h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Could you help me with an entry on Japan please A12590462

what other things can I include? there must be loads of things.

Should I talk about geisha? what about those dolls i talked to you about ages ago? housing?

please tell me about your country and we can tell others

Hiya Opti for not getting touch with you ealier. Yes, I will help you to finishi your article as much as I can. As for the index, we may add or delete later. But at the moment, that's enough. And you can edit after filling topic, articles As for Geisha, in my personal opinion, you could write about this, but it's quite difficult even for us to explain what exactly they are And I know most of you, not only the Westerners but only some Asian or any other overseas people, or even some Japanese who don't know about them exactly THINK that they are a kind of prostitutes.. But believe you me, they are not prostitues, and in the past we had so-called Red-Line(?) Areas where the "legal???" prostitutes lived, in any big Cities, I suppose (Very famous ones are of Tokyo, Kyoto and Osaka... and more I think) They coudln't escape from that Area because their family who were really poor "sold" their daughters to the "INN (brothel)" The family background (in the past) were almost the same with Geisha girls and PROTESTUTES, but their role was completely different. So, if you want to write about Geisha, you have to be careful, otherwise, people may misunderstand what geisha is like. I guess that the dolls we told about was "Hakata-doll", wasn't it? We've got lots of local dolls, not only Hakata(a place name in Kyushu) but also, say, "Kyoto-doll", blah blah blah. So, if you want to write about Japanese dolls, then writing about "jAPANESE DOLLS" could be better instead of "Hakata-Dolls". Someone wrote about Hiha-Matsuri (Girls' festival on 3rd of March) here. So you also can peep it as well http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/A9785064 http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/F3630349?thread=2276916 (this is the Peeper Review of the girl's Festival) As for my hometown, Osaka, I can tell much more than any other places But I'll be able to tell you about my country as much as I can I guess someone already written about Japanese History here, too (not sure), so you may be able to read it and get some information from that. So, whenever you need my help, leave your messge or mail me Hope you won't forget my mail addy Speak to you soon Taamyu

I'm sure you've been very busy

Thankyou for helping me with this entry. I feel it is important that the East is covered just as much as the West.

I think you mean 'red light district' not 'red line'. I was curious to hear about geishas after a film was released in the west. I don't know whether it is being shown where you are.

As for the dolls I'm kind of confused.

I dont mind if Osaka is mentioned a lot in the entry.

Yes theres an entry on Japanese history but I'm yet to discover whats been left out. So I can work round it.

Just one question springs to mind at the moment and that is: what are the festivals/events in Japan most worth mentioning?

speak soon opti

Hiya Opti
So sorry for delaying reply as my moniter suddernly broken and now I'm using the older one which I have kept for ages so that it's bit hard for my eyes to use it cos the colour/brightness... (as you may know) is not good to keep watching for long time
And I'm not so busy person, but a LAZY to pop into here when I feel very bad ... This is my excuse
I'm not so panic with your offer
I may think you read "memory of Geisha" I watched the film, and I felt that it was really made by the Westerners thought most of acters and actresses are Japanese or CHINESE(the heroine is a Chinese not a Jpapanese, can't believe it... lol) They are very well to show how beautiful our country is/was, but they don't care what differnt cultures we have, Chinese and Japanese. We didn't wear Kimno like that or the hair style, too...

Well
as far as our festivals/events are concerned....
First, I'll just write them down depending on months little by little
I'll try to explain them in detail if you are interested in

January
The New Year's Day.... The first 3 days, we are used to celebrate as the New Year's Day (Bank Holidays). We make special cook for the New Years' Days in advance before the 1st of Jan. (Called it "Osechi Ryori" Ryori=Cook)

7th of Jan. We (some of us) make 7 Japanese "herbs (I suppose)" porrige (Nana(=seven) kusa (=grass/herb) Gayu(=porrige)).

In the past, up to 14th of Jan. (older people still think(my generation knows, too) is supposed to be "Happy" Days as New Year (hope you can understand what I mean)

February
3rd "Setsubun" (in the dictinory it says, The Day before the beginning of spring) : on this day we scatter Japanese beans to celebrate the coming spring. Before we scatter beans, we eat (I won't do that...lol) beans of your ages.... for exapmle if you're 20 you have to have 20 beans, if I'm 60 I have to eat 60 beans ... Children enojoy this... not us. and I guess scattering beans means not only for celebrating the coming spring, but also to "excorsit " when we(esp children) scatter beans, we scatter them saying "Oni wa soto" (Misfortune is out!), Fuku wa Uchi(Happiness/fortuen is in)" So, when we say the first phrase, we scatter beans out from our house, then tha latter we scatter beens inside our house..
Some place will have big evene for scattering beans. Someone (adult) have a mask of Goblin(Oni/Misfortune) then children will scatter beans to it saying "Oni wa soto"..
So you may understand what kind of "playing/scattering beans" is like.. For children it's fun
I guess we have have a kind of "sushi" on this day as well, but I forget

14th (nowadays).. Valentine Day Good for the Sweets markets

March
3rd "Girls Day/Dolls day" i.e. my first reply in this thread

(14th "White Day" ... Belive you me, Men have to give back something sweets to women who gave them s on the Valentine Day )

21st The Vernal Equinox Most family will go to their family garve to pray whithin one week by 21st.

April...

8th "Hana(flower) Matsuri (festival)" this is Buddah's birthday and although it's not a bank festival, if you visit temples you can enjoy something special ceremony celebrating His birthday



at around the last week of April to the 6th or 7th of May, we'll have a week holiday so-called "Golden Week". This depends on calender how long people can have longer holiday each year..
(the reason is that we have some bank holidays continuously so that some companies will have day off during this time... it depends on companies 29th April, 3rd 4th 5th of May are our bank holidays)

May
5th Children's Day (in the very past, it was called..'Boys' Day) Now it's for children but originally this is for Boys day, and if you have boys in your family, you'll celebrate a lot fot them. (dinner, display Doll (in Armour doll http://www.geocities.jp/djyotchan/Samuraidoll_min-2.jpg
, and put up carp streamers http://kota1218.cocolog-shizuoka.com/tomo/images/dc042411.JPG
some regions put huge curp streamings for all children in their home town
http://www.pref.yamaguchi.jp/gyosei/kenjoho/h16season/april/april07w.jpg )

June
Not special ones.

In KOYOTO, they have got so-called "Koyto San(three) Dai(big) Matsuri(fetival)" :
15th of May : Aoi Matsuri (Aoi Festival)
17th of July : Gion Matsuri (Gion Festival)
22nd of October : Jidai Matsuri (Jidai Festival)
these are very famous festivals and there are lots of tourists visiting Kyoto to enjoy these fesival

...
July
7th "Tanabata Matsuri (Tanabata Festival(in dictionary it says "Star Festival" I think this is because this fesival connects with "astronomy" FOUND these stars are of the Altair(man) and the Vega ))"
This is come from a Chinese Fairy Romantic tales(story happening in the "heaven(SKY)") that a Lady and a Man can meet only this day via Milky Way once a Year.
People(mostly children) make a wish and write it down on a strip of colour paper and hung it on Bamboo Grass in advance, then afterwords, usually, I think they throw the Bamboo Grass on the River so that their wish will come true.
http://www.hobashira-cable.co.jp/jp/archives/tanabata02.JPG
http://library666.seesaa.net/image/turisinobu.jpg
some place has got huge festival on this day
http://nanitozo.com/log/euri/archives/img/tana2-thumb.jpg

(Altair and Vaga)
http://www.greatdreams.com/sacred/Vega-deneb-altair.jpg
http://www.chinaculture.org/img/2005-08/11/xinsrc_300802111401772144311.jpg
http://astroemagazine.astrofili.org/num18/uan/triangolo.jpg
(Altair, Vaga and the Milky Way)
http://www.fixedstar.jp/koubo-gazou/tanabata/amanogawa01.jpg

Beautiful, aren't they?

Well, I think this is enough for both of us this time

Hope you enjoy reading this reply

See you Soon, opti



for asking me about our events that I can find something beautiful our cultures

Just I've found some images for New year's Cook, Soups with rice cakes (the foods containg in the soup are depending on REGIONS. Really differnte in each place), 7 Herbs Porriges and Setsubun festivals

New Years' Cook and Soups
http://www.tokushima-i.tokyuhotels.co.jp/news/20051102_2/img/zentai.jpg
http://tzk-web.com/kisara/pic/060101zoni.jpg
(this soup is made with white miso (rather sweet than miso))
http://www.shunmaga.jp/zukan/nousankakouhin/mochi/zouni2.jpg
In my area (my family) we were used to have Soup without White Miso on the first day of January, then the following day (2nd of Jan), we had Soup with White Miso. White Miso is often used in our area, Osaka and Kyoto, and could be Nara and Hyogo.

image of 7 Vegetables (not really herbs) porrige on 7th of January
http://www.meikavf.co.jp/heart/img/heart-1-a-recipe-nanakusagayu.jpg
7 vegetables
http://www.d3.dion.ne.jp/~yu_jun_m/LOVELOG_IMG/2005010897d723f0.JPG


Beans used on the 3rd of Feburary
http://dblog.dreamgate.gr.jp/user/e054/e054/image/4106.jpg
image of gobilin lol
http://www.tobidase.com/wonder_island/knowledge/image/09/s-2-3.jpg

Hope these help you to image these events.
But remember all images are just one, so that it may be different depending on each region in Japan.

All the Best

Thankyou for showing me these pictures and telling me more about the festivals in Japan. I hope you like what I've written so far A12590462

Hi Opti,
for showing me your article.
I haven't read carefully yet, but I would like you to re-edit about the Japanese Language.
As for the WRITTEN JAPANESE, we imported Kanji from Chinese centuries ago, but the GRAMMAR IS COMPLETELY DIFFERNT FROM CHINESE.
We write Japanese in our own order and can write thme only with Hiragana or katakana. (A very ancient poet(aristcracy... I think)) invented Hiragana as our own written language. At very first, it(Hiragana) was supposed to be written by WOMEN (though there WERE VERY MINORITY who WAS ABLE TO WRITE JAPANESE, ANYWAY. only aristcracies, or educated people). Then, our ancesters developed our written language combining Hiragana and Kanji.
Grammatically, Korean and Japanese have the same language system, but Chinese is more or less closer to English.
So, please don't misunderstand about our own language.

after I had a hysteria, and aphonia, I can't write KANJI in PEN , this is because my hand/brain refuses to express myself in Japanese (Kanji).. But I can wirte others, Hiragana, Katakana as well as English, Hangle.... And I can also write Kanji in Brash (Japanese calligraphy).. lol People can understand what I write only in Hiragana, just it's really tedious for them, and me to read/write them.
Katakana usually is used for "imported" Western words. so, for example, if I write your name in Japanese, I'll use Katakana instead of Hiragana, but I also use Hiragana as well.

I want to explain it in more detail, cos it seems that some of you may misunderstand our language. But I only read your article very quickly, so I'll tell you if you need more change

Remember only very very limited people like aristcracy, educated MEN could read CHINESE (Kanji) in those days. But our speaking system was completely differenct from it This is really "TRUE"
And present CHINIESE KANJI is really different from those what we use NOW. more close to Kanji used by Taiwanese(of course this means only the "letter" system, Taiwanese also is different from us(grammartically completely different from us )).

by the way, I had quick read on the Japanese article "Handy Japanese Phrases", and found that the a few vowel pronunciation are slightly differnt. I mean all vowel is pronunciation as SHORT SOUND.
so, for example,
a is more likely a for an "Apple"
and
i as well, not "ee" but i for "lIke"

and in hiragana, we originally use
Konnichi"h"a instead of konnichi"w"a, but pronunciation is "wa" instead of "h" sound
nowadays, lots of young people write "Konnichi"w"a instead of konnichi"h"a in Hiragana which is not correct grammatically. But we can understand

*************
Now, children/schoolkids learn AMERICAN English (after WWII), as you know lots of words they learn are of them not yours and pronunciation, too.
********************

Hope this also wil help you.
Haven't read other chapter, but I'm quite sure that you will complete a fabulous article on our country
Thank you so much.

Thankyou for telling me that you are not happy with the language section and please do tell me if you don't like any other section. It is important that the west receives an exact portrayal of the east.

Hi opti,
So sorry for not coming here earlier as I've got a problem with my computer
Now it seems that I sorted out the problem, so that I can pop inot here time time
Please be patient. I promise I keep reading your article and tell you if it's better to change something
See you soon.

You've got all the time in the world to read my article if thats what you wish to do. I'm pleased to hear that your computer is sorted and hope that you have the right glasses now. I look forward to hearing from you. Love opti

Hi Opti
I'm not
Just I'm so sorry that I haven't read your articles
I'll try to tell you other festivals from August till the end of the year soon
Pleae keep in touch, Opti.
You are the one of my frieds whom I can trust and I do keep in touch with you even you're busy working
Well I'll weite you as soon as possible
Take Care and Enjoy yourself,
Love,
Taamyu

In august, we have got lots of FIREWORKS EXPOSISION (ESP. SEASIDE) to enjoy the beautiful fireworks
http://www.geocities.co.jp/Milkyway-Orion/4605/fire/fire000.jpg
http://www.setuyakudou.com/image/plhanabi.jpg

In Japan, we've got lots of fireworks festival in SUMMER, not like your country.
But I hope you enjoy these photos

Well, I'll write you soon, Opti
See you soon,
Love,
Taamyu

Thankyou for trying to help me out.

Hiya Opti
TERRIBLY SORRY FOR NOT GETTING TOUCH WITH YOU since September
Actually, I was so shockeed to see my last post to you

If you forgive me, I'll keep in touch and I promise I'll read your article next week (I may have more spare time than usual next week )

It's been very warmer than usual this winter here.... It's good to live in warm winter, but I feel a bit sad because we can't enjoy JAPANESE WINTER as it was used to be because of global warming

How are you? I hope you're fine and enjoy your life there
Me, not so bad, not so good... life is like that.

Well, if you don't mind, I'd love to keep in touch.
So, don't worry, I'll try to post message when I have enough spare time

Take Care and Keep youself very warm
Chat soon
Love,
Taamyu

I'm there for you to talk to
I'm happy you are well.
Do keep in contact
opti

Opti
for your kind thoughts
I never be in panic Just I'm sorry for not popping on here to chat to you
Anyway, I'm so happy that you're there
Keep yourself Warm and Take Care.
Love, Taamyu

I love your use of
You sure do use a lot.
I hope that you are well.
I'm doing swell.

Opti Please join my jounal http://www.bbc.co.uk/dna/h2g2/classic/F137158?thread=3985077&post=46759066#p46759066 Hope this will help you to understand Japan