Matsui's retirement news

I found this morning in the newspaper that Matsui announced his decision to retire from baseball. I'm not a big fan of baseball, but Matsui is a very famous player and I couldn't help feeling that it was an end of an eara.

He was such an outstanding player. He is the pride of Japanese people. In the column of the newspaper, the writer quoted his words,"I don't get bored with the practice of baseball even if I continue it all day long."

He was nicknamed "godzilla", and we were all fascinated with his dynamic performance. He has shown a dream and a hope especially to young Japanese children. I hope he enjoys his retirement and return to Japan one day.

                                               source:  Wikipedia

Tsuyu, or the Japanese rainy season

Tsuyu is the Japanese rainy season. It begins about the middle of June and lasts about a month. When a rain front starts settleing over the middle to the western part of Japan, the weatherman declares that "Tsuyu," the rainy season has set in. During the Tsuyu, we have a lot of rain all over Japan except Hokkaido. Hokkaido is the only place that has no Tsuyu, and they June is the best season to enjoy the traveling around Hokkaido. I guess most Japanese people do not like wet skies and humid air, but the rain is needed by the farmers at rice-planting time. Plants grow a lot absorbing abundant water during the Tsuyu. When the weatherman declares the end of the Tsuyu, Japan enters hot summer season.

photo source: wikipedia ajisai

About NHK's "Trad Japan"

On Tuesday this week, I watched a NHK's TV program called "Trad Japan." This is the program where they introduce part of Japanese culture in English. We do have many language programs, but not this type. This is unique because they are trying to output what we have in this country.
They show us beautiful scenes of nature, paintings, culutural things, etc. I hope they will show us more of our modern part of life in Japan. Anyway, if you are interested in things Japanese, this is worth watching.

Why could the Japanese economy recover so quickly after the country was defeated in the Second World War?

Have you heard about the GHQ? It means the General Headquarters during the occupation of the Allied troops from 1945 to 1951 after the WW2. The top man was General McArthur of the United States Army. His mission was the complete democratization of Japan. So the answer to the question is partly due to the GHQ's democratic policies such as a famland reform, the Antimonopoly Act and the dissolution of the Zaibatsu(financial groups). This helped Japan reconstruct itself as a competent nation. Another reason for the rapid economic recovery was the occurrence of the Korean War in 1950. It gave Japan tokujyu, special procurements. High standards of education also helped Japan acquire new technology and redevelop its industry.

Winter in Japan

Shiga-kogen in Nagano Prefecture is one of the famous resorts for skiing and hot springs. As for skiing and snow boarding, Hokkaido, Tohoku, Niigata, Gunnma and Gifu are also well-known places. It seems to me that we have less snow than we did 20 - 30 years ago. I wonder if this

is caused because of the global warming. The photo on the left is Yamabiko mountain in Shiga

skiing resort.

What is Osechi-ryori

It is January the 2nd today, so a lot of the Japanese people eat Osechi-ryori at home or at their relative's home. Osechi-ryori are special dishes for the New Year holidays. They prepare a variety of ingredients such as fish, black beans, rolled kelp, and vegetables in lacquer boxes. It's a kind of traditional dish and each family has its own style. These days department stores of food section and nearby supermarkets sell beautifully arranged osechi-ryori . Osechi-ryori made by ordinary Japanese families do not look so beautiful, but it tastes "Ofukuro no aji", which means real homemade taste by Mother.

The left piecture is Osechi-ryori I ate at my relatives's home. The ingredients are tofu, bumboo shoots and kippered herring, carrots and taro, shiitake mushrooms.

In Japan, New Year's is the most important holiday, and it is celebrated for the first three to seven days of the new year. Most people spend a holiday at this time. On the first three days of the new year, the whole family gathers to wish one another good health by drinking special sake "toso". According to tradition, drinking it on New Year's day is thought to prevent illness.

As I See Japan..... from L.A.: 10 Ways to Be Happy

As I See Japan..... from L.A.: 10 Ways to Be Happy
Very simple ways to be happy. Some are easy to do.