Have a blast on Friday nights.

花金！

The life of Salary-man

As you know, most of Japanese "salary man"(office worker) work pretty hard. I may be one of them. The regular work hour is from 9:30 AM to 5:30 PM in my company but I usually reach the office before 9 AM and leave the office after 8 pm.

after a party....?

Yes overwork is very common among Japanese office workers. Of course we want to stop working anytime to leave the office for home but are not able to do it.

Lately Japanese government is working on raising productivity of Japanese companies to boost growth. That may mean our Japanese office workers' performances at work are not good. That is why we need to work until late night.

Whatever .... working in Tokyo is kind of hard.

We need to get on the crowded trains to the office and packed in the crowded. Sometimes I feel fear to the irritating people. People say that Japanese people are polite and decent but rush-hour is exception. People are so aggressive. I can't walk without being pushed or bumped by commuting people on my way to the office every morning. We have professional pushers in the station. They help passengers to push themselves in the trains. lol

Can't wait Friday night!

Since we have hard time even to commune and long days at work, Friday night is what every Salary-men are waiting for.

What do they do on Friday nights? Mostly they hang out and drink a lot. You will see many bars and Japanese "Izakaya"(Japanese style drinking places) are buzzing with drunken salary-men.
Some will throw away in the trains or stations.... Even sleep on the streets.

Sleeping drunken salary-men in the trains are commonly seen on Friday night called "Hanakin"...
Hana means flower but it may mean blooming here and Kin is abbreviated word of Friday in Japanese, Kin-youbi. Hanakin implies that salary-men will have a huge blast on Friday night.

Japanese Otaku Culture

日本のオタク文化

What is Otaku ？

"Otaku" is a term of people who are obsessed with something.
There are two different recognition about Otaku. One is positive and another is negative.

If I say that someone is Eiga(films) Otaku, I would mean someone knows films a lot. This is a positive way.

But if I say that someone is Otaku, I would mean someone is nerd(introvert, un-socialized and obsessed with something much.).
Perhaps That person I am talking is supposed to be passionate about anime or games, Japanese idols.
（you can learn about Nard here)

shops for Otaku

I don't know why the Otaku culture grew in Japan but we see Otaku things so often.

This is a "maid cafe" where waitresses are wearing maid cloths. (I haven't visited there)

waitresses are wearing the costumes

 This is a shop where you can get cosplay costumes. There are many people to enjoy wearing costumes that characters in anime wear in Japan. They rush in this kind of shops.

you can find costumes

おたくとは？

「おたく」は何かにハマりまくってる人を指す言葉です。

日本では、「おたく」といったら2種類の解釈があります。ポジティブなのとネガティブなのと。

もし誰かを「映画おたく」と言ったら、その人は映画をよく知ってるというい意味です。

これはポジティブな方。でも、もし誰かを「おたく」と言ったら、それはその人が「ナード」(内向的で、社交性がなく、何かに取り付かてる） その人はおそらく、アニメやゲーム、日本のアイドルにご執心でしょう。

おたくのお店

おたく文化が日本で大きくなった理由はわかりませんが、オタクのものはよく見かけます。
これは「メイドカフェ」で、ウェイトレスはメイドの衣装を着てます。

このお店はコスプレ衣装を手に入れることができるとこ。日本ではアニメのキャラクターの衣装を好んで着る人たちがいます。こういうお店に殺到するわけです。

prices are surprising!! the left one is 10,000yen(100$)

Shopping in Nepal and a cool shop "GANESHA" in Patan

ネパールでの買い物

Simple Nepali handmade items

I picked Nepali fabric before.
What I always buy in Nepal are like them. Mainly handwoven and felt items. And small cute metal works and traditional handmade paper production called Lokta paper.

Nepali Lokta paper produt and a metal work

They are nice really but actually very simple. Perhaps they are not commercialized much. I personally love such things but most regular Japanese girls want more commercialized things.

Yes, Japanese girls like "brands". Then I always struggle to find "good" souvenirs to female colleagues(My friends are like me so I can pick my favorite Nepali staff). Indeed last time I got something for them at the airport of Thai where I change the airplane....

shopping in NEPAL GANESHA

But finally I found a nice shop in Patan. Actually a Japanese lady runs the shop. You will find every items more sophisticated than others. My friend San let me know it.
Why not visiting there when you stroll in Patan? The address is Swotha No-11 Patan Nepal.

The front of the shop. Cool

Very organized

素朴なお手製ネパール製品たち

以前、ネパールの布製品を紹介しました。わたしがネパールで買うのはだいたいあんな感じです。だいたいハンドメイドの織モノやフェルト製品。または小さな金属のフィギアとか、ロクタと呼ばれる伝統的なハンドメイド紙製品。

全部ステキなんだけど、素朴。多分、あまり商業化されていないのか。わたし個人はそういうの大好きですが、普通の日本人の女性はもっと商業的なモノが好きです。”ブランド”好きですから。そのため、女性の同僚への「良いと思われる」お土産探しはちょっと大変（友達は私と同じなので、わたしのお気に入りを選べば大丈夫）。前回実は、乗り換えのあるタイの空港で買いました・・。

ネパールガネーシャで買い物を

でも、ついにパタンでいいお店を見つけました。日本人の女性が経営しています。どの品も洗練されたもの。オススメです。友達のサンに教わりました。これで日本へのお土産は一安心・・・！

お店はパタンにあります。

Rato Machhindranath Jatra in Patan ~ No2

赤いマチャンドラナート

Bee??

People say that it is one of the oldest festival in Kathmandu Valley. Lord Machhendranath who is a rain-maker god, came to Kathmandu Valley to rescue people suffering from a severe drought and let people have a plenty of rain.

I found a mysterious thing about this story. The load transformed to a bee when he came over there, in a vase. Why bee??? The name “Rato Machhindranath” literally translates into “Red Fish God”....

the chariot is huge

the top of the chariot

Red

Anyway "Rato" means red then the status of Machhendranath is in red like this. They have another Machhendranath festival in Kathmandu, called Set Machhendranath. The status is in white.
They light up butter-lamps in front of the chariot making the site even more beautiful surrounded by those lights.

the statue in red

蜂??

このお祭りはカトマンズ地方で太古から行われているお祭りの一つです。マチャンドラナート神は、雨の神様ですが、申告干ばつに苦しむ人々のためにカトマンズ地方にやってきてたくさん雨を降らせたそうです。
でもこのお話には不思議な点が・・、、神様は蜂に姿を変えてやってきたそうです。ツボにはいって。何で蜂？？
「ラト・マチャンドラ　ナート」は、「赤い魚の神様」ですが。。

the wheels of the chariot are also huge

赤いお祭り

ともかく「ラト」は赤という意味で、マチャンドラナート像は赤いです。カトマンズ市でも同じマチャンドラナートのお祭り「セトマチャドラナート祭」があるのですが、そちらは白だそうです。

Golden Temple in Nepal(Patan) and Japan(Kyoto)

"Golden temple" Kwa Bahal 

Kwa Bahal which is so called "Golden Temple". We also have "Golden Temple". Both are beautiful in Japan. Japanese one is called "Kinkaku-ji". It is situated in Kyoto which is one of the most popular places to visit among travelers.

Golden temple in Patan

Kinkaku Temple in Japan

Guarding inner shrine 

 I liked a pairs of these statues in both sides at the entrance They are like Komainu in Japanese shrines maybe. But another statues are sitting on their heads. Japanese Komainu doesn't have anyone on their heads, sitting on elephants. My picture doesn't cover entire elephants....

I didnt notice someone working inside when I took this picutre....

"ゴールデンテンプル"

クワ・バハール寺院はゴールデンテンプルと俗に呼ばれてます。日本にもゴールデンテンプルあります、そう、金閣寺。金閣寺は、観光客に人気のスポットの一つ京都にあります。

狛犬？

この像たちが気に入りました。日本の狛犬みたいなのかな。でも頭の上に別の像がいて、蔵の上に座ってますね。写真切れちゃってるけど、、。

Rato Machhendranath praying for rain

Rato Machhendranath雨乞いのお祭り

Festival in Patan

Now people are celebrating Rato Machhendranath festival in Patan. The month-long festival begins with the construction of the chariot begins on the 4th day of the two-week of Bachhala which is the seventh month in the lunar Nepal Sambat calendar. The construction takes place in April.

However first time I saw the festival was back to last October. Since the devastating earthquake damaged the chariot , it was delayed.

Chariot

When I happened to see it, first something very tall appeared in the dark when I walked in Patan after I had dinner out. It was like a tower in the middle of the narrow allay. People surrounding around the tower, I assumed it as a march by protesters lol.


The chariot procession known as Bunga Dyah Jatra or Rato Machhindranath Jatra is the most important event. It is celebrated by Buddhists and Hindus of Newar community by carrying the chariot.

Btw they have a similar festival, rather than, I am confused , Seto Machhendranath Rath in Kathmandu. The chariot is much larger.

Rato Machhendranath is known as the god of rain. Before they will have rainy season in June, they worship the god praying for rain and prosperity.

Actually I asked my friend in Nepal pictures of the festival but he told me that he didn't go see it because it rained yesterday. Wow The worship already has worked !

Today he went to Darbar Square in Patan to learn the huge crowd joining the festival. He took pics of them but I haven't given and I will receive them tomorrow. I will upload them then.

パタンのお祭り

今、ネパールはRato Machhendranath祭の真っ最中です。チャリオット（山車）を作るところから始まるこの1箇月のお祭りは、ネパールカレンダー（太陰暦）の7箇月目にあたるBachhala の2週の4日目から開始です。製作は4月になります。
が、わたしがこのお祭りを見たのは、去年の１０月です。壊滅的な地震で、チャリオットが壊れてしまったため、遅れたんです。

チャリオット

わたしがそれに出くわしたとき、夕食を外でたべてパタンを歩いていると暗がりに何か最初は暗がりからたかーいものが見えました。まるで狭い通りど真ん中に建つ、タワーみたいでした。ヒトがその周りに集まっているので、抗議活動かと思いましたw

チャリオットパレードは、 Bunga Dyah Jatra または Rato Machhindranath Jatraと呼ばれ、メインイベントです。仏教と先住民族ネワール族のヒンズー教両方がチャリオットを引いてお祝いします。

ちなみに似た、というかわたしが混乱したお祭りにカトマンズでお祝いされるSeto Machhendranathがあります。こっちの方がチャリオットがもっと大きいそうです。

Rato Machhendranath は雨の神様です。6月に来る雨季の前に雨と繁栄をおお祈りするんですね。
なお、ネパールの友達にお祭りの写真をお願いしたのですが、昨日は雨が降ったので見に行くのをやめたそうです。効果抜群！？

今日とれたそうなんですが、まだ入手できてないので明日載せます！

the only Zoo in Nepal

ネパールで唯一の動物園

I went to the zoo located at Jawlakhel of Lalitpur Patan district last year. It was fun to walk around a zoo outside of Japan.  And this is the only zoo in Nepal !

This is the HP.　http://www.centralzoo.info/

Actually it is a simply zoo. But you will see 700 animals of 108 different species.

First this is a map.

Signs are in English and Nepalese.

Rhinoceros....filled with melancholy　

サイ　哀愁漂ってます

Hippopotamus....seems to be fine　

カバ　ご機嫌

 I saw monkeys and deer, a tiger... and this beautiful garden. I didn't figure out why this garden is situated in the zoo...

なぜか素敵なお庭が中に

this is the place.

I boast this Nepali Embroidery shawl

自慢のネパーリショール

Hand Embroidery is incredible!

I want to boast this shawl. I got this in Thamel in Kathmandu, cashmere with silk woven.

How to celebrate Mother's Day

それぞれの母の日

in Japan

Today is Baisakh 26th in 2073 in Nepali calendar.

In most countries Mother's day is celebrated on the second Sunday in May, including Japan.

People celebrate motherhood giving red carnations commonly in Japan.

This tradition is like the United State according to some articles. This is based on the beginning of Mother's day in the United State.

And in Japan it is also common that kids 's drawings of moms are tacked on the walls in kindergartens or primary schools. The pictures they made show their loves to moms.

It is kind of ritual in Nepal

In Nepal Mother's day falls on the Nepali month of Baisakh. This year, it was celebrated on May 6.
It is also known as Mata Tirtha Ausi which is a tradition rather than a festival. People visit Mata Tirtha in Kathmandu, to perform Sraddha or Pind Daan generally. Although they are Hindu rituals performed to pay homage to their ancestors, specially parents post death, there are more than 60 ethnic groups in Nepal and they have their own ways to celebrate Mother's day. My friend,

San, told me he called his mother giving his love and respect to her.

It is always the best way to express my love for mothers in any nations.

日本では

今日はネパールのカレンダーで言うと2073年の Baisakh月です。

日本を含み、多くの国では5月第２日曜日が母の日です。赤いカーネーションをプレゼントするのが一般的。

この慣習はいくつかの記事で読んだところ、アメリカでも同じみたいです。これはアメリカで始まった母の日に基づいてます。

日本では幼稚園や小学校で子どもがお母さんの絵を書いて、壁に飾るのが一般的でもあります。

ネパールでは儀式のような

ネパールというと、Baisakhに母の日はあります。今年は5月6日でした。Mata Tirtha Ausi といってお祭りというより儀式です。

カトマンズのMata Tirtha という場所に行って、 Sraddha または Pind Daan を行います。これらはヒンズー儀式で、祖先、とくに両親がな亡くなっている場合は、そのあとに敬意を表すために行われるものですが、
とはいえ、ネパールには60以上の民族がいるので、それぞれの方法で母の日はお祝いされるそうです。

私の友人のサンは、お母さんに電話して感謝の気持ちを伝えたとか。

自分がどこの国であったとしても、お母さんに直接気持ちを伝えるのが、最良ですよね。

Boy's festival in Japan

子供の日

“Carp Streamers” (koinobori) 

a plenty of Koinobori in an event held in Tokyo tower

Today is "Children's day". It is also called "Boy's festival" comparing to Girl's festival on March 3.

Traditionally families having boys celebrate their boy's  healthy growth and happiness flying carp-shaped streamers(Koinobori) the exterior of the house or display dolls of warriors inside. I remember Koinobori flutter in the wind when I was a kid.

Koinobori imply a family consisted of father and mother, a boy.

the traditional style

History

Back to Edo-era, when a boy was born, warrior(samurai) families celebrate it putting a flag out at their home exteriors. This custom became common among the regular people.
And people connected this custom with a Chinese ancient story of  carp and started to display Koinobory.

The myth is like this.
There was a violent waterfall called the Dragon gate. Only a carp swam upstream strongly  to become a dragon while other fishes didn't make it.
People changed the custom and started to display Koinobori instead of flags. Koinobori symbolizes strength and success.

Less common

In the recent years more people live in apartments rather than houses.  They don't  have enough space to display Koinobori in the balconies. Even they do, Koinobori are flown by the strong wind and got stuck in ｔｈｅ balcony of .nextdoor.

English ability and Sightseeing in Japan ~ Visiting Yugawara

日本の観光と英語　湯河原編

Visit Yugawara

Today I visited Yugawara where one hour and thirty mins away from Tokyo. Yugawada is famous with its Onsens(Hot-springs).

manyou park(万葉公園）