As everyone knows, potted plants are used to decorate people’s homes and just sit in the corner doing nothing. Similarly the pot plant’s role in the class is purely decorative, their input in the proceedings non-existent.
The question ‘what’s new?’ always receives the same answer: ‘nothing special’. Similarly, enquiries about whether they have any hobbies gets responses like ‘sleeping’, ‘shopping’ or simply ‘I have no hobbies’. Read the rest of this entry »
While researching previous posts on kids’ beer, I came across several blogs featuring Petcomyu’s Happy Lager, a beer aimed at dogs. Like kids’ beer, dogs’ beer is a non-alcoholic beer that is marketed in the same way as regular alcoholic beer (ie shown in advertising to be consumed in the same way and in the same places). Read the rest of this entry »
<<01>> All aboard the hanami train! <<02>> View of Kyobashi’s Osaka Business Park behind Osakajō-park’s colourful flora. <<03>> A closer view of the striking 37-floor (157m) Crystal Tower, one of Osaka’s better skyscrapers. <<04>> Petals in the castle moat. <<05>> A view of Osaka from the other side of the park, as daylight starts to fade. <<06>> Reflection of bare cherry trees in a blossom-lined puddle. <<07 - Main Photo>> A beautiful sakura sunset to end a pleasant day of blossom viewing (and of course beer drinking) in Osakajō-park.
One of the questions I was often asked in Japan was whether we have cherry blossoms in England. To this, I would reply: ‘yes, but English people don’t really pay much attention to them.’
Since returning to the UK, I can confirm that this is definitely the case: whereas the fervour surrounding hanami in Japan can best be described as a national obsession(a perfect example of this being the sakura-zensen ‘cherry blossom front’ weather forecasts, pictured above), in England Read the rest of this entry »
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<<01>> Arguably Japan’s most famous cherry blossom tree, in Maruyama park. It’s a type of shidare-zakura (weeping cherry tree), which receives the kind of photo attention usually reserved for Hollywood celebrities at film premieres. <<02>> Well aware of the hordes of tourists who descend on Kyoto during this season, famous Buddhist temples and gardens in the city are keen to exploit the commercial potential with raito-appu (‘light up’ = illuminations). Eager to get on in the act, Nijō castle plastered the city with these posters featuring enticing - and slightly misleading - composite photography. As with other places of historical interest, the Japanese tradition of viewing yozakura (nighttime cherry blossoms) can be enjoyed for a ‘small fee’. Read the rest of this entry »
This clip is a compilation of segments featuring impressive ‘Pythagorean devices’ from Japanese kids’ TV programme Pitagora Suicchi (Pythagora Switch). Pop-culture vultures will be familiar with this kind of device from films like Back To The Future and The Goonies.
The ones in this clip are made from the kind of items you would find at home or in the classroom, but are incredibly sophisticated nonetheless. They’re also accompanied by one of those insanely catchy jingles that Japanese people seem to love, so chances are you’ll be humming the tune for the next few days.
After five wonderful years spent living in Japan, I’ve now returned to the UK to live. To a certain extent this won’t affect the contents of Big On Japan: I’ll still be posting the same mix of articles I wrote whilst living in Japan, along with photos I took there. I’ll also continue posting the best Japan-related photos and videos I find on the net too.
But additionally, there’ll be more articles examining similarities and differences between British and Japanese cultures, especially those focusing on life in England from someone who’s gotten used to living in Japan. Read the rest of this entry »
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<<01>> If sakura (cherry blossoms) herald full-on orgiastic appreciation of seasonal change, ume (plum blossoms) are the foreplay that gently warms the Japanese up. Blossoming a few weeks earlier than sakura, ume mark a slight increase in temperature and seasonal excitement, in anticipation of the main event. Here is one of Kyoto’s most famous plum blossom viewing spots, the ume garden at Kitano Tenman-gū shrine. Read the rest of this entry »
This student is reluctant to leave the classroom after the lesson has finished, and is about as difficult to get rid of as a fart in a spacesuit. Taking it upon themselves to attempt to engage you in conversation about dull topics that could have been discussed during the lesson, their efforts to prolong their weekly dose of social contact are particularly frustrating when you have another lesson immediately after theirs, or when theirs is the last lesson of the night and you’re eager to get home.
Regular viewers of Japanese TV will be familiar with the uaido shō (wide shows=variety shows) that dominate TV schedules in Japan. These consist of tarento (TV personalities) and comedians getting together to particapate in group activities, most commonly those staples of Japanese life, eating, drinking, shopping and travelling.
