Japanese Toilet Money
Posted by harvey in Humor on 14. Jul, 2007 | 6 Comments
Japanese Toilet Money… I thought that was an appropriate post title… Someone is hiding money in toilets in the men’s rooms of city hall around Japan. In true Japan spririt, get this. Despite the fact that we’re talking about cash here… And the money has letters accompanying it instructing the lucky joe who finds it [...]
Pikes and Shields
Posted by harvey in Language on 14. Jul, 2007 | 3 Comments
The Japanese phrase for “contradiction” is 「矛盾」(mujyun). For example, 「あなたがやっていることと言っていることが矛盾してる！」 The things you do contradict the things you say! The Kanji 「矛」means “pike” and is pronounced “hoko”, and the Kanji 「盾」means “shield” and is pronounced “tate”. Why do these two Kanji together mean contradiction? Apparently the story comes from way back in China. One street [...]
Happens all the time
Posted by harvey in Language on 12. Jul, 2007 | 4 Comments
I learned a cool new Japanese phrase today. 「日常茶飯事」 (にちじょうさはんじ) It means “everyday occurrence”. For example, 「パリでデモは日常茶飯事だよ。」 Would mean, “In Paris protests (demonstrations) happen all the time!” The Kanji literally mean (sort of), “everyday, tea and rice event”. Fun phrase! – Harvey
Suicide. With a sword.
Posted by harvey in Language on 11. Jul, 2007 | 4 Comments
There is a Japanese word for “to commit suicide with a sword”. 自刃。(じじん) Here are some example sentences on Space ALC. – Harvey
Totsukawa Village, Tamaki Mountain, Tamaki Shrine, Sasa Waterfall
Posted by harvey in Culture, Travel on 09. Jul, 2007 | 6 Comments
Road trip time! If you take a 3 hour drive out of Osaka, down to Nara-ken to a place called Yoshino-gun, you’ll find a village known as Totsukawa (十津川) way on the south side of the prefecture. From there, you can visit Tamaki mountain, Tamaki Shrine (玉置神社), Sasa Waterfall (笹の滝), an Onsen town, and of [...]
The Japanese Adjective Shuffle
Posted by harvey in Language on 04. Jul, 2007 | 6 Comments
Some 「い」adjectives can also be 「な」adjectives. In fact three of them can. 「大きい」、「小さい」、and 「おかしい」can become… 「大きな」、「小さな」、and 「おかしな」respectively. Apparently, these are the only 「い」adjectives you can do this to. When the form is changed in this way, the meaning is not effected at all. I have heard from one teacher, that using the 「な」form of these [...]
Firework season is coming
Posted by harvey in Tokyo on 03. Jul, 2007 | 4 Comments
Firework season is coming! Here is a Japanese blogger who has given a list of the Firework Events in Kanto coming up. 2007年7月14日(土) 【神奈川】2007久里浜ペリー祭 花火大会 ビームスペクタルINハーバー 【埼玉】第18回小江戸川越花火大会 2007年7月15日(日) 【神奈川】横浜開港記念みなと祭 第52回国際花火大会 2007年7月26日(木) 【東京】第29回足立の花火大会 2007年7月28日(土) 【東京】第30回隅田川花火大会 【東京】八王子花火大会 【埼玉】平成19年越谷花火大会 2007年7月29日(日) 【栃木】おやまサマーフェスティバル2007 第56回小山の花火 2007年8月1日(水) 【神奈川】第22回神奈川新聞花火大会 2007年8月4日(土) 【東京・千葉】エキサイティング花火2007 第32回江戸川区花火大会、第23回市川市民納涼花火大会 【東京】第49回いたばし花火大会 【神奈川】2007年よこすか開国祭 開国花火大会 【千葉】第30回千葉市民花火大会 2007年8月7日(火) 【神奈川】2007江の島花火大会 2007年8月11日(土) 【東京】第20回東京湾大華火祭 【埼玉】あついぞ！熊谷 第58回熊谷花火大会 2007年8月15日(水) 【長野】諏訪湖祭湖上花火大会 [...]
Life on the Bases
Posted by harvey in Society on 01. Jul, 2007 | 13 Comments
In Japanese class a while ago an especially perceptive student gave a very interesting presentation relating his day visit to a US military base in Japan. First, some background information about the military bases. The military bases in Japan are like little oasises of “American-ness”. The bases are designed so that the cultural differences of [...]
