Bacon.

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. See you in mid January!

Mixing up “L” and “R” is the classic example of difficulty Japanese people have when learning English, but it doesn’t usually affect the meaning if everything else is correct. Let’s not dwell on the trouble people have with English. I can tell you a long list of mistakes I–and other students–have made in Japanese over the years instead, like “yes, I’ve studied this since China” (chuugoku) instead of “since middle school” (chuugakkou). The worst part is I’ve done this more than once! I know the difference, but every so often the other will edge its way into my otherwise normal conversation.

But that’s okay, language-learners! You can’t progress if you’re not willing to make mistakes. And what’s the fun of communicating in another language if we don’t have these little stories from time to time? It keeps us all human.

Just try not to order tanks instead of tea or compliment babies for how scary they are.

 

Daisen: Mt. Fuji of the San’in Region

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. See you in mid January!

View of Daisen from the Yakumo Express

 

Train Buddy

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. See you in mid January!

My Japanese is usually pretty good, but speaking with very old and very young people can make it difficult to decipher their syllables. That, and when female students–elementary school through high school–get together and start speaking to each other, all of a sudden I don’t understand a word of what is going on. What’s slang, and what’s lazy Japanese, and what’s normal Japanese just spoken two octaves higher than usual? I can’t tell when you all get together! Then again, I was probably just as bad with my own friends.

 

Use your inside voices! Or lower…

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. See you in mid January!

One of the things you learn very early on about Japan is that walls are thin and sound travels.

That said, I don’t really have much of a problem with it, especially since I live around a bunch of fellow CIRs (which is fun). They say they don’t typically hear me singing in my kitchen unless they’re walking by, but I wonder if that’s a lie. After all, I met my neighbor’s mother one time when she was visiting, and she complimented my moon-viewing poetry reading. N-n-n-nobody was supposed to be able to hear that!!

 

Happy 2014!

Still on vacation for now, but here’s a little preview of things to come this year, especially in a few upcoming Kojiki (and otherwise!) manga renditions.
UPDATE: Start reading the Kunibiki, the legend of land-pulling!

(See last year’s Yamata-no-Orochi themed card here.)

The Year of the Snake is on its way out and the Year of the Horse is taking its place. I have plans to visit more parts of Shimane and Tottori prefectures this year, though life in Matsue will keep me just as busy as always, I’m sure.

Speaking of busy, one thing I’ve been terribly delayed on is answering the question for the Liebster Awards from Kawaii Kuni, Cutenippon, and I’ll Make It Myself!. I’m honored, and have nominated a few other other blogs to honor, too! You can see the nominations and such here.

今年もよろしくお願いいたしま～す！

Start reading about the legends associated with this piece!
Kunibiki: The Land Pulling Legend
Onamuji’s many trials
The Lovestruck (and stuck) Crocasharkagator

See the other Nengajo!
2013
2015
2016

See the Kojiki a.t.b.b. masterlist!
The Kojiki Myths in Manga Form

 

Hatsumode Guide: First Shrine/Temple visits of the year

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. For today, I have a repost from last year since the information, but if I have entries about the places listed, I have them linked in this version.
See you in mid January! For now, enjoy the end of 2013 and the beginning of 2014 in your cultural methods of choice–and then some new ones!

~~~~~~

New Years is Japan’s most important holiday of the year–and like many important holidays, it usually is celebrated over the course of several days. While there are plenty of traditions associated with this season (decorating with and eating rice cakes, playing special games and reciting seasonal poetry, etc), today I’d like to introduce Hatsumode, the first shrine and temple visits of the New Year.

This is a list of major shrines and temples for Hatsumode in the San’in region that are especially well known for the following special intentions. While certain strains of Buddhism may resemble other world religions moreso in the personal salvation aspect, the Kami of Shintoism are generally happy to grant more worldly requests. Not that they always do so out of any innate goodness–many of them are unwilling to help unless you pay up, and when you do ask for something, you have to tell a lot of them your name and address or they won’t be able to find you later and grant your request. Kami may be powerful, holy beings, but they do have their limits!

The following special intentions are just suggestions. While a matchmaking kami wouldn’t necessarily turn down a request for financial prosperity, your odds might be better if you chose your Hatsumode shrine carefully.

1. 出雲大社 Izumo Taisha
Izumo, Shimane
Special intentions: matchmaking, fertility, other general intentions
Dec 2013 update: Some basic Izumo Taisha info, though it’s mentioned everywhere on this blog

2. 須佐神社 Susa Jinja
Izumo, Shimane
Special intentions: safety for one’s family, prosperous business, traffic safety, other general intentions
Dec 2013 update: This is a shrine dedicated to Susano-o, who defeated the Yamata-no-Orochi

3. 長浜神社 Nagahama Jinja
Izumo, Shimane
Special intentions: Good luck in meeting challenges

4. 日御碕神社 Hinomisaki Jinja
Izumo, Shimane
Special intentions: Protection from evil, matchmaking, matrimonial harmony, prosperity for one’s family, safety on the seas, etc.

5. 一畑薬師 Ichibata Yakushi
Izumo, Shimane
Special intentions: Healing of eye diseases, safety for one’s family, safe childbirth, prosperous business, and any other general intentions
Dec 2013 update: See my entry here from when I served in a tea ceremony

6. 宇美神社・平田天満宮 Umi Jinja / Hirata Tenmangu
Izumo, Shimane
Special intentions: General good luck, fruitful studies, avoiding misdeeds

7. 熊野大社 Kumano Taisha
Matsue, Shimane
Special intentions: Matchmaking, protection from evil
Dec 2013 update: Also a Susano-o shrine

8. 平濱八幡宮　武内神社 Hirahama Hachimangu Takeuchi Jinja
Matsue, Shimane
Special intentions: Longevity, avoiding bad luck, prosperous business, safety for one’s family, traffic safety, etc.

9. 菅原天満宮 Sugawara Tenmangu
Matsue, Shimane
Special intentions: Passing exams, fruitful studies, avoiding bad luck

10. 八重垣神社 Yaegaki Jinja
Matsue, Shimane
Special intentions: Matchmaking, matrimonial harmony, fertility, safe childbirth, avoiding misfortunes and disasters
Dec 2013 update: A shrine known for its mirror pond that reveals how soon and how close you’ll meet your soul mate

11. 神魂神社 Kamosu Jinja
Matsue, Shimane
Special intentions: Getting rich, prosperous business
Dec 2013 update: This is where I went for Hatsumode last year!

12. 佐太神社 Sada Jinja
Matsue, Shimane
Special intentions: Guidance, good luck, traffic safety, safety on the seas
Dec 2013 update: Home to Sada Shin Noh, a UNESCO World Heritage sacred dance

13. 美保神社 Miho Jinja
Matsue, Shimane
Special intentions: Safety on the seas, satisfactory fishing, prosperous business, flourishing crops, safe childbirth
Dec 2013 update: Home to Ebisu, one of mirthful lucky gods

14. 清水寺 Kiyomizu-dera
Yasugi, Shimane
Special intentions: Safety for one’s family, prosperous business, passing exams, good health, traffic safety, making dreams come true, life-long good luck, safe childbirth, etc
Dec 2013 update: See my entry about it here

15. 勝田神社 Kanda Jinja
Yonago, Tottori
Special intentions: Prosperous business, safety for one’s family, and other general intentions

16. 宗形神社 Munakata Jinja
Yonago, Tottori
Special intentions: Life-long good luck on the battlefield, safety on the seas

17. 名和神社 Nawa Jinja
Saihaku, Tottori
Special intentions: Life-long good luck on the battlefield

18. 金持神社 Kamochi Jinja
Hino, Tottori
Special intentions: General good luck, but especially good financial luck

 

Making mochi and armed with a mallet

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. See you in mid January!

Making mochi (sticky pounded rice cakes) is a New Year’s custom, as it is eaten and used for decorations throughout the New Year season. Making it can be a bit of an art form and skilled people can go very fast. I’ve notived it’s more of a December community event than something a single family would do on their own.

Read more about New Year season culinary culture here.

 

The last days of work when no usual work gets done

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. See you in mid January!

I stayed in Japan last year for New Years. Besides the plethora of year-end parties and beginning of the year parties, there’s the thorough cleaning of one’s home and work place to start the year on a clean (and if you’re lucky, lazy) note. It is also customary to send New Year’s greetings, or show up in person at work places to thank everyone personally for all their hard work over the year.

 

Awww, rats.

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. See you in mid January!

I like it when kids interview me about my culture and experience of life in the United States, and there are some questions I especially like because I can give them interesting answers. When I’m asked about pets, I mention dogs and fish, but I always make sure to note that I had pet rats when I was their age. They give me such a range of responses! One time, a 6th grade girl was very proud to respond by talking about her pet snake.

Of course, I’m the one who is shocked to see people with prairie dogs for pets.

 

(Im)proper care and keeping of your everyday tools

I am currently on vacation and will return to reply to comments and provide new content later. Until then, please enjoy an excess of doodles and comics about my daily life in the San’in region. See you in mid January!

You must never doubt the consideration that goes into any given piece of cloth in Japan. Even if they aren’t as fancy as the furoshiki (which are coming back into fashion as eco-gift wrap instead of just an appropriate way of carrying clothes), the tenugui has uses not limited to the martial arts, and can come in any kind of print and pattern. There are proper methods of caring for them if you want them to stay usable for years and years to come, especially if you receive them as gifts (which, thus far, I always have).

Speaking of, this is one I received from one of my naginata instructors, printed in Izumo region style with an Izumo Taisha and Yamata-no-Orochi design.