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I wont write on this blog, so can you go to new blog which is about fastfood.

J-culture `new year`

New year starts in the 1st, January. There are some customs in Japan. Today I talk about Japanese new year. As you know, most of people eat Ozouni, which consist of Rice cakes, soup, and some vegitables. Both taste and appearance are very simple. This is traditionally eaten by the younger and the senior citizen, but sometimes the elderly die due to chocking on their rice cakes to their throat because rice cakes are very soft and easily to stick. My family likes it very much. Before new year day, my grand mother make rice cakes from special rice with a machine evey year.

To tell the truth, I do not like Mochi. The first day of January, the breakfast is Zouni evey year. It is like a costom in my house. As I do not like it, I eat bread or something that I like.

When I was little, I really looked forward to new year day because it has many events that makes me happy. For example, Otoshidama is one of the happy events for children. Parents or neighborfood or cousion give money to children as a tip. It depends on their ages how much money they gain. This year I got highly 50000 yen from five adult. I spent that moeny buying clothes and getting on Shinkansen from Shizuoka to Osaka. I hope I can get it next year.

J-culure fish`

Sashimi is a Japanese traditional food. It is a raw fish. when we eat it, we use Soy sauce and Wasabi. They are one of the most important seasoning.

Almost Japanese like to eat it. However, some people do not like it. Me neither because the taste and smell is terrible. I think why Japanese like fish is Japan is surrended by sea. Therefore, people had a lot of oppotunities to eat from the past.I live near lake and sea. So, my family was often received fresh fishes by fisherman. Nowadays Sashimi become more famous as a Sushi. Non-japanese think raw fish is terrible. Especially, European thinks Octopus is devil.

wikipedia

j-culture "earthquake"

Earthquake is not Japanese culture, but it related to it intimately. Japan is isolated to other countries and surrounded by ocean. Therefore, it occurs frequently, both small one and large one. there are few big buildings in Japan because of it. If it happened, the buildings would be broken and cause big damages around them.

However, earthquake has some advantages for the people. For example, it makes volcano activity active and hot spring. Japanese People prefer taking a bath to taking a shower. Of course I do too. It removes the tired. Especially, hot spring has a big advantage which has a good effect to people allege and disease. I often used to going to Onsen when I was little with my family. I liked it very much because it seemed to a big bath. I sometimes swam in the water. I can remember water was salty

http://www.saitokain.com/on_tgw01p001.html

This picture is Tamagawa Onsen. This hot spring contains of Sulfur. So, it looks yellow.

J-culure4"sumou"

http://www.weblio.jp/content/%E7%9B%B8%E6%92%B2

Do you watch Sumoum? I sometimes watch it. It is one of the national sport of Japan. It has been enjoyed by many people for a long time. There are a few rules to play Sumou.

First of all, it needs two players ,a judge and a place formed circle.

They play it in the circle. If a part of body goes out of the circle or touches the ground, you lose.

Secondly, they are not allowed to wear the cloth except special uniform because if they wear something, it might be dangerous or obstacle during game.

I used to play Sumou with my friends or my brother at beach . We lined the circle on the sand. It was very exciting and fun. I experienced that I had to pay attention to the other player because of the width of the circle. It is very narrow. So, It is decided which player win in a moment.

Recently, I often watch the foreign player on TV. For example., Asasyoryu is a good example. He is Mongol ,but he has got many praise in Japan more than Japanese. I am very glad that many foreigners watch or play and feel Japanese culture, but I am anxiety about future of Sumou. Near future, I think most Japanese cannot win the game against foreigner because foreigners seem to be more powerful than Japanese.

J-culture3"castle"

Have you ever seen a real castle, not on paper or on TV? Today I will show you castle.

In the past, a lot of castles was founded to live and to fight. However, most of them was broken by enemies and became fewer as time went on.

At present, lots of people visit them as a sightseeing generally. You can see both outside and inside of them. It is very fun. There is a Hamamatsu castle near my home in Sizuoka. It has been just founded so that Ieyasu Tokugawa ,one of the famous generals, spent a time after he became older. It is just for living, not for fighting. Therefore, it is very small. when I was younger, I often went there to hang out with friends because there are many trees and many wild animals like squirrels. I guess that the reason why most of them are enclosed with many trees is to protect them from invasion of other regions.



This is Himeji castle in Hyogo. I took a photo during school trip. Nice view!!!! It is far larger than Hamamatsu one.

www.city.hamamatsu.shizuoka.jp/lifeindex/enjoy/park/parks/hamamatsujou/index.htm

This is Hamamatsu castle. Many people visit it every year.

I heard some people broke something of castle deliberately. I think these historical things are ought to be saved by us forever because we can learn and study the past through them. So, Do not hurt them intentionally.

J-culture2"matsuri"

Matsuri is a Japanese festival. In the past, It was hold to thank god. It was important because people thought food, drink and nature were great blessing from god to them. At present, It is enjoyed as a entertainment by people, including young and adult and has many kinds each regions. Of course, My town,Hamamatsu, has hamamatsu Matsuri, which is hold for 3 days on May.

I took this picture at Matsuri museum in Hamamatsu.

Above a picture is Yatai. People carry it and walk around the town, saying Esso, Esso.

I took this one at Matsuri museum. These are kites which are flown over sand hill at first and second days.

Sand hill. This is so beautiful isn't it?

what special festivals are there in your town?