Friday, December 12, 2008
Thursday, December 11, 2008
Japanese chess
Shogi - Japanese chess. Haven't played, just observed. There is a 9 times 9 grid, while chess has 8 times 8. Probably because Japanese don't like odd numbers. (When you give a money as a gift for the wedding, you should never give an odd multiple of 1000 Yen!)
Gokon
Gokon is a bit different way of meeting potential partners than we are used to, but very common and popular in Japan. A boy and a girl that know each other organize a meeting and each of them brings 2 or 3 or more friends (girl girls, boy boys) - but always the same number. They go eating and drinking, and socialize. If any two like each other, they exchange telephone numbers and meet again.
Not a bad idea at all.
Not a bad idea at all.
Onsen
Onsen is a Japanese word for a "hot spring". Because Japan is covered with volcanoes, there are more hot springs in Japan than anywhere else in the world, more than 3000. My guidebook says Japan is like Iceland on steroids.
The only thing you have to do is take off all your clothes, soak into one of the bubbling hot water baths, enjoy the atmosphere and traditional Japanese environment and relax.
I've only been to one so far. Heavenly experience. Must go to more!
The only thing you have to do is take off all your clothes, soak into one of the bubbling hot water baths, enjoy the atmosphere and traditional Japanese environment and relax.
I've only been to one so far. Heavenly experience. Must go to more!
Korean alphabet
Maybe you noticed in the title of the previous post that the characters look a bit different than Japanese characters. (Can you see?)
Koreans have their own alphabet hangul, and (how cool!) it was developed by one person, King Sejong the Great, in the 15th century. If I understood correctly, their "letters" are actually parts of "characters", so they join letters together to form one character, one sound. And then they put characters next to each other to form a word.
According to a Korean friend, the system is almost ingenious, much better than Japanese kanji, katakana or hiragana. Not sure if he thinks like this only because he is Korean! :)
What I can't get out of my head is that a Koran person living and studying in Japan (which is not that rare) knows hangul, katakana and hiragana alphabets, plus let's say 3000 kanji characters.
And what I know is only the latin alphabet plus 3 additional slovenian letters!
Koreans have their own alphabet hangul, and (how cool!) it was developed by one person, King Sejong the Great, in the 15th century. If I understood correctly, their "letters" are actually parts of "characters", so they join letters together to form one character, one sound. And then they put characters next to each other to form a word.
According to a Korean friend, the system is almost ingenious, much better than Japanese kanji, katakana or hiragana. Not sure if he thinks like this only because he is Korean! :)
What I can't get out of my head is that a Koran person living and studying in Japan (which is not that rare) knows hangul, katakana and hiragana alphabets, plus let's say 3000 kanji characters.
And what I know is only the latin alphabet plus 3 additional slovenian letters!
윤도현 "잊을께"
I love this Korean song. The singer doesn't look too bad either.And just today I learned the title of the song is "I will get over you". How appropriate.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
Photo shooting in Odaiba
You say you want more photos on which I look happy...
Short term happiness, but I won't complain.
Short term happiness, but I won't complain.
Sunday, December 7, 2008
Shita Machi tour
Today our secretary dressed up in a kimono and took me for a tour around Shita Machi (old town). Here are some photos (since you insist on seeing me).
Shimao san and me in front of a handkerchief shop. We also went to a traditional Japanese paper shop.
Lunch in a soba restaurant. On the photo you can see the cold one, which looks like noodles, and hot one, which is in a soup. Later on we also went to a cafe for a sweet potato cake.
Toori (door), Nezu-jinja shrine. Of course we also prayed and bought fortune tellers - I got second best out of 5 possible fortunes. I finally also bought "lucky charms" which I was resisting until now.
We went to a cat cafe. Basically a shop where they sell souvenirs with cats in 1001 different forms. You can also have a drink with cats sitting in your lap.
Shimao san and me in front of a handkerchief shop. We also went to a traditional Japanese paper shop.
Lunch in a soba restaurant. On the photo you can see the cold one, which looks like noodles, and hot one, which is in a soup. Later on we also went to a cafe for a sweet potato cake.
Toori (door), Nezu-jinja shrine. Of course we also prayed and bought fortune tellers - I got second best out of 5 possible fortunes. I finally also bought "lucky charms" which I was resisting until now.
We went to a cat cafe. Basically a shop where they sell souvenirs with cats in 1001 different forms. You can also have a drink with cats sitting in your lap.
Sonodaband
Some time ago I wrote about hearing a really good student band performing at Komaba student festival at University of Tokyo. After that I emailed them, saying how much I liked their music.
I got a reply from the guy on keyboards, and they invited me to their next live concert for free! It happened today in Morph-Tokyo club in Roppongi and it was great.
This is how good they are. Especially piano and violin. Having in mind that all the guys are very young (probably 20), that they write their own music (Ryo Sonoda, the keyboard guy!) and they all are students of University of Tokyo - which here means something - you have to be impressed.
I got a reply from the guy on keyboards, and they invited me to their next live concert for free! It happened today in Morph-Tokyo club in Roppongi and it was great.
This is how good they are. Especially piano and violin. Having in mind that all the guys are very young (probably 20), that they write their own music (Ryo Sonoda, the keyboard guy!) and they all are students of University of Tokyo - which here means something - you have to be impressed.
Thursday, December 4, 2008
Who is at work?
In front of the lab there is a sign-in board with little magnets, so that it's clear all the time where everyone is.
The first column is for "in". The second column is for "in, but away" - for example when you go for lunch of to a shop for a longer period. The third column is "out".
The different colours indicate how important the hierarchy is in Japan.
p.s. Everyone else's name is written by their surname, except mine , it's quite funny. They never call each other by first names.
The first column is for "in". The second column is for "in, but away" - for example when you go for lunch of to a shop for a longer period. The third column is "out".
The different colours indicate how important the hierarchy is in Japan.
p.s. Everyone else's name is written by their surname, except mine , it's quite funny. They never call each other by first names.
Taking shoes off
Before I left for Japan, I read in my guidebook:
Don't leave home without ...
1) Slip-on shoes - you want shoes that are easy to slip on and off for the frequent occasions where they must be removed.
2) Unholey socks - your socks will be on display a lot of the time.
And I haven't even imagined how true this was!
In Japan you take shoes off at work. When you arrive, you change into slippers. Any visitors to the office should also take their shoes off when entering, even if just for 1 minute. This is in front of the lab, where we put our shoes.
In Japan you take shoes off in restaurants with tatami.
In Japan you take shoes off when visiting temples and shrines.
In Japan you take shoes off even in fitting rooms in shops.
Every time we go for lunch, they have to wait for me because I'm very slow with putting my shoes on!
And no one in Japan wants to stand out of the crowd, so none of my colour socks are in use. I'm strange enough without them. If only I've known this, I would bring more pairs of black socks with me!
Don't leave home without ...
1) Slip-on shoes - you want shoes that are easy to slip on and off for the frequent occasions where they must be removed.
2) Unholey socks - your socks will be on display a lot of the time.
And I haven't even imagined how true this was!
In Japan you take shoes off at work. When you arrive, you change into slippers. Any visitors to the office should also take their shoes off when entering, even if just for 1 minute. This is in front of the lab, where we put our shoes.
In Japan you take shoes off in restaurants with tatami.
In Japan you take shoes off when visiting temples and shrines.
In Japan you take shoes off even in fitting rooms in shops.
Every time we go for lunch, they have to wait for me because I'm very slow with putting my shoes on!
And no one in Japan wants to stand out of the crowd, so none of my colour socks are in use. I'm strange enough without them. If only I've known this, I would bring more pairs of black socks with me!
Japanese food - outcome
I will not tell you in kilograms, but I have gone up 6.5% of my weight in 1 month! Calculate it for yourself. All my unwashed jeans hardly fit.
Ah, Japanese food. I eat it, I dream it, I feel it, I'm obsessed with it. Definitely the best food in the world. Healthy? I'm not so sure anymore. At least too good to be healthy.
Ah, Japanese food. I eat it, I dream it, I feel it, I'm obsessed with it. Definitely the best food in the world. Healthy? I'm not so sure anymore. At least too good to be healthy.
Wednesday, December 3, 2008
Japanese door
I love Japanese interior door. Simple, white and beautiful. They also have similar windows. Funny, why do they need interior windows.
But I see them very rarely. Nothing like these at the university or the place where I'm staying. I even wonder how typical it is to have such rooms at home.
One of the things children here apparently learn the hard way very early on is not to touch the door paper. And of course this is one of their biggest temptations. At the Komaba festival everyone had a chance to have a go at it.
But I see them very rarely. Nothing like these at the university or the place where I'm staying. I even wonder how typical it is to have such rooms at home.
One of the things children here apparently learn the hard way very early on is not to touch the door paper. And of course this is one of their biggest temptations. At the Komaba festival everyone had a chance to have a go at it.
Odaiba and Tokyo bay
The nicest and sunniest possible day. Amazing train ride with the views of the most futuristic city and bay ever. Quite impressive. Sometimes you can hear the expression "architectural zoo". And my camera is out of batteries.
Looking for the photos on the internet it feels like no one went there on a sunny day and has taken photos that I wanted. Such a shame.
Looking for the photos on the internet it feels like no one went there on a sunny day and has taken photos that I wanted. Such a shame.
Imperial palace gardens
Imperial palace in Tokyo is nothing like Buckingham palace. Actually you can't even see it. You can only have a stroll though Imperial Palace east gardens. I did it in my first weekend in Tokyo, and it was raining, but I though I'd post some photos anyway.
Tokyo vs London metro
I don't know what I was expecting, but Tokyo underground is not bad at all!
Compared to London, I can almost always have a sit here. The trains much broader and cleaner. They are also longer, this is the platform:
And they have special cars only for women. I've heard men like to grab women in a crowd. But it has never happened to me.
One strange thing here is that lines belong to different companies. So when you change them, you sometimes have to swipe out of the gate and then back in. And transfers are long. When you get out of the train, it tells you how many meters you need to walk to change the line. An sometimes it's 500m, 600m!
Another interesting sign:
Compared to London, I can almost always have a sit here. The trains much broader and cleaner. They are also longer, this is the platform:
And they have special cars only for women. I've heard men like to grab women in a crowd. But it has never happened to me.
One strange thing here is that lines belong to different companies. So when you change them, you sometimes have to swipe out of the gate and then back in. And transfers are long. When you get out of the train, it tells you how many meters you need to walk to change the line. An sometimes it's 500m, 600m!Another interesting sign:
Saturday, November 29, 2008
Honne and tatemae
Japanese have well defined tools how to keep the harmony in the society, called honne and tatemae.
Honne is the genuine truth, the feelings and opinions they really have. And tatemae is the facade, the face they show in public.
When speaking tatemae, Japanese are overly polite, say things they might not really mean and behave the way they might not want, just for the sake of keeping peace, good relationships and harmony. And in public, they always speak tatemae. It is commonly known and accepted that everyone does it. They don't show what they really think.
Having the concepts of honne and tatemae so clearly defined, they are actually being honest about dishonesty. They admit that they are only artificially polite, and are fine with this.
I have a big problem because of this. I always try to be honest and I try to express my honne as much as I can afford to (yes, even in other countries there are some rules about being polite, but it doesn't go as far as in Japan). I think I'm sometimes even pushing my public expression of honne too far. I value honesty much more than politeness and harmony.
Here, when someone speaks to you, you never know if they are just speaking tatemae or whether this tatemae corresponds to their honne. How can you know? How do Japanese know? And how can this be a basis for a good relationship, when you don't even know if they are just polite to you, or whether they really mean it. And what is good about being polite if it is plain obvious that you don't mean it and that you are just showing a nice face?
My book says "In Japan people can understand the differences between honne and tatemae because they have grown up with these dual concepts. People switch easily and skillfully between the two and are rarely aware that they can cause misunderstandings and confusion among people who are not accustomed to this way of interacting." "Many non-Japanese have difficulty in adapting to Japan because the extensive use of tatemae makes it very difficult to find out what people really think."
So from this I can conclude that
1) It is normal that their way of communicating confuses me.
2) Japanese can obviously distinguish when someone is speaking honne and when tatemae. (So what is the point then?)
Honne is the genuine truth, the feelings and opinions they really have. And tatemae is the facade, the face they show in public.
When speaking tatemae, Japanese are overly polite, say things they might not really mean and behave the way they might not want, just for the sake of keeping peace, good relationships and harmony. And in public, they always speak tatemae. It is commonly known and accepted that everyone does it. They don't show what they really think.
Having the concepts of honne and tatemae so clearly defined, they are actually being honest about dishonesty. They admit that they are only artificially polite, and are fine with this.
I have a big problem because of this. I always try to be honest and I try to express my honne as much as I can afford to (yes, even in other countries there are some rules about being polite, but it doesn't go as far as in Japan). I think I'm sometimes even pushing my public expression of honne too far. I value honesty much more than politeness and harmony.
Here, when someone speaks to you, you never know if they are just speaking tatemae or whether this tatemae corresponds to their honne. How can you know? How do Japanese know? And how can this be a basis for a good relationship, when you don't even know if they are just polite to you, or whether they really mean it. And what is good about being polite if it is plain obvious that you don't mean it and that you are just showing a nice face?
My book says "In Japan people can understand the differences between honne and tatemae because they have grown up with these dual concepts. People switch easily and skillfully between the two and are rarely aware that they can cause misunderstandings and confusion among people who are not accustomed to this way of interacting." "Many non-Japanese have difficulty in adapting to Japan because the extensive use of tatemae makes it very difficult to find out what people really think."
So from this I can conclude that
1) It is normal that their way of communicating confuses me.
2) Japanese can obviously distinguish when someone is speaking honne and when tatemae. (So what is the point then?)
Thursday, November 27, 2008
Sado: A Japanese tea ceremony
An aunt of one of the guys from the lab is a teacher of sado, a Japanese tea ceremony, and she kindly invited me to attend it. I didn't take any photos myself, it just didn't feel right and I wanted to fully enjoy the ceremony.
Sado is one of the most famous traditional Japanese customs and I was extremely excited about attending it. There are only a few things that I've heard about it before: that it takes years to learn how to properly serve tea and that it's extremely hard to sit in the right position for the whole duration of the ceremony. And, surprise surprise, that there are rules about how to behave when attending a ceremony. Of course I didn't know any and was probably behaving like a barbarian.
The women serving tea are dressed in kimono. There are 5 tatami mats arranged in the room, and a place for a tea pot in the middle. The room is decorated with a flower and a sumi-e painting, both are chosen according to the season.
Before drinking tea, you are served a small sweet on a special Japanese paper. Every time you eat or drink you have to bow. We drank matcha. It is prepared by whisking green matcha powder by a bamboo whisk into hot water. It is served in a nice bowl, carefully heated before puring the tea water inside. You should drink one bowl in 3 to 4 sips. If you make noise sipping, it means that you like it. After drinking, you should observe and admire the bowl.
The ceremony is as much about enjoying and watching the preparation and the ambient as it is about drinking tea. It was a wonderful experience.
If I wanted to describe it step by step, it would take pages, and I only observed - I don't even know all the rules! In the end they lent me a book so that I can read more about it.
Sado is one of the most famous traditional Japanese customs and I was extremely excited about attending it. There are only a few things that I've heard about it before: that it takes years to learn how to properly serve tea and that it's extremely hard to sit in the right position for the whole duration of the ceremony. And, surprise surprise, that there are rules about how to behave when attending a ceremony. Of course I didn't know any and was probably behaving like a barbarian.
The women serving tea are dressed in kimono. There are 5 tatami mats arranged in the room, and a place for a tea pot in the middle. The room is decorated with a flower and a sumi-e painting, both are chosen according to the season.
Before drinking tea, you are served a small sweet on a special Japanese paper. Every time you eat or drink you have to bow. We drank matcha. It is prepared by whisking green matcha powder by a bamboo whisk into hot water. It is served in a nice bowl, carefully heated before puring the tea water inside. You should drink one bowl in 3 to 4 sips. If you make noise sipping, it means that you like it. After drinking, you should observe and admire the bowl.
The ceremony is as much about enjoying and watching the preparation and the ambient as it is about drinking tea. It was a wonderful experience.
If I wanted to describe it step by step, it would take pages, and I only observed - I don't even know all the rules! In the end they lent me a book so that I can read more about it.
Wednesday, November 26, 2008
Akihabara
Akihabara: an Electic town neigbourhood. According to my guidebook, "nowhere in the world will you find such a range of electrical appliances, spending half a day flitting from store to noisy store may well be your nirvana". And Japanese are crazy about electrical appliances. Everyone from the lab always carries around their electronic dictionary.
Akihabara is also something like a "manga mecca". Manga are cartoon characters from comic books. Many Japanese otaku (geeks, obsessed with collecting something) are crazy about collecting everything about them. Normally they are just cartoon characters, but often they include underdressed women, too.
Akihabara is also something like a "manga mecca". Manga are cartoon characters from comic books. Many Japanese otaku (geeks, obsessed with collecting something) are crazy about collecting everything about them. Normally they are just cartoon characters, but often they include underdressed women, too.
Tuesday, November 25, 2008
The Japanese mind 2 (Group solidarity and alcohol)
According to the book, group solidarity is very important in Japan and individuality is something people try to avoid. In general, people try to follow the crowd and try to agree with the others. Good relationship is more important than expressing their own opinion.
They also value the feeling of belonging to a group. I've heard that it is therefore often that young people that are members of a sports club are expected, and often forced, to drink alcohol at social events to build the feeling of belonging to a group. Someone from the lab told me he was forced by his superiors in a kendo (Japanese fencing) club to drink alcohol until he could bear it. That he didn't agree with it, but it was something normal. When he was 18... I was shocked!
They also value the feeling of belonging to a group. I've heard that it is therefore often that young people that are members of a sports club are expected, and often forced, to drink alcohol at social events to build the feeling of belonging to a group. Someone from the lab told me he was forced by his superiors in a kendo (Japanese fencing) club to drink alcohol until he could bear it. That he didn't agree with it, but it was something normal. When he was 18... I was shocked!
"Do all Europeans have big eyes, like you?"
Asian girls are unhappy because of their looks - because their eyelids above eyes are small. Apparently our eyes look much more beautiful for them. And increasingly more girls decide for an eyelid surgery, I heard it's been quite common. They do it to be more beautiful and because they believe it is easier to find a job if they look good.
Monday, November 24, 2008
Japanese clubs and societies
Yesterday University of Tokyo held a big festival where all student clubs and societies presented what they do. Many food stalls, music and crowds of students. One of the Master's students from the lab had a performance with his band on the biggest stage there, and he invited us to come to listen to him. Very positively surprised... great songs and a great singer (unfortunately a bad quality video, and of the song that wasn't even my favourite).
After the concert we went to see some of the clubs and societies... Very interesting to see what Japanese students do.
Martial arts (judo, taekwondo, aikido, karate and everyhting else you can imagine, and what you cannot... the one of the photo I've never even heard of).
Sumi-e (ink brush artistic writing)
Origami
Some kind of a traditional card game involving a lot of memory use and quick arm movements.
And this is a short video of the best student band I've ever seen. I was so impressed that I haven't even though of filming. The guy in the middle with some kind of a violin (what is this instrument?) was a real star, I'm so sorry I didn't catch him playing in the video, and that I only filmed one very nonrepresentative part of a song.
And in the evening we went to the famous Shibuya. They took me to Karaoke :)))))) And to izakaya, a Japanese style "pub", where they go for drinking, eating and socializing.
This post is already too long, and yet I could continue writing more and more. It was a great day, again full of new experiences, new food and great company.
After the concert we went to see some of the clubs and societies... Very interesting to see what Japanese students do.
Martial arts (judo, taekwondo, aikido, karate and everyhting else you can imagine, and what you cannot... the one of the photo I've never even heard of).
Sumi-e (ink brush artistic writing)
Origami
Some kind of a traditional card game involving a lot of memory use and quick arm movements.
And this is a short video of the best student band I've ever seen. I was so impressed that I haven't even though of filming. The guy in the middle with some kind of a violin (what is this instrument?) was a real star, I'm so sorry I didn't catch him playing in the video, and that I only filmed one very nonrepresentative part of a song.
And in the evening we went to the famous Shibuya. They took me to Karaoke :)))))) And to izakaya, a Japanese style "pub", where they go for drinking, eating and socializing.
This post is already too long, and yet I could continue writing more and more. It was a great day, again full of new experiences, new food and great company.
Christmas
"Japanese don't celebrate Christmas." What a joke! Despite the majority of population following Buddhism and Shinto, I've been seeing "Merry Christmas" messages all around. And sitting in a Starbucks, enjoying my sweet fluorescent green macha tea latte, I'm never excused of listening to Christmas songs. Every single song!
But there is a big difference. While in Europe people traditionally spend Christmas with their families, Japanese tend to spend it with their boyfriend/girlfriend. It is much more important for couples, it seems to be like a little Valentine's day.
My last night in Japan will be Christmas. Without my family and without a boyfriend.
But there is a big difference. While in Europe people traditionally spend Christmas with their families, Japanese tend to spend it with their boyfriend/girlfriend. It is much more important for couples, it seems to be like a little Valentine's day.
My last night in Japan will be Christmas. Without my family and without a boyfriend.
The Japanese mind 1 (Communication)
Trying to understand the people I work with, I bought a book "The Japanese Mind" (Davies, Ikeno). I learned that one of the main characteristics of Japanese is that they don't put much stress on verbal communication. They communicate implicitly, talking around the topic and rely on reading each other's mind. Open communication and expressing their mind clearly is considered rude, childish and putting themselves into a superior position above the other person by assuming they don't understand anything.
On the other hand, I personally value clear and open communication, as I've increasingly become more aware in the last years how important clear communication is in any kind of a relationship. And I consider this as something positive and a good skill.
So you can imagine... Different background, values, way of thinking. Misunderstandings must occur all the time. And it's so easy to hurt the others without even knowing.
On the other hand, I personally value clear and open communication, as I've increasingly become more aware in the last years how important clear communication is in any kind of a relationship. And I consider this as something positive and a good skill.
So you can imagine... Different background, values, way of thinking. Misunderstandings must occur all the time. And it's so easy to hurt the others without even knowing.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
Kamakura
A day out of Tokyo to visit Shinto shrines and Buddhist temples. I was properly thought how to do prayers in both ways (and had to do them, too)!
Ambulance
Ambulance stuff in Japan (drivers, doctors, nurses) wear helmets!!! The same as building site workers wear in UK or Slovenia.
I asked if they were firemen, but was told it was an ambulance :)
I asked if they were firemen, but was told it was an ambulance :)
Culinary day
Today turned out to be a guided culinary day. I must have tried up to 40 new different crackers, pickles, sweets and nuts, here are some of them.
Rice crackers in soya sauce, wrapped in seaweed.
Another type of manjuu, with pieces of sweet potato.
Nuts, 6 different sorts ended in my bag!
Those things on the left are tiny fish with little silver eyes. On the right are tiny shrimp. Both in sweetened soya sauce.
The strangest thing I tried: Grashoppers prepared in sweetened soya sauce. Apparently Japanese kids love catching them and then give to their mothers to prepare them.
Rice crackers in soya sauce, wrapped in seaweed.
Another type of manjuu, with pieces of sweet potato.
Nuts, 6 different sorts ended in my bag!
Those things on the left are tiny fish with little silver eyes. On the right are tiny shrimp. Both in sweetened soya sauce.
The strangest thing I tried: Grashoppers prepared in sweetened soya sauce. Apparently Japanese kids love catching them and then give to their mothers to prepare them.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)