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Category Archives: Culture
AKIRA and Buddhist Philosophy
It hasn’t been easy finding time to write on a blog because of family medical issues. Fortunately mine have taken a turn for the better. Recently, in the middle of this process, I actually saw the groundbreaking anime film AKIRA … Continue reading
Japanese Emperor: Cremate Me To Not Burden Japan
Sorry for the lack of posts, life intervenes. Now, the subject: Japan’s Emperor and Empress (together) requested cremation rather than elaborate state burials out of consideration for the financial state of Japan (exacerbated by the tsunami last year). It’s seriously … Continue reading
Hanashi Ga Aru: We Need To Talk.
話がある “Hanashi” is the root for the verb “hanasu” (話す、はなす), or “to talk”. Hanashi is “a” talk, more specifically. It is speech; it can also be taken as conversation, though we’d use “kaiwa” for conversation per se, and “soudan” for … Continue reading
“I’ve come to keep my promise!”
約束、守りに来ました！ At the end of a recent anime (High School DxD), a forced wedding is being crashed by the above youth (with the fancy gauntlet). He couldn’t accept being defeated and seeing the lady he served carried off in a … Continue reading
Sakura Zensen: The Cherry Blossom Front Lines
桜前線 （さくらぜんせん) “Sakura” (cherry blossom) is a word many people know well. Sakura viewing is “hanami” (花見、はなみ), or lit. flower viewing. Outside of a weather context, “zensen” (前線、ぜんせん) would mean “front” in the sense of WWII’s Eastern Front or Western Front … Continue reading
Pokemon X Samurai Warriors = What The!?
You Don’t See This Every Day Actually, this is a crossover with Nobunaga’s Ambition, a venerable wargame series out of Japan, but that’s niche stuff. The kind of niche I’m into, mind you. The people are similar, though: it’ll be … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Japan, video games, Weird Stuff
Tagged crossover, culture, DS, Japan, Mitsuhide, Nintendo, Nobunaga, Oichi, Pokemon, Shingen, video game
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Jitsu vs. Jutsu: More Than A Shuriken’s Difference
実と術 (じつとじゅつ) The word jitsu stands for reality and truth, often as part of the word shinjitsu (objective truth, an intangible thing). The word jutsu stands mostly for technique, in the sense of an art, a method, or even a spell. The words majutsu (for … Continue reading
Sorosoro: It’s Just About Time
そろそろ There are actually two distinct uses for sorosoro (そろそろ). The first is as an adverb representing softly, leisurely, gently, gradually, etc. The second is the one to really watch out for: that something will be done soon, in the … Continue reading
Sensei’s Corner: A Wandering Tale
Lots of Stuff I haven’t done one of these in a while because it’s hard to get used to the “train of consciousness” type of writing. In fact, I won’t really do that. I’ll break this up into little sections … Continue reading
So What Do Foreigners Find Expensive In Japan?
I have to highly recommend this post at Japan Today, not so much because of the story – which I find interesting in itself – but because there’s over 180 comments by people giving their own first-hand impressions. It’s fascinating, … Continue reading
Posted in Culture, Food, Japan
Tagged blogging, expensive, food, foreigners, gaijin, Japan
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