Posted by Ginny
Have you ever seen a Maneki Neko (招き猫)? A Maneki Neko (招き猫) is a white cat with a beckoning paw. The cat is usually made out of porclein. The Maneki Neko (招き猫) will typically have some kind of bib, a collar and a bell. The collar is red and the bell is attached to the collar. This getup is similar to the getup of cats from wealthy families in the Edo period. Depending on the Maneki Neko (招き猫), sometimes a coin is depicted with the cat. The coin is called a koban (小判). The koban (小判) was a gold coin in Japan’s feudal era.
The Maneki Neko (招き猫) can be found in restaurants and banks. The beckoning paw is supposed to bring in good luck, especially to the owners of the establishment. The Maneki Neko (招き猫) can also be viewed in the homes of Japanese people. Children have Maneki Neko (招き猫) piggy banks. Basically any place that welcomes prosperity, wealth and good fortune will have a Maneki Neko (招き猫). As to whether the right paw or left paw is raised, and what it means depends upon the person. Some people say that the right paw indicates the bringing in of more customes, but that the left paw is for money only. Others say it’s the reverse.
The origins behind how the Maneki Neko (招き猫) came about are even more strange. Whether this really happened is questionable, but there is a story about how the great Oda Nobunaga (織田 信長) saw the spirit of a cat with a raised paw. He believed that the cat gave him a signal, thereby avoiding a trap ahead. There’s also another story where an old woman sold her cat because she had no money to maintain it. She missed the cat and saw the cat in her dreams. The cat advised her to make a mold of the cat out of clay. She did as the cat instructed and sold the clay cat. Soon other customers were requesting for the same image. She became wealthy from this business.
So the next time you see a cat, don’t fret, it’s supposed to be good luck.
Posted by Ginny
The bon (盆) festival (also called obon) can be understood as ‘the day of the dead’. Depending on the region, the obon (お盆) festival can be celebrated this month or the month before. Places like Tokyo (東京) tend to have the festival in August. Normally this time of the year, it’s hot out, so people will wear a yukata (浴衣). A yutaka (浴衣) is a lighter version of the kimono (着物). The yutaka (浴衣) is made of cotton. Sandals called geta (下駄) are also sometimes worn, but without the tabi (足袋) or socks. Generally speaking, younger women wear floral patterns while older women wear sedated colors.
The bon odori (盆踊り) is the bon dance. The dance differs from region to region and is performed in groups of several people. There is also a high scaffold called a yagura (やぐら), in which a singer or announcer directs and sings along to the dance. According to legend, the dance was started because a monk was overjoyed that his mother was released from suffering in the underworld. To this day the dances are carried out to show one’s appreciation towards one’s dead ancestors. Nowadays, the dances are carried out for entertainment purposes, rather than for spiritual reasons.
The festival can last up to three days. Towards the end of the festival, a ceremony called tooroo nagashi (灯籠流し) is performed. Tooroo nagashi (灯籠流し) means ‘the floating of the lanterns’. The lanterns are made of paper and usually a candle or incense is placed within the lantern. It’s believed that the lanterns help guide any stray spirits to the underworld. Before the advent of modern science and biology, many Japanese people believed that humans came from sources of water. Therefore the floating of the lanterns represent the human body returning to the origin of one’s birth.
While this is a somewhat solemn occassion, it is also a happy time as well. Fireworks and other lighted displays decorate the streets. Food stalls and games are also held for entertainment. As a result, the day of the dead can have twofold purposes. On the one hand, it’s a time of reflection. On the other hand, it’s a time where many Japanese children develop the happiest memories of their childhood.
Here’s a Youtube video of a bon dance:
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Posted by Ginny
In Japanese, there exists a special set of kanji called daiji (大字) for the numbers. The daiji (大字) are used for important financial statements. In the past, the kanji for the numbers we normally use could be easily manipulated to change for the benefit of the person. For example, all you need to do is to add another stroke and the kanji for one and change to two.
Some of the daiji (大字) have retained the same exact kanji for the numerals we use for numbers. I’ll provide a list so that you can compare the daiji (大字) and the kanji we use today for numbers. To make matters complicated, there is also a separate set of daiji (大字) that you can still see when you read very old Japanese literature. The numbers from this set are obsolete, but I’ll add them just for fun.
1 : more commonly used kanji for 1(一). The daiji in use today: (壱). The obsolete daiji: (壹)
2 : common kanji (二). Current daiji (弐). Obsolete daiji (貳).
3 : common kanji (三). Current daiji (参). Obsolete daiji (參).
The current daiji and the kanji from 4-9 are the same. The obsolete daiji are not the same, but I won’t bore you with the details, since you probably won’t ever see the obsolete daiji.
10 : common kanji (十). Current daiji (拾). Obsolete daiji (拾).
On some financial documents, where people worry about the numbers being potentially manipulated, numbers like 210 are written as 弐百壱拾 instead of 二百十. The number 210 in daiji is written so that you could read it as: 2 (弐) is in the hundreds (百) place and 1 (壱) in the tens (拾) place. It’s written this way so that people won’t be able to change the numbers so easily. For example, with 210, you could easily add another stroke under the kanji for two so that instead of 二百十, you get 三百十. When you’re dealing with money and other financial records, you want to be as accurate as possible and prevent any sort of potential misuse of the numbers. Hence, the daiji was created.
Posted by Ginny
Chanoyuu (茶の湯) is the art Japanese Tea Ceremony. Chanoyuu (茶の湯) is a formal ceremony involving various forms of tea etiquette. The main focus is centered on a type of green tea called macha (抹茶). The actual presiding of the ceremony is called chadoo (茶道). The tea ceremony is one of Japan’s oldest traditions. Even now, there are university clubs and social groups that still gather together to hold a tea ceremony.
The tea ceremonies usually take place in a chashitsu (茶室). A chashitsu (茶室) is a room that can accommodate all the instruments needed to make a tea ceremony work. The floors will usually be divided by tatami (畳) mats or straw mats. Tea rooms are characteristic for its ro (炉). A ro (炉) is a fire pit built into the floor of a tea room. It is used to heat water to mix with the tea. Before the tea ceremony starts, the guests will remove their shoes. They will sit on a spot on a floor seiza (正座) style, which is when a person sits kneeling on the floor.
As for the chadoogu (茶道具) or tea instruments, you’ll need a chasen (茶筅) or tea whisk. The tea will be in powder form. When it is mixed with hot water, you’ll need the chasen (茶筅) to stir it into a solution. You’ll also need a tea bowl called a chawan (茶碗). Without the chawan (茶碗), you won’t be able to drink the tea. A chakin (茶巾) is also available, so that the guest can wipe the tea bowl after taking a sip of the tea. A chakin (茶巾) is a white cloth, kind of a like a linen napkin.
Sometimes a meal is served along with the tea. A chakai (茶事) is a ceremony involving a light meal called tenshin (点心). The chakai (茶事) also uses a tea called usucha (薄茶). Usucha (薄茶) is a light powerdery tea with a mild taste. Chaji (茶事) is a tea ceremony that contains the full course meal called the kaiseki (懐石). The chaji (茶事) uses a thick textured tea called koicha (濃茶).
There’s obviously a lot more to be said about a Japanese tea ceremony, but this is the basic gist of the ceremony. With that, I’ll end the post by saying matane! (またね).
Posted by Ginny
In Japanese, there are ways to say, ‘this, that and that over there’
This - kore (これ). Refers to things that are close to the speaker.
That - sore (それ). Refers to things that are close to the person you are talking to.
That over there - are (あれ). Refers to things that are far away from both you and the speaker.
Sample sentences:
Kore wa hon des (これは ほん です) This is a book (when the book is close to you, the speaker)
Sore wa hon des (それは ほん です) That is a book (when the book is close to the person you are talking to)
Are wa hon des (あれは ほん です) That over there is a book (when the book is far away from you and the other person)
Let’s say you want to be more specific. Imagine you are at a book store and there are many books. How do you refer to a specific book? Perhaps you are pointing to a specific book or holding a specific book. Then in this case you’d use:
kono hon (この ほん) This book (in particular)
sono hon (その ほん) That book (in particular)
ano hon (あの ほん) That book over there (in particular)
Sample Sentences:
kono hon wa takai des (この ほんは たかいです) This book is expensive (when the book is close to you)
sono hon wa takai des (その ほんは たかいです) That book is expensive (when the book is close to the other person)
ano hon wa takai des (あの ほんは たかいです) That book over there is expensive (when the book is far away from the speaker and the other person)
