Japanese traditional culture ~9~ Toshikoshi soba

On 31st December, Japanese people eat soba. A lot of people keep this traditional culture.
We call this soba "Toshikoshi soba".
Toshikoshi means "over the year"
Soba is one of the Japanese noodle below. Soba is buckwheat noodles.

  Soba is so long noodle. So, we eat soba, hoping we can live a long life.
When I drove outside the home today, I saw a lot of cars stopping at the
Soba restaurant. Some of you may know udon. Did you know this soba?
  In Japan, you eat soba, making a sound. It is not bad manner.


Japanese people exchange the greeting at the end of the year.
The expression is "Yoi otoshi wo! よいお年を！"
If I translate it, it's "Have a nice year!"

I started to write this blog from October. I could keep writing little by little.
This is because some of people left some comments and shared information about
the person's culture. It was so interesting for me.
Some of people gave me a mail and encourage me.
I really appreciate for these things.
Thank you for reading this blog.
Hopefully, I would like to keep writing next year as well.
Yoi otoshi wo!

Japanese lifestyle ~22~ The salt for purification

  On this column, I introduce the salt for purification, when you get
at the funeral.
  As I wrote here before, Japanese people often give a gift to the other
person. When you go to some one's funeral, you get some gift.
That is a kind of appreciation for coming to the funeral.
  The chief mourner will give you a salt besides the gift.
After the funeral finish, t is said that you should sprinkle the salt to your body when you enter
your own home. It means you purify yourself.
  In Japan,  the salt has a important role in our lifestyle. There are
various salty foods in Japan. In Japan, the salt also has the meaning of
purification.

Can you see お清め塩(O kiyome shio) above? It means "the salt of purification"
kiyome=purification
Shio = salt

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Japanese traditional culture ~8~ Hakoniwa

I introduce what the Hakoniwa is.
Hako = box
niwa = garden
It is a kind of miniature of garden.
A man recreate the Japanese garden or a place of scenic beauty in a box.

 This is my father's work. He used moss. He used parsley as tree. hahaha.
This hakoniwa is small. I guess the expart would make more bigger hakoniwa.
I have watched the photo of castle in hakoniwa.
  I don't know how much this hobby is common in Japan. I heard that this
hobby was very popular at the end of Edo period. It was later than 1850.
I have not seen people who do this hakoniwa as hobby.
 I guess bonsai is more popular in Japan. 

 

Japanese lifestyle ~21~ Cleaning at school

I introduce school system about cleaning.
Japanese school children is in winter vacation now.
It may begin from around 21st December to on 7th January.
(I think it depends on each school.)
In Japan, school children have to clean the classroom by themselves.
I think most of the school in Japan have this activity.
I heard that school entrust cleaning task to a company in Europe or United States.
In Japan, the system is different.
When I was in a school(elementary, junior high, high school) I had to clean some
places in school after the class. Students are divided into about four groups.
And each group has to clean the each place in charge. Of course we had to
clean the dirty place such as toilet. Most of student did not like to do that.
The group clean various places by rotation. 
I heard that cleaning the classroom has the meaning of education.
Students have to clean the place on their responsibility.

Maybe most of children don't like this school activity.^^;
But I think this is good system. All children would experience the
cleaning in their childhood at least even they don't help housework
at home.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese lifestyle ~20~ Oosouji

  The end of the year is the season of oosouji.
Oo = big
souji = cleaning
People clean the house or workplace so much.
It is good chance to wash and clean the stuff you usually can't do.
I heard that people do oosouji to prepare for inviting God to their house.

  There is a word, "Susubarai".
Susuharai is the event that happens at the shrine or temple.
The Shinto priest clean the shrine. This event also has the other meaning.
Susuharai is for cleansing evil or misfortune. There is a meaning of an exorcism.

  Actually, I heard that cleaning a room is good for life.
Buddhism focus on the importance of cleaning. The Buddhist monk have to
get up early in the morning, and they have to clean the temple.
I guess Zen also focus on the importance of cleaning. I have read about that on the book.

  I will do oosouji in this year.

Japanese traditional culture ~7~ Kadomatu

Now, in Japan, people are preparing for the new year.
I would like to introduce Kadomatsu.（門松）

This is a Kadomatsu.
Kado(門)= gate
Matsu(松)＝a pine
Some of Japanese people set this kadomatu at the gate of house or shop.
This is a kind of decoration of the new year.
Kadomatsu is made by pine and bamboo. 
People prepare for this kadomatsu from on 13th until 28th December.
I heard that you should not prepare on 31th December. It is called
"Ichiya kazari" (=One night decoration) It means, it means you neglect
this tradition, that is, you neglect God.
Traditionally, it is said that God stay near the pine. So kadomatsu is
for inviting God to each house.
I heard that this kadomatsu has long history. It is said that this tradition
started from Heian period.(794~1192)

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Japanese habit/custom ~16~ Christmas cake

I ate a cake yesterday.
This is ichigo shortcake. Ichigo means "strawberry".

A interesting cooler was in the cake box.

  The design of the cooler was Sakura.(perhaps...)
I have not seen like this cooler.(保冷剤= ho rei zai) Usually, cooler is plain colored pack.
Is this because it is for Christmas cake???
Anyway, I thought it was nice and good design.
  When you buy foods,especially sweets, the shop keeper put the cooler like this
in the box. Do you find this way in your country?
Nowadays, I sometimes see this  kind of stuff when you buy some sweets at the shop.
It is Kikubari(=take care of the other person) so that the sweets taste good.

Thanks for reading!

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Short trip in Gunma ~3~ Takasaki station

  I was asked how Japanese people prepare for the Christmas.
In my hometown, there are some places where people decorate.
Takasaki station is one of the place. I took photos there.
  On this colum, I will introduce the photos.
  First of all, I found this paper craft in the toilet of shopping mall.

 You see this kind of decoration when you go shopping.
 And here is the Takasaki station.

 

I took a photo from my car.

 

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese habit/custom ~15~ Nengajou

  Now it is the season when we write Nengajou to our friends.
We send a postcard to give a first greeting for our friends.
It is called "Nengajou".

  Nengajou is usually written vertically. Nengajou costs 50 yen. (0.45 Euro)
We usually write "Akemashite Omedetou gozaimasu".
It is traditional greeting at the beginning of the year. We give a greeting
saying that.
Nengajou is useful because it is good chance to give a greeting for
your friends. And if you don't have a contact with him or her for a long time,
it is good chance to say hello.
  Each nengajou has the number of lottery. Nengajou is also a lottery ticket.
(Can you see the number on the picture above?) This is enjoyable.
  Nowadays, many people send a message to friends through SNS such as
facebook and so on instead of nengajou.
  But I will write this nengajou  because I think handwriting is better than
greeting by computer. Our life became convenient. But I also focus on
a good communication with person. Handwriting may take a time, but
I will write this nengajou.
  When you write nengajou, you can use printed message.
Some people write a short message by hand.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese habit/custom ~14~ Touji, yuzuyu

Yesterday was Touji(冬至).
Touji is the day when the night hour is the shortest in the year.
(Do you understand my English? ^ ^ ; )
In Japan,we have a tradition. When we take a bath, we get in
the "Yuzuyu"
Yuzu means,"an aromatic citron".
Yu means, hot water.
So, yuzuyu is a hot bath scented with yuzu.
Here is the photo.

 It is said that people get in this yuzuyu from the age of Edo period(1603~1868).
If you get in this yuzuyu, your body gets warmer and you won't catch a cold.
I heard that yuzuyu is good for lower back pain. If your body become cold
easily, yuzuyu is good for you.
  And you can enjoy the smell of yuzu while you are taking a bath.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese lifestyle ~19~ Oseibo

I have already introduced about Oseibo on this blog.
It is the season of Oseibo now in Japan. I attach the photos.
I want you to have the image. We send a gift at the ending of the year as oseibo.

  These are some mikan boxes. Mikan is a fruit that originally came from China.
I am planning to give one box of mikan to my workplace as oseibo.
And my friend presented me sweet grape in this summer. I will send him
this mikan box as return. This is okaeshi, one of the Japanese culture.
  There is 10kg of mikan in this box.

Japanese food ~22~ Oden

I introduce a "oden".
Winter is the good season of oden.

  Oden is a food boiled and seasoned. There are konnyaku, konbu(sea tangle),
chikuwa(a tubular roll of boiled fish paste), chicken, daikon(Japanese white radish)
boiled egg, and so on.
  You eat these kind of stuff with mustard, called "karashi".
  The soup is salty. You put on water, oyster sauce, dashi(soup stock ), and salt.
So, taste is salty.
 I have heard that you can buy this oden by vending machine if you go to
Akihabara in Tokyo , which is famous for the mecca of OTAKU.
You can buy oden in a can by vending machine. I have not seen such vending machine
before.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese lifestyle ~18~ busyuugi

  I introduce what the busyuugi is. When someone is dead, one person becomes
the chief mourner. Usually, the person's wife or husband would be the chief mourner.
Traditionally, the assembled mourners give money to the chief mourner.
Usually, the mourners give money at the funeral. People put the money in this
paper bag, called "busyuugi bukuro(=paper bag)". People call this money "busyuugi".
  Usually the colour of busyuugi bukuro is white and black. Traditionally, white and
black is the colour of unhappiness. (The right paper back is syuugi bukuro.
That is for good thing. We give money, for example, baby is born at family. The
colour is white and red.) Can you see the kanji above picture? It is written
"御霊前"
 霊 means, soul or spiritual
前   means "in front of"
We use the word 御, when we say something politely.
 We put the bill in busyuugi bukuro. We don't put the coin in it.
There is a taboo when you put in the bill. You should not put in the bill that is "new
bill". (I don't know the translation. ^ ^ ; "The bill that is not used at all")
Because people would think he or she had been waiting and preparing
for the day when someone is dead.
(When you give the syuugi, people use the new bill (=not used bill).)
 The price depends on the relationship of the person.
 I introduce the price that is written on Internet.
parents 100000 yen
brother or sister 30000~50000 yen
grand father or grand mother 10000~50000 yen
relatives 10000~30000 yen
friends 5000~20000 yen
co-worker 3000~ 20000 yen
neighbor 3000 ~ 5000 yen
In Japan, young people have difficulties to know this kind of knowledge
because of the trend toward the nuclear family. If he or she lives with his or her
grand father or mother, older people would tell about this kind of tradition.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese expression ~6~ Shiwasu

  In Japan, there is traditional name in each month.
We usually say each month like...
Ichi gatsu １月　January
ni    gatsu　２月 February
san  gatsu　３月 March
shi  gatsh...　４月 April...
But in this season, we sometimes hear the word Shiwasu.
"Shiwasu" is the traditional name of December.
The Chinese charactor is 師走.
師 means, a Buddhist monk.
走　means, run.
So, if I translate this Shiwasu, I would say "a Buddhist monk is running".
It is hard to  imagine a Buddhist monk is running. ^^;
It is said that people name 12 gatsu "Shiwasu" because everyone is busy in this season.

  The day before yesterday, there was an election.
The voting percentage was very low. (59.32%)  This number is the most lowest
after the World War 2.
  It is said that people were so busy so the percentage was so low.
In Japan, there is election that is for those who can't go to election at the
official day for some reasons. But the percentage was so low.
  

 Thanks for reading!

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Japanese food ~21~ Bento

  I write about Japanese food today as well.
I have heard that there is the word Bento on french dictionary.
Bento means a packed lunch. I watched on the TV and that says
it is getting popular to make bento in France nowadays.
  Bento is like this.

  You can eat rice and other side dishes by one plate.
This bento has various kinds of side dishes such as fish, shrimp, konnyaku,
spaghetti, soy beans, a lotus root, deep-fried chicken, and so on...
   This bento is convenient for lunch. You can carry this bento and eat anywhere
you want. You can buy the bento at station, supermarket, Shinkansen, and so on.
And also, there is bento shop in Japan. Do you know "convenience store"?
There are many convenience store in Japan. That is like small supermarket.
(I will write about it on this blog in the future.) You can buy bento at convenience store.

 Thanks for reading!

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Japanese food ~20~ neko manma

I introduce a neko manma.
Neko = cat
manma = rice
Japanese people sometimes say "manma" for baby, that means
rice.
So if I translate a neko manma, it is "rice for cat".
It is easy to make neko manma. You put miso soup on the rice.
That's it.

 You may know both of rice and miso soup. But you may not know
this mixed food.
 Probably, this manner is rude. People would not do this outside the home.
So, please do not do this at the Japanese restaurant in your country. ^ ^ ;
If you really want to try this at the Japanese restaurant,
please do not be found by someone. hahaha.
  Japanese people eat rice as main food. And usually, they eat side dishes
to eat rice. If they can't prepare enough side dishes, making neko manma
is one of the ways to enjoy your dish.
  But again, some people think it is rude.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese expression ~5~ konkatsu

  The word, konkatsu is the shorten words of kekkon katsudou.
If I translate it, "marriage activity".(kekkon= marriage, katsudou=activity)
  This word became common several years ago. If someone is eager to
get marriage, he or she say "watashi wa(I am) konkatsu cyu desu."
Japanese people look for the marriage partner at party, workplace.
Some people would go to a matrimonial agency. The style of
a marriage by arrangement is not so common nowadays.
  Some of Japanese people try to choose the partner strictly.
There is a matrimonial agency which introduces the Chinese partner.
This agency introduces the Chinese people who live in China.
  I guess this kind of agency is for Japanese men. Some Chinese people may
want to get married with Japanese man. But I have heard that
the marriage between Japanese and China is not always going well
because of the cultural differences.
  In Japan,　I guess people focus on the age compared to the European culture.
For example, there is a word 'tekireiki'. That means, "marriageable age".
I think this word became the dead language nowadays. I don't hear in my
daily life. But many people pay attention to the age when they choose the partner.

Thanks for reading!

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The price in Japan ~3~ Suihan ki

Do you have an electric rice cooker in your house? I just wondered.
"Suihanki" is a rice cooker
Japanese people mainly eat rice. So, most of the house have this sort of rice cooker.
It is easy to make a rice.
1 You take out the bowl from the rice cooker and you put rice into the bowl.
2 You wash the rice.
3 Push the button
(you can also set a timer.)
The rice cooker above shows on display how many hours it passed after the rice was made.
If time pass for long hours, the taste gets worse.
The price of this rice cooker 5000 yen ~ 70000 yen!! ^ ^ ; (45.69 Euro ~ 639.66 Euro!!)

  I tell you useful Japanese expression. When there are many kinds of product, which is very cheap and very high price, you say "Pin kara kiri made".
Yes, Japanese rice cooker is "Pin kara kiri made".
I don't know the Japanese restaurant in your country provide the same rice as
the restaurant in Japan. I guess Japanese rice is sticky. I heard that Vietnam rice is more
drier than Japanese rice. There are some kinds of rice in Asia.
Korean people eat the same kind of rice.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese lifestyle ~17~ Gomi no hi

  I introduce how our town collects the garbage of residents.
Gomi means garbage. "Gomi no hi" means "the day when you can throw away the garbage".
Monday and Thursday are  the day for combustible garbage.
And Wednesday is the day for incombustible garbage. We can throw away the
newspaper or books every two weeks on Wednesday.  We throw away
milk cartons, a battery, a fluorescent light, or metal on this day. These things
are for recycle.
  The day of large-size refuse is every two weeks on Saturday.
  People have to throw away until 8 o'clock. And  people can't throw away
before the day because cats trash the garbage. ^^;
  I have no idea about how people do in the other country. I guess in Japan,
each city has each rule. So, residents need to follow the rule.
I guess most of the rule is similar like above.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese food ~19~ Umi budou

  I got a souvenir. My father went a trip in Okinawa.
Do you know Okinawa? It is the small island which is located in
the south of Japan. Okinawa has individual history and characteristic
culture. Okinawa was occupied by U.S.A until  1972.
  Okinawa culture is little bit different from the main land of Japan.
For example, food, building, language, art, clothing, are different. I heard that
people can speak both of the standard language and dialect.
And the last name of Okinawan sound different.
  Okinawa culture has individual characteristic.  I would like to go to
Okinawa some day.

 This is called Umi budou.

Umi = sea
Budou= grape
This is a kind of seaweed. But it looks like grape. So, this seaweed is named Umibudou.
Taste was....OK...not bad. ^ ^ ;
I just eat because it's healthy. The average of life expectancy of Okinawan is so long.
People eat a lot of seaweed. So, I guess the life expectancy is so long.

This is wine, which is made from a pineapple.

I have never had such wine before. This taste like pineapple juice.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese food ~18~ pan

The day before yesterday, I had a bread for breakfast.
I had a bread, salad, soup, milk, butter, and  blue berry jam.

  Bread came to Japan from Europe long time ago. And it is said that it became more
popular from meiji period.(about　150　years ago) In Japanese, we call "pan".
I have heard that Japanese bread is different from bread of the other countries.
But I don't know how it is different from the other countries' bread.
I will go to buy Japanese bread and I would like to take photos in the near future.
So, I want you to judge how it is different. I guess the bread above is almost the
same one of your country.
  I usually don't eat bread for breakfast. But I guess a lot of Japanese people eat bread
for breakfast. You can ask Japanese people, the person eat rice or bread for
breakfast.
 I would like to attach the photos of Japanese bread in the near future!

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese lifestyle ~16~ kairanban

  Today, someone of my next-door neighbor left a kairanban in front of my house.
I would like to introduce the kairanban today.
  My town is divided into a lot of areas. People circulate a notice among the
people in each area.
 This is called kairanban.(回覧板)

  The content is different every time.

  Today, this kairanban caution us about the Internet crime.
And this advice an insolvent debtor  to consult with a consumer adviser.
We can get information about city events and finance of the town from this kairanban.
Besides that, the number of the crime in the town.
In my hometown, the number of  crime was 19 in October.
(a bicycle theft 2, robbery in the car 2, broken bending machine 1,  damaging property 4
others 10)
  I think this kairanban is very important to know about the community where people
live. I think this custom is common in Japan.

 I need to bring this kairanban to the next neighbor soon.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese lifestyle ~15~ about a gun

  In Japan, possess of gun is regulated strictly.
Police, a self-defense official, the official of Japan Coast Guard are allowed to
have a gun.
  In some case, people can have a gun. For example, it is for hunting, and sports.
But I heard that you have to pass the strict inspection.
  But it is OK to have the airsoft gun.(it is like a toy gun) I heard that
if the airsoft has the destructive power, the gun is regulated by law.
  I am thinking how Japanese people feel about this situation.
  I guess, most of Japanese people accept this situation. People would worry
about the society that allows to have gun more easier.
  My friend have experienced the shooting. (I have not had such experience.
But I have experienced the shooting by video game. ^ ^; In Japan, there are
thousands of such video game.)
  He went to Korea. So, in Korea, people may experience the shooting in some
institution.
  How about your country? I really don't know how the other country is
regulated.
 

Japanese habit/custom ~13~ Kanpu masatsu

  I introduce the way to prevent from catching a cold.
It is called Kanpu masatsu. This is Japanese traditional way to prevent from a cold.
(Usually, woman may not do this. )
First of all, you need a dry towel.
Second, you strip yourself to the waist.
And you just scrub your body with the dry towel for a long time...
Your body would become hotter.
  This is Kanpu masatsu.
  You usually do this in winter. So, you have to endure the cold.
   
  It is said this kanpu masatsu is very good for your health. But I have never
heard people do this to prevent from the cold. Some of  school children may do this
in the school. The energetic old man would do this.

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese lifestyle ~14~ Santa Claus

  Xmas is coming soon. Japanese people like to celebrate the Christmas.
Many people would have a party on 24th December or 25th December.
Some of them would eat the turkey and drink a lot of alcohol.
  It is good chance for children to get a present from family. When I was a kid,
my parents used to give me a present, such as a toy.

  In Japan, people call Santa Claus "Santa san" with respect and friendship.
  By the way, what date is the day when Santa Claus comes to our city?
 In Japanese culture, I guess we would imagine that Santa Claus comes on 24th December
(or 25th December). I have heard that this story came from America.
But yesterday, I heard of something on the radio. That says German people say Santa Claus
comes on 6th December. Is this really? I am very interested in this difference.

 I have heard that American culture celebrate the both of Christmas and the New Year
because the date is close. In Japanese culture, we don't do that. We celebrate those of
the date separately.

Short trip in Gunma ~2~ Tamamura hachimangu part 4 ema

I introduce little bit more about Japanese shrine.
This wood board is called "ema."

"E" means picture. You see often the picture on this small board, so it is called Ema.
("Ma" means, horse. It is said that a horse is often drawn on this board.)
Everyone writes down your hope on this small ema. It is said that your dream would
come true if you do that. This ema on the picture is set for children. Do you see the
word 七五三 at the right side? I introduced about shichigosan on this blog.
I guess children wrote their hope on this ema.

  This small shack is also for hanging your ema. I found a lot of ema over there.
The garden was clean and silent.
  You will experience the silent atmosphere if you go to shrine unless there is
big event.

Japanese lifestyle ~13~ vending machine

  If you come to Japan, you will see a lot of vending machine outside.
You will see vending machine in front of the supermarket, every shops, and public
institution such as library or an assembly hall.
  I took this photo in front of ramen shop.

 

  This vending machine has a slot. After you buy one drink, the slot starts.

If you are lucky, you can get the one more drink. The other day, I hit the one drink.

(The slot hit the "1111") I got one more drink. But after I bought the coffee,

I bought the cold coffee for mistake. And this vending machine does not sell the

hot drink...^ ^ ; I don't know if I am lucky.

  I have heard that there are many kinds of vending machine.

You can buy various things by bending machine. For example, you can buy a cigarette

snacks, magazine, newspaper, cup ramen, gum, eggs, ice cream, flower, condom, and so on.

If you go to Akihabara, you can buy "Oden" by vending machine. Do you know Oden?

Oden is Japanese food. (I would introduce some day.)

Thanks for reading!

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Japanese expression ~4~ Yoisho!!

  I will teach you the word, "Yoisho".
You say Yoisho! whey you feel so hard physically.
For example, you say...
when you are lifting heavy box.
when you have sit down for a long time and then you stand up.
(we sometimes sit down on the floor or tatami. you can say yoisho
in this situation)
when you go hiking on the mountain, and start to walk on stairs.
when you are lifting a heavy child in your arms.
...and so on.
  Old people sometimes say yoisho. So, if young people say this,
he or she would be said, "Oh you are like old people".
If you are not Japanese, I think this word is useful to show that
you know Japanese language so well. If I see foreign people say
yoisho, I would imagine he or she live in Japan for a long years and
he or she know Japanese way very well.
 But I say again. Don't use this too much. Japanese people would
worry you have a lot of physical diseases.
 

Japanese lifestyle ~12~ When you have a cold

I had a cold some days ago. ^ ^ ;
Now it getting better.
In Japan, there is a saying. Kaze ha manbyou no moto.
It means, a cold is the origin of many kinds of diseases.(I translated directly)

 I would like to introduce what to do when I have a cold.
(I don't know all of the Japanese people's way.)
It is said that you should need to drink a lot of water.
And I sleep in bed. I use some moufus(blankets and quilts). I warm my body.
Sweat cool down your body so your fever would get better.

 I have heard that Japanese people often go to see a doctor compared to the other country.
Actually, if I needed to recover quickly, I would go to see a doctor.
The medicine the doctor gives you is usually effective.
(In my impression, the medicine at the pharmacy is not effective to me.)


It is said that sticking umeboshi on the forehead will lower your fever.
(Do you know umeboshi? Umeboshi is a pickled plum. It is very very very very sour stuff.
I promise you won't like it. ^ ^ ;) This is old stylish way. I have not seen anyone who does this way.

 It is said that gargling with Japanese green tea is good to prevent from catching a cold.

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Short trip in Gunma ~ 2 ~ Tamamura hachimangu part 3

  When you go to shrine, you will sometimes see small river at entrance.
I have heard that this river shows the border between our world and sacred place.
  This is the main building.

  Japanese people pray here, ringing the bell at the center.

   I think you can see this kind of small spring at the entrance.
You use this spring to wash your hand and mouth.
   It means, you cleanse yourself.
  I believe this action has the meaning of cleansing your spirit.
The, explanation board says,
1 At first, you wash the left hand.
2 Second, you wash the right hand.
3 You pour the water into your left hand. And wash your mouth.

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Short trip in Gunma ~2~ Tamamura hachimangu part 2

On this column, I will explain the photo.

This is Omikuji musubidokoro.
If you go to shrine, usually you can do Omikuji. Omikuji is a written fortune.
At first, you pick up one paper from a box.
And then you open the paper, and the fortune is written on the paper.
大吉　Daikichi = very very good luck
中吉   Tyukichi = very good luck
小吉   syoukichi = a little luck
吉       Kichi = OK
凶       Kyou = bad
大凶   Daikyou = very bad

After you saw the paper, you tide the paper here Omikuji musubidokoro.
I think big shrine has omikuji and you would see this Omikuji musubidokoro.
When you come to Japan, please try the Omikuji!!!

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Short trip in Gunma ~2~ Tamamura hachimangu

I introduce the Japanese shrine.
Today I just attach photos. I will explain here tomorrow.