Cherry blossom in Kyoto.

Cherry blossom in Kyoto.

Hello. We will introduce the sight of cherry blossoms in Kyoto. We will introduce the night view of cherry blossoms in Kyoto. First is Gion-Shirakawa. Get on Hankyu-line and get off at Shijo-Kawaramachi station. Or, you can get on Keihan-line and get off at Shijo station. Every year, illumination at night is held from the end of March to the beginning of April from 6-10pm. Drooping cherries bloom beautifully. If you have a chance, you can take a picture with Maiko. Next, go east and you will arrive at Yasaka shrine. You can enjoy the beautiful cherry blossom view and pay homage. Go farther east and you will arrive at Maruyama-park. The cherry blossoms are at their best in the 1st week of April. So, illumination at night is held until 2 am. If you work late, you can still enjoy the illumination. Next to Yasaka shrine, there is Choraku-kan. It is a restaurant. The appearance is magnificent, but the price is reasonable. The restaurant is open until 10 pm. If you go south, you can enjoy a row of houses and streets like Kyoto. There are many souvenir shops and if you go up Sannen-zaka, you get to Kiyomizu-temple. There are about 1000 cherry blossoms. This picture is Kiyomizu-temple.



I’ll introduce another plan around Kyoto-Sangyo-University.
First, let’s go to the Jobon-Rendai-Temple by bus and get off at Senbon-Kitaoji. The temple is not such a popular cherry blossom place, but there are very beautiful weeping cherry trees which blossom fascinatingly. You can see the vivid pink petals when you are taking a bus.
Walk west about 5 minutes and climb a slope of a hill. There is Takeisao-Shrine with weeping trees and Someiyoshino. It is very impressive that the falling cherry blossom petals cover the stairs, so it’s pink. The view from there is good. This picture is Jobon-Rendai-Temple.
Then walk north. Imamiya-Shrine has some weeping cherry trees. The shrine holds “Yasurai-Matsuri” on the 2nd Sunday in April. And you should eat “Aburi–mochi”. It’s delicious.
Lastly, go to Kamigamo-Shrine by bus No46. It’s one of the famous cherry blossom spots. You can see the beautiful cherry blossoms everywhere.
We introduced not so crowded places, so you’ll spend a relaxing time. Please enjoy “OHANAMI”

Ikuko Yamamoto
Yuka Ito

NINJA

Have you ever heard the word "NINJA"?

It is said that NINJA served the lord and their work was assassination and espionage. NINJA took an active part from Kamakura Era to Edo Era. NINJA in Iga and Koka is known well. NINJA always hid so as not to be found, so nobody saw them. NINJA are known all over the world now.

NINJA were usually men, but there were female NINJA also. They were called "KUNOICHI".

First, we will introduce the NINJA's weapons. NINJA used various weapons.



















This is a SHURIKEN. SHURIKEN is the most famous weapon that NINJA used. To decrease the other party's military strength, NINJA threw SHURIKEN.





















This is a KUNAI. This is famous, too. This was used as a weapon. Also, this was used to climb walls and dig a hole in the ground.

Finally, we will introduce a comic about NINJA.




















This is NARUTO. The plot tells the story of Naruto Uzumaki, an adolescent ninja who constantly searches for recognition and aspires to become a Hokage, the ninja in his village that is acknowledged as the leader and the strongest of all. NARUTO is one of the most popular comics in Japan.

Why do you think this comic became popular? If you have an idea, please tell us.



Could you understand about NINJA?



Is there no one behind you? Maybe NINJA are hiding behind you...





wrriten by Ryosuke Fujioka, Takafumi Nishiyama ＼(^o^)／

Johnny's junior

We will introduce Johnny’s Junior. It was found in 1962 by the producer“Johnny kitagawa”.
Now there are many talents from 45-years-old to12-years-old.
Until,now 100peple have debut and 400 people are taking lessons.
Some of them are sons of famous people who are athlete ,actors, singers and so on.
The most famous groups are SMAP and Arashi. Both groups have 5people in them.
Other groups are , V6, ,Kinkikids ,Tokio, Kat-tun ,etc…
Some people are olso active alone while belonging to the groups,for example, Yamashita Tomohisa who is called Yama-p.
The leaders of Johnny’s are said to be Johnny’s favorite people.



Johnny Kitagawa
(http://www.tomocci.com/jannys/merry.jpg)



Tomohisa yamasita
(http://yamapii.jugem.jp/?page=2)





KANJYANI∞(eight)
(http://srd.yahoo.co.jp/IMG)



We will especially take up ARASHI from these. It’s a pop idol group of men which is composed of five people, Ohno Satoshi, Sakurai Sho, Aiba Masaki, Ninomiya Kazunari, and Matsumoto Jun. They are 26-29 years old. The leader of them is Ohno Satoshi. They were picked from popular high person in Johnny’s Jr. in 1990. They have many hit songs, for example, “A・RA・SHI”, "WISH", "One love", and so on.

Their popularity is remarkable. Recently, they collaborated with Disney Land. They sang there with Mickey Mouse. The ticket for one person surprisingly sold at more than two hundred thousand yen.
Johnny’s fans are ardent. There are few pictures of ARASHI on the Internet, especially on the official site ,there aren’t any pictures which can be posted without permission..

They are cool and talented, and play an active part widely, for instance, in movies, dramas, radios, commercials, or variety programs. They are popular with people from children to adults. Their popularity will continue for a long time.


ARASHI(http://blog.oricon.co.jp/a-newly-people/archive/1215/0)






LEFT:Kazunari Ninomiya(http://a14.chip.jp/arashigazou2/)
RIGHT:Sho Sakurai(http://arashi-love.bbs.fc2.com/)




These are goods of Johnny’s. There are various kinds of things. The most characteristic thing is a handmade round fan by thir fans. The formal size is decided and they make the fan to match it.






These are penlights to use in a concert. The name of the group is often carved on them.



There are so many goods.
What kind do you like?

We are not familiar with them yet.
Please tell us about them if you have information.



By Kana Wakuta, Junko Okai and Maho Furutani

Japanese snack

Many kinds of snacks are sold at present in Japan.

First, we will inroduce Japanese snacks that are very famous and popular now in Japan.
There are two snacks especially liked by people.


[Pocky]

It is a chocolate confectionery first sold by Ezaki Glico in 1966. It is a snack of chocolate coated pretzel and it is sold not only in Japan, but also in every country in the world now. Different kinds of Pocky such as "mousse pocky" and "crash pocky" are also popular in Japan.

[Potato chips]

It was first sold by Calbee in 1975. It is a snack in which potatoes are sliced, deep-fried, and processed. Potato chips with the taste of a regional limitation are sold in Japan. Our recommendation is "Kansai dashi syoyu", which has taste of soy sauce, and is sold in the Kansai area including Kyoto.



There are also snacks sold only in winter in winter in addition to a standard snacks. The snacks limited to winter are mostly chocolates. "Melty kiss", "Porute", and"Shiroikoeda" are popular this year.





Next, we will introduce Japanese traditional snacks.


[Cyujunoutuwa]

Cyujunoutuwa is a Japanese snack that is are made in Kyoto. This snack is presented as a gift or festival of marrige and a congratulation of longevity. The characteristic of this snack is to be able to eat the bowl,too. The bowl is made of by special ingredients. Also, you can drink tea by using this bowl. (It can be used two or three times !) It is a very delicious and interesting snack.

[Hinaarare]

Hinaarare is a Japanese snack that is eaten during the Doll's Festival, in which people wish that children will grow up the children cheerfully. This is a very famous snack. People eat them easily because it is made of small of pieces. There are a lot of tastes, such as soy sauce, chocolate, cheese and so on. But this taste is different by region. The main outside colors are white, red and green. The meanings that the colors represent are that white is earth, red is life and green is trees. Therefore, it is said that people escape from misfortune by eating them.

By : Makiko Nakano & Yoko Hatano

Town Development Project Characters

Town Development Project Characters


Nice to meet you, students.


We are glad to share cultural information with you on our blog.
Right now, we will introduce Japanese town development project characters.

These characters are not only just characters that are for the profits of the town, but are　also as healing characters.

This funny looking character is Sento-Kun which is produced in Nara.
Sento means to move the capital to other places because Heizyokyo, which is a castle in Nara, was the first massive capital of Japan connecting Japan and East Asia.





Sento-Kun looks like Buddha and he wears deer horns.
Do you like his lovely smile?

Next year, Heizyokyo is celebrating the 1300th anniversary of its founding.

Do to this splendid anniversary, Sento-Kun is working very hard to hold many events.


　　Next, we’ll tell you about “Hikonyan”.
Do you know Hikonyan?

Hikonyan is an image character for Hikone temple’s memory event.
Hikone temple was built about 400 years ago.

Hikonyan is a cat, and Hikonyan wears a red helmet.
Hikonyan is known to people for as “yurukyara”.
Yurukyara means a lax mascot character.

On the left is namukun, on the right is sentokun.All of them are yurukyara
Hikonyan likes to walk around the temple.
Hikonyan’s weak points are its legs.
Hikonyan’s legs are very short,
so it is difficult for Hikonyan to go up to stairs.

Hikonyan is loved by many people.
I love it too.
If you also like hikonyan, I’m happy.

A local Hello Kitty

These goods use the design of hello kitty. As for this design, the special products, the stories, the history, and the people, etc. of the region are basically made in the motif. They are sold around the souvenir counter and the sightseeing goods shops, such as nationwide tourist spots in various places.
The aim was to have familiarity with the motif by using Hello Kitty for goods.


Maiko


Maiko talk and entertain with the arts of dance, the samisen, and songs, etc. while serving guests sake in the parlors of tea shops and restaurants where there are maiko and geisha.


Gion Festival (summerfestival)

It is one of the three major Japanese festivals. "Gion Matsuri "

Takoyaki


This is a very famous food in Osaka. Pieces of octopus are put in the cloth of flour.



By

Kana Inano

Misaki Takahashi

Noriko Kawasaki

Manzai

Recently in japan the Manzai has come in greatly. Everyone in their house watches Manzai through television. Manzai first developed in the Kansai area of Japan. In the Heian period, Manzai started in performing arts which celebrate the new year. Two people in pairs visited homes, said congratulations, and one person played the drum, while the other person danced to the drum. In the Edo period, many parts of japan developed their own Manzai which was not only dancing with a drum, but also had negotiation with funny remarks, such as Obari manzai and Yamato manzai. After that, the Manzai mixed with Niwaka, which is the impromptu play in the road or vaudeville theater and became the present Manzai. The main companies which the Manzai performers belong to is Yoshimoto kougyou and Shoutikugeinou.



I think the most famous Manzai performers is Yasushi Kiyoshi. They are known as Yasukiyo. One persons name is Yasushi Yokoyama. The other persons name is Kiyoshi Nishikawa. The most famous phrase is "okorude shikashi!". That's mean "I am angry!". The phrase was said by Yasushi Yokomaya.He died in 1996.1.21. Many fan of Yasukiyo sad about mournful news.In 1980,the Manzai was the boom. and Yasukiyo is the top of the manzai circles. Many peole like to see Yasukiyo manzai.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y9aJ6ya6TDM ←This is the Yasukiyo manzai video.




I like “Black mayonnaise” who are a manzai duo in Japan.
They are known by the pet name "Buramayo".
They won in the M-1 (manza-1) grand prix in 2005.
M-1 grand prix is most famous grand prix of manzai in Japan.
Every year, many manzai duos participate in it.
More than 4,000 duos participated in it in last year.
The winner receives $1,000,000.
They won the championship and became stars.

Now, they are popular with people in Japan.
Funny!! Funny!! Funny!! and Funny but...................Funny!! yheaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaa!!!!!!


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsOqFVnkZSw　←Why don't you Look this?　

compleated!! korekaramo yoroshikune!!

Okonomiyaki

The origin of okonomiyaki is started around 1500s in Tokyo. It was changed styles (how to cook) and ingredients (cabbage and sauce), then it expanded in Osaka. Now, okonomiyaki is mostly famous in Osaka. People in Osaka eat okonomiyaki with rice, which means they eat it as a side dish, but some other people who live in other places eat it as main dish. Also, there are some other kinds of okonomiyaki such as Hiroshima-yaki and modern-yaki. They are similar to okonomiyaki, but have some different ingredients. The characteristic of Hiroshima-yaki is that it includes noodles such as udon and Chinese noodles. At first, it has spring onion and changed cabbage and baen sprouts. At that time, people brought plates to get okonmiyaki. There were no news wrapping, they used newspaper instead of it. We enjoy many kinds of okonomiyaki. This time, we will introduce normal okonomiyaki to you.

Ingredients (for 1 serving)
*okonomiyaki flour 60g
*1 egg
*water (suitable amount)
*cabbage 70g
*20~30g thinly sliced pork
*1/2 squid
*10~20 small shrimp
*2~3 whole oyster
*oil
*oyster sauce
*green laver
*dried bonito
(*mayonnaise)

Preparation
1. Cut cabbage into juliennes
2. Cut pork into 3 cm pieces
3. Remove skin of squid and cut into small pieces
4. Wash shrimp and drain
5. In a bowl, mix eggs, water and okonomiyaki flour
6. Add cut cabbage, squid and shrimp

How to make
1. Heat hot plate or frying pan and cover surface completely with oil
2. Cook 2 or 3 slices of pork
3. Pour “Preparation” into a circle about 20 cm in diameter on pork
4. Cook for about 5 minutes or until golden brown
5. Turn over and cook until completely cooked
( Be careful not to overcook or burn )
6. Put the finished okonomiyaki on the plate and put oyster sauce on
7. Sprinkle green laver and dried bonito
Top with mayonnaise if you like
※one point advice: if you put carrots, the taste will be mild, and beer and coke make batter soft.


Yuka OKUDA

Miku KAMEI

Colored leaves in KYOTO

Colored leaves in KYOTO are very beutiful, so we will introduce two places which are famous for colored leaves. The first one is ARASHIYAMA. The best place to watch colored leaves is TOGETSUKYOU. Many visitors go there every year.

The second one is KIYOMIZU TEMPLE. KIYOMIZU TEMPLE is a world heritage site, so it has many buildings for sightseeing. However, what we recommend you watch colored leaves from KIYOMIZU NO BUTAI. And the colored leaves of KIYOMIZU TEMPLE are iluminated at night in the best season of colored leaves.
We can enjoy watching colored leaves in the temple, but you can enjoy them in other places, too. We will introduce you to the place we recommend most: the Eizan line! You can enjoy colored leaves while you travel to Kurama, the northen area in Kyoto city. The trains go slowly through a tunnel of colored leaves which are illuminated beautifully.

Speaking of trains, we must introduce another line to you. It is the “Sagano train.” It is the train for sightseeing, and it runs along the river called Hozugawa in the vally. Although it costs 600 yen for one ride, you will be attracted to the harmony between colored leaves in the mountain and Hozugawa. If you visit there at night, the harmony will be more beautiful than in the day time. Most of the places where you can enjoy colored leaves cost from 500 yen to 600 yen, but we will tell you about another place which costs much cheaper than any other places. It is Kyoto city botanical garden. It is a public facility so you only have to pay 200 yen to enter there. There is a pond and around there, you can enjoy colored leaves which are reflected in the pond. You can picnic there at the same time.

Finally, we will introduce you to a place you can enjoy for nothing. That is “syougunnzuka dainichidou.” To visit this place, it 's very useful to go there by car, because you must go up the mountain. There are two observatories and you will be able to watch Osaka bay on a sunny day. Visit the places we introduce to you soon, or you will miss the season of colored leaves!


Nana Kawabayashi



Kana Kobayashi

Manzai

Manzai Recently in japan the Manzai come in greatly.every one in house watched the Manzai through television. The manzai first developed in Kansai eria of japan.In Heian period the Manzai started in performing arts which is celebrate new year.Two person in pairs visit home,saycongratulations,and one person play the drum,another person dance with the drum.In Edo period many parts of japan developed each Manzai which is not only dancing with drum but also had negotiation with funny remark,such as Obari manzai and Yamato manzai.After that the Manzai mixed with Niwaka,which is the impromptu play in the road or vaudeville theater.And became the present Manzai.The main campany which the Manzai performer belong to is Yoshimoto kougyou and Shoutikugeinou.

I like “Black mayonnaise”　 who is manzai duo in Japan.

It is familiar with them by the pet name "Buramayo".

They won in M-1 (manza-1) grand prix in 2005.
M-1 grand prix is most famous grand prix of manzai in Japan.
Every year many manzai duo participate it.
More than 4000 duo participate it in last year.
Winner receive 1000000$.

They won the championship and became stars.

Now, they are popular people in Japan.

Funny!! Funny!! Funny!! and Funny but...................Funny!! yheaaaaaaa haaaaaaaaa!!!!!!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DsOqFVnkZSw　←Why don't you Look this?　

compleated!! korekaramo yoroshikune!!

Do you know Famikon?

Hello.

These days, trees turn red and it is becoming colder.

In Kyoto , it is especially made clear.

You want to warm yourself at a kotatsu(a foot warmer with a quilt over it) , don't you? and you maybe play Family Computer , called “famikon” in Japanese.

It was first put on sale by Nintendou on 15 July, 1983.

It featured an 8 bit CPU and had 2D visual effects.

These days, 8bit sound is used in the pop music scene.

For example , techno-pop music uses almost every electronic sound , called "8bit sound"

The popularity of games echoed greatly all over the world.
And there are still many kinds of software with the scarcity of value.

The world is crazy for Famikon.

Today, Famikon keeps evolving. The image is too realistic , and the content is difficult.

I'm sure you know,"Playstation 2 and 3"and so on.

Unfortunally, children might confuse the real world with the virtual world because of the too

realistic depiction recently, and cruel events have been caused.

We should be careful of playing games.

Are you in the real world or the virtual world??

By Syu Uchida , Shinji Sanpei.

By Syu Uchida

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