Cats and Dogs

犬と猫

Cats in Japan

I don't know whether taking this word to express the phenomenon is right or not but I will say...

Now keeping cats is a record-breaking hit ever in Japan. As you know, cats are living creatures so I don't like to treat them as objects and say "booming".

But the surveys show number of pet cats has been increasing in the past years.
That was not our reason but we owns two cats.

Dogs in Nepal

On the other hand, Nepal is a country of dogs.

sleeping dogs in a temple

Japanese regional mascot characters

ご当地キャラ

mascot characters

As you already know, Japan is a country of 'anime' and 'manga(cartoon)' . I don't know whether it affects this phenomenon or not, but recently Japanese regional mascot characters, called "Gotochi Kyara" are growing so popular.


Kumamoto 's character, Kumamon

They are commonly playing an important roll to attract customers in the regional communities and even out of them. I am live in Tokyo and often see these characters, who are not Tokyo's one, appear live at special events. "live" means someone wearing full-size character costumes to animate them.
They are created to vitalize their own regions and they are going above and beyond. There are various products to sale, decorated by them and contests to decide which character is the most popular.
http://kumamon-official.jp/blog

Kumamon refrains

The reason I am writing about "Gotochi Kyara"(regional mascot character) today is that I saw a news article about Kumamon. Kumamon is the Kumamoto prefecture's mascot character. It says that Kumamon is refraining from twittering because his priority currently should be supporting evacuated Kumamoto residences because of the quake.

It sounds like a high profile celebrityIt sounds like a high profile celebrity....

mascot characters

よく知られているように、日本はアニメや漫画大国です。この現象にそれが影響してるのかどうかわかりませんが、最近日本の地方のマスコットキャラクター(ご当地キャラ)がすごい人気になっています。
ご当地キャラは地域内または地域の外からの集客に重要な役割を担っています。東京在住のわたしも、他県のキャラクターの着ぐるみをよく見かけます。その地域の活性化のために創られるのですが、それ以上の働きをしてます。キャラクターのついた さまざまなグッツもあり、全国のキャラクターのうち、日本一を決める大会もあります。
http://kumamon-official.jp/blog

Kumamon refrains

今日、ご当地キャラクターについて書こうと思ったのは、くまモンについての記事を見かけたからです。くまモンは熊本県のマスコットです。記事によれば、くまモンは、地震で避難している方たちなどのサポートを最優先とし、ツイットを控えているそうです。

まるで芸能人みたいな・・。

Pigeons in Kathmandu’s Durbar Square

ダルバール広場の鳩

Kathmandu

I want to write about Kathmandu’s Durbar Square today. And before it, first I should learn about Kathmandu.

Kathmandu is located in the northwestern part of the Kathmandu Valley whose size is almost same as the Kofu valley in Japan. Five mountains surround this valley and the average elevation is 1,400 meters above sea level. The valley is bounded by Patan, Lalitpur & Bhaktapur. Patan is a beautiful city which deserve to visit!

The quake in Kumamoto

熊本の地震で

Fore-shock

The strong earthquake hit Kumamoto prefecture on April 14. When I learned it, it was just after 20 mins of the first quake. We thought it was the first quake but it turned be a fore-shock. Next morning the main shock whose magnitude was 7.3 occurred.
The aftershocks have been occurring more than 550 times. Nearly 100,000 residents have been evacuated.

Stolen

People say that Japanese are very well-disciplined but cruel thief stealings have been happening in vacant destroyed houses. It is quite a sad thing.

Food supply

Food and water, toilet paper shortage at shelters grew worse. Even the government carried to Kumamoto, landslides cut off traffic routes and Emergency supplies haven't reached people. I don't know this kind problem always happens in such situations...

Nepali women outfits

ネパール女子のお洋服

Girls' cloths

I asked my Nepali girl friend Pun is a professional dress maker. Thease are her works.


Pun's works... beautiful

Accutally I had no idea about women's dresses in Nepal before I visited Nepal for the first time. Now after I have been there twice, what I think about Nepali young gilrs' wearing style is that there are not big differences between each other.



When I met my Nepali friend's mum, she was wearing a traditional dress. it have may be a sarry. She told me that she had joined a wedding party before we met so that may be a formal dress.

Stomach

One thing I noticed was... her stomach was out.
Since commonly we Japanese elder women don't wear skimpy dresses, I was surprised to see it a bit. But it was nice and I liked it. It looked beautiful on her.

Kurta Suruwal

Normal outfits of adult women wear are called Kurta Suruwal above. It is composed by a shirt and pants, the Nepali equivalent of the salweer kameez). Putting a scarf on neck is common.
I have never tried them but I want...! Next time I visit Nepal, defnately I will ask Pun to make Kurta Suruwals for me! My legs easily feel cold even summer so this is my style.


All of them are Pun's works. Awsome!


You can have a kuruta suruwal made to order. It takes only three days. Pun's shop is located in thamel, Kathmandu. If you like, let me know and let me connect you and her!


Pun's catalog of Kurta Suruwal. There are many bright colored dresses!

glittering!

女子の洋服

友達のプンはお針子です。これ彼女の作品（上記のものも全部）

ネパールを訪問するまで、ネパールの女性の洋服のイメージって全然ありませんでした。 2回ネパールを訪れて、若い女性の服装について思うところは、あまり大きな違いはないということです。

ネパール人の友達のお母さんにお会いした時、お母さんはこんな感じの伝統的な洋服を着ていました。結婚パーティに行ってきたのだと言ってましたので、正装ですね。

おなか

ひとつ気になったのは、おなかが出ていたことです。
日本の年輩の方が露出の高い服を着ることはあまりないですから、ちょっとびっくりしました。でもとてもきれいで、すてきでした。お母さんにもよく似合っていました。

クルタスルワール

女性のふだん着は、クルタスルワールと呼ばれます。シャツとズボン、ズボンとシャツの組み合わせを呼ぶネパールのsalweer kameezと同じ組み合わせです。ショールも掛けます。
まだ試したことないんですが、次回訪問した時は絶対作ってもらおう！足が冷え性なので、わたしにぴったり！すてき！


3日くらいで作ってくれるそうです。あ、オーダーメードですね。カトマンズのタメル地区のはずれにお店があります。 興味のある方はお声がけください！つなぎますよ。