2015.8.30

It was a rainy day.

I went to see my friends to return the present for monetary offering to my father when he passed away. The money given at the funeral is called koden (香典), and the return gift is called koden gaeshi (香典返し).
In Japan when people get married or die,  the present is usually money.
It is wrapped with an envelope called noshibukuro (熨斗袋). For the happy events they are edged with red, and for the unhappy events they are edged with black or green.

2014.7.15

It was fine and hot today.

In the morning before going to work, I went to the nearby shrine.  On the 1st and 15th of each month I hope to visit the shrine as much as possible.

There is a saying "Hayaoki wa sanmon no toku (早起きは三文の得)."  The early bird catches the worm.  Every one minute in the morning is very valuable, but I hope to get up early on the 1st and 15th to accomplish my habit.



 

2013.1.30

I took a day off today.
In the morning I attended the pre-funeral  of the neighbor.  Usually the wake (通夜: tsuya) is held in the night around 6 to 7 or 7 to 8 PM.  And the funeral (告別式: kokubetsushiki) is held in the day time between 10 AM to 2 PM or so.  However they say the crematory (火葬場: kasoba) is so crowded today, they decided to do pre-funeral first, then go to crematory, then have a funeral.  Since I had an appointment at lunch time, I decided to attend the pre-funeral. 
I was surprised to see two things, one was the  message on the lid of the coffin (棺桶: kan oke) which I have never seen, the other was the closing ceremony of the lid of the coffin.  Every participant nailed a lid by a stone, which I have never done.
At the wake or funeral we bring money called o koden (御香典).

I had luncheon and tea party in the afternoon and a meeting in the night at the Imperial Hotel.  I saw many people today.

１月２５日（ichigatsu nijyugo nichi）： January 25

It's been already 25 days since the New Year started. But yesterday I still got a new year's card. At this time usually we do not send new year's card but send kanchu mimai(寒中見舞い), midwinter greeting card. I also received kanchu mimai. They are usually sent by those who lost their family member last year and could not send the new year's cards. Before the new year comes, usually those family member send mochu hagaki (喪中はがき), mourning greeting card saying "please allow us not to send the new year's greeting because we are in mourning."
Recently I received some new year greetings from Spain, Argentine, and the USA too.

十月二十日（jyugatsu hatsuka）： October 20

Japanese people love nature. In spring we enjoy cherry blossom viewing called hanami (花見). Hana (花) is flower, mi (見) means seeing. In autumn we enjoy moon viewing called tsukimi (月見). Tsuki (月) is the moon, mi (見) means seeing.
Especially in old calendar on August 15 and September 13 are supposed to do the moon viewing. The former moon is called jyugoya (十五夜), 15th night, and the latter moon is called jyusanya (十三夜), 13th night.
Today is jyusanya. But unfortunately it is slightly raining and we cannot see the moon.

二月三日（nigatsu mikka）： February 3

Today was setsubun (節分), literally means to divide the season. In Japan we have distinct four seasons (四季:shiki), therefore there are four setsubun. However we usually mention only the day before the beginning of spring, risshun (立春).
On setsubun we had a custom to scatter parched beans to drive out bad luck saying "Oni wa soto, fuku wa uchi (鬼は外、福は内)" meaning " Devils out, fortunes in." This is called mame maki(豆まき), mame means beans and maki means to scatter. And after that we collect up and eat the amount of beans that corresponds to our age, wishing for the good health. This is held at home, kindergartens, temples, and so on. When it is held at the temples, usually toshi otoko(年男) or toshi onna(年女) (who were born in the year of Tiger in this year's case) scatter the beans. Toshi means year, otoko means man and onna means woman. This year is year of Tiger (寅年:tora doshi).
At the observatory (150 m) of the Tokyo Tower (東京タワー) which is 333 meters high there was the 50th events. About 200 kindergartners and families enjoyed.
There is another custom called eho maki (恵方巻き), eho means good luck direction, and maki means roll. This is to eat big rolls with many ingredients facing at the good luck direction of the year without saying anything.
This year's good luck direction is west-southwest (西南西:sei nan sei), which falls on the way to Mt. Fuji from the Tokyo Tower. Unfortunately it was cloudy and snow again today, therefore they could not see the Mt. Fuji.
I ate ehomaki at lunch time, and did mame maki at home.

一月三十日（ichigatsu sanjyu nichi）： January 30

One of the good things in the new year is new year's card. There are some friends who only contact once a year with this new year's card and we can catch up. Some use their family pictures, others write only stereotyped phrases. I like the one with special messages.
Many people usually use so-called nenga hagaki (年賀はがき), new year's greeting postcard which has lottery. The drawing was held on January 24.
The first prize is hit one in 1,000,000. You can choose one gift from the five selected items (liquid crystal television,travel coupon, note PC, digital camera with printer, office goods). The second prize is hit three in 1,000,000. You can choose one gift from the five selected items (Wii, digital camera, DVD player, air cleaner, special rice). The third prize is hit one in 10,000. You can choose the one gift from 38 special local products. The fourth prize is hit two in 100, and the prize is a sheet of stamps for the year. There are special limited prize which is hit one in 100,000. The prize is gift tickets for yen 50,000.

You can check the items here:
http://www.yubin-nenga.jp/otoshidama/number.html

If you win the prize, bring the cards to the post office from January 25 to July 26 to exchange the gift.
I only got 6 of the fourth prizes.

帰省ラッシュ（kisei rasshu）： Returning home rush

The year-end holiday has just begun for most people, and those who live apart from the family have started going home today. The peak of going back home will be tomorrow, and the returning rush is expected on January 3. Airports, trains, and the express high ways will be crowded here and there.
The things to be done at the end of the year are: writing new year's cards (年賀状:nengajo), cleaning the whole house, and cooking for the new year.
If you post new year's cards by December 25, they will be delivered on the New Year's Day (元日:ganjitsu).
Cleaning the whole house is called osoji (大掃除). After cleaning, we decorate the new year's decoration called oshogatsu kazari(お正月飾り) at the gate, the door, the alcove, the car, and so on.
New year's foods are called osechi ryori(お節料理). They are beautifully arranged in lacquer boxes called jyubako(重箱). Many of the delicacies inside have special meanings celebrating the New Year.

官公庁御用納め（kan ko cho goyo osame）： The last work day of the year at government offices

In 1873 the holidays of the public offices of the end of the year and the beginning of the year were fixed from December 29 to January 3 by law. Therefore December 28 is the last work day of the year. It is called kankocho goyo osame(官公庁御用納め) or kancho shigoto osame(官庁仕事納め). Kan (官) means government, ko (公) means public, cho (庁) means office or agency. Goyo (御用) means business. Shigoto (仕事) means work. Osame (納め) means closing.
According to this custom for many companies today is the last work day of the year which is called shigoto osame(仕事納め). After work we usually have the last meeting of a year called nokai (納会). We express our thanks to each other for the work we shared, and wish everyone a happy new year.
The first work day of the year is called goyo hajime(御用始め) or shigoto hajime(仕事始め), which falls on January 4 next year. Hajime (始め) means beginning.
Therefore people usually have 6 days off this year.
Have a nice holiday season!

十三夜（jyusan ya）

Autumn is the good season to see the moon. Especially on the 15th night of the eighth month and the 13th night of the ninth month in the Japanese old calendar are famous for moon-viewing, tsukimi (月見) or o tsukimi (お月見). 15th night is called jyugoya (十五夜) , it is a full moon night, and it is also called chushu no meigetsu (中秋の名月), the harvest moon. 13th night is called jyusanya (十三夜). They fall on in September and October of the modern calendar. Today is jyusanya.
On jyugoya we decorate Japanese pampas grass called susuki (すすき) and offer and eat dumplings called tsukimi dango (月見団子) to celebrate the beauty of the moon. Sweet potatoes are also offered. On jyusanya beans and chestnuts are offered. Therefore alternative names of the celebrations are imo meigetsu (芋名月), literally potato harvest moon, and mame meigetsu (豆名月), bean harvest moon, and kuri meigetsu (栗名月), chestnut harvest moon.
The custom of jyugoya came from China, but the custom of jyusanya is original in Japan.
We could see the beautiful moon tonight.

お盆（O bon ）： Bon Festival

Obon (お盆) is a time to hold the Buddhist memorial service for the spirit of ancestors. Depends on the region it is held either in July or August. Many people have obon from Aug. 13 to 16.
In the evening of the 13th we make a fire called mukaebi(迎え火) in front of the house or temple to welcome the spirit so that they won't get lost on their way to come back home. In the evening of the 16th we make a fire called okuribi(送り火) in front of the house or temple to send them off.
Those who are living away from home will come home during obon time, so that there are traffic jams here and there.　This holiday is called obon yasumi(お盆休み).
We usually offer the special table with fruits, vegetables, sweets, rice and water. We decorate the horse made of cucumber and the cow made of eggplant, that means they come quickly with a horse and leave slowly with a cow.
We usually visit and clean our ancestors' graves.
There are places to have flowing lantern called toro nagashi(灯籠流し) or shoro nagashi(精霊流し), and dance known as Bon-odori(盆踊り).

暑中見舞い（shochu mimai）： Summer greeting

It has been very hot and humid these days. In Japan people tend to send greeting cards twice a year. One is a new year's card called nengajyo (年賀状), and the other is a summer greeting card called shochu mimai (暑中見舞い).
The set phrase of the new year's card is shinnen akemashite omedeto gozaimasu(新年明けましておめでとうございます), A Happy New Year. And the fixed expression of the summer greeting card is shochu omimai moushi agemasu (暑中お見舞い申し上げます).
The special issued postcard for summer greeting is called kamomeru (かもめ～る). It has numbers at the bottom of the front, and they have a drawing in September. Shochu mimai is sent during doyo (土用), 18 days before the first day of autumn, risshu (立秋). After risshu, people send zansho mimai (残暑見舞い) instead of shochu mimai.　Zansho (残暑) means the late summer heat. The stereotype of zansho mimai is zansho omimai moushi agemasu(残暑お見舞い申し上げます).

七夕（tanabata）： The Star Festival

July 7 is known as tanabata (七夕: literally seven evening), the star festival. According to the Chinese legend, Altair (彦星　Hikoboshi: the star of the herdsman) and Vega (織姫 Orihime: the star of the weaver-princess) that are the separated couple by the Milky Way are allowed to meet once a year on this day.
In Japan people generally celebrate this day by writing the wishes on tanzaku (短冊), small pieces of paper and hanging them on bamboo trees with other decorations. The bamboo trees with decorations are often set afloat on a river after the festival.
The most famous tanabata festival in Japan must be in Sendai (仙台). They celebrate the day in the old luner calender from August 6th to 8th.

Today is shosho (小暑 literally means small hot), one of nijyushisekki (二十四節気), the 24 solar terms. This is the beginning of summer heat. The last one was geshi (夏至) on June 21 and the next one is taisho (大暑) on July 23.

給料日（kyuryobi）： Payday

If you are working, you must be looking forward to the payday. In Japan usually there is only one payday in a month. Depends on where you are working, the date is different. From my experience, they were either 16th or 18th or 25th.
Nowadays there are many working styles, such as sei shain(正社員：regular employee), keiyaku shain(契約社員：contract staff), haken shain(派遣社員：temporary staff), paato (パート：part timer), arubaito (アルバイト：albite). Sei shain is paid by month and has a chance of promotion. Keiyaku shain is usually one year contract with a possibility of renewal up to three years. Haken shain, arubaito, and paato are usually paid by hour.
In the salary there are basic payment, commutation allowance and additional payment such as overtime pay, housing allowance, family allowance, and so on. But employment insurance, health care insurance, nursing care insurance, social security pension, and income tax are deducted automatically.
Cash payments were popular until early 1990's, but these days companies send money to each bank account of their employees and give them just a list.

お花見シーズン（o hanami sizun）： Cherry blossom viewing season

Japanese people like cherry blossoms (桜： sakura) very much. In Tokyo they started blooming around March 21 this year but after that it has been very cold. Therefore the cherry blossoms are in full bloom now. They are so beautiful.
This weekend is a good time to go out to see the cherry blossoms. We call this activity "hanami (花見)," which literally means flower-viewing. Cherry blossom is Japanese national flower, so flower means cherry blossom. We call "yozakura (夜桜)" when we see cherry blossoms at night.
Since it is Friday and it was rather warm today, I believe there are many people who went to see yozakura.
We usually sit on mats under the trees, eating, drinking, singing cheerfully and enjoy viewing the cherry blossoms.
This is our popular spring event. I hope you have a chance to come to Japan to see cherry blossoms someday.

春休み（haru yasumi）： Spring vacation

Most of Japanese students are now in spring vacation (haru yasumi　春休み). It is about 10 days long for elementary school, junior high school, and high school students. Since it is the time of promoting to the new grade, usually they do not have homework.
Summer vacation (natsu yasumi　夏休み)is about 40 days long and winter vacation (fuyu yasumi 冬休み)is about 2 weeks. However it depends on the region. For the northern area winter vacation is longer than other places because of the cold and snow. For the southern area summer vacation is longer than other places because of the heat.
Japanese public schools usually have 3 terms, therefore students have homework during summer and winter vacation. Schools adopting the semester have different vacation schedules.
Vacations for adults depends on the company or agency they are working. However the average paid holidays for the new employee are about 10 days in the first year.

お彼岸（o higan）: The equinoctial week

A week in between the equinox day is called higan (彼岸). But we call o higan (お彼岸). Prefix o (お) is often used to say something politely. There are two o higan in a year, in spring and in autumn. We call them haru no o higan (春のお彼岸) for spring, and aki no o higan (秋のお彼岸) for autumn.
The first day of o higan is called higan no iri (彼岸の入り), the middle day is called higan no chunichi (彼岸の中日), and the last day is called higan ake (彼岸明け).
Higan means the other side of the river, which means the state of enlightment without worldly desires. The Paradise in Buddhism is considered to be in the Far West. At the Vernal and Autumn Equinox Day the length of day and night are equal and the sun will set in the due west. Therefore Japanese people started to do Buddhism services on this occasion. We go to visit ancestor's graveyard and hold a memorial service for them and offer special sweets made of rice and red bean paste. They are called bota mochi (牡丹餅) for spring, and o hagi (御萩) for autumn at the household Buddhist altar.
This side of the world full of worldly desires and wavers are called shigan(此岸).

ホワイトデー： White Day

If you have a Japanese girl friend, you'd better remember March 14 to get a brownie point. March 14 is called White Day in Japan. It is the answer day for Valentine's Day. Different from the custom in other countries, in Japan only girls and women give chocolates to boys and men on Valentine's Day on Feb. 14. In return boys and men will give something sweet such as candy, marshmallow, white chocolate, or cookie to girls and women on March 14.
This event started in 1980 by the promotion of Zenkoku amegashi kogyo kyodo kumiai(全国飴菓子工業協同組合), National Confectionery Industry Association. It seems the main ingredient of sweets is sugar which is white, therefore it was named as "White Day."

On March 14, 1873 the Meiji Government declared to admit the international marriage for the first time in Japanese history. Therefore they say today is also Day of International Marriage (国際結婚の日：kokusai kekkon no hi). According to the statistics of 2007, the international marriage rate in Japan is 5.6 % (=40,272/719,822) of total marriage numbers which was 0.9 % (=7,261/774,702) in 1980.

Happy Valentine's Day!

Today is Feb. 14, St. Valentine's Day. In other countries I think both men and women exchange cards or presents. In Japan there is a unique custom. Only women give chocolates to men whom they like. In return men give women something sweet a month later on March 14, which is called "White Day."
In 1958 a Japanese chocolate company started a gift campaign and the custom of giving chocolates to men became popular. One fourth of chocolate consumptions of the year is for St. Valentine's Day.
There have been three types of chocolates: honmei choko (本命チョコ： chocolate for true love), giri choko (義理チョコ: chocolates to boss or colleagues for obligation), jibun yo choko（自分用チョコ：chocolate for myself）. Since it is Saturday today, maybe there are fewer giri choko this year.
This year there is a new trend too. That is gyaku choko(逆チョコ：reverse chocolate), men give women chocolates.
How do you celebrate Valentine's Day in your country?
I hope you have a Happy Valentine's Day.

針供養 (hari kuyo): Memorial service for broken needles

Feb. 8 is known as hari kuyo (針供養), memorial service for broken needles.　This custom started in Edo period (江戸時代：edo jidai 1603-1867). Needle works were very important for women. On this day they took a day off to have a memorial service for broken needles which they had used for the past year. They put those broken needles on tofu (豆腐), bean curd or konnyaku (蒟蒻), devil's tongue which are very soft to let the needles rest and brought them to rivers or shrines or temples. They thanked the needles and wished their improvement of needle works and safety.
In Kanto area (関東地方:kanto chiho) this is held on Feb. 8, but in Kansai area (関西地方:kansai chiho) it is usually held on Dec. 8.
Until the middle of Meiji period (明治時代：meiji jidai 1868-1912) this custom was held at home, but nowadays this is mainly held at Japanese and western dressmaking schools.