Japanese culture

Congratulations, President Trump. And I salute all my dear friends abroad who are trying to protect Japan. Japanese politics and judiciary are no longer collapsing. Serious and honest people continue to be exploited, and the economy is so tight that Japanese people cannot even get married. Taxes are too high on everything. The more you earn, the more you are taxed. On the other hand, there are many people who are not in the workforce and cannot become full-time employees. The number of children's school lunches has been reduced, and the elderly are forced to work part-time. It would be acceptable if the taxes collected were used to enrich our lives, but they are not, and despite record tax revenues, Japanese politicians and the Keidanren are still plotting to raise taxes. The very people who are supposed to be setting up a production system that reflects the nation are doing the exact opposite. And there is no current to stop them, or if there is, it is too weak and is swept away b...

 We live in an age where we can learn a lot about the world online. We should be able to understand that cultures, values, and many other things are different, and even that our concept of normal is only around us. However, I am painfully aware that there are becoming more and more events that apply only to what is convenient for them. These include war, religion, immigration, and discrimination against women under the guise of genderlessness. Even in Japan, there are many things that I find strange. Assumption, The premise is that everyone forgets that even if you are good at something, the other person may not be so good at it. In Japan, the sentences for sex crimes are very light. What we also see is the low level of women's rights. There are countless adult contents in Japan, even in the anime genre. These can be seen in anime characters that have become hits around the world. The sheer number of characters with abnormally emphasized breasts is obvious. When you are exposed to ...

 Where Japan is heading is very frightening! Japan's constitution states that the people run the country. For this reason, power has been decentralised and various decisions have been made under the name of separation of powers. What about nowadays? Every day, people who do not do what is their duty to the people are evading their responsibility, making no apologies and deciding national policy on their own. On New Year's Day this year, an event occurred that instantly wiped out the festive atmosphere. The earthquake in Ishikawa Prefecture. The situation is still devastating and reconstruction has not yet taken place at all. There is not enough food and water supply. It has been six months since the houses collapsed. And yet, the quiet people of the country are finally beginning to look askance at a country that only gives aid money abroad. I think we have paid the price for believing that politicians were there to improve the country. Politicians are hereditary, and their powe...

In a recent message I received. 'I got an email saying that your blog is interesting, I'm inspired to write it. Thanks for your support! Recently I've been working part-time in a bar two days a week and doing food delivery at a leisurely pace for three months now, since I quit my job in January this year. There, I realised once again how tied up I was with so many different things. In Japan, we are a people who are very sensitive to what people around us think, and if you deviate from that, you are often treated with great disdain. I get the feeling that they don't want to nurture individual independence. Therefore, parents blame you for deviating from the 'ideal rail' that was instilled in you from childhood, and you keep blaming yourself, and the more serious you are, the sicker you become. I myself went to counselling and I think that if going to counselling makes you better, you should go to a lot of counselling. However, I think we should not forget one asp...

  Spring. Sad things and battles are always taking place, but the cherry blossoms are in full bloom. In Japan, the earthquake happened on New Year's Day and reconstruction has not progressed at all. Taiwan also had an earthquake the other day, but things are shared at a very fast pace, privacy is taken care of, and the food is very good, which makes me realise how poor and backward my country has become. However, I am fortunate to have the opportunity to meet friends from other countries and we can talk about each other's countries. It is only there that I get to know Japan from the other side of the river and realise many things. It is impossible to say that we can understand each other because we are from the same country. Even if you are from a different country, I think it is possible to understand each other if you listen carefully and do not lack respect for the other person. I am grateful for the opportunity to do so. The world is a big place and there is a limit to what...

 Power harassment and sexual harassment are rampant in many places in Japan due to very low gender awareness. I myself am currently experiencing power harassment. It is harassment.　 One month ago, I was suddenly told that your job was gone and that I had to do another job. I thought that if it was not there, I had no choice but to work at the new job. But the truth was different. They assumed that I was not doing my job properly. They assumed that without interviewing me or even listening to me, and assigned me heavy workloads. There is a tremendous amount of peer pressure in Japan. What do you think is the result of this? Corruption like that of the Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) politicians of today. They do not allow people to voice their opinions about what is wrong, but simply treat them like slaves. If they don't like it, they should quit, and there are other people who can replace them. Fear like this causes people to lose their voices more and more, to be deprived of proper...

 The hot, hot summer has passed, and now the wind feels cold. Winter is almost here and this year is about to end. I am sorry I have not been able to post since summer. I have been thinking about various things as the days passed by in an indifferent manner. I was born in Japan, and Japanese culture and people's thoughts are what I consider "normal," and I sometimes get tired of them or feel aversion to them. However, in this age of instantaneous information from around the world, I feel that I must be grateful to have been born in Japan or else I would be a fool. Every country has good people and bad people. Whether male or female, whatever religion they believe in, whether they are old or young, it is a common thread. Does it depend on one's upbringing? I don't think so. Some people earn a lot of money, sleep in a warm bed, and eat delicious food, but they exploit others with impunity. There are also people who can barely live for a day, who are punished daily b...

 I really feel many things every day. The other day, for the first time in many years, the sky was clear and sunny for Tanabata, and I wondered if Orihime and Hikoboshi had enjoyed their brief rendezvous with each other. I wondered if Orihime and Hikoboshi had enjoyed their brief rendezvous in the night sky. I think Japan, the country of my birth, is beautiful. I think there are some very good things about it, such as its culture, craftsmanship, food, and care. However, I have come to lament the fact that power has become so concentrated that people with the spirit of the samurai, who could train and admonish themselves strictly, have completely disappeared from the country. It seems to me that the great men and women of the past focused not only on their own self-interest, but also on their contributions to others and on altruism. They thoughtfully considered how to nurture future generations, even their successors, and did not care that they might be the bad guys. But now, people...

 I am reading Regretting motherhood. Very logically, it describes the role of "mothers" in the world. It is not a beautiful, skeletonized story of motherhood, but the cry of the souls of real mothers. I believe that people always encompass conflicting aspects. Because I want to lose weight, but I also want to eat good food. I have a great boyfriend, but I also care about that girl. If everything could be moved away from emotion like a computer program, there would be no dramas, plays, operas, or music in the world. We wouldn't have to worry about them, and we could just go straight down the right path. He explains the contradiction that those logics can be applied to various things, but they cannot be applied to "motherhood. I love my children, but there must absolutely be some identity, time, and possibility of self that I have lost because of having them. Saying that children are cute or important must inherently be separated from that issue. This is why, as soon a...

 I received a very nice comment the other day. Receiving compliments from people outside of Japan made me keenly aware of the great influence that English has. It seems that many foreigners come to Japan on vacation. I was also surprised when I saw sumo in Osaka, which seemed like a foreign country. They say it is cheap and good quality is available. I have always thought that this is like a reversal of the Japanese people's flamboyant and pompous behavior overseas a few years ago. I believe that Japan does not have the courage to accept its declining country head-on. No matter which direction you look, it is obvious that the situation is in all directions. Even an ordinary commoner like me can understand this. Or, to put it another way, it is precisely because I am an ordinary citizen that I understand. Even in developed countries, we are still a conservative country, and many things have remained unchanged from the past until today. They talk about women's activities, but I d...

  I had a wonderful experience!  I got to meet up in Japan with friends from across the ocean that I've known online and exchanged ideas with on a daily basis!  There was a corona and it was not easy to make it real, but I was very happy.  Mika is an American who has a very kind and gentle heart, more so than the Japanese. I also met her husband for the first time. They both had a very warm atmosphere.  She loves Japan, so she also studies Japanese and has a wide range of things to talk about, such as sumo, her thoughts, and so on.  Everyday, I only speak with native Japanese speakers, and it is very tiring to read too much into small discrepancies in language. However, speaking with people from other countries, I keenly felt the kindness of thinking about how to communicate with them and what they are trying to convey from their perspective, which is very simple and considerate of others.  I felt how we spend our days asserting ourselves. And she gave...

 We have just celebrated 3/11, 12 years have passed. I am sure that this day is etched in the minds of the Japanese people and the world as an unforgettable day.  No human being can ever compete with the wonders of natural disasters.  No one was to blame, but we all blamed ourselves.  They lost their loved ones and wondered what they could have done to help.  The people who were involved in the nuclear power industry also blamed themselves for their ignorance, which they had exposed to the wonders of the world.  I felt helpless to do anything while there were people suffering in the same country.  I wondered why I survived and why lives that should have been valued more were taken away from me. In a place where people are close together, the cold-heartedness of people becomes evident at the same time. Many groceries and consumables disappeared from supermarkets and convenience stores.  Even now, remnants of those days remain.  People are supp...

  Ladies and gentlemen, we are now in the middle of February 2023. With February only lasting until the 28th, it seems to be flying by.  Up to this point, have you kept your New Year's aspirations? ☺️ As for me...it's all peaks and valleys. I went to counseling again today. I went to a counseling session today and was told that it is important to accept the fact that things are not going well and not to rush into things when things are not going well.  It is true that not being able to accept the pain when it is hard is like giving a broken bone an extra jolt...it is very hard.  (Between you and me, sumo wrestlers sometimes hide their broken bones to fight. But they are fighters. We are ordinary people, so we should not imitate martial artists!) Do you have fortune telling in your country? And do people believe in them? I like fortune-telling. However, I have a cynical side, so I don't believe in everything, but I enjoy it as a kind of therapy. I think I mentioned be...

 How are you all enjoying the heat wave? Nowadays, the world is full of things that destroy the earth, for example, cars and air conditioners, and there are many more. I believe that this is a punishment for human beings who sit on the blessings of nature. Oops, I didn't mean to make such a snide remark. Sorry. The other day, I went to see a sumo match. I was seated very close to the audience, so I could feel the realism 😲. Sumo is a sport, a Shinto ritual, and an entertainment that is a perfect example of the beauty of Japanese style. It is a sport, a ritual, and entertainment that changes like a kaleidoscope depending on the perfection of the recipient. Each of the rules and regulations surrounding a bout has its own beautiful gesture. However, the influence of corona also creeps in, and if the sumo wrestlers are found to be positive, everyone in the collective sumo stable is ordered to take a leave of absence. It is very unfortunate, but I also felt that it was inevitable. We m...

 Long time no see! The year is half over, how are you all doing? We have sumo next month and I am excited because I got tickets! In every country, something degrading happens where a few people abuse the weaker ones.  When I was in junior high school, I used to be addicted to foreign novels for teenagers. One of the books I read there was called "The Hangman Game," and I was shocked. Japanese people are said to be introverted from the point of view of people overseas, and among them, it is very easy to be made fun of if you are very quiet and unable to communicate with others. I thought this was even more pronounced in other countries. I myself have clear intentions and am good at putting them into words and communicating them to others, so I can defeat most ill will by myself.  However, I have seen many people who are not good at those things make false accusations and blame others for things that are not their fault.  Then, they cannot overlook it and often go to t...

 It's been a while.  I am heartbroken by the state of affairs in the world, and I think daily that it is only because of peace that we are able to transmit our culture.  I only hope that many people will be able to sleep peacefully as soon as possible.  I am saddened by my powerlessness.

 The Originator of Cute  Hello everyone. January is already over. How are you starting?  I got some sweets wrapped in a nice ranch mat! I'd like to introduce the people who drew this cute picture. Today, I'd like to introduce you to two Japanese people who created the Japanese culture, Cute! Today I'd like to introduce you to two Japanese people who created the Japanese culture, Cute!  Junichi Nakahara is a painter who has a former Takarazuka actress as his wife. He published a book called Himawari and Sore Iyu, which teaches what it means to be a beautiful woman as an etiquette.  In the book, she shows a wide range of senses such as how to think in daily life, how to enrich your life with interior design and handicrafts, and how to wear clothes.  His elegance has never gone out of style, and his sense of style is still evident to future generations!  The person who has Junichi Nakahara as a mentor is Urune Naito.  She is said to be the one who es...

Recently, something that is impossible in Japan has been happening. Before I go any further, let me explain the "Overseas　trainee . Many overseas trainees come to Japan to work as apprentices. There are many people from overseas who work in Japan as trainees.　 Thanks to these people, Japanese industry is maintained in some aspects. However, it costs a lot of money to come to Japan, and most of them have to borrow money to come to Japan.  Recently, Japanese people have started to hear that there are many people who are forced to work in an environment that is completely inferior to what they were offered as employment conditions.  Wages are lower than offered, unpaid, no overtime, no rest, etc.  In one recent case, a worker was assaulted to the point of breaking his own bones. She felt her life was in danger and asked to change her place of employment, but was not accepted.  The reason for the assault was that she could not communicate in Japanese and it interfered wi...

  Yesterday, I received a wonderful gift. It was from Mika-chan in Seattle, who I've mentioned in my blog before.  She loves Japan and is learning a lot about Japanese culture. We talked a lot about sumo.  In the summer, she wanted a kimono tailored by Hakuho, the last Yokozuna, so we got it and sent it to America!  In Japan, there is a culture of handing out items to people who have been good to you, called "Ochougen" (お中元)in summer and "Oseibo (お歳暮)in winter.  Sumo wrestlers come up with their own names and patterns, and give them to their patrons every year.  The sumo wrestlers then tailor the cloth and wear the yukata to watch the sumo...very cool and elegant!  Such is the case with Mika-chan, who sent me a very nice purple hand-knit shawl, smoked salmon, and chocolates! And a lovely letter!  I'm working on an idea to return the gift to her as well.  It is said that it is possible to meet any person in the world through six people. I've n...

 We are now on the fifth day of the New Year. I am glad that so many people, from all over the world, are reading this blog.  Today, I would like to write about a holiday that is coming up next week, Adult's Day. A national holiday is a public holiday set by the government. In a book I read the other day, there was an interesting notation. It's sad that we don't take care of everyone unless we set aside a day for it, such as Children's Day, Respect for the Aged Day, Mother's Day, and Father's Day.  You have a point. If we all had an attitude of gratitude and civility, there would be no need for the government to set a day and call out, "Let's take care of each other! If we have an attitude of gratitude and civility on a daily basis, there is no need for the government to set a day and call out, "Let's take care of each other!  This is a long preamble, but I would like to talk about the national holiday in January, Adult's Day.  In the past,...