My Japanese Addiction

Hey guys! How have you been? Have you ever heard about Japanese a local dialect?  According to Wikipedia, Japan has over 100 hundred local dialects.  Do you know that? If you have known this topic, you are the master of Japanese culture.  Today, I’m going to introduce some major local dialects of Japan.

What is “ben”?

In fact that Japanese call local dialect for area name with “ben”  You can see some types of local dialect’s name such as Aomori ben, Niigata ben, Kansai ben, Okayama ben, and Kyushu ben. 

What is a difference between national Japanese and ben?

Many local dialects have completely different pronunciation, accents, and words.  Basically, all Japanese have learned the main island’s Japanese style when they are going to kindergarten to elementary school. This is because the main island’s Japanese doesn’t have specific pronunciation, accents, and words. That is why main island’s Japanese has been used by all most all TV program.  However, if he or she is living in a local area, he has not had to use the main island’s Japanese opportunities in their daily life. The reason being around people such as parents, relatives, friends, teachers of learner don’t use common Japanese, just using their local dialect. Rather than they don’t need to use common Japanese in their usual life.  Can you imagine that you are living in a local area?  Also, if your friend uses another area’s dialect, what do you feel? In my case, I would feel wired or creepy.  Moreover, the person who speaks another area’s local dialect goes to a different area’s town, he may embarrass in there because other area’s people don’t understand his speaking.  

Which local dialect is the most difficult in Japan?

I’m from Aomori which has the most difficult and different local dialect of Japan. This is not kidding that all Japanese except my hometown’s people need to subtitle and translator if many Japanese want to communicate with the local.  Usually, we call that “Tsugaru-ben”.  Actually, I already mention embarrassing topic above paragraph, that is my real experience when I moved to Tokyo. Therefore, I had to get used to using the main land’s Japanese.  

Hey guys, I have been thinking to get a tattoo which is first one of my life recently.  What do you think to have a tattoo?  Cool? Awesome? Scarry? hurt? According to a news article in Sydney, over 30 percents of Australian men have had a tattoo. Also, the United States of America has a similar percentage of it.   

On the other hand, in Japan, having a tattoo is very minority people. Rather than, they have been treated as a criminal when they show their tattoo in public place. For example, he or she who has a tattoo in visible places such as arms, hands, and face is going to some restaurants. Sometimes, the restaurants have denied entering inside the customer because of having tattoo. The restaurant afraid to give an impression such as scary, surprised, and disgusting to other customers by the having tattoo customers.  This sounds like a kind of discrimination against tattoo holders, however, it has some reason for long history and culture background in Japan.  

History of tattoo in Japan

In Edo era which was 300 years ago, Samurai had still existed everywhere in Japan.  At the time, the samurai government had a law about crime, and a function of police which called “bugyosho” saved people in each local area.  I guess the basic mind of criminal law is base on the current Japanese law.  Please look at above picture, it shows if someone committed a crime, and arrested by bugyosho, the criminal had gotten a kind of unerasable marking the state of criminal on their body. In addition, if they have commit crime twice or thrice, a number of the marking would be increased.  Also, the marking was putted on a visible place such as face, arms, hands, and legs.  

Yakuza culture

Have you ever heard “Yakuza”?  Actually, they are mafia group of Japan.  They have sold illegal drugs, fire guns, running illegal businesses, and money laundering.  What do you find of a fact from this picture?  Exactly, you are right.  Many Yakuza have tattoos.  If you have good guessing skill, you may find an assumption of the previous topic. Do you find a relative between tattoo history and Yakuza?  This is one of the points of view that It is said that Japanese tattoo was begun for hidden the marking of criminal.  Nowadays, especially outside Japan, Japanese tattoo is the most famous tattoo texture. I totally agree Japanese tattoo is really cool. However, in Japan, if he shows the tattoo, like picture’s man, many people don’t want to touch and talk with him because he obviously looks Yakuza.  That is why many restaurants ban to enter the customers who show their tattoo. 

Japan has unique culture such as animation, foods, social habits, and words including Japanese-made English. I had believed that some words which made by Japanese are exactly English words when I came to Sydney. However, no one understands the words’ meaning. 

Today, I’m going to discuss funny Japanese-made English words.

1.Note-pasocon  

Do you imagine what is this?  This means “Lap top”.   “Pasocon” is shortened word of “personal computer”, and a computer is really thin, looks like a note. That is why one of the maker has started to call it for “Note-pasocon”. 

2.Parker

Parker means “hoodie” in Japan. I don’t know why we call hoodie for “parker”, but everybody understands what is this.  In English, people say “hoodie” or “fleece”

3.Alubaito

This word describes a kind of job that is “casual job”.  If we need a job, you can simply find “Alubaito” in Japan.   

4.Gasolin stand

Actually, I thought this word is an exactly English word, but not.  Do you have driver’s license in your country?  If you have it, you have definitely been there at least once. That is “Gas station.  

5.Hochikiss

Every language has a good greeting.  If visitors come to your county, and they already knew your country’s famous phrase,  how do you feel?  Everybody feels happy and he or she really wants to welcome for visitors.   Actually, Japanese have the same feeling, but the problem is they are very very shy to speak with foreigners.  Also,  they are really afraid to make mistake using English, even though English is not their mother tongue.  That is why I recommend all visitors that you should study basic Japanese phrase before leaving your home country.  After that, you may receive better service from many shops or restaurants.    

Ohayou

If you meet with someone at the morning on street or somewhere,  you should say “Ohayou”,  it means “good morning”.  Everybody feel happy if someone says us “good morning”.  “Ohayou” makes your feeling that how beautiful day, and like a Sydney’s best clear blue sky.

Oishii

When you eat very delicious food,  you can say this phrase “ Oisii”. It means like a “delicious”, “Yummy”, and “ fabulous”.   Also, if you show respect for shop or restaurants’ staffs,  you will see a beautiful bow from them.  Many staffs want to show you appreciation feeling by the deep bow.  This is not only for apologize.  

Mottainai

Mottainai is a Japanese term conveying a sense of regret concerning waste. The expression "Mottainai!" can be uttered alone as an exclamation when something useful, such as food or time, is wasted, meaning roughly "what a waste!"

Suki

You may have ever say this phrase in your life at least once.  It means “ I like”.  You can use this word for people and things.  For example,  if you want to say “ I like you”,  you should say “ Suki-desu”.  Also, you use this words for foods like “Sushi ga suki-desu”.

Arigatou

Honestly, “ Arigatou” is the most important word and simple word.  The means “ Thank you”. You can use every single situation if you go to Japan. For example, into a shop, you may ask something for shop staff.  After that, you can use “ Arigatou”.  This word is really useful and helpful for your traveling.

Hello, this is my first post on Tumblr.  

Every single huge cities such as New York, London, Sydney, and Beijing has convenience public transportation like bus, train, subway, etc. Tokyo also has the same things. In fact of that Tokyo is way ahead of other big cities when it comes many public transportation. However, Tokyo’s morning jam-packed trains are an awful situation in the world. 

Honestly, I lived in Tokyo for 16 years. Even though I had a lot of experience to take trains in Tokyo, I was really tired from every morning since I came up with some tips of taking it. In other words, how we can survive to get a jam-packed train in Tokyo. 

1. Find a comfortable place

As you can see, this is typically Japanese jam-packed train. If you are into the train, you should just go straight to get a strap of train. After that, you can find your personal space between others and your. Moreover, sometimes, you may encounter really happy situation that commuter who sits down in front of you would leave there. It means you can get a comfortable seat. However, you shouldn’t forget if some old people stay near from you, you should offer them to have the seat. This is Japanese “Omoiyari” mind.  

2. Remember where is the nearest exit from train

If you are commuting to your office or school everyday, you would have always used the same line and about similar platform and place. And then, you may find where is a good access way to your place by yourself.  However, Tokyo is really kind full city because Tokyo gives you tips which how you can reach to your place ASAP.  The picture’s map shows which exits connect with other line  and direction.  Actually, many people who are living in Tokyo have been using this map.  Every station, particularly subway has the maps on their platform’s column. 

3. Wait next train

No one need to wait a train long time because the train will come each 3 mins. That is why, if the train is really busy, you should wait to come next train. Therefore, you can take more empty train compared to previous one. However, many train have often been a little bit late from time schedule every morning. Thus, you should consider enough time to reach your destination.