05/13: Castle lovers
Very interesting that more and more people, not only old people but young women, are visiting castles these days. A new trend now in Japan is Sengoku Busho which means gennerals of Sengoku period. Sengoku period is the warring state period in 16th century in Japan. Dramas and games about this period and generals have been popular regardless of age or sex.
One of reasons is Taiga Drama made by NHK (Nippon Hoso Kyokai, Japanese Broadcasting coporation). This is long-term historical fiction drama and has long history since 1963.
Actually, it has a lot of impact on Japanese.
Castles are beautiful as artistic buildings and guardens along with are also the highlight. Many people have Hanami party at castle gardends.
Evrey time I go back to my hometown, I visit the nearest castle where I frequently visited during my school days.
Somehow, this place heals me...
then I realize I am very Japanese...
04/23: Amazing Cherry Tree
Look at this tree.
This breaks a big rock and keep growing to bloom flowers.
This is telling me "constant dripping wears away the stone".
Many a little makes a miracle...
This breaks a big rock and keep growing to bloom flowers.
This is telling me "constant dripping wears away the stone".
Many a little makes a miracle...
04/17: Mobile Phones for teens
As the same with other developed countries, the mobile phones situation in Japan has been changing every day. According to a research done by Benesse Corporation about mobile phones among teenagers, over 93% of high school kids have their own and 29% of elementary school kids have phones either with family or of their own. The percentage increase age by age, but number of holders increase differently based on sex. At age 10, only about 30% have phones among both boys and girls; however, at age13 (only after 3 years) the percentage jumps up to 49% for girls, but stays 31% for boys. Then at age 16, 94% of girls and 87% of boys and at age 18, both of sexes reach as high as 93%. What is more, the manners among teenagers are different from that of adults.
The research reports that 80% of teen users enjoy phones either taking pictures or movies and downloading music and playing games while adults use phones for communication both private and business. Elementary schoolchildren use phones often when they need to call family, whereas junior high schoolchildren use them mainly to exchange e-mails with friends. Again, girls exchange e-mails more often than boys and junior high schoolchildren use e-mail function than high schoolchildren. They answer e-mail right after they receive them. They do not mind if a person who is in front of you starts answering or writing a reply by his/her phone.
“They consider face to face communication and communication by phone is equal. Therefore, some attitudes which are not acceptable to elders are natural among teenagers,” says Akira Sakai, a professor of Otsuma Women’s University. Though there is a difference between junior high schoolchildren and high schoolchildren, both of them obviously have different perspective from elders.
I understand that mobile phones are so popular that it is hard for kids not to look at or hope to own under peer pressure. However, time of school days never comes back. They have their job such as study and student clubs to get themselves into shape and learn teamwork and harmony. It is not too bad to use or own mobile phones. Yes it is useful and has a lot of information. Nevertheless, they have things to do before having their own phones. Schooldays should be the basis for living a normal life as a member of society. I would allow my daughter to have one when she has certain knowledge and keeps a good standard in school (no absence, study hard, and make good friends).
Some schools ban to bring mobile phones; however, since most of high schoolchildren have their own phone, schools need to teach and educate on advantages and disadvantage of mobile phones. Teaching at home is a must. Sakai commented regarding this research, “It is very interesting that sense of teenagers today; we need to look into minorities who feel discomfort and doubt on some attitudes, and then take those into topics to discuss in the school education”.
The research reports that 80% of teen users enjoy phones either taking pictures or movies and downloading music and playing games while adults use phones for communication both private and business. Elementary schoolchildren use phones often when they need to call family, whereas junior high schoolchildren use them mainly to exchange e-mails with friends. Again, girls exchange e-mails more often than boys and junior high schoolchildren use e-mail function than high schoolchildren. They answer e-mail right after they receive them. They do not mind if a person who is in front of you starts answering or writing a reply by his/her phone.
“They consider face to face communication and communication by phone is equal. Therefore, some attitudes which are not acceptable to elders are natural among teenagers,” says Akira Sakai, a professor of Otsuma Women’s University. Though there is a difference between junior high schoolchildren and high schoolchildren, both of them obviously have different perspective from elders.
I understand that mobile phones are so popular that it is hard for kids not to look at or hope to own under peer pressure. However, time of school days never comes back. They have their job such as study and student clubs to get themselves into shape and learn teamwork and harmony. It is not too bad to use or own mobile phones. Yes it is useful and has a lot of information. Nevertheless, they have things to do before having their own phones. Schooldays should be the basis for living a normal life as a member of society. I would allow my daughter to have one when she has certain knowledge and keeps a good standard in school (no absence, study hard, and make good friends).
Some schools ban to bring mobile phones; however, since most of high schoolchildren have their own phone, schools need to teach and educate on advantages and disadvantage of mobile phones. Teaching at home is a must. Sakai commented regarding this research, “It is very interesting that sense of teenagers today; we need to look into minorities who feel discomfort and doubt on some attitudes, and then take those into topics to discuss in the school education”.
03/23: Highway Revolusion in Japan!
Japanese superhighways cost a lot.
Unlike the U.S., it costs a lot of money to drive on superhighways in Japan. For instance, if you drive from Tokyo to Nagoya, it would cost around $80 plus gas fee.
Because of this, we cannot travel far by car.
A new superhighway system will start in Japan; it discounts the expressway toll and it would start from 28th of this month. This only charges 1,000 yen per a ordinal car with ETC(Electronic Toll Collection) as long as you drive on a superhighway.
This is definitely a good news for me whose hometown and relatives are miles away.
Although it limits only weekends and official holidays, it makes a big difference.
This is one of additional economic policies that the government have been working on. However, it is not an easy process to make all toll stations to activate according to the policy within a month. No wonder today's news say the system will be carried out step by step, and be done by the start of "Golden Week".
Originally I was planning to visit my hometown with my daughter by Shinkansen (a supreme express) in the end of April, but because of this new system, my husband might join us.
I feel my relatives and families are getting closer.
This will really change our weekends and vacations!
Now I need a better and comfortable car
Unlike the U.S., it costs a lot of money to drive on superhighways in Japan. For instance, if you drive from Tokyo to Nagoya, it would cost around $80 plus gas fee.
Because of this, we cannot travel far by car.
A new superhighway system will start in Japan; it discounts the expressway toll and it would start from 28th of this month. This only charges 1,000 yen per a ordinal car with ETC(Electronic Toll Collection) as long as you drive on a superhighway.
This is definitely a good news for me whose hometown and relatives are miles away.
Although it limits only weekends and official holidays, it makes a big difference.
This is one of additional economic policies that the government have been working on. However, it is not an easy process to make all toll stations to activate according to the policy within a month. No wonder today's news say the system will be carried out step by step, and be done by the start of "Golden Week".
Originally I was planning to visit my hometown with my daughter by Shinkansen (a supreme express) in the end of April, but because of this new system, my husband might join us.
I feel my relatives and families are getting closer.
This will really change our weekends and vacations!
Now I need a better and comfortable car
RSS Reader can display item of information which are collected.
You can set it to displays only the content, without flame.
How to set is very easy;
1. Go to “Setting to RSS Reader Plugin”
2. Go to ”Basic” and check “Show description”
You can set it to displays only the content, without flame.
How to set is very easy;
1. Go to “Setting to RSS Reader Plugin”
2. Go to ”Basic” and check “Show description”
01/20: Power of Speech
A black man will be in charge of the United States of America for the first time of its history.
“Yes, we can!” and “Change” are very famous words even in Japan. The words are simple but powerful.
A book with CD which collected President-elect Barack Obama’s speeches is sold over 400,000 in only 2 months in Japan. Its publisher says this book is their second-bestseller. I was personally impressed by his speeches which he delivered in different occasions.
It seems that people buy the book for studying English, but want to buy its following version because they are moved by his speech. Actually, US president–elect Barack Obama inspires the hearts of Japanese.
Definitely many Japanese will look forward to listening his inauguration speech.
His inauguration ceremony will be held soon.
“Yes, we can!” and “Change” are very famous words even in Japan. The words are simple but powerful.
A book with CD which collected President-elect Barack Obama’s speeches is sold over 400,000 in only 2 months in Japan. Its publisher says this book is their second-bestseller. I was personally impressed by his speeches which he delivered in different occasions.
It seems that people buy the book for studying English, but want to buy its following version because they are moved by his speech. Actually, US president–elect Barack Obama inspires the hearts of Japanese.
Definitely many Japanese will look forward to listening his inauguration speech.
His inauguration ceremony will be held soon.
01/16: Comboo Trimming and Zooming
Comboo (a compact browser) on desktop can be trimmed to a smaller size with this button.
And it is zooming in and zooming out as you like with this button.
Comboo should be fit to your style better
And it is zooming in and zooming out as you like with this button.
Comboo should be fit to your style better
01/13: Comboo image can move 2
A Comboo screen which is put on your desk top can move this way, too.
1. Go to “Hand mode” and click
2. You can move its image with your mouse.
1. Go to “Hand mode” and click
2. You can move its image with your mouse.
01/09: Comboo image can move.
You can move the image of comboo screen.
This is combo window.
1. Select where you wish to move at the upper left
2. Right click with your mouse and select “This position is displayed on the left”.
3. It moves the image.
Do you see the difference?
This is combo window.
1. Select where you wish to move at the upper left
2. Right click with your mouse and select “This position is displayed on the left”.
3. It moves the image.
Do you see the difference?
01/06: $4,000 Fortune Bag!
The beginning of a year, Japanese love to buy so-called “Fortune Bags”.
Especially, women are crazy about getting one from favorite brand shops.
Bags are usually sold from around 5,000 yen to 30,000 yen. People cannot see what’s in the bags, but they get things more than they paid for.
Surprisingly, the most expensive fortune bag that was knocked down at auction this year was for 400,000 yen.
According to a research on Net auction market done by Aucfan.Co,.Ltd., the highest bid during January 1st to 3rd was 400,000 yen (more than $4,000) of “Foxy Fortune Bag”. This is 1.6 times expensive than that of last year, which was 248,000 yen.
The number of maximum tenders was 558 for “Toshiba big-size TV Fortune Bag” This is 3.5 times more than that of last year.
It says that the result definitely shows increase of demands for fortune bags.
I guess it is a part of Japanese culture.
Although it is financially difficult in many countries, of course in Japan too, they go and get bags which they do not know the contents. People are enjoying the moment when they get what they really wanted or better than they expected. Or maybe they are testing their luck for the very beginning of a year just for fun.
Especially, women are crazy about getting one from favorite brand shops.
Bags are usually sold from around 5,000 yen to 30,000 yen. People cannot see what’s in the bags, but they get things more than they paid for.
Surprisingly, the most expensive fortune bag that was knocked down at auction this year was for 400,000 yen.
According to a research on Net auction market done by Aucfan.Co,.Ltd., the highest bid during January 1st to 3rd was 400,000 yen (more than $4,000) of “Foxy Fortune Bag”. This is 1.6 times expensive than that of last year, which was 248,000 yen.
The number of maximum tenders was 558 for “Toshiba big-size TV Fortune Bag” This is 3.5 times more than that of last year.
It says that the result definitely shows increase of demands for fortune bags.
I guess it is a part of Japanese culture.
Although it is financially difficult in many countries, of course in Japan too, they go and get bags which they do not know the contents. People are enjoying the moment when they get what they really wanted or better than they expected. Or maybe they are testing their luck for the very beginning of a year just for fun.
