Comme ça du Japon

You probably were intrigued by the idiom 虫の知らせ (Mushi No Shirase) “the word from the vermin (bug)” that I used in the article announcing that I was back from a long silence. A quick search in my japanese electronic dictionnary revealed that there are a whole lot of idioms related to 虫 (Mushi) “bugs”. Well, this is all I needed to start a new serie of posts!

(more…)

It seems pretty futile to even try to keep on updating this blog in these dark days. Needless to say, it’s time to invest your time even more wisely to up the ante. I might consider to temporarily change the main topic if the time invested in doing so is justified. See you at the other end of this dark tunnel.

This is your 17th stereophonic trip for Japan. This time we are going to Kawasaki. It takes about 20 minutes to go there from Tôkyô with the 京浜東北線 (KeiHinTôHoku Sen) “Keihin Tôhoku train”. A surprise awaits you when you get off the train. Listen carefully. An original and fast beat from above is running down the stairs. If you go against the beat flow you will soon see a duet of knives players. They are hitting a まな板 (MaNaIta) “chopping board”. Hypnotized by the rythm, you get closer. One of the player starts a solo while cutting a long white stick. A sweet flagrance sparks everytime the knife hits the board. The solo is about to end but now both players are building a powerful bridge. It’s the grand finale ended by a final hit that echoes from every corners of the train station. If you want to experience this duet of knives, just press play !

(more…)

Japan is known as a country where 証明書 (ShôMeiSho) “diplomas” are particularly important. I won’t say that a freshly graduated student of a famous university will systematically get the job over someone with a rich experience but the chances are probably likewise.　Anyway, you only have to go to a book store to verify that 資格 (ShiKaku) “certification” is big in Japan. There is a whole dedicated corner for certifications in every book store I know. This and the very broad range of specialized magazines makes Japan a great place for those who love self-learning.

(more…)