Japanese lifestyle ~TV show~

  I would like to introduce about Japanese TV shows nowadays.
As you know, the contents of TV program are affected by
the trend of each time.
  It is related to the interest of people.


  Interestingly, we often watch TV programs that praise Japanese
culture or high technology these days.
  In those kinds of programs, foreign people (In many cases,
European and American) see Japanese culture and praise
like, "How wonderful!!"...
  Most of Japanese people would feel comfortable to see those
situation.
  Japanese people did not have many chances to go abroad
until 20 years ago.(I am not sure exactly when people start to
travel abroad like now.) I guess most of ordinary people
did not know how foreign people see Japanese culture.
Generally speaking, I think Japanese people modestly
evaluate our cultures.
  However, actually, Japanese people would feel happy
to hear foreign people praise our cultures. That's why
TV programs like I said above are popular in Japan now.
 
  I think people feel close to foreign people more than ever.
We often see foreign TV personalities on TV.
  Especially, we often see foreign people on the street in Tokyo.
  So, I think people feel easy to talk to foreign people
more than 20 years ago.


  I think TV programs like above will decrease sooner or later though.
Trend is always changing.

Japanese manner Greeting on the letter

  I  teach you something about Japanese letter.
When you write a private forman letter, Japanese people write
a certain phrase at the beginning of the letter.
Usually, the phrase is related to the season.
  For example, if you write a letter in winter,
you begin with the phrase, " It is getting colder, how are you doing?"
There are hundred kinds of  phrases in each season.
As you know, you can enjoy various changes of seasons.
Because of this cultural background, Japanese expressions
are formed.

 
    

Japanese lifestyle On holiday...

  How do you spend on your holiday?
In my case, I have to spend time for studying because
I am preparing for a test of national qualifications.
  So, usually, I can not do special thing on weekend.
  However, I went to a hospital to do medical examination.
I can do that in my workplace. So I had to do by myself,
My friends often told me to have medical examination.

Japanese traditional culture ~shouji~

 Today (31st December )is called "Oomisoka" in Japanese.
  Not so many cars are seen on the load, today.
  Most of people are taking a rest. Shops are opened
even today though.
  I would like to introduce "shouji", a paper sliding door.
Shouji is seen in the interior of Japanese stylish house.

 Look! A part of shouji is torn. Shouji is often torn like that.
Especially, if you have children, they like to tear shouji.
They never feel bad to tear it.
  This year, my father decided to repaper the shouji.

 This work is bothering. It takes a lot of time.

He washed the frame in the bath.

  Then, he stretched a Japanese paper on a frame.
This work took almost one day.
  If you have children in your house, you should not do this work every
year. Because children often tear shouji every time you make new one.

  Yoi Otoshiwo!  よいお年を！　(= Japanese greeting at the end of the year)

Thank you for reading my articles on this blog in this year.
I would like to keep writing as much as possible. Maybe I may
post once or twice a month... It's hard to find a good topic these days.^ ^ ;

Japanese lifestyle "It's winter in Japan!"

  Hello, it's been while.
I haven't forgotten to post my essay on this blog...
This blog is still alive...he, he.
  The page viewers of this blog have been counted
over 20000. Thanks for reading!
  Well, the price of vegetables is getting higher and higher
in this season. I  talked about that with my family.
  Japanese people exchange gifts, called "Oseibo" in December.
I  gave one box of Mikan(Japanese orange) to my work place.
I guess this is Japanese custom.


 I introduce what kind of Japanese foods are eaten in this season.
- Sake (Japanese alchohol)  I like the hot sake better.
- Mikan  = Japanese orange
- Nabe   = Many kinds of vegetables are put on a big pot
                 You alco put some kinds of meat on it.
- Yu dofu = Hot tofu  You can make it by putting tofu in boiled water.
- Apples
- Oysters


Now, it is very cold in my hometown.
The temperature is more than 0 degree.

Japanese food Hoshigaki (dried persimmons)

In this season, persimmons are delicious.

  There are two types of persimmons, a sweet persimmon and a sour persimmon.
 We usually eat the sweet persimmon for dessert.
  I have eaten the sour persimmon. It was not good taste.
  I had something uncomfortable in the mouth.

  We also eat the dried persimmon.
  They are so sweet. And they are expensive if you buy at the supermarket.
However, you can make the dried persimmons in your house like below.
 

  Interestingly, the sweet, dried persimmons are not made of the sweet persimmons.

The dried persimmons are made of the sour persimmons.

  The dried persimmons on the photo will be ready in about one week.

Short trip in Gunma Tomioka silk mill

 Do you know a Japanese old mill, called "Tomioka silk mill" was
registered as a world heritage in June in 2014.
  Fortunatelly, Tomioka silk mill is close to my hometown.
It takes about 90 minutes by car. Today, I introduce about it.


  About 300 years ago(in the Edo period), Japan built up nation
by exporting raw silk. Japan had to develop the quality to
catch up the world economy.
  Tomioka silk mill was established to develop the quality of
Japanese raw silk. Japanese government focused on the
industrial development to catch up European civilization.
  A French directer was invited to instruct the French high technology
of those days. A lot of women workers were engaged in the
jobs in Tomioka silk mill. The women worked so hard.
I heard that they had to work over 12 hours a day at busy season.
However, they could have educational classes besides their work.
They stayed at the dormitory near the mill. They could also
have pastime, such as singing songs, dance and so on.

  Tomioka silk mill was state-run institution. Some decades later,
it was privatized for many years. It was run around 150 years.

  Here is the dormitories for women workers.

  The news about the register as World heritage was surprising and nice for
Japanese people. Now there are thousands visitors at Tomioka.
   Before the news, there were no visitors here.



  Japanese people may be fickle. I am not sure until when this situation continues.