Chika

ホタルイカの身投げ – Firefly Squid Suicide

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Have you ever heard of the “firefly squid suicide” phenomenon?  Firefly squid normally live deep in the ocean, and release mysterious blue light in the dark (please read my firefly squid post for more information).  But every so often many of these creatures crowd into the shore of Toyama Bay, and their blue lights can be seen on the shore.  People say that between midnight and dawn during the new moon in March-May is the best time to see this, but still depending on the weather conditions, you may not be able to see anything.  The reason why the squid come to Toyama Bay is still unknown, but has something to do with laying their eggs.  People think maybe lots of squid lose their sense of direction, and accidentally swim towards the shore that many of them cannot find their way back to deep water.

DC Anime Club

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I have taught some basic Japanese language and culture for the DC Anime Club on the 22nd of April, 2017.  Thank you very much for your support.  Please contact me for the future events.

https://www.meetup.com/DC-Anime-Club/events/238387812/

Sakura in Tokyo 2017

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According to the Japan Weather Association, cherry blossoms opened on the 21st of March in Tokyo – earlier than anywhere else in Japan.  Normally cherry blossoms start blooming in the south first, and gradually move up to the north.  But the weather has been so odd that many unusual things are happening everywhere.

卒業式 – Graduation

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Unlike American schools, the Japanese school year starts in spring.  From kindergarten to graduate school, all schools usually begin in April and end in March.  Graduation is a very emotional event for most Japanese, and many students and teachers cry during the ceremony.  In the Tokyo area graduation frequently falls the cherry blossom season and this makes it even more memorable.

3-Gatsu no Lion

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3-gatsu no lion (English title: March Comes in like a Lion) is a new anime now playing on Japanese TV. (Currently at episode 20, it is scheduled to have 22 episodes in all for season 1).  The main character is a teenager who plays Japanese chess or shogi professionally, but even if you don’t know anything about shogi, you can still fully enjoy this heartwarming anime, which illustrates all kinds of interactions between different types, ages, and classes of people in Japan.  Season 2 is scheduled to start in October this year.

 

雛祭り – Hina Matsuri

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Hina Matsuri 2017 02

March 3rd is Hina-matsuri (English translation “Dolls’ Festival, Girls’ Day, or Dolls’ Day.”)  It is not an official holiday, but a traditional event held every year to celebrate the health of a young girl in the family and to wish a happy marriage for her in the future.  In ancient times, a doll was dropped into a river on this day to symbolically dispose of a young girl’s illness or bad luck.  Later, this doll became a symbol of the young girl herself, and now a female doll is displayed with a male doll (her future husband), amid servants, flowers, food, and drinks.  These dolls are not toys, but beautiful and often expensive images dressed in elaborate costumes like those worn at the imperial court long ago.  We often celebrate it with hishi mochi, sushi and shirozake or white wine.

2017 March Courses

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Sign-up is available for the January courses: 3/1/17 – 3/27/17 It’s $125 for 4 classes!!! We will meet once a week for four weeks. Seven students max per class.  Please contact me to register.  ***** 3/1/17 – 3/27/17 *****   Mon Wed 6-6:50pm JAP 101 BEG 1 7:10-8pm JAP 201 N/A Course Description BEG 1 This … Read more

雪国 – Snow Country

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雪国

Snow Country (雪国) is a very well-known novel by Yasunari Kawabata (川端康成) who won the Nobel Prize for literature in 1968.  Probably everyone who has grown up in Japan knows its opening line “国境の長いトンネルを抜けると雪国であった” [“The train came out of the long tunnel into the snow country” (translation by Edward Seidensticker, 1996.)]  Snow Country is a love story based in part on the author’s journey to Niigata in the far north of Japan.  TV shows, movies, a play, etc. have all been made from this novel.

節分 – Setsubun

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Setsubun, which literally means “dividing season,” marks the day before a new season starts according to the traditional East Asian lunisolar calendar. While there is a setsubun for each season, the one we typically refer to is the Spring Setsubun. According to the Japanese calendar, Spring Setsubun in 2017 falls on February 3rd; however, on rare occasions, it can fall on February 2nd.

During Setsubun, people engage in the custom of mamemaki (please see the mamemaki post for details). People also eat an entire roll of sushi, that is called Ehōmaki for a good luck. It’s not good to slice the roll because the luck will be cut off as well.