school? What sort of mental positioning would I have to do to prevent the cognitive dissonance at that time and extend that situation out into the rest of my days? (Not a goal by the way)
I looked around, in my minds eye, and I thought, well, the Otaku category of people in Japan is a unique example. Or perhaps even the pachinko gamblers. Ignoring the ones, of course, that have a social life, family etc by having properly balanced the real world and their entertainment form. What I find that I am puzzled by are the
people who fall into addiction and burn out their entire lives on their solitary passion. I would have to descend into a tier 6 depression in order to potentially move in that direction. Or in other words, I think the thing most necessary for me to have such a single-minded selfish passion would be a total paradigm shift.
I would have to come to believe that I was the most significant individual on Earth. After all, how else could I justify that kind of use of time, talent and treasure to myself? Perhaps, I would even have to sincerely come to believe that “ignorance is bliss” so that I could ignore the rest of the world and go on day by day with my selfish pursuits. I know I would have to find a way to shut down my cognitive
dissonance antennae because my current standards of value wouldn’t allow for such waste...
So my answer to my initial question in its most simplistic and enigmatic form is “yes.” You live for yourself by living for others. Factoring in that personalities vary along a plane of extroverts and introverts, what this means is that you don’t ignore your own entertainment time but instead that you take your personal entertainment in appropriate doses, and you never let it take priority over friends, family, work and other “real” responsibilities.
In concluding, by means of me trying to pull this wandering mess of a blog post together, I do have a point to make. And well I know it is completely cliche to bring up matters of how dire situations really test our mettle, I must say that I hope this situation in Japan is finding you NOT panicking but gaining new knowledge and learning what you can do for your fellowmen.
Now, let’s see how well I can live out my own thoughts. Wish me luck.
(BTW, this was written between the 13th and 15th of March 2011, while I was having some down time at work. The great earthquake in Japan was on the 11th.)
PS.. if even one of you gets on my case for saying "fellowmen" and bringing up that PC nonsense... I will write you a blog post on why PC is for those with closed minds and an inability to think. Why? Because you obviously didn't get the point of my post. Get your priorities straight. So there.
Sunday, December 5, 2010
O_O Whe?
Okay, let me pad this story by noting that I normally dismiss odd reactions by Japanese people as simply my imagination. I know Gaijin-panic happens from time to time, but it is certainly not the norm.... at least I haven't encountered it with the younger generation at all.
(Gaijin = Slang for foreigner. Rather rude word pointed towards those who are not-Japanese)
Anyway, keep that in mind.
So, I leave to go to the eki this morning from my home apartment. You know, somehow I had to get to the place where I was taking the JLPT, right? Well, I was feeling chipper this morning so I decided to jog down the street until I had to turn to head to the station. Since I hadn't been to this particular eki before, I looked at my map and counted the street lights until that turn. The number was nine. With that in mind, I took off jogging.
Well, I make my way easily down the street with little obstruction from red lights, except one and that bothers me. At about the fifth light or so, I look down the street to kinda see if I needed to pick up speed or not to avoid stopping at any other lights. Y'know, I'd prefer to continue moving if I can avoid stopping. Red lights have definitely become one of my pet peeves. Up ahead, I see this old obachan dressed completely in black trundling away down the sidewalk. She's somewhere between a block and a half and two blocks away from me at the time. This is where it got surreal for me
The old lady turns and glances back in my direction. I avoid eye contact like I usually do with people that I don't know. It's a habit I think I've picked up in Japan. If someone is staring I try not to care because I 'd rather not create a confrontation. However, she turns her head back towards the light up ahead. For half a second all is normal, when suddenly she flings her arms in the air, and I kid you not, takes off in a full arm flail run. While trying not to flinch, I'm meanwhile still jogging.
Looking on at the strange behavior, I try to convince myself that she is just running to catch the next light. I mean, the timing is sorta right because I know I'm going to barely make it while it is still green. Therefore she should definitely make it. By now, I'm close to a block away, and I figure I'll be able to pass her if I make the light too. Bad idea, but I keep jogging.
She makes it across the street. In other words, she makes the light. However, she keeps going in full arm flail run. Something she shouldn't be doing if she was just trying to make the light. I hoping against hope, I'm not somehow the cause of this scene. All of a sudden a half a block away from the light and me, she stops and glances back. This time, for just an instant, she was clearly staring at me. While stamping her left foot hard, she clasps her hands together and forcefully does an odd stretching motion twice in the direction away from me. I'm meanwhile still jogging.
In fact, I wonder why I'm still jogging. Should I stop? Should go a different way? Is it even safe to pass her? I decide I'm dealing with a weirdo but refuse to stop anyway. I mean she's only an obachan right? She probably can't even catch me. So, I simply tighten my resolve and decide to not even so much as look in her direction. I think that looking at her again might just set her off. As I pass her though, that is exactly what happens. Out of the corner of my eye, I can tell she's blatantly staring at me and stamping her foot. Then she barks something out as I go jogging past.
Sadly, I have no clue what she said, but it was short so one word, possibly two. It even might even simply have been “Gaijin.” I didn't stop, so I don't know exactly. Her voice was really creepy though; I would dare say she sounded like her throat was full of phlegm or her mouth full of spit. The instant so caught me off guard that I felt two conflicting emotions in reaction to her utterance. One was a cold chill up my spine, and the other was an intense desire to turn her attitude back on her. Meaning, I thought of stopping, bowing and then apologizing for my existence because that was apparently what she was having a problem with. Instead, I just kept jogging.
I didn't look back. I took my turn. I got picked up by a friend at the eki. I took my test. Truly, the day was otherwise uneventful.
What are your thoughts? To nip one thought in the bud: no she was not just clearing her throat. The timing was too perfect and I know I heard language, just what I don't know. ^_^
(Gaijin = Slang for foreigner. Rather rude word pointed towards those who are not-Japanese)
Anyway, keep that in mind.
So, I leave to go to the eki this morning from my home apartment. You know, somehow I had to get to the place where I was taking the JLPT, right? Well, I was feeling chipper this morning so I decided to jog down the street until I had to turn to head to the station. Since I hadn't been to this particular eki before, I looked at my map and counted the street lights until that turn. The number was nine. With that in mind, I took off jogging.
Well, I make my way easily down the street with little obstruction from red lights, except one and that bothers me. At about the fifth light or so, I look down the street to kinda see if I needed to pick up speed or not to avoid stopping at any other lights. Y'know, I'd prefer to continue moving if I can avoid stopping. Red lights have definitely become one of my pet peeves. Up ahead, I see this old obachan dressed completely in black trundling away down the sidewalk. She's somewhere between a block and a half and two blocks away from me at the time. This is where it got surreal for me
The old lady turns and glances back in my direction. I avoid eye contact like I usually do with people that I don't know. It's a habit I think I've picked up in Japan. If someone is staring I try not to care because I 'd rather not create a confrontation. However, she turns her head back towards the light up ahead. For half a second all is normal, when suddenly she flings her arms in the air, and I kid you not, takes off in a full arm flail run. While trying not to flinch, I'm meanwhile still jogging.
Looking on at the strange behavior, I try to convince myself that she is just running to catch the next light. I mean, the timing is sorta right because I know I'm going to barely make it while it is still green. Therefore she should definitely make it. By now, I'm close to a block away, and I figure I'll be able to pass her if I make the light too. Bad idea, but I keep jogging.
She makes it across the street. In other words, she makes the light. However, she keeps going in full arm flail run. Something she shouldn't be doing if she was just trying to make the light. I hoping against hope, I'm not somehow the cause of this scene. All of a sudden a half a block away from the light and me, she stops and glances back. This time, for just an instant, she was clearly staring at me. While stamping her left foot hard, she clasps her hands together and forcefully does an odd stretching motion twice in the direction away from me. I'm meanwhile still jogging.
In fact, I wonder why I'm still jogging. Should I stop? Should go a different way? Is it even safe to pass her? I decide I'm dealing with a weirdo but refuse to stop anyway. I mean she's only an obachan right? She probably can't even catch me. So, I simply tighten my resolve and decide to not even so much as look in her direction. I think that looking at her again might just set her off. As I pass her though, that is exactly what happens. Out of the corner of my eye, I can tell she's blatantly staring at me and stamping her foot. Then she barks something out as I go jogging past.
Sadly, I have no clue what she said, but it was short so one word, possibly two. It even might even simply have been “Gaijin.” I didn't stop, so I don't know exactly. Her voice was really creepy though; I would dare say she sounded like her throat was full of phlegm or her mouth full of spit. The instant so caught me off guard that I felt two conflicting emotions in reaction to her utterance. One was a cold chill up my spine, and the other was an intense desire to turn her attitude back on her. Meaning, I thought of stopping, bowing and then apologizing for my existence because that was apparently what she was having a problem with. Instead, I just kept jogging.
I didn't look back. I took my turn. I got picked up by a friend at the eki. I took my test. Truly, the day was otherwise uneventful.
What are your thoughts? To nip one thought in the bud: no she was not just clearing her throat. The timing was too perfect and I know I heard language, just what I don't know. ^_^
Tuesday, November 2, 2010
Miyajima Escapade
.. Random, besides some minor editing, I typed this all on my phone. ^_^
Well, I'm on the train to Miyajima guchi at the moment. I boarded the 1620 train so I will barely make it for sunset which is at 1645. Why? The train arrives at 1646, and I will still have to take the ferry to Miyajima which won't be departing until 1655. Needless to say I'm being pretty stupid, but this beats cabin fever.
Even only a glimpse of Miyajima at sunset should be enough to satiate my curiosity. Also, I probably won't take the ferry today but will hit the gift shop before taking the inner city train back to hondori perhaps.
So why do I have cabin fever you ask? I haven't left my apartment/room all day until this little venture. I got really behind because of a six day work week and a stressful open class research experience. Truly though, the six day work week wasn't all that bad. The research class was a total brain buster though.
Ooh.
I thought of something. The sunset time that I have is for Tokyo, so I might make it for Hiroshima's Miyajima.
Nope, nevermind. Already, it is too late. Time1701
Time:1818
About to eat Okonomiyaki at a place close to the ferry. I did after all decide to go to Miyajima. It was a totally awesome decision too. Miyajima, of course, hasn't changed a bit. The deer are still crazy for example.
So, unfortunately my Okonomiyaki was not the best I've had. You might actually say that it was subpar since it cost 890en. Before I had Okonomiyaki for about 500 en with one of the teachers. Now that was some good Okonomiyaki.
At Miyajima this time, I also had chuhai Ramune which I found by accident at one of the stores. Chuhai basically means it has alchohol in it. Oh! I also bought something as an omiyage for one of my ESS groups. The omiyage is basically momiji manjuu made into senbei (rice cracker). I hope it is a positive experience.
I also bought a bunch of unusual momiji manjuu. It all started when I found a black momiji manjuu that wasn't chocolate. So going from memory, I bought black sesame, lemon, brandy, yuzu, green tea, and red sweet potato manjuus. I'll assume they are all good and just let you know later if any were bad.
Note: I like Yuzu, but yuzu doesn't go well in momiji majuu.
Well, I'm on the train to Miyajima guchi at the moment. I boarded the 1620 train so I will barely make it for sunset which is at 1645. Why? The train arrives at 1646, and I will still have to take the ferry to Miyajima which won't be departing until 1655. Needless to say I'm being pretty stupid, but this beats cabin fever.
Even only a glimpse of Miyajima at sunset should be enough to satiate my curiosity. Also, I probably won't take the ferry today but will hit the gift shop before taking the inner city train back to hondori perhaps.
So why do I have cabin fever you ask? I haven't left my apartment/room all day until this little venture. I got really behind because of a six day work week and a stressful open class research experience. Truly though, the six day work week wasn't all that bad. The research class was a total brain buster though.
Ooh.
I thought of something. The sunset time that I have is for Tokyo, so I might make it for Hiroshima's Miyajima.
Nope, nevermind. Already, it is too late. Time1701
Time:1818
About to eat Okonomiyaki at a place close to the ferry. I did after all decide to go to Miyajima. It was a totally awesome decision too. Miyajima, of course, hasn't changed a bit. The deer are still crazy for example.
So, unfortunately my Okonomiyaki was not the best I've had. You might actually say that it was subpar since it cost 890en. Before I had Okonomiyaki for about 500 en with one of the teachers. Now that was some good Okonomiyaki.
At Miyajima this time, I also had chuhai Ramune which I found by accident at one of the stores. Chuhai basically means it has alchohol in it. Oh! I also bought something as an omiyage for one of my ESS groups. The omiyage is basically momiji manjuu made into senbei (rice cracker). I hope it is a positive experience.
I also bought a bunch of unusual momiji manjuu. It all started when I found a black momiji manjuu that wasn't chocolate. So going from memory, I bought black sesame, lemon, brandy, yuzu, green tea, and red sweet potato manjuus. I'll assume they are all good and just let you know later if any were bad.
Note: I like Yuzu, but yuzu doesn't go well in momiji majuu.
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
The Secret Code of Vocations?
Basically, this is the one and really only part that I am able to take away positively from the Japanese book that I'm reading. You know, the one called “天命の暗号.” I've determined that it is a self-help book for those who are castaways in the sea of life.
So, anyway, the important part is as follows. We each have different ways we interact with people, right? The author of this book has broken up the way we deal with people into four categories. We all possess these four categories and utilize them in varying degrees. However, we likely have one, or possibly two, in which we are very strong. More importantly, these different categories, or focuses, effect the way we listen to what other people say. Basically, I think this part is important because in understanding this part of yourself, you can better widen your horizon and learn to understand why some people react to you negatively/positively.
I'll try to summarize in brief on what this guy spent a couple chapters.
達成的 – Achievement oriented
Focus is obviously on the end. Characterized by evaluating people's accomplishments and victories in comparison with your own activities. Emphasis is on thoughts like “I could do that” or “That is impossible for me.” You burn with a passion likely based in a blind ambition towards the end point, and things are divided into two groups black and white The goal is the main point.
親和的 – Friendship oriented
The focus is on friends. You base your movements on your group, and often think in terms of your friends. “My friends are doing it,” or “Lets do it together.” Easily the least selfish kind of orientation, but also the most spineless. You either have a group of friends or you are toast if you are fully of this orientation because you draw your power from those around you.
献身的 – Devotion oriented
This one is kind of based on your friends as well. The difference is that you prefer to do 1-1 interactions and are probably prone to dominating said one on one conversation. You even prefer one on one interactions with your enemies. You think things like “If it will help to make him/her happy” or “I'll do it for justice's sake.” Basically, you value loyalty to individuals above anything else.
評価的 – Evaluation oriented
This one is basically your philosopher factor. You interact with people for the sake of shaking down truth. You carefully think about things before doing them, and even then really fear messing up. I think this one would be “I'm the kind of guy that would laugh at a funeral, can you understand what I mean? Well, you soon will.” You look at events based on whether they are interesting or not and you likely come across as KY or cold.
Really, I don't know where I fall in these categories. When I was younger I was definitely mainly devotion type, but then I went through high school and was mainly friendship oriented (still kind of am). College, I was, by necessity, mostly Achievement orientated. Now, I am likely mostly Evaluation orientated. Not sure. I do still tend to think in terms of “is that something I could accomplish or not.”
For those of you that are visual, Visuals!
図１９ 達成的 – Achievement oriented
図２０ 親和的 – Friendship oriented
図２１ 献身的 – Devotion oriented
図２２ 評価的 – Evaluation oriented
Anyway, as you can imagine, certain types don't get along with other types as well as they could. I don't have the book in front of me anymore, so I can't check what they were. I think you can imagine though that a very strongly Evaluation type person would be very jarring for a strong Devotion type person. The devotion type would see the Evaluation type as cold and unfeeling, whereas the Evaluation type would see the Devotional type as excessively peaceable.
Finally, which type you are strongly effects how you interpret/hear what other people tell you. I think perhaps if I look into it more closely, I might be able to understand some reasons for past miscommunications.
While, I hope this helps you in some way.
PS... I just realized that I typed this all up without saving once... that was gutsy
So, anyway, the important part is as follows. We each have different ways we interact with people, right? The author of this book has broken up the way we deal with people into four categories. We all possess these four categories and utilize them in varying degrees. However, we likely have one, or possibly two, in which we are very strong. More importantly, these different categories, or focuses, effect the way we listen to what other people say. Basically, I think this part is important because in understanding this part of yourself, you can better widen your horizon and learn to understand why some people react to you negatively/positively.
I'll try to summarize in brief on what this guy spent a couple chapters.
達成的 – Achievement oriented
Focus is obviously on the end. Characterized by evaluating people's accomplishments and victories in comparison with your own activities. Emphasis is on thoughts like “I could do that” or “That is impossible for me.” You burn with a passion likely based in a blind ambition towards the end point, and things are divided into two groups black and white The goal is the main point.
親和的 – Friendship oriented
The focus is on friends. You base your movements on your group, and often think in terms of your friends. “My friends are doing it,” or “Lets do it together.” Easily the least selfish kind of orientation, but also the most spineless. You either have a group of friends or you are toast if you are fully of this orientation because you draw your power from those around you.
献身的 – Devotion oriented
This one is kind of based on your friends as well. The difference is that you prefer to do 1-1 interactions and are probably prone to dominating said one on one conversation. You even prefer one on one interactions with your enemies. You think things like “If it will help to make him/her happy” or “I'll do it for justice's sake.” Basically, you value loyalty to individuals above anything else.
評価的 – Evaluation oriented
This one is basically your philosopher factor. You interact with people for the sake of shaking down truth. You carefully think about things before doing them, and even then really fear messing up. I think this one would be “I'm the kind of guy that would laugh at a funeral, can you understand what I mean? Well, you soon will.” You look at events based on whether they are interesting or not and you likely come across as KY or cold.
Really, I don't know where I fall in these categories. When I was younger I was definitely mainly devotion type, but then I went through high school and was mainly friendship oriented (still kind of am). College, I was, by necessity, mostly Achievement orientated. Now, I am likely mostly Evaluation orientated. Not sure. I do still tend to think in terms of “is that something I could accomplish or not.”
For those of you that are visual, Visuals!
図１９ 達成的 – Achievement oriented
図２０ 親和的 – Friendship oriented
図２１ 献身的 – Devotion oriented
図２２ 評価的 – Evaluation orientedAnyway, as you can imagine, certain types don't get along with other types as well as they could. I don't have the book in front of me anymore, so I can't check what they were. I think you can imagine though that a very strongly Evaluation type person would be very jarring for a strong Devotion type person. The devotion type would see the Evaluation type as cold and unfeeling, whereas the Evaluation type would see the Devotional type as excessively peaceable.
Finally, which type you are strongly effects how you interpret/hear what other people tell you. I think perhaps if I look into it more closely, I might be able to understand some reasons for past miscommunications.
While, I hope this helps you in some way.
PS... I just realized that I typed this all up without saving once... that was gutsy
Sunday, October 17, 2010
. ... no naku koro ni.
An analysis of a series you need not read.
Before I start this conversation you need to be warned, I am writing about the mechanizations behind writing horror, so if that bothers you, stop now.
Higurashi no naku koro ni
when the red cicada cries.
Higurashi is a type of Japanese cicada typified by its rusty red coloring. Also, naku is actually closer to the meaning of “cries,” but in English we don't usually say “the cry of the cicada.” However, the translation loses its coolness when translated as buzzes. Don't you agree?
There is a methodology to the horror like madness of this series that I see as a good step in the right direction for writing a despair novel. This series does seem to leave a little bit of hope for the readers in the end, but I think that is the failing point. Actually, I shouldn't complain, if things like the ring and the grudge bothered you, the ending will bother you a lot. It just was too subtle for me.
First, I must explain a bit about the story. There are always two volumes to each section in the story. The first is, I think, the most important, but the second is where all the action and gut-wrenching imagery is. Third and most importantly, high schoolers in Japan seem to be reading this series because I've noticed in my schools libraries.
In the first volume, you are introduced to a character and to a town with a generally peaceful type feeling. Always, I would assume that this will involve an transfer student because otherwise the character would have to be aware of the history around the place. In most cases, that history is only given in broken pieces in the first volume. At first, you only might learn that there is a temple nearby with a certain kami enshrined there. There isn't any mention of the curse... just yet.
The main purpose of that first volume is to show you the main character getting along, to display him having tension with other opposite gender classmates, and to make you endeared to the characters in general. They'll have their cute interactions, their cute reactions, and furthermore cutesy love tension that isn't too likely to go anywhere anyway. They make you feel that this is story is going to consist of normal day in and day out life.
After you've become accustomed to reading about the peaceful and entertaining life of these students, you enter into the sphere of the second volume with a slight odd twinge. The last part, possibly in all the first volume books, jars you just enough to get your attention. A character simply does something that is odd, and then passes it off with some sort of excuse later. In the case of the one that I read, a certain very sweet character's eyes glowed and she spoke in a unearthly tone. The advice given in that tone was vague enough as to possibly only pertain to some sort of near-love squabble so that you, the reader, will be jarred but be able to dismiss it.
Then volume 2 starts. Everything goes to heck. The strange occurance in volume was just the beginning, and your character enjoys one jarring experience to the next. A masturi and a appeasing of the local kami occurs and because of the proximity to that place your character gets hints about an odd history. Finally, just when it is too late, an explanation of the curse is explained with perhaps a minor detail left out.. You are sure you have been given every detail and that the main character might be able to do something. Then people start dying. Gruesome horribly twisted deaths occur right before your main characters eyes. A character claws his own throat out, another character lights herself on fire in a barrel, and some character gets pounded to death. More importantly, somebody just vanishes.
However, the thing that makes them so twisted is that these deaths involve mostly the very characters you have come to think of as normal and sweet. Instead of being sweet now, they are terrified, being attacked, vanishing, going nuts, killing eachother, trying to kill the main character, or being possessed by an oni. Finally, in the end, just when you think the main character is also actually going to die, he somehow remains alive. An explanation, half-baked at best, is given and the story seems to be wrapping up.
In the case of the one I read, the main character is alive recovering in a hospital, but after everyone leaves the room and the detective is done making his point, he sits silently on his hospital bed. The next page has the same picture, but there is a shadowey hand on the corner of the bedspread. The page after that, shows more of a figure with the neck twisted sideways, rotting-like face wrinkles, gangly hair, and hollow eyes like a skull. The final page shows a full view of the things face, and now it looks somewhat like a familiar character and the words that are written there are very broken, scratchy and creepy looking. They say “I've come for you....”
My thought is that a lot of these elements are quite useful in composing a fictitious horror story, and I will possibly weave some of them into a legend that I started some time ago which I call “Skelchin.” That's all.
Before I start this conversation you need to be warned, I am writing about the mechanizations behind writing horror, so if that bothers you, stop now.
Higurashi no naku koro ni
when the red cicada cries.
Higurashi is a type of Japanese cicada typified by its rusty red coloring. Also, naku is actually closer to the meaning of “cries,” but in English we don't usually say “the cry of the cicada.” However, the translation loses its coolness when translated as buzzes. Don't you agree?
There is a methodology to the horror like madness of this series that I see as a good step in the right direction for writing a despair novel. This series does seem to leave a little bit of hope for the readers in the end, but I think that is the failing point. Actually, I shouldn't complain, if things like the ring and the grudge bothered you, the ending will bother you a lot. It just was too subtle for me.
First, I must explain a bit about the story. There are always two volumes to each section in the story. The first is, I think, the most important, but the second is where all the action and gut-wrenching imagery is. Third and most importantly, high schoolers in Japan seem to be reading this series because I've noticed in my schools libraries.
In the first volume, you are introduced to a character and to a town with a generally peaceful type feeling. Always, I would assume that this will involve an transfer student because otherwise the character would have to be aware of the history around the place. In most cases, that history is only given in broken pieces in the first volume. At first, you only might learn that there is a temple nearby with a certain kami enshrined there. There isn't any mention of the curse... just yet.
The main purpose of that first volume is to show you the main character getting along, to display him having tension with other opposite gender classmates, and to make you endeared to the characters in general. They'll have their cute interactions, their cute reactions, and furthermore cutesy love tension that isn't too likely to go anywhere anyway. They make you feel that this is story is going to consist of normal day in and day out life.
After you've become accustomed to reading about the peaceful and entertaining life of these students, you enter into the sphere of the second volume with a slight odd twinge. The last part, possibly in all the first volume books, jars you just enough to get your attention. A character simply does something that is odd, and then passes it off with some sort of excuse later. In the case of the one that I read, a certain very sweet character's eyes glowed and she spoke in a unearthly tone. The advice given in that tone was vague enough as to possibly only pertain to some sort of near-love squabble so that you, the reader, will be jarred but be able to dismiss it.
Then volume 2 starts. Everything goes to heck. The strange occurance in volume was just the beginning, and your character enjoys one jarring experience to the next. A masturi and a appeasing of the local kami occurs and because of the proximity to that place your character gets hints about an odd history. Finally, just when it is too late, an explanation of the curse is explained with perhaps a minor detail left out.. You are sure you have been given every detail and that the main character might be able to do something. Then people start dying. Gruesome horribly twisted deaths occur right before your main characters eyes. A character claws his own throat out, another character lights herself on fire in a barrel, and some character gets pounded to death. More importantly, somebody just vanishes.
However, the thing that makes them so twisted is that these deaths involve mostly the very characters you have come to think of as normal and sweet. Instead of being sweet now, they are terrified, being attacked, vanishing, going nuts, killing eachother, trying to kill the main character, or being possessed by an oni. Finally, in the end, just when you think the main character is also actually going to die, he somehow remains alive. An explanation, half-baked at best, is given and the story seems to be wrapping up.
In the case of the one I read, the main character is alive recovering in a hospital, but after everyone leaves the room and the detective is done making his point, he sits silently on his hospital bed. The next page has the same picture, but there is a shadowey hand on the corner of the bedspread. The page after that, shows more of a figure with the neck twisted sideways, rotting-like face wrinkles, gangly hair, and hollow eyes like a skull. The final page shows a full view of the things face, and now it looks somewhat like a familiar character and the words that are written there are very broken, scratchy and creepy looking. They say “I've come for you....”
My thought is that a lot of these elements are quite useful in composing a fictitious horror story, and I will possibly weave some of them into a legend that I started some time ago which I call “Skelchin.” That's all.
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