月別アーカイブ：2017年4月

So it’s spring and I think it’s safe to assume that we are all well aware of how beautiful the cherry blossoms all over Japan are this time of year. Unfortunately the estimated full bloom of the sakura trees in Ehime coincides with a string of rainy days at the end of this week, so that may ruin hanami plans for some people.

The funny thing is that I haven’t really noticed the cherry blossoms near my house (since they are only now blooming), but instead I’ve been admiring the deep pink of the peach blossoms that a kind old woman in my neighbourhood has outside her house. Those peach blossoms may take the place of the usual cherry blossoms for my hanami this year, but I’m okay with that. They have another kind of beauty to appreciate.

Here’s a photo I took:

Joe

One of the popular topics that comes into conversation around this time is Ohanami– cherry blosson viewing. While reading up on this custom online, I came across an unusual idea called Air hanami.
The first time I read the title my initial thought was that it was when people would go out to have a picnic under a cherry blossom tree without it actually having bloomed yet – thus, just air!
But, that was not the case. It is described as a hassle-free, indirect, indoor, hanami experience.
Most people have said that it’s a strange trend, with some saying that it’s utterly absurd.
Here is a link to Kirin’s website to help you get an idea of the concept behind it.

http://air-hanami.kirin.jp/age.html

Air hanami has its perks, but I always prefer the outdoors.
What do you think?

Many successful creatives attribute their success to a “muse”. This can be a person or a personified force which gives inspiration to an individual. There are many factors which are attributed to success, natural talent, passion, skills and luck. Such a topic has been exposed to a great many academic theorising and research. The “muse” gives an outlet of explanation to things which we find very difficult to define. There is an element of superstition involved, which has persisted through centuries of successful artists, creatives and business people. Originating from Greek mythology, when Goddesses could favor those who pleased them with extraordinary gifts. The gifted would claim that without their “muse” they would not have gained, or would lose the success which they obtained. However, skeptics would argue that a “muse” is simply a construct of the person’s imagination – a subconscious outlet creating an awareness of the situation, or the world, which allows them to exploit their chosen route. Although we have many different methods which are recommended to be successful, none are a guarantee of success. There certainly seems to be an element of success which has eluded our definition and practical application.

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?