月別アーカイブ：2017年4月

The practice of Wife Carrying – a race hosted annually in The Nower, Dorking, in which men carry their partner along a hilly 380m course – has a significantly less jovial history than the modern event suggests.
Dating back to the Viking invasion of 793 AD, the race evolved out of the Nordics’ rampage, in which a monastery was destroyed and local women were carried off against their will. It was only in 2008 that the tradition was revived in the UK – albeit with a whole new, 21st century set of rules (principally that women participate willingly).
The conditions of competing?
Wives must weigh at least 50kg – and those lacking in kilos must make up the weight in the equivalent of baked bean cans – and must wear a helmet; and competitors must complete the course (beset by hay-bale hurdles and the occasional cold-water hazard).
The prizes?
£100 and a barrel of Pilgrim ale for the winning couple, who will go on to participate in the world championships in Finland; a pound of sausage for the carrier of the heaviest wife, and mini-kegs for the runners up. The losers can look forward to receiving a ceremonial tin of dog food and a Pot Noodle.

Happy April Fools’ Day!

April Fools’ Day is a holiday celebrated on April 1st, when people like to play practical jokes on their friends and family, and many companies or news agencies present funny stories. For example, Pokemon Go was originally an April Fools’ Day prank from Google in 2014. This year, there have already been some great pranks pulled by major companies. Amazon produced a commercial featuring Petlexa, an Amazon Echo for your pets. Google Japan has even produced a fun fake commercial for bubble-wrap keyboards!

April Fools’ Day is celebrated all over the world, but it was only recently that I learned about one of the major differences in how it is celebrated. In the US, the holiday lasts the entire day. You can never be safe from a prank until April 2nd! But in the UK, April Fools’ Day only lasts until noon on April 1st. Anyone trying to play a joke after noon becomes the fool!

How is April Fools’ Day celebrated in Japan? Have you seen any funny pranks?