クリスマス (kurisumasu) - Christmas

Suddenly, it seems to be well and truly that time of year again; with an abrupt cold snap announcing the start of 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter), everyone seems to be following Rudolph's lead. Despite Japan not celebrating クリスマス to any great extent, decorations are up in the shops and a lot of people seem to be getting into the spirit with wreaths hung on their doors and twinkling lights strung up across their balconies. At first glance things seem much the same here as at home, but let's park the sleigh and have a proper look at exactly what the silly season is like in Japan; I bet my fake beard there'll be a few surprises in store.

Places to visit in Hyogo 5: 淡路島 (あわじしま - Awajishima - Awaji Island)

Today we cross the bridge from 明石 (あかし - Akashi) to the small island on the other side of the strait. 淡路島, usually just known as 淡路 (あわじ - Awaji), is the southernmost part of 兵庫 (ひょうご - Hyogo), forming part of the long road over the bridges and down to 四国 (しこく - Shikoku). Many people only see it whipping past during their travels, but if you get off the highway and take the time to explore a little, I'm sure you'll find something to like. Let's hop off at the next exit and have a look around - there's more to it than just the expressway. In fact, if you believe the stories, it may well be the first part of Japan that was created.

お中元とお歳暮 (おちゅうげんとおせいぼ - ochuugen to oseibo) - Mid-year and end of year gifts

Japan has always had a strong gift-giving culture that predates recent imports like バレンタインデー (barentain de-) Valentine's Day and クリスマス (kurisumasu - Christmas); お中元 (おちゅうげん - ochuugen - mid-year gifts) and the corresponding お歳暮 (おせいぼ - oseibo - end of year gifts) have been traditions since feudal times. They're sometimes known as Summer and Winter gifts, due to the arrival of お中元 just before 夏休み (なつやすみ - natsu yasumi - Summer holidays) and お歳暮 just as 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter) starts to bite. Wondering why that big box has arrived at your door days after you'd be expecting any クリスマス presents? Wonder no more - 'tis the season for giving, in more ways than one!

日本の四つの季節その3：秋 (にほんのよつのきせつそのさん：あき） - The Four Seasons of Japan 3: Autumn

秋 (あき - aki - Autumn) is widely considered the best season of the year in Japan, sharing a very comfortable temperature range with 春 (はる - haru - Spring). While 春 is associated with the excitement of new beginnings, in some ways 秋 is much more subdued; it's a time to relax, reflect and enjoy the weather as it cools the scorching highs of 夏 (なつ - natsu - Summer). Having said that, 紅葉狩り (もみじがり - momijigari - Autumn leaf viewing, literally "maple hunting") is as big a deal as 花見 (はなみ - hanami - cherry blossom viewing) and when you start seeing whole hillsides turning blazing red, I'm sure you'll understand why.

七五三 (しちごさん - shichi go san) - 7-5-3

七五三 is a coming-of-age festival that takes place on or around the 15th of November every year. Children aged three, five and seven are taken to 神社 (じんじゃ - jinja - shrines) nationwide and offered blessings by the priests to ensure good fortune and longevity. What makes this most interesting to watch is that all the kids are dressed to the nines in 着物 (きもの - kimono) or Western-style suits for the occasion; they totter along beside their parents like little stunt doubles. On an otherwise fairly gloomy day at 生田神社 (いくたじんじゃ - ikuta jinja - Ikuta Shrine) in 三宮 (さんのみや - Sannomiya), all the bright colours were a very welcome addition.

Places to visit in Hyogo 4: 明石 (あかし - Akashi)

明石 is a waterfront city in 兵庫 (ひょうご - Hyogo) that sits between 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) and 姫路 (ひめじ - Himeji). Like both of these cities, it's been considered a romantic place for a very long time and features extensively in old poems and literature. However, it's only a fraction of the size and population of 神戸 and its castle isn't nearly as impressive as the one in 姫路, so there's absolutely no reason to go there. If you believe that, I've got a bridge to sell you... and it's a big one.

Japaneats その7 - 鍋物 (なべもの - nabemono) - Hot pot

Japanese homes are generally not very nice places to be during the chilly nights of 秋 (あき - aki - Autumn) and 冬 (ふゆ - fuyu - Winter). Apartments in particular tend to have single-glazed windows and no roof space for insulation which means that most people rely on small heaters, air conditioners and 炬燵 (こたつ - kotatsu - tables with built in heaters) to ward off the cold. The last thing you want to do when you've got the room nice and warm is go and stand on the cold kitchen floor chopping vegetables, so why not just bring everything to the table? 鍋物 (literally "pot things") is the result - a one-pot meal that brings the whole family together (preferably where it's warm). It's branched out into a variety of different styles and is now enjoyed internationally throughout the year; I'll bet you've heard of some versions of it yourself.

Halloween post - お化け (おばけ - obake - Monsters/ghosts)

Halloween (ハロウィーン) is nearly upon us, which in Japan is as much of a big deal as it is in Australia (or perhaps even less). Like Valentine's Day, it's mostly a curiosity turned commercial holiday. Decorations and costumes have appeared in shops and jack-o'-lanterns and "trick or treat" signs have sprung up here and there, but apart from that it's all a bit of a non-issue. Don't think that means Japan doesn't have its fair share of scares, mind you - there's plenty of ghosts, demons and monsters to go around, ハロウィーン or no. So in the spirit of the scary season, let's find out what goes bump in Japan's night.

Japaneats その6 - 焼肉 (やきにく - yakiniku) - Japanese barbeque

Hot food would have made me sweat just to thinking about it a couple of months ago, but we're clearly past the tipping point of 秋 (あき - aki - Autumn) and are crossing into cloudy, wintery days. Like 焼き鳥 (やきとり - yakitori - grilled chicken skewers), 焼肉 is based around the roaring heat of open griddles and scalding hot food, which are both starting to sound very tempting as the mercury drops. So what is 焼肉, where is it from and where is it going? On your plate, if you're quick enough - grab yourself a pair of tongs and try not to burn yourself.

コンビニ (konbini) - Convenience stores

Like the ubiquitous 自動販売機 じどうはんばいき – jidouhanbaiki – vending machines), an extraordinary number of コンビニ dot Japan's landscape. While we may understand the basic concept of a convenience store or deli, a コンビニ is something else entirely, offering a range of services that go way beyond the humble choc milk and sausage roll. They’ve become an economic and social staple; by some counts there are more than forty thousand of them in the country and it doesn’t take long before you start feeling a few more wouldn’t hurt. They're also one of the only places you'll reliably find a rubbish bin!

Japaneats その6 - 焼き鳥 (やきとり - yakitori) - Grilled chicken on skewers

Now that the weather is starting to cool down, the grills are being fired up and we're getting back into all the lovely hot food of the colder months. If you need somewhere to hole yourself up from the rain for a bit, you might want to seek out a good 焼き鳥 spot. You'll know it by the blast of hot air and mouth-watering smells as you open the door, the cluttered little collection of tables and the bellows of "いらっしゃいませ" (irasshaimase - welcome) as you walk in. 焼き鳥 itself is about as old and uncomplicated as food gets  - as soon as we figured out sticks and fire, I'm sure the chicken was only a matter of time.

学校の生活その5：体育祭 (がっこうのせいかつその5：たいいくさい - gakkou no seikatsu sono go: taiikusai) - School Lifestyle 5: Sports Festival

Another major school event on the Japanese calendar is the 体育祭, similar in some respects to the sports/athletics carnivals we have at home. Like comparing school fetes with the 文化祭 (ぶんかさい - bunkasai - culture festival) though, the difference is really in the scale and level of commitment. Students and teachers spend weeks beforehand rehearsing to make sure everything goes off without a hitch. Aside from the intricacy involved and pride in the event itself, this may be because some of the events are very dangerous; others are just rather strange. The ones that tick both boxes are probably the most fun of all!

東京 (とうきょう) - Tokyo

Big brother to 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka) and perhaps one of the most recognisable elements of Japan, 東京 sits unapologetically on its throne as Japan's capital and largest city. The metropolitan part of 東京 is a self-named prefecture in itself, but the greater 東京 area straddles three other prefectures and is home to more than 35 million people; on average, about 2500 of them are packed in per square kilometre.

If you're anything like me, the first two things that will come into your mind when you arrive in 東京 will be "people" and "buildings". Let me show you why.

学校の生活その4：授業 (がっこうのせいかつその4：じゅぎょう - gakkou no seikatsu sono yon: jyugyou) - School Lifestyle 4: Classes

Unfortunately, school is more than just food, school events and club activities; the students do occasionally have to attend 授業. That's not to say it isn't interesting - if you do find yourself in a Japanese 教室 (きょうしつ - kyoushitsu - classroom), you'll probably find it's quite a novel experience. From the structure and the day to day rituals all the way to the final destination, 授業 is quite a different beast to what we're used to at home. Given that a standard classroom has 40 students squeezed into it, this is probably born of necessity!

Let's find ourselves a desk and see firsthand.

ごみ (gomi) - Rubbish

One of the first things I always hear from people who come to visit Japan is "where are all the bins?". It's true enough - at home there's a bin on every corner, whereas you can walk for kilometres here without ever seeing one. The second thing I hear is "why isn't there rubbish everywhere?"; you would think that if there were no bins to be found, people would just give up and throw things on the ground. Not so - people diligently carry their bottles, wrappers and cartons around until they find a コンビニ (konbini - convenience store), which will usually have ごみ箱 (ごみばこ - gomibako - rubbish bins) out the front.

So why are there no bins and where is all the rubbish? The answers might be more interesting than you think.

お盆 (おぼん) - Obon

お盆 (or just 盆 - ぼん - Bon) is a Buddhist festival that happens during the middle of Summer across the whole of Japan. Similar to Mexico's Day of the Dead, it's a time where people's ancestors are said to return to the world of the living. It's also one of the busiest times of year to travel, with thousands of travellers returning to their families for the occasion; if you wanted to experience being pushed on to a crowded train firsthand, お盆 would be a very good time for it.

So what is お盆 and what does it involve, exactly? Let's find out.

Japaneats その5 - ラーメン (Ramen)

With all the travelling we've been doing in recent topics, it's probably time we stop for a bite to eat. ラーメン has to be one of Japan's most successful food imports - originally from China, it's now almost as much of a national staple as its native cousins うどん (udon) and そば (soba). In its most basic form, ラーメン is a bowl of noodles in soup, but that makes it sound more boring than it is. There are hundreds of variations from instant to gourmet and with that level of diversity, Japan is bound to have the perfect ラーメン for you.

大阪 (おおさか) - Osaka

大阪 is the biggest city in the 関西 (かんさい - Kansai) area and only eclipsed by 東京 (とうきょう - Tokyo) and 横浜 (よこはま - Yokohama) nationwide. In some ways 大阪 feels worlds away from 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) despite being so close; it's like the Sydney to its Melbourne. Where 神戸 has a smaller, closer atmosphere to it, 大阪 is very much a big city in every way.

I'll let you decide whether that's a good or a bad thing. 

日本の四つの季節その２：夏 (にほんのよつのきせつそのに：なつ） - The Four Seasons of Japan 2: Summer

夏 (なつ - natsu - Summer) is the next big season in Japan, where the grey clouds of 梅雨 (つゆ - tsuyu - the rainy season) finally give way to sweltering tropical heat. It's not all sweat and sunburn though - among other things, 夏 plays host to some of the best festivals of the Japanese calendar; balmy nights with special events, games, food and ice-cold drinks.

Grab your fan, it's going to be a hot one.

京都その２ (きょうとそのに - Kyouto sono ni) - Kyoto, part two

In my opinion, the best part of 京都 is the sheer number of things to see and do there. As I mentioned last week, there are thousands of temples and shrines, ranging from huge tourist favourites to tiny places tucked out of sight; it's easy to find something new every time you visit. Today we'll take a look at some of the slightly smaller places - still popular, but not swarming with as many people as last time. I hope you still have your walking shoes on.

京都その１ (きょうとそのいち - Kyouto sono ichi) - Kyoto, part one

It's hard to think of Japan without 京都 springing to mind; it's one of the old capitals of Japan, hosts tens of millions of tourists each year and boasts around two thousand temples and shrines. It's also very straightforward to get to by 電車 (でんしゃ - densha - train) or 新幹線 (しんかんせん - shinkansen), which is just as well because you'll probably need two days to even scratch the surface. Fortunately I'll be doing most of the hard work for you this time - two posts for a two day trip. Don't forget your camera!

祇園祭 (ぎおんまつり - Gion Matsuri) - Gion Festival

祇園祭 takes place every year in 京都 (きょうと - Kyoto) and is considered one of the "big three" festivals of Japan. It happens throughout July, culminating in a parade of floats on the 17th. Several of the roads of the 祇園 (Gion) district are reserved for pedestrians and huge shrines stacked with people, intricate tapestries and carved gold leaf rumble through the streets. So huge, in fact, that overhead power lines have had to be relocated in the past to stop the shrines getting caught on them. Did I mention many of them have trees on top as well? I may be overstressing the point, but it's certainly been a while since I've heard "boring" and "festival" in the same sentence.

電車 (でんしゃ - densha) - Trains

One of the things that probably springs to mind when you think of Japan are 電車; probably the image of the 新幹線 (しんかんせん - shinkansen - bullet train) gliding past 富士山 (ふじさん - Fujisan - Mount Fuji), or men with white gloves shoving the last few passengers on to a packed train. You could say that 電車 are the backbone of Japan and when you get here, you'll see why - they get billions of people a year to where they need to be. Let's have a look at the Japanese rail system and see what makes it one of the best in the world.

Japaneats その4 - ファーストフード (Fast food)

Let's face it - there will be gloomy days during 梅雨 (つゆ - tsuyu - the rainy season) when you just want to veg out and eat junk food. Fortunately, you can kill your ハンバーガー (hamburger) cravings in true Japanese style. Whether it's a burger place you won't find at home or an imported chain, let's have a look at what's on offer. Loosen your belt, grab some napkins and pull up a plastic stool for today's Japaneats.

オタクの世界 (おたくのせかい - otaku no sekai) - The world of "otaku"

There seems to be some disagreement about what "オタク" actually are but for the sake of brevity, let's just call them "nerds", "geeks" and as some people on the internet call them, "fanboys/fangirls". Essentially, they're people with an obsession; their lives seemingly revolve around something that isn't nearly as important to other people. This is commonly referred to in Japan as a マニア (mania), which is why オタク are sometimes called マニアック (maniacs). Given that this is the land of アニメ (anime), マンガ (manga) and テレビゲーム (terebi geemu - video games) these are the most common マニア which I'll be focusing on today, but there are others. One of my coworkers is a self-confessed 電車オタク (でんしゃおたく - densha otaku - "train geek") and I'm told this isn't uncommon! Next stop, オタクの世界.

The word オタク started out as derogatory - it had the same connotations as "loser" or "freak", but that's started to change. Some people now wear it as a badge of honour, but it can still cause offence for those who don't. The modern オタク community has properly found its feet on the internet with Japanese image and chat boards such as 2channel (pronounced "二チャンネル" - ni channeru). Forums like this offer オタク the chance to post anonymously on thousands of different topics; most Japanese internet slang, jokes and pop culture come from boards like 2channel. Sometimes they even blossom into full-blown cultural phenomena. Probably the most famous example of this was an incident known as 電車男 (でんしゃおとこ - densha otoko - train man). It involved a romantically clumsy オタク who spent several months getting advice from posters about how he could win over a girl he met on the train one day. True or not, it ended up being made into several マンガ series and even turned into a soap opera! This is definitely worth Googling.

Not all オタク are shrinking violets, mind you - there are many public events and conventions that cater to their hunger for collectibles and spending time with like-minded people. These are sometimes known as オタコン ("otacon"), which is a Japanese shortening of the words "オタク" and "convention". At these, オタク are able to buy マンガ, フィギュア ("figyua" - figurines of popular characters), prints based on their favourite series and almost any other merchandise you can imagine. If it exists, someone collects it.

Perhaps the most interesting part of オタコン and other events is the コスプレ ("cosplay"). This is another Japanese shortening of "costume" and "play", basically meaning fancy dress. Given the dedication of some people to their art, the results can be amazing, as I found out when I visited this year's "Osaka Street Festa".

This might not be quite what you imagine when you think of reserved, measured Japan! The surging crowds spoke for themselves, though - hundreds of オタク dressed in specially made costumes, wigs and all. When the hair was too impractical to be real, they just made it themselves!

The Yu-Gi-Oh, Pokemon and Dragonball fans were out in force and for every one cosplayer there were ten people there to take photos.

Some of the cosplayers themselves even had the cameras out - these One Piece fans in particular didn't want to let the opportunity for some good photos get away.

Not everyone was dressed up as modern characters of course, like this cosplayer dressed as 食い倒れ太郎 (くいだおれたろう - kuidaore tarou). He's an old clown-like drummer puppet that stands outside a restaurant in Osaka, who's become a bit of a symbol of the city. His name roughly translates to "eat until you collapse Tarou", which must be something Osaka is renowned for!

In what would have to be the strangest part of the event, the cleaners then showed up in full costume. I think it's the only time I'll ever see people in samurai costumes picking up rubbish on the street! Welcome to オタクの世界, where even the cleaners enjoy a little コスプレ. I find it amazing that such a large community has sprung up from what must have been humble roots - such is the power of the internet and two-speed Japanese culture. オタク rejoice, and rest assured that whatever kind of マニア you have, there'll be plenty of other マニアック you can share it with. They might even help you make your costume.

文化祭、続き (ぶんかさい、つづき - bunkasai, tsuzuki) - Culture Festival, continued

Having enjoyed my other school's 文化祭 over the weekend, I thought I'd make a followup to the last Culture Festival post and share some of the photos with you. This one had a different focus with less emphasis on "indoorsy" cultural activities and cafes and more on hot food; a lot of the stalls braved the darkening skies, set up their outdoor griddles and got down to some hard-core food preparation. Despite the different take on things, it was no less fun this time around - in fact, their slogan for this year was "Create Fun". Did they manage to do it? See for yourself!

お金と銀行 (おかねとぎんこう - okane to ginkou) - Money and Banks

I hardly use cash in Australia, I'll admit - aside from small purchases, I tend to just pull out my credit card or pay on EFTPOS. In Japan, bank cards are strictly for withdrawing money and credit cards are generally reserved for big purchases at international chains and major department stores. As they keep telling me here, cash is king. I've witnessed people withdrawing what must be thousands of dollars at a time; even I find myself panicking now if my wallet is down to its last $100. They say money talks, so let's see what the 円 (えん - en - yen) has to say for itself.

～放題 (～ほうだい - ～houdai) - As much as you like!

Reaching into Japan's bag of surprises today produces a little piece of paper that says "放題". It's added to a verb (or occasionally a noun), making the meaning "all you can X" or "X as much as you like". I'm sure most people would think of Japan as a conservative culture; most of what you see is small, delicate servings of food and minimalistic traditions. More and more though, a buffet culture of "放題" seems to be catching on and becoming another facet of the Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde nature of Japan. The next time you see a picture of a pretty girl in a 着物 (きもの - kimono) eating 寿司 (すし - sushi), bear in mind that it might be her 26th plate.

学校の生活その3：部活動 (がっこうのせいかつその３：ぶかつどう - gakkou no seikatsu sono san: bukatsudou) - School Lifestyle 3: Club activities

部活動, used interchangeably with 部活 (ぶかつ - bukatsu), are the "clubs" or "extracurricular" activities that Japan has developed a reputation for. 部活 are a massive part of school in Japan - the club you join has a huge impact on your time at school. It seems to have an even bigger impact on your time outside school though - depending on the individual school, most clubs officially run until 6pm every day (and unofficially, sometimes much longer). If that's not enough for you, there's Saturday training and morning practice in some cases as well - one student I spoke to gets up every morning at 5am for this! Bully for him, but I'm really not sure I could be that enthusiastic.

ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン - Universal Studios Japan

ユニバーサル・スタジオ・ジャパン (usually shortened to "USJ") is the Japanese import of Universal Studios in the US, located in Hollywood and Florida. Although it doesn't have a massive amount to do with Japan in the traditional sense, it's become a bit of an institution over here so I think it's worth having a look at. It's very easy to get to from 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe) or 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka), you're very likely to go there if you come on a holiday or school trip and it's lots and lots of fun. It's also one of the only chances you'll get to hear Arnold Schwartzeneggar speaking Japanese. If that's not a good Friday topic I don't know what is!

日本の四つの季節その１.5：梅雨 (にほんのよつのきせつそのいってんご：つゆ） - The Four Seasons of Japan 1.5: The rainy season

梅雨 (つゆ - tsuyu) usually runs for most of June and the first half of July, lasting for about 40 days. It isn't really considered a season in its own right, which is why I'm putting it as a ".5" - a mini-season during the transition from Spring to Summer. 梅雨 literally means "plum rain", because it coincides with the plum season. I find the name misleadingly gentle, bringing up images of gentle spring rains. Instead, I got to school so soaked this morning that I had to wring my socks out in the sink. I think a better name would be "doom rain" or "bring a spare set of clothes rain".

I don't think even the most optimistic people have too many positive things to say about 梅雨 - it manages to combine the most dreadful elements of the other seasons. Despite the soaking rain, it's still hot and unpleasant. The best word for it, I think is 蒸し暑い (むしあつい - mushiatsui), meaning "humid" or "muggy" - on the really bad days, it's hard to tell where your sweat ends and the rain starts. I'd definitely advise against coming over in the thick of it if you can help it. If not, invest in a good umbrella and some towels!

だんじり祭り - Danjiri Matsuri

While not quite as out of control as the 裸祭り (はだかまつり - Naked Festival), the だんじり祭り is still a bit of a sight to behold. A だんじり is a portable shrine that looks like a room-sized temple on wooden cart wheels. Several of these are filled with gongs, drums and people who aim to make as much noise as possible as they lumber tirelessly through the streets. The best bit? The only way to turn them seems to be to do a wheelie. It's like watching history's first monster truck rally.

納豆 - なっとう - Nattou

A quick quiz. I have a very strong flavour and smell. I'm very nutritious. Most people either love me or hate me. I'm often eaten for breakfast. It's almost a national pastime to feed me to unsuspecting visitors and enjoy their reactions. Who am I?

The correct answer is 納豆, but you could definitely be forgiven for saying Vegemite. In fact, a lot of the students who try Vegemite here say it's "オーストラリアの納豆" (Australia's nattou) because of the similarities. Let's have a look at "Japan's Vegemite" and see what it's all about.

ゴールデンウィーク (Golden Week)

ゴールデンウィーク (often shortened to the letters "GW" in Japan) is arguably the biggest holiday season in Japan, along with お盆 (おぼん - Obon) in mid-August and シルバーウィーク (Silver Week) in mid-late September. GW is basically a string of public holidays spanning from late April to early May that usually mean at least five days off work. It's the perfect excuse for Japan to pack her bags and go just about everywhere else you can imagine for a well-earned break. The only problem with travelling during GW is that everyone else has the same idea!

学校の生活その2：文化祭 (がっこうのせいかつその2：ぶんかさい - gakkou no seikatsu sono ni: bunkasai) - School Lifestyle 2: Culture Festival

The 文化祭, usually translated as "Culture Festival" or "School Festival" is a yearly event held at every high school in Japan and is probably the biggest one on the calendar. The teachers and students prepare months in advance and the time leading up to it is one of frenzied activity and anticipation. What's all the fuss about? Let's have a look and find out.

Places to visit in Hyogo 3: 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe)

It may be a bit redundant to call 神戸 a "place to visit in Hyogo", because chances are that if you come to Hyogo, you'll at least pass through. Nevertheless, I think it's time we had a bit of a look at the capital city of 兵庫県 (ひょうごけん - Hyogo Prefecture), my home away from home.

Signed, sealed, delivered - 印鑑

Did you know that it's very rare for people in Japan to put a signature on things? Instead, they "stamp" their 印 (いん - in - mark) using what's called an 印鑑 (いんかん - inkan - "seal" or "stamp"), also conversationally called a 判子 (はんこ - hanko). Every business, individual and often even family in Japan has one... including me. Want to see it?

Welcome to the new 一年生 (いちねんせい - ichinensei - 1st years)!

As I mentioned a while ago, 春 (はる - haru - spring) is a time of new beginnings in Japan - April is the start of the new school year. Many public highschools here have strict entrance requirements which means that prospective students have to sit an exam and wait for the results to see if they got in. On the day, big posterboards are put up that list the numbers of the students who made the cut. For the ones who passed, this marks the beginning of a string of ceremonies and events to congratulate and welcome them to the school. It's been a very busy few weeks!

Japaneats その3 - 丼 (どんぶり - Donburi)

丼, which basically refers to "a bowl of rice with stuff on top" is probably the last thing that springs to mind when most people think of Japanese food - it's hearty, inexpensive stodge that's a far cry from the delicate sophistication of 寿司 (すし - sushi). As I haphazardly introduce all the national staples to you through Japaneats though, you'll hopefully see both sides of the coin. Japan (and its food) reminds me of a scene in Titanic a little bit - quiet culture and refinement on one level and a whole bunch of boisterous singing, dancing and revelry downstairs.

Places to visit in Hyogo 2: 姫路 (ひめじ - Himeji)

A trip to 兵庫県 (ひょうごけん - hyogo ken - Hyogo Prefecture) wouldn't be complete without visiting 姫路, about 45 minutes by train from 神戸 (こうべ - Kobe). 姫路 is a relaxed, pleasant city with a population of about half a million - big enough to keep you amused without being as rush-rush as a big city. It's best known for the gorgeous 姫路城 (ひめじじょう - himejijou - Himeji Castle) which one of the top 3 castles in Japan, a majestic white beast nicknamed the "White Heron Castle". Don't let the gentle name fool you though, this lady was built to kill.

開? 閉? Everything that opens and shuts

Another little rule of thumb to help those as scatterbrained with 漢字 (かんじ - kanji) as I am.

開ける (あける - akeru - open) and 閉める (しめる - shimeru - close) are easy enough to remember if you have the ひらがな (hiragana) clues, but a lot of the time they'll only be written as 開 and 閉. I often forget which is which, so I came up with a trick a while ago.

I reckon the bit in the middle of "開" looks a bit like a capital A - A for "akeru". Remember this, and never accidentally slam an elevator door in someone's face again!

Have your own rules and rhymes for remembering things? Comment away - I'd love to hear them.

奈良 (なら - Nara)

In keeping with the theme of 春 (はる - haru - spring) and 桜 (さくら - sakura - cherry blossoms), today's pictures and words take us to 奈良, one of the ancient capitals of Japan. 奈良 is about 45 minutes out of 大阪 (おおさか - Osaka) by train and after spending a day there, I would have to say it's worth one trip at the very least. Within a very short time you'll have made dozens of hairy new friends and taken a lot of very interesting photos.

日本の四つの季節その１：春 (にほんのよつのきせつそのいち：はる） - The Four Seasons of Japan 1: Spring

One of the first questions I was asked when I came to Japan was "how many seasons are there in Australia?". You would be surprised how often this comes up. A lot of people seemed shocked or sceptical when I replied that we have four as well. I think the word their question is missing is "distinct" - we have names for each season, but how different are they in real terms? Once you spend a decent amount of time in Japan and compare it to Australia, you do have to admit that the difference between each season is much starker here. Or you could just read this series and I'll do my best to illustrate it for you.

On a language note, "the four seasons" can be formally written as 春夏秋冬 (しゅんかしゅうとう - shunkashuutou). It's just the kanji for spring, summer, autumn and winter stuck together which I think is very sensible. One of the teachers who sits next to me says that if you can use this when speaking to a Japanese person, they'll think you're "very cool".

Japaneats その2 - お好み焼き (おこのみやき - Okonomiyaki)

Japaneats 2 features my favourite Japanese food - お好み焼き. It's one of the most famous specialties of the 関西 (かんさい - Kansai) area and with good reason. It's easy to make, delicious, filling and you can put nearly anything you want in it. In fact, the name literally means "grilled things you like". What could go wrong?

バレンタインデーとホワイトデー (barentain de- to howaito de-) Valentine's Day and White Day

Sunday was ホワイトデー in Japan, which is a very similar followup to バレンタインデー that takes place one month later on March 14th. Why do they need two separate days? The answer is fairly simple, if a little strange.

Mind your Ys and Ws

A couple of interesting Japanese abbrieviations I've noticed:

ワイシャツ (waishatsu - white collared shirt) is often written as Yシャツ.

W is often interpreted as "ダブル" (daburu - double), so you'll often see things like Wチーズバーガー (chi-zu ba-ga-), meaning "double cheeseburger".

Now if you'll excuse me, I'm off to drop my Yシャツ at the drycleaner and pick up a Wチーズピザ (chi-zu piza - cheese pizza) for dinner.

Places to visit in Hyogo 1: 城崎温泉 (きのさきおんせん - Kinosaki Hot Springs)

Hyogo Prefecture is home to some of the best 温泉 (おんせん - onsen - hot springs) in Japan. One of the better known areas is 城崎, in the northeast of the prefecture in 豊岡 (とよおか - Toyooka) city. It's a small town of natural hot springs and 旅館 (りょかん - ryokan - traditional Japanese inns) that is very popular with locals and tourists alike. Having gone up there last weekend, I can certainly understand why!

学校の生活その１：食堂 (がっこうのせいかつその１：しょくどう - gakkou no seikatsu sono ichi: shokudou) - School Lifestyle 1: Canteen

School life in Japan is different to that of Western Australia in many ways. In an attempt to try and capture some of these, I'm going to give you a tour of my two schools in a series of posts called 学校の生活. If you're planning to come over here on a school trip or exchange, hopefully this information will be particularly useful for you. Like all good things, this one starts with food. Have a look at the 食堂 (しょくどう - shokudou - canteen) menu and see what you think.

自動販売機 (じどうはんばいき - jidouhanbaiki) - Vending machines

自動販売機 (or sometimes just 販売機 - はんばいき - hanbaiki) literally means "automatic selling machine" and will probably be one of the longest Japanese words you learn. They've become a bit of a symbol of Japan and if you come to visit, you'll see why. You'll notice that there are a lot of them to say the least - the most of any country in the world, in fact. There's apparently one vending machine for every 23 people here (and the population is about 130 million). It's rumoured that they even have them on top of 富士山 (Fujisan - Mount Fuji)!

Let's have a closer look at a couple of our 5.5 million friends and see why they're so popular.

Japaneats その1 - きつねうどん and たぬきそば (Kitsune udon and Tanuki soba)

"Japaneats" will be a series of posts about things that you must eat if you come to Japan - I'm going to make it a rule!

Today's Japaneats are きつねうどん and たぬきそば. Udon are thick white noodles made of wheat flour, usually served in soup. Soba are thinner, darker coloured buckwheat noodles which are possibly a bit closer to what we're used to at home. "Kitsune" means "fox" and the "tanuki" is a Japanese animal like a raccoon or a badger (officially translated as a "raccoon dog"). Thankfully neither of them are actually in their dish!

裸祭 (はだかまつり - Hadaka matsuri) - The Naked Festival

裸祭 is an intriguing festival that takes place in February every year in 岡山 (おかやま - Okayama), two hours out of Hyogo by local trains or half an hour by 新幹線 (しんかんせん - shinkansen - bullet train). Thousands of men flock to 西大寺 (さいだいじ - Saidaiji - Saidai Temple, a Buddhist one if you remember that post!) for a chance at a cash prize and the promise of health and luck for the rest of the year. Fortunately, the "naked" isn't taken literally - they all wear 褌 (ふんどし - fundoshi - loincloths) and 足袋 (たび - tabi - Japanese split-toe socks). Even so, it makes for a very strange sight... particularly when you remember it's the dead of winter!

Worried about your exams? Try an octopus or a Kit Kat!

A couple of little Japanese plays on words for those of you who are a bit superstitious.

神社とお寺の違い - jinja to otera no chigai - The difference between shrines and temples

This is something I've wondered for a while and maybe you have too. The terms "shrine" and "temple" are used almost interchangeably, but there are differences. Given that I visited Nagata Shrine a couple of weeks ago and just got back from Zenkou Temple in Nagano, I figured it was a good time to try and spot them.

節分 - せつぶん - Setsubun

節分, or the Bean Throwing Festival, is a ceremony that occurs on the 3rd of February each year. This is the last day of Winter according to the Chinese calendar, the 4th being 立春 (りっしゅん - risshun) - the first day of Spring.

It didn't feel very springy to me when I headed out, but I pulled on my coat and braved the cold anyway. Setsubun is not a public holiday, but it is quite a significant part of the Japanese calendar and a lot of shrines have special events throughout the day and evening. For that reason, I caught the train out to one of Kobe's three big shrines and spent an evening with the ogres.

ようこそ！Youkoso! Welcome!

Hello and welcome to you, I'd like to introduce myself and start off what I hope will be a useful resource for you in your studies of Japanese.

My name is Mike Sharp, I'm a Japanese and English as a Second Language teacher from Perth, Western Australia. I'm currently living in Kobe, Japan as an exchange teacher. As you may or may not know, Western Australia and Hyogo Prefecture are sister states and we visit one another quite regularly on trips and longer exchanges. In 2010, I'm representing WA over here at two schools and a Japanese teacher will be doing the same in Perth.

Hopefully there'll one or two things in this for you, which I'll try to explain now.