あと1か月切ったって・・・

この先クリスマスまであれやらこれやら面倒くさいことが山積みらしいのだが、なにせ初めての経験で気が重い。たいしてお金になる仕事ではないが、仕事は仕事。

とりあえず、一番のプレッシャーだったひと仕事が無事終了して虚脱。

あぁ、また勉強しなくちゃ。でも、どうすれば・・・と、こんなぺージがあったんだった！

milk さんという方のサイト：　英検1級からのスタート

通訳案内士2次試験　攻略法！　という記事

英検1級なんて私にはまだまだ先・・・スタート地点がとてつもなく違うので畏れ多いのだけど、要点がまとまってて「そう、そうだった、まだなんとかなるかもしれん」と思わせてくれる。

setsubun

I would like to talk about setsubun.

It's a traditional ceremony held on February 3rd to ward off evil.

Literally, setsu means a season and bun means dividing, so setsubun originally was the day before the 1st day of the season, but today only the eve of risshun, or the first day of spring according to the lunar calendar,  is referred to by that name. It's not a national hoiday.

On Setsubun people enjoy mame-maki, a bean-throwing ceremony. they  throw roasted soybeans in and around their houses, shouting “Oni wa soto! Fuku wa uchi!” which means “Out with demons! In with good luck!” This ceremony is performed to bring in good fortune and drive away evil spirits. Sometimes one person  acts as the demon and runs around, while the others throw beans at him or her. It is customary for people to eat the same number of beans as their own age.

Mamemaki also take place at major shrines and temples. Well-known personalities, such as sumo wrestlers and actors, are invited as special guests to throw good luck beans for all those present.   Men and women born under the Zodiac sign for the year can also participate in the event.　

There is another custom which has been popular these days. This is eating specially prepared rolled sushi called ehomaki while facing the year's lucky direction.

Many people buy ready-made  ehomaki at supermarkets, suhi-restaurants, or department stores

あせる～気分転換に動画見る

なんかあせる。。あ～どーしよ。

パニックしてもしかたないので、気分転換に植田一三先生の動画を見る。

なんかなごむ。（和食のプレゼン）

Washoku is traditional Japanese cuisine, which referes to individual Japanese food or set of Japanese dishes.

Washoku was designated as UNESCO Intangeble Cultural Heritage in 2013.

Washoku is characterized be the use of various seasonal fresh foods.

Washoku is famous as very healthy food, because it's a low calorie,  nutritious and well-balanced diet.

Washoku is mainly divided into informal and formal.

Informal washoku includes sushi, tempura, or deep-fried fish and vegetables, and yakitori, or skewered  grilled chicken.

Formal washoku are Kaiseki-ryori, or tea ceremony dishes; another Kaiseki-ryori, or course meals for traditional parties; and Honzen-ryori, or course meals for ceremonial functions; and Shojin-ryori, or vegetarian dishes.

I strongly recommend you try authentic Japanese cuisine during you stay in Japan.

gozan-no-okuribi and obon

Daimonji, or properly, gozan-no-okuribi is one of 4 big events in Kyoto and has some hundreds year history.

It literally means "five mountains sending off fire". This is held on August 16th, the last day of obon in order to send off the spirits of ancestors that has came back home during obon.

5 giant bonfire are lit on mountains surrounding the city at night. They are the chinese characters of 2 dai meaning "large", myoho meaning "excellent law" , and 2 shapes of ship and torii.

As for okuribi, it is still observed today at the entrance or in the garden of some houses, and they usually light fires called mukaebi to welcome the spirits in the late afternoon on the 13th.

Obon is usually from August 13th to  16th and the most important religious holidays.

During obon, many people often go back to their hometown and visit their ancestors' graves and bon dance festivals are also held in communities and towns throughout Japan.

Sumo

Sumo is Japense-style wrestling which has long history and it was practiced as a part of Shinto ritual in ancient time.

Sumo is Japan's national sports and is popular especially among elderly people.

Sometimes sumo mathces were held to build temples and shrines in the past. Professional sumo wrestlers appeared in the Edo period and some of them were hired by feudal lords. 

In sumo matches,  2 wrestlers wearing only mawashi, or loinclothe wrestle in the 4.5 meter diameter ring until one of them is pushed out or touches the ground with any part of his body other than soles of his feet. 

While there are over 60 official kimarite, only a dozen or so are seen regularly.

There are 6 tournaments lasting 15days every year, 3 in Tokyo, 1 in Nagoya, Osaka, Fukuoka, respectively. You can buy a ticket on the internet.

Tokyo basho is held at Rogoku Kokugikan, It's  a 1 minute walk from the JR Sobu Line, Ryogoku Station. On the 1st floor of Ryogoku Kokugikan  is a sumo museum.

First famous foreign wrestler is Takamiyama, and first yokozuna, grand champion is  Akebono, they both are  from Hawaii. In these days, there are many foreign wrestlers and  3 present Yokozuna are all Mongolian.

冬至

Toji or the winter solstice is the sortest day and longest night of the year.

In Japan, it's on December 22 and  the sun is said to be reborn on this day.

 Since the weather gets colder from this day, the customes associated with toji are to warm up the body and take care of our health, such as eating toji porridge and simmered pumpkin and  taking yuzuyu.

We eat porrige cooked with red azuki beans  and simmered pumpkin in order to ward off colds.

We also have a long soak in yuzuyu,   a hot bath added yuzu, small citrus fruit, to release their aroma.  Yuzu has  a warming effect on the body and helps improve blood circulation. Yuzuyu is  very relaxing and  smells very good.

日本の気候

昨年落ちた通訳案内士２次試験、今年でだめならまた一からなので、合否に関わらず、これが最後の受験の予定。

 他人の文章はなかなか覚えられないし、自分で作るのが一番とはわかっていても。。

時間かかるし、下手だし、間違ってるだろうし。文のつなぎ方もきれいにできないが、口頭だから、とりあえず気にしない。やはり最初はこれかな。

The climate of Japan

I would like to talk about the climate of Japan.

Japan has 4 dittinctive seasons, namely, spring, summer, autumn, and winter.

Further more, there is an early summer rainy season called  "tsuyu" and during summer and autumn,  typhoons often hit Japan.

The  climate is influenced by geographical location,  summer and winter monsoons, ocean currents and topigraphy.

Most resions of Japan belong to the temperate zone,  but the climate varies from region to region.
For example, Okinawa, Southernmost part of Japan has a subtropical climate and it's warm even in winter.
While Hokkaido, northernmost region has a subarctic climate and has lots of snow in winter.

In general  it's comfortable in spring and autumn, neather too hot nor too cold.

In mid-summer,  high temperature often goes above 35 degrees, besides it's too humid.
In winter, it's quite dry and sunny along the Pacific Ocean side and the temperature rarely drop below 0 degree, but Japan's Sea side, central and northern part of Japan is very cold and has lots of snowfalls.

 Every season has its own attraction, but I think the best season to visit Japan is spring. 
You can enjoy various festivals and cherry blossom-viewing comfortablly.

いまいちおさまりわるいな。各季節は何月から何月とかも時間があったら言うかな。最後は是非日本を楽しんで！みたいにしめくくらないといけないのかな。

こんな調子では、いくつも書けそうにないな。。。準備できたお題が出ればいいけどなぁ

300選も聞くだけでは、自分で口に出そうとすると、あら？・・・ってなのばっかり。

１年の準備期間があったというのに、気持ちも乗らず、準備できていない。とはいえ、なんとか最後まであがきましょう。。。ってことで。