Lavatory cleaning at school!
Did you clean the restrooms when your were in elementary school?

So, in your country, do the students clean the class rooms or is it the janitor's job?
In Japan, elementary/junior high school students have cleaning duties at their school.
Of course starting from grade 1.
Not only do they sweep but they usually use a wet cloth(Zoukin 雑巾) to wipe the floors as well.  When entering  schools in Japan, you will notice the children changing shoes to indoor shoes(uwabaki　上履き).  Although they wear room shoes, the dust and eraser debris piles up.  Time for cleaning is in the schedule every day.

Today, I found an article in The Japan Times, that lavatory cleaning will be one of the tasks from next April(School year begins from April) for students in all the Yokohama city's 500 public elementary, junior high and high schools.  This is a change since 1985.  Before 1985, students used to clean toilets.  After janitors took over the job of cleaning since 1985, the lavatories increasingly accumulated garbage and graffiti.
As a solution, came this change.  A school survey  showed 88 percent of the children from the third through sicth grades responded that they have been making a more conscious effort to keep lavatories clean.  

Yokohama may seem unique in its taking of lavatory cleanup chores to children, in reality most public schools nationwide(Japan)  consider this task a responsibility of students.  The  School Toilet Study  Group, established by six toilet-affiliated companies, reported that 62 percent of all elementary scholls and 78  percent of juniour high schools have their students clean the lavatories, according to a survey carried out in August, 2009.   And A Yahoo Japan survey last year found 92 percent of the public supports this activity, both at the elementary and junior high school level.

As for the indoor shoes, my kids bring back their indoor shoes every Friday to wash.

Two of the popular stores 

for foreigners when they visit Japan

See-through 13.3 inches　TV for 18,700 yen

Don Quijote　ドン・キホーテ, the fun shop to find all kinds of inexpensive products from costumes to TVs.  With more than 218 franchise, they sell more than 480,856 million yen as of June, 2009.  This winter season, my friend can go there to find Santa Claus costumes, and also buys her kids yogurt, 10 kg rice for 2970 yen and Sake for her husband and tells her husband she saw a good sofa!  She can order her Osechi there too!

100 Yen shop, the shop that sells products that are mainly all 100 yen. (Now, they have products that are 300 yen, too)  Many of you know this kind of shop since it's found all over the world. So I'm not going to write about this.

Gobo(牛蒡)

Japanese food is good for you. Except sometimes high in salt.
Let me introduce gobo, burdock today.

Burdock(English: edible burdok, French: grande bardane comestible) also known as Bardane, Clotburr, Beggars Buttons and Gypsy Rhubarb.

Gobo(edible burdok) is a very commen root that is eaten in Japan.  We use burdok in Tempura, Nimono, salad, etc.  My kid's favorite is fried burdock.  Becomes like potato chips, crispy!  I often haven complimented by foreign guest when they try the burdock Tempura.  Burdock is sliced or cut into sticks in the size of matches and deep fried with Tempura flour.  For most foreigners eating burdock is new to them.  Burdock is from the Northern part of the Eurasian Continent.  It is said to come from China before the 9th century.  Before, It seemed that burdock is only cultivated in Japan to eat.  Nowadays, it is also cultivated in other asian countries to export to Japan. 

Japanese know that gobo is very good for your digestions.  

For more information about the health benefits of burdock,  please take a look at this link.

We rarely see the burdock flower since burdock is harvested before the flower blooms. 

Men, don't choose the wrong flowers for your Japanese ladies/friends!

Taboos on flowers in Japan

Once, I received flowers but didn't make me happy... and I like flowers.  The flowers were Bukka(仏花).  Bukka are flowers for graves or family buddhist atar.  Hey! I'm not dead yet!


Flowers seems to be the perfect gift but be careful in Japan.  These Bukka are available at the florists especially in August when we have Higan(the Buddhist memorial services centering on the spring and autumn equinox).  
You can recognize that the flowers are Bukka since it uses bright colors.  These are some of the names of the flowers used for Bukka.  Chrysanthemums,  Z. elegans, iris, gladiolus, Chinese lantern plant.  Or to double check, why not just ask? 

Other taboos about flowers in Japan. 
To bring or to send a friend in the hospital.
DO NOT GIVE...

1. Plants with pots which have roots on them. :Makes people think the patient also will stay long because of the roots. 
2. White, blue, purple, flowers :Makes people think those colors are for the deceased. 
3. Red flowers Red can make people think blood.
4. Flowers with strong scent : Just not appropriate for the ill/hurt
5. Cyclamen: Cy or shi(し、死)　is death in Japanese、ｃ or ku(く、苦)　means suffer in Japanese
6. Camellia :Camellia drops it's flower after it is done blooming and Japanese feel uncomfortable when ill.
7. Hydrangea :Hydrangea loses it's color as time passes and makes people think negative. 

Ladies, ... how many magazines do you read?  And husbands, do you know which magazines your wife picks up at the book store lately?

Magazines are targeted to certain people...
This time I would like to introduce a magazine "Very".  This magazine seems to be targeted to the ladies in their 30's, probably married, may have children, and who are in the middle class and above.

In this magazine, I found articles of  "Inter Mama" , Moms which stands for moms who sends their children to international schools in Japan.  These moms are perceived as the sophisticated, fashionable, right on the trend with food, interior goods, kid's toys, etc. And of course knows a lot about foreign countries including where to shop, which lounge in the airport has what and many many things that ladies like.  Akogare (憧れ)、meaning envy is the word which average Japanese women have for Inter Mamas.

One thing that worried me in one of the article was that Japanese first graders have been losing their self esteem by around 60 percent till they become 5th or 6th graders.  The word self esteem can be translated but there is no word that exactly explains it in Japanese.  Knowing that it is very important, I am sad to say it is not taken seriously in the Japanese society as in the US.  This article wrote about Abraham Harold Maslow's theory. That human beings want ...

1. physiological need
2. safety need
3. social need/love and belonging
4. esteem
5. self actualization                     

The 4th need, esteem is the one that they were referring to with the elementary school kids.      

I myself have felt this necessity when I just came back to Japan after years in the US.  To able to like yourself although you might not fit in the circumstances.  I assume there are quite a few things that can be an obstacle when kids in the elementary school want self esteem.  Parents might scold them, after all the bad economic situation, parents themselves are striving for their own self-esteem coping with the stress and pressure from the society.  Also, the Japanese tend to be serious which makes it hard to giggle, play around, joke around, relieve stress by hugging each other, etc.  

As a mother of 3 children, this article was a good reminder to always be positive about your own child and show that to the children.  I believe that saying only good things can change the thoughts of the children too.                                                                                                                                                                                                 

Kudaranai Things?　くだらないもの？

I love small cute things just like the key chain you see on the left. Adorable! And look at the sock purse on the picture below.  Hey, I can surprise my sister taking that out of my bag and say "No, it's not my kid's(my child is 1 year old and wears the same size sock) sock, it's my purse!"

I showed these pictures to my sister. And what she said was, "Kudaranai yo Onechan." (What she meant was...Sister, this is something useless it's cute but it's a waste of money.)  Well, knowing that I replied, "Well, that's why I took pictures and didn't buy them at ikspiari..."

Kudaranai くだらない　means trifling; trivial; insignificant; silly; absurd; useless; worthless; trashy in goo dictionary. 

Greenｔea nowadays...
Not bitter like the Japanese traditional tea ceremonies.

Nana's green tea website

Below, is a part of an article from about.com
Today, scientific research in both Asia and the west is providing hard evidence for the health benefits long associated with drinking green tea. For example, in 1994 the Journal of the National Cancer Institute published the results of an epidemiological study indicating that drinking green tea reduced the risk of esophageal cancer in Chinese men and women by nearly sixty percent. University of Purdue researchers recently concluded that a compound in green tea inhibits the growth of cancer cells. There is also research indicating that drinking green tea lowers total cholesterol levels, as well as improving the ratio of good (HDL) cholesterol to bad (LDL) cholesterol.

To sum up, here are just a few medical conditions in which drinking green tea is reputed to be helpful:

What makes green tea so special?

•  cancer
• rheumatoid arthritis
• high cholesterol levels
• cariovascular diseaseinfection
• impaired immune function

The secret of green tea lies in the fact it is rich in catechin polyphenols, particularly epigallocatechin gallate (EGCG). EGCG is a powerful anti-oxidant: besides inhibiting the growth of cancer cells, it kills cancer cells without harming healthy tissue. It has also been effective in lowering LDL cholesterol levels, and inhibiting the abnormal formation of blood clots. The latter takes on added importance when you consider that thrombosis (the formation of abnormal blood clots) is the leading cause of heart attacks and stroke.

Links are being made between the effects of drinking green tea and the "French Paradox." For years, researchers were puzzled by the fact that, despite consuming a diet rich in fat, the French have a lower incidence of heart disease than Americans. The answer was found to lie in red wine, which contains resveratrol, a polyphenol that limits the negative effects of smoking and a fatty diet. In a 1997 study, researchers from the University of Kansas determined that EGCG is twice as powerful as resveratrol, which may explain why the rate of heart disease among Japanese men is quite low, even though approximately seventy-five percent are smokers.

Why don't other Chinese teas have similar health-giving properties? Green, oolong, and black teas all come from the leaves of the Camellia sinensis plant. What sets green tea apart is the way it is processed. Green tea leaves are steamed, which prevents the EGCG compound from being oxidized. By contrast, black and oolong tea leaves are made from fermented leaves, which results in the EGCG being converted into other compounds that are not nearly as effective in preventing and fighting various diseases.

Other Benefits

New evidence is emerging that green tea can even help dieters. In November, 1999, the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition published the results of a study at the University of Geneva in Switzerland. Researchers found that men who were given a combination of caffeine and green tea extract burned more calories than those given only caffeine or a placebo.

Green tea can even help prevent tooth decay! Just as its bacteria-destroying abilities can help prevent food poisoning, it can also kill the bacteria that causes dental plaque. Meanwhile, skin preparations containing green tea - from deodorants to creams - are starting to appear on the market.

Harmful Effects?

To date, the only negative side effect reported from drinking green tea is insomnia due to the fact that it contains caffeine. However, green tea contains less caffeine than coffee: there are approximately thirty to sixty mg. of caffeine in six - eight ounces of tea, compared to over one-hundred mg. in eight ounces of coffee.

Trend 2009: Japanese Young Men Drinking tap water!

With the bad economy, young men are starting to rediscover Japanese tap water.(From the news、Channel Asahi, Nov 27, 2009)  Japanese tap water are drinkable and it has been for a long time.  We have been  taking this for granted since Japanese are not used to ordering water in restaurants. Just because it's free everywhere in Japan and since the waiter/waitress brings a glass of water after greeting you with "Irashaimase" (いらっしゃいませ＝Welcome).

Japanese men in the offices are drinking tap water since it's free and tastes good.  Of course, they might use BWT which is a portable filter.

I have been told from my Indonesian friend that the concept of good water as in tasty water was not understandable.  He thought water tastes the same.  In reality, no water tastes differently depending on where and what is in the water.

So, in Japan, don't hesitate to drink your hotel water when in need...unless it is written not to.  Be ware... do not drink Onsen (hot spring) water!

Look what I have found.  Sweets displayed like an Osechi.　　￥6,000 yen at Brighton Hotel Urayasu.    Please click to read about Osechi.

Some of the things that reminds that the year is coming to and end in Japan...

Right after taking down Halloween decorations stores are ready to transform themselves to join the competition of Christmas in early November!  And Japanese are as almost rushed into the season of "Shiwasu"(師走), which means the month when the teachers are busy running around,  meaning December in an old Japanese term.

This time I am going to introduce some of the thing that reminds me that this year, 2009 is almost coming to an  end here in Japan too.

Nenngajou(new year greeting post card), Calenders, schedule books, cute things to keep you warm, white radish etc

Let me start off with the not so Japansese things...

Ladies... choose your pick.　Yes, gloves and cuddly pillows are not the most Japanese things but with the display you can see the taste of Japanese ladies.

Warm clothing, cute blankets, cuddly stuffed animals, pillows etc.

Calenders and calenders... This one is full of Japanese drawings.

Schedule books that comes in all kinds of designs.  With the top sellers you can see what design or motif Japanese women liked this year.  The trend like with fashion, changes very quickly in Japan.  And this also boosts up the economy since a lot of women like to be the same as other Japanese friends.  This starts from an very early age...being able to fit in with others.  Ex. Randoseru A backpack used in Japanese elementary schools that are NOT compulsory, but every student has them when they enter elementary school.  The prices range from 20,000 yen (around 200 US dollars) above.

Gerato/Ice cream flavor...

The famous Japanese flavor is  Matcha ( Green tea ),  It's all over the world but how about Houjicha flavor?

Wow, I wonder how many people order that flavor a day.

For your info, there are unique flavors like jasmine tea, afternoon tea with scone, hybiscus tea, Yuzu tea (Korean).

Houjicha flavor can be bought at http://www.follettigerutta.jp/

Blog

I found an interesting blog. The author is a Japanese woman who is in an international trading bussiness.
I've been reading her blog for few years.

In Japanese. 誰でもなれる国際人
http://www.tamagoya.ne.jp/mm/yoko2/b/
http://www.tamagoya.ne.jp/mm/yoko2/prf.htm

Yes, you can book your Osechi-ryori now!

I saw an ad in one of the Japanese restaurants that I go to with my family.  ￥24000 yen for Osechi-ryori.  Reservations for Osechi-ryori are already available. End of October, early November... and Japanese are thinking about new year dishes.  Japanese likes to be well prepared and likes to do it early.  I know as a fact I can't book airplane tickets for the main vacations(Golden week in May, summer vacation in August and Winter vacation in December) unless I book about 3 months before time.

Okay back on track...

Osechi-ryōri 御節料理 or お節料理: traditional Japanese New Year foods

If buying one, prices range from around US 100 dollors to maybe around 1000 dollors? Or even more. Absurd?  Yes, spending a fortune for a couple of meals which are eaten at home can  be absurd.  But here, it is nothing abnormal.

So why do we, Japanese buy or make Osechi-ryori?
Well, in the old days, since the market or stores closed and it was very difficult to get groceries, house wives made food for the family which can be eaten for couple of weeks which is cooking preserved food.  I can say preserved food for new years is a lot of wisdom passed from our ancestors.  Not only house wives don't have to go shopping for groceries but also don't have to cook for a couple of days.  As a daughter of a mom who cooks her own Osechi-ryori every year, frankly speaking, I sometimes get bored of the food after a couple days.  Sorry, Mom!  But then, my mom did pass on how to cook and the meaning of the dishes just by letting her girls help out in the kitchen and talking as she cooked.  

Nowadays, more and more stores are open all year round including New years(January the 1st through 3rd  in Japan).   So I see not everyone makes or buys Osechi these days. However, the tradition to eat Osechi is taught to the next generation.  Japanese take it seriously to pass on the tradition including all the seasonal events.  Since most of Japan has 4 seasons, appreciating/feeling the 4 seasons are important for the Japanese.  That can be done by celebrating or practicing all the events.  Meaning the kids are likely to eat Osechi to understand the tradition and culture and know the meaning of why we eat certain things at New Year.  (Please see below for the meanings of the dishes.)  This is difficult when living outside Japan.  My parents were aware about this when we lived in Los Angeles where the weather is good all year round and didn't have 4 seasons like Japan.

The things inside the Osechi each has a meaning.  These are some of them which I quote from Wikipedia.   

Osechi are easily recognizable by their special boxes called jūbako, which resemble bentō boxes. Like bentō boxes, jūbako are often kept stacked before and after use.

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  Daidai (橙), Japanese bitter orange. Daidai means "from generation to generation" when written in different kanji as 代々. Like kazunoko below, it symbolizes a wish for children in the New Year.
  

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  Datemaki (伊達巻 or 伊達巻き), sweet rolled omelette mixed with fish paste or mashed shrimp. They symbolize a wish for many auspicious days. On auspicious days (晴れの日, hare-no-hi), Japanese people traditionally wore fine clothing as a part of enjoying themselves. One of the meanings associated with the second kanji includes "fashionability," derived from the illustrious dress of the samurai from Date Han.
  

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  Kamaboko (蒲鉾), broiled fish paste. Traditionally, slices of red and white kamaboko are alternated in rows or arranged in a pattern. The color and shape are reminiscent of the rising sun, and have a celebratory, festive meaning.
  

• Kazunoko (数の子), herring roe. Kazu means "number" and ko means "child". It symbolizes a wish to be gifted with numerous children in the New Year.
  

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  Konbu (昆布), a kind of seaweed. It is associated with the word yorokobu, meaning "joy"
  

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  Kuro-mame (黒豆), black soybeans. Mame also means "health," symbolizing a wish for health in the New Year.
  

• Tai (鯛), red sea-bream. Tai is associated with the Japanese word medetai, symbolizing an auspicious event
  

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  Tazukuri (田作り), dried sardines cooked in soy sauce. The literal meaning of the kanji in tazukuri is "rice paddy maker", as the fish were used historically to fertilize rice fields. The symbolism is of an abundant harvest.
  

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  Zōni (雑煮), a soup of mochi rice cakes in clear broth (in eastern Japan) or miso broth (in western Japan).
  

  
  

 Okay, with my one year old girl walking about, I am not going to make all of this.  I'll need to choose ... don't  you agree?  Or gambachau　 頑張っちゃう  ?

Bandaid that can help you heal! 

Okay, I admit that kids can be fast at acquiring information that can be useful for themselves. 

Alia has noticed a bandaid on her friends cut.  A band aid that heals cuts.  


She explained me with her eyes shining what this band aid does. The pad in the band aid covers the cut and absorbs the fluid that comes out and puffs up(will be white which indicates that it is working) where the cut is then avoids the cut to be dry which enables the new skin to be revitalized more quickly and smoothly. Alia saw the price at the drug store and said "You're not going to buy me this are you, mom?" Around 9 US dollors for ten band aids. She promised not to touch her cut that has been annoying her for a month and brought back this 'advanced' band aid home.(Even the doctor who saw it said the best medicine was to leave it alone!) .


Have you used this before?　　How was it?

There were 2 companies which made these kind of band aids at my local drug store. The picture is one of them.

Monozukuri culture

I had an opportunity to join the workshop on skills evaluation Method Japan FY2009 as an Indonesian/Japanese interpreter.

The workshop was held for participants from 9 countries in Asia to learn about the system and the skill certification test in Japan.


The impression from this 10 day workshop was that Japanese culture has a solid base which is making things,  in Japanese 'Monozukuri'.


 Origami is an great example. Origami is already taught at a very early age.


Another is paper craft.  I have been always satisfied at the 'Furoku' 付録 of monthly magazines for elementary kids.  'Furoku' indicates the thing that is attached to the product as a small gift to attract customers and increase sales. This 'Furoku' culture is another thing I would love to introduce, but for now, getting back on track about 'monozukuri'.  The 'Furoku' attached to the magazines that my parents used to buy had a lot of paper craft. Not the cheap kind of thin paper that is going to be too weak after completing but the paper chosen for it's purpose and actual use, for example making a game with hard paper and rubber bands.  This kind of 'Furoku', is so typical in Japan. Something that consumes time and effort to make something='Monozukuri'.  My parents used to subscribe these montly magazines from Japan when we were living in LA, California.  I now buy these magazines for my kids.  Does anyone know if any other countries have this kind of quality 'Furoku' for kids?  I would definitely want to take a look if there is any. Email me at qurniati@yahoo.co.jp


In public museums, I see a lot of craft classes. Of course, I saw  many craft classes in the US too. In Japan, compared to the US,  details and precision are already required in early stages(younger ages). However, approval or praise is greater/easily given in the US which encourages children/people and of course, puts smiles on their faces!


Standard/criteria in Japan
One of the method that is used to assess the product that has been made by the participants of the certification practical test is the deduction method. Deduction method is simply deducting points from the total point. 0 points deducted means there are no faults or defects at all, and 0 is normal.  Human beings aren't perfect and that is normal but this method defines normal as perfect. This is because when an manufacturing company produces products, it can only sell perfect products that does not have any defects at all. Thus 0 deduction is normal for evaluating practical tests/certification tests in Japan.


'Monozukuri' culture has been developed by the finite resources or if I may say, lack of natural resources in Japan. We have been pushed to think hard to add value to anything we import.  Then sell it at a higher price to survive using the profit that is gained. 'Souikufuu' 創意工夫, this is another word I would like to introduce.  It means to exert one's originality and ingenuity.  This four chinese character word has been on my vocabulary since I was in elementary school.  This concept is not only applied in making things such as craft but also in our conduct/action.  'Souikufu' so we can use our time efficiently or optimize our effort is also important.    

Budaya Monozukuri "ものづくり"

Setelah saya ikut workshop sistem ujian sertifikasi skill Jepang '09, sebagai penterjemah, saya merasa Monozukuri: pembuatan barang/benda adalah dasar  budaya Jepang...