culture

: Radio exercise: It is Exercise that everyone knows if they are Japanese.

summer

There is a certain exercise that probably no Japanese has missed to learn how to exert. ‘Radio-taiso’, literally means radio exercise, was first introduced in 1928. Ever since, it has been a part of learning at every primary school in Japan. Radio-taiso is exercised by following the sound of piano music and verbal guidance broadcasted by the national radio station. The purpose of radio-taiso chiefly is to strengthen people’s health and to develop the sense of unity. The radio broadcast is every early morning but the exercise can be conducted anytime at your convenience using recorded version. Radio-taiso is such ...

: How eagerly I have been waiting for Summer holiday!

School, summer

Every school kids are looking forward to the summer vacation. The summer vacation is the longest school holiday, though in fact the regions where people experience heavy snow or tough coldness, winter vacation is the major holiday of the year and the summer vacation is just transient. However, summer vacation must be the most active and awaited holidays for everyone as it is the best season to visit the sea and mountains! In Tokyo region, for example, it starts from around 20th July until the end of August For compulsory education students – primary and junior high school – there ...

: Japan summer is Hot and Humid! I highly recommend you to go to Beach resort.

Beach, summer

Every coast region have some beach resorts of which they are proud. The announcement of the termination of the rainy season is the notice of the arrival of the summer. People flock to the sunny beaches with families and friends. They enjoy dipping themselves into the sea water, sunbathing or play some beach sports. Umi-no-ie The beach side will be filled with temporary cottages called ‘Umi-no-ie’ (beach house) Umi-no-ie provides various services for visitors to satisfy every kind of needs they would wish to have; shower and bathrooms, space to relax, and serves drinks and light meals. They are ...

: Koromo Gae: I changed my wardrobe for new season.

As Japan is blessed with four characteristic seasons, we need to survive all of distinctive environment. So our house and closet are filled with the items and gears for the survivals; from icy cold in winter to burning heat in summer. Clothing is switched basically twice a year In fact the dates are officially set; 1st June and 1st October. Of course you can wear anything any time to make yourself comfortable but official clothes such as uniforms are changed in a snap on those days exactly – summer version from 1st June on starts and winter version from ...

: If you love festivals, you should go to Japan in summer

Festival, summer

Summer festival －Natsu-matsuri in Japanese － is one of the largest events in each community. Some of them are so prominent that attract a flock of visitors and tourists, even from abroad. But in fact, almost every local community holds their own summer festival. So just imagine thousands of summer festivals are happening throughout the season, throughout Japan. Such local-based Natsu-matsuri is a great opportunity for reconnection among the neighbours; people are too busy with each body’s activities － a person who lives in your next door doesn’t mean you can catch often. But the day of the Natsu-matsuri ...

: How about trying to send Shochu-mimai in summer in Japan?

In the age of internet, sending a physical postcard seems to be outmoded. But the fashion still persists with some nostalgia. There is one greeting card specific for the middle of summer. ‘Shochu-mimai’ greeting card is the postcard exchanged in the mid-summer The main purpose is to share the sympathy in enduring the consecutive days of harsh heat and remind the recipient to take good care of him/herself. Actually, there is a great deal of potential risk for heat stroke in recent years, and basically there’s high risk for food poisoning and loss of appetite in summer. ...

: At school in Japan We will teach swimming from elementary school.

Pool, summer, swimming

wimming lesson seems to be set as one of the crucial parts of the education in Japan. Every school usually is equipped with a swimming pool, and kindergarten will not complete their time-table without giving children a dip during the mid-summer Learning swimming at swimming club is one of the most popular activities that parents arrange for their small children, often for health purpose, as many parents claim that the children became tougher against cold after starting swimming lessons. Swimming in school curriculum starts in June in Kanto region. It is still in the middle of annual rainy season so ...

: Summer in Japan is too hot! Let's set Green curtains

bitter guard

During the summer, people are keen to grow climbing plants such as morning glory and bitter guard most commonly, by the windows of houses or public buildings. Windows will eventually get covered all over with the ‘Green Curtain’. This is a very practical idea. Not only the green coverage produces cool breezy shades against the sun but furthermore, the transpiration from the plants will actually reduce the temperature of nearby area. It also contributes to the reduction of CO2. This idea is not a new. But it has grown as much mainstream event in recent years along with the rise ...

: Bukatsudo can build a strong body and spirit

Extracurricular activity is one of the main elements without which junior high school life cannot be described. Once children start junior-high-schooling, they are to opt one ‘Bukatsu' to enroll in. Bukatsu is ‘Bukatsudo’, in short, which means extracurricular activities. A number of activities are available at every school － from art, study to sports. In the life of junior high school students, Bukatsu activity really dominates their life, especially among sports activities which require constant training to keep up. Every day by the time class starts at 8 am, students would have completed their morning quota of the training. As ...

: Emoji: Let's convey your thoughts with Pictogram

Pictogram

I guess ‘Emoji’ is one of the must-have apps. on the mobile phone. Those emotions and pictures help a lot to convey the nuances which alphabets cannot do enough; it softens the words and strengthens the emotions. But did you know the word ‘Emoji’ is Japanese? ‘E’ means picture and ‘moji’ means character, i.e. pictograph. Although Emoji first appeared on Japanese mobile phone in late 1990's, the use of pictograph in writing had been seen since 1980’s among young generations. Haven’t you found some Emoji icons that you would want to question what they mean? The Emoji app. includes a ...