February 14, 2006

Did you know that about twenty-two years ago, in Hitotsugaoka, an elementary school was robbed at gun point of over 20,000,000 Yen? The thief got away and was never captured.

Also, it is believed that the Kagekiha (ultra-left-wing activists) planted a time bomb in front of Nobeoka Train Station. An older woman opened the bag and it exploded. The woman lost a finger. That happened about thirty years ago. - Both of the above stories were reported by Mr. Tanaka.

There used to be a lot of chickens living near Kanadoga Ike (pond), Nobeoka. But, my friend's friend ate them. He said they were delicious.

This year in Nobeoka, Seijishiki was held on Monday. The next day, everyone had to go back to work or school.

Some people rub salt on their skin before entering the sauna. It is said that salt helps in sweating.

Sunday at 10pm, Sekai Ururun Taizaiki, a show about Japanese traveling to foreign countries and learning on a homestay is getting popular. "Ururun" means tearing up. Many Japanese tear-up when they part with friends. (tear-up or come to tears)

Over forty years ago, there used to be an ice rink and a skating rink in Nobeoka. http://nobeoka-no-omoide.tripod.com/id2.html

I have a neighbor that always says, "Sumasen!" She went to South Korea with my wife. At the airport, she dropped her ticket on the floor. A South Korean clerk picked her ticket up and handed it to her. My neighbor said, "Sumasen!" and bowed. The South Korean clerk then bowed and said, "Sumasen!"

I sometimes refer to a mental hospital as a "kichigai byouin". I learned today that I am very wrong to do that. I should always say, "Seishinka". Seishin refers to mentally ill. I apologize if I have offened anyone. Anyway, there are quite a few seishinka in Nobeoka. I guess the state feels that a country town like ours is a good place to place mentally ill people.

They say the police are using binoculars to catch people using their cellphones while driving. The police station themselves near Trial in Hyuga City. They stop the drivers just across the street from Joyfull Restaurant in a vacant lot. I guess it's time for us drivers to employ the high-beam-switching-warning-system that we used to do so well years ago.

There is a shoe etiquette that I find hard to get used to. I always straighten out my shoes when I enter a home or an establishment. But, I find that my shoes are always turned-around when I come out of the building. I guess the office staff make it their job to keep things right. Next week, I may just separate my shoes and place them on each side of the room and see what happens.

Dugongs were spotted off the coast of Okinawa!

Officials say something must be done to revitalize downtown shopping districts. Big malls may be banned from suburbs!

We talked about "Karasu No Gyouzui". It describes a person that likes to take quick baths. It was mentioned in class, because I said that I like to take quick showers instead of long baths. Oh, yeah. You probably need to know that 'karasu' is Japanese for crow.

Shiwasu is a time period when Japanese need to hurry up. For example, at the end of the month, and especially at the end of the year. Japanese want to get everything in order, close things out, before the New Year partying begins.

Umami is the juices from simmered down bones, meats and vegetables. It is sold in bottles and plastic packages in Japan. I hear it's pretty good and "healthy" for you. You can derive Umami from Kimuchi Nabe and Chanko Nabe.

Kokuchi is when one always wants to tell the truth or straight story. Uso Mo Houben is when one tells white lies in order to protect everyone involved.

We also talked about the three local shopping areas: Park Place in Oita, Wasada in Oita and Aeon Miyazaki. We all agreed that Park Place was the best place to go shopping in 2005. After all, in Nobeoka, many stores have closed in recent years: Azumaya, Daiei and Kotobukiya, to name a few.

Three million Yen was found in the bottom of a cooking pot box. No one has claimed it so far, and it's been over two weeks. I forget how long one has to wait for someone to claim it before it becomes the property of the finder in Japan. I was told that the time period is 6 months in order to collect found money in Japan.

Hayatori or Bakauri or Sennari is SQUASH.

Asakusa is said to be "nostalgic" (kyoushuu). So, is Nobeoka. Don't you think? Asakusa is where the Tora San series were filmed.

G.S.D.F. and U.S. Marines to stage island infiltration exercise in California. Uh Oh!

Under a new system, illegally parked vehicles will be immediately reported to the police regardless of the length of time, a departure from the current system in which cars are first marked with chalk and then tagged only after a certain time has passed. Also, the work will no longer be done by police. Private enterprises will take over the duties.

Last thursday, we talked about bedrocking in Hokkaido. One student mentioned "Hanshinyoku". You sit in the tub with your body half-way out and just sweat. You can also read a book or sing a tune if you like.

The Saitama Municipal Government has decided to place guards at all 101 of its schools.

"Above all, the issue is language. Anyone good at the language can get a chance like I did," Yuki Kudoh, the only Japanese actress to play a main geisha role in the film, Memoirs of a Geisha, said.

Nanjakoradaifuku is Mochi with a strawberry, cheese, anko and kuri. And, there is some whipped cream added. Nanja is, "What?" Kora is, "that". And, daifuku is "very happy". You can get some at Okashi No Hidaka which is located near Miyazaki Train Station. There is also a shop nearby Aeon, Miyazaki.

I used to bobble my head in class, trying to stay awake. My wife said that she propped her head on her left hand and held a pen in her right hand, pretending to be studying. Another, Hiroko, said that she used to rest her head on an open book. But, the student of today just goes to sleep with both arms on the desk.

Hokkaido's new bus-train hybrid will start soon. (Not really. I couldn't find any pictures of the bus-train hybrid.)

A 27-year-old man has been arrested and indicted for stealing 2 yen from an offertory chest at a Buddhist temple in Kobe.

Carry it to business meetings, and then when someone asks you a question, hold it over your head and say you are all out of fresh ideas.

What kind of food is 29.000 Yen? Nikuman.

3. gargle a few times a day.

Seiun Rugby team won last Sunday. They will play Takanabe High School for the Championship of Miyazaki Prefecture on Sunday, November 13 th in Miyazaki City.

The 1995 Honda Civic was the most-stolen car in the U.S. in 2004.

Former Peruvian President Alberto Fujimori has been arrested by Chilean police after arriving in Chile from Japan on Sunday. Fujimori, the son of Japanese emigrants to Peru, holds Japanese nationality.

Hiottoko (Fire Men) used bamboo poles to blow on their fires. There is a Hiottoko Club in Zaikouji Cho, Hyuga City. There are 17 members at present. Twenty-six years ago, there were over 50 members. The Hiottoko Market was started over 140 years ago. Harvested goods and business goods are placed on sale there on October 16 th. They meet at the Isotake Shrine in Hyuga. In the picture above, you can see their flag; a "Mame Shibori (Towel)". The Japanese flute and some Japanese Taiko drums are played at the festival.