Tomioka Silk Mill will get registered as a world heritage of UNESCO!

Hi everyone!
みなさん、こんにちは！

Good news for us! 富岡製糸場(Tomioka Seishijo) Tomioka Silk Mill factory in Gunma Prefecture will soon become the 18th world heritage of UNESCO in Japan.

Est Cocoon Warehouse ©Tomioka Silk Mill

I have never visited the factory, but almost all the people who have learned Japanese history at school know that the Tomioka Silk Mill played sigificant role in modern industrialization in this country.

The factory was built in 1872 by the Japanese government under the supervision of French silk engineer Paul Brunat. Equipped with silk reeling machine brought from Europe, it enabled mass production of quality raw silk, one of the most important exporting items of the day. 

The silk reeling factory, planned by French ship carpenter Edmond Bastien, is 140 meters long, 12 meters wide and 12 meters high, the biggest of its kind in the world at that time.  

 

At first they had difficulty hiring female workers because of  a stupid rumor that Western people were sucking the blood of girl workers. They say someone who saw French engineers drinking red wine must have misunderstood and spread this rumor. How strange!

Anyway, about 400 girls, mostly daughters of former samurai families who had lost their privileged social status due to the abolition of class system, were collected from all around the country to work there.

Their working conditions were not bad at all. They worked 8 hours a day, had a day off on Sundays and 10 day-holiday in summer and winter. They were well paid as well. Most skillful workers were paid 25 yen, while the first salary of elementary school teachers and police officers was 8-9 yen.  (1 yen of the day is equivalent to 20,000 yen today.)

 

Unfortunately the business went into the red only eight years late, and the factory was sold to a private company. 

The silk production continued till 1987, when the factory was finally closed down because of the declining demand for silk and the competition against cheap imports from China.

Today the well-maintained silk mill and its related buildings in the site are the property of Tomioka City.  

Outside of the reeling mill ©Tomioka Silk Mill

Inside of the factory ©Tomioka Silk Mill

I heard Tomioka Silk Mill has been very busy with a lot of tourists since the designation of world heritage was announced. I'll probably wait for a couple of years until this boom calms down, but if you don't mind going to crowded places, why don't you visit there?  For more information, check the factory's official website (in English) .  Click here

ここからは日本語で。

富岡製糸場がユネスコの世界遺産に登録されることが決まりました。

富岡製糸場(とみおかせいしじょう）　　Tomioka Silk Mill
世界遺産　（せかいいさん）　　world heritage
登録する　（とうろくする）　　to register　

富岡製糸場はフランスの技術を導入した日本初の本格的な製糸場で、日本の近代化にも大きく貢献しました。

技術　（ぎじゅつ）　technique
導入する　（どうにゅうする）　　to introduce
近代化　（きんだいか）　modernization
貢献する　（こうけんする）　to contribute

工場ができたのは1872年。最初は「西洋人に生き血を吸われる」というおかしな噂のために、工女を集めるのに苦労したようです。

工場　（こうじょう）　factory
最初　（さいしょ）　at first
西洋人　（せいようじん）　Western people
生き血　（いきち）　blood (of a living person)
吸う　（すう）　to suck
噂　（うわさ）　rumors
苦労する　（くろうする）　to have difficulty

全国から約400人の女性労働者を集めましたが、その労働条件は意外にもとても良くて、一日8時間労働、日曜日は休み、そして最も熟練した職人の月給は25円だったそうです。

全国　（ぜんこく）　whole country
労働者　（ろうどうしゃ）　workers
労働条件　（ろうどうじょうけん）　working conditions
意外にも　（いがいにも）　unexpectedly
最も　（もっとも）　most
熟練した　（じゅくれんした）　skillful
職人　（しょくにん）　artisans
月給　（げっきゅう）　monthly salary

当時の警察官や小学校の先生の初月給が8－9円だったというのですから、どれほど高い給料だったかわかりますよね。

警察官　（けいさつかん）　police officer
初任給　（しょにんきゅう）　the first salary
給料　（きゅうりょう）　wage

残念なことに、8年後には赤字になり、民間に売られました。1987年に工場閉鎖になるまで操業は続けられました。今、製糸場は富岡市が管理しています。

残念なことに　（ざんねんー）　unfortunately
赤字　（あかじ）　　deficit
民間　（みんかん）　private, nonofficial
閉鎖　（へいさ）　close down
操業　（そうぎょう）　operation
富岡市　（とみおかし）　Tomioka City
管理する　（かんりする）　to manage

Useful Japanese expressions 5: Osusume wa nan desuka? (What would you recommend?)

みなさん、こんにちは！

Hi everyone! This is the photo of the Nagasaki Champon that I had when I visited Nagasaki City in Kyushu Island. It is a noodle dish with fried pork, vegetables, seafood, etc., created more than a century ago, inspired by a Chinese dish. You don't have to go all the way to Nagasaki only to eat this regional cuisine, though. At a nationwide chain restaurant Ringerhut they offer tasty Nagasaki Champon for less than 600 yen.  

When you know what you'd like to eat, there'll be no problem. You only have to say,

長崎ちゃんぽんください。　Nagasaki Champon kudasai. (Nagasaki champon,please)

But when you go into a restaurant that you happen to find and you are given a menu written all in Japanese with no photos on it, what should you do?

Today, I'll teach you how to deal with such a situation.

First of all, tell them that you can't read Japanese.

すみません。日本語が読めません。　Sumimasen. Nihongo ga yomemasen.  (Excuse me, I can't read Japanese)  

Sumimasen means "excuse me" or "I'm sorry", or even "thank you" depending on the context.
Nihongo: Japanese
Yomemasen: can not read.

Then ask them their recommendation. That's probably the easiest.

おすすめは何ですか。　Osusume wa nan desuka?  (What would you recommend?)

Osusume means recommendation, and "nan desuka?" is "What is?"

If there are ingredients you cannot eat, say as follows:

豚肉は食べられません。　Butaniku wa taberaremasen. (I cannot eat pork.)  

Butaniku is pork, and taberaremasen is "I cannot eat." You can replace butaniku with other ingredients such as 肉（niku, meat), 魚（sakana, fish) and 卵　(tamago, eggs).

When you don't feel like having what they recommended to you, you can say like this:

他はありますか。　Hoka wa arimasuka? (Do you have any other suggestions?)

"Hoka" means "other things," and "arimasuka?" is "ｄo you have?"

Enjoy!　

Fukushima is still alive. See this Youtube video!

みなさん、こんにちは。お久しぶりです。

Hi everyone! I haven't posted in a while. 

A few weeks ago my Japanese friend now living in France visited me and we had dinner together. It was so much fun and we talked a lot -- what's going on in France, her romance with a Korean boy and Fukushima's current situation.  

She told me how she felt shocked when a French woman angrily said to her, "Tell me what Japanese people think of Fukushima. You know, our life is now facing a great danger due to Fukushima's radiation. They don't feel guilty or sorry for that?" 

I don't know how much Fukushima's tragedy caused by a natural disaster is affecting this woman's daily life, but if someone living in France becomes ill due to the nuclear contamination happening in Japan, we who live in this country should be all dead long time ago.

I'm not saying you don't need to worry at all, as I'm not a specialist on this matter. But I want to say this. Contrary to the popular belief, Fukushima is not a ghost town. While some areas near the nuclear power plant are still restricted to enter, people in other parts of the prefecture are leading normal lives.  

I would like to show you a YouTube video that proves this. Fukushima people of all ages and occupations are dancing to Japanese girl group AKD48's "Koisuru Fortune Cookie (Fortune Cookie in Love)." Since this song was released last year, making a dancing video has been a mini-boom here and this is one of them. Hope you'll watch it and realize Fukushima is still alive despite the devastating earthquake, tsunami and on-going nuclear problem.

If you are interested in the original version by AKB48, watch this. I'm too old to be interested in this type of music, but I find it cute.

And here is the video uploaded by the Sanriku Railway Company (Iwate Prefecture) , commemorating the restart of the service of 36.6 km-long Minami Riasu line in three years after the earthquake. The disaster was so huge that it is taking longer than we expected to recover from the damage, but their lives are getting back to normal little by little. By the way, we should not forget that the restoration of the railway service would have been impossible without the financial support from Kuwait. Thank you Kuwait!

ここからは日本語で。

2年前に東日本で大地震が起き、津波でたくさんの人が亡くなりました。

大地震　（だいじしん）　　bit earthquake
起きる　（おきる）　　to occur
津波　（つなみ）　tsunami
亡くなる　（なくなる）　　to die

津波で福島の原子力発電所がメルトダウンし、原発の近くの町は今でも立ち入り禁止になっています。

福島　（ふくしま）　 Fukushima
原子力発電所　（げんしりょくはつでんしょ）　nuclear power plant
原発　（げんぱつ）　= 原子力発電所
立ち入り禁止　（たちいりきんし）　　no entry allowed

外国の人は福島はゴーストタウンのようになって、誰も住んでいないと思っているかもしれませんが、それは違います。

外国　（がいこく）　foreign countries
誰も　（だれも）　～ない　　no one
住む　（すむ）　　to live
違う　（ちがう）　incorrect

立ち入り禁止区域以外では、みんな普通に生活しています。福島がネガティブなイメージになってしまったことを残念に思います。

区域　（くいき）　　area
以外　（いがい）　outside of
普通に　（ふつうに）　normally
生活する　（せいかつする）　to live
残念　（ざんねん）　sorry

その証拠にこのYouTubeのビデオを見てください。

証拠　（しょうこ）　　proof

日本ではAKB４８の去年のヒット曲「恋するフォーチュンクッキー」に合わせてみんなでダンスをしてYouTubeにアップするのが流行っているのですが、福島県ヴァージョンを見れば、福島は誰も住めない恐ろしい場所というイメージはなくなるでしょう。

去年　（きょねん）　last year
曲　（きょく）　　song
恋　（こい）　　love
流行っている　（はやっている）　be popular
恐ろしい　（おそろしい）　scary
場所　（ばしょ）　place

Recommended short trip from Fukuoka: Yanagawa, a small river town full of charm

みなさん、こんにちは！
Hi everyone!

Since my husband is from Kagoshima, the southernmost prefecture of the Kyushu Island, I have visited south Kyushu many times, but I had never had chance to go to Fukuoka located in the northeastern part of the island, until last month. My impression? It was lovely!! If possible I seriously want to live there at least for a couple of years.

What delighted me the most was foods. Despite being the biggest city on the island, Fukuoka is blessed with nature's bounty. In the center the city, such as Nakasu and Tenjin, there are so many restaurants, bars, food stalls called "yatai" that offer you great local foods using fresh ingredients.


I'm sure Fukuoka would be a nice place to live, but I have to say there are not too many touristic spots to see. Tourists usually take an excursion to Dazaifu City known for the famous Dazaifu Tenmangu shrine dedicated to the deity of learning. It is not a bad idea at all, however, I personally prefer Yanagawa (柳川), less than an hour by car from central Fukuoka.

Look! Isn't it nice? Called "town of water," Yanagawa has a 470-km network of waterways that were originally irrigation ditches.

 

To explore this small lovely castle town, taking a cruise by "donkobune" dinghy is the best way.  It is very relaxing and enjoyable.

You don't need to make a reservation in advance. Find a boat at a landing place and ask a boatman if you can ride, saying 「乗れますか　（Noremasuka?)」　meaning "Can I (or we) get on?

If s/he says "Yes," get on the boat and pay the fee to a lady who comes to collect money. We paid 1,000 yen per person for a 40 min. cruise, but the fee is different depending on the company and the length of the boat trip.

There are no fixed departure time for the trip. Normally the boat leaves when about 10 people get on board. We waited for other people to join the trip for nearly 15 minutes but no one else came for some reason. As a result, my husband and I became the only passengers on the boat. I thought we were just lucky, but the same thing may possibly happen if you go there on a weekday, when there are fewer tourists.

This is our boatman. While deftly maneuvering the boat, he explained the history of the town, the buildings seen from the boat, etc., but I could not understand only a half of what he said because of his mumbling voice. 

He occasionally sang songs to entertain us. Actually, singing seemed like an obligation to all the boatmen, but not all of them are good singers. Our boatman was ok, not great though. 

 

Every time the boat goes under the bridge, all the passengers have to put their heads down. Some bridges are dangerously low, but don't worry, I have never heard of fatal accidents.

The specialty of Yanagawa is unagi or freshwater eel, grilled after being dipped in the sweet soy sauce. It is served with steamed rice in the square lacquered box like the photo below. The yellow thing is thinly sliced egg. I don't remember exactly how much it was, but it was around 2,500 yen with a bowl of soup.

If you still have time, why don't you visit Ohana (御花）, why don't you visit the residence and garden of the feudal daimyo family, the Tachibanas? The white house below is the guest house built in 1910. The admission is 500 yen. 

To go to Yanagawa by train, take the Nishitetsu Tenjin Omuta ｌine (西鉄天神大牟田線）from Nishitetsu Fukuoka Station (西鉄福岡駅）, and get off at Nishitetsu Yanagawa station (西鉄柳川駅）. About 45 minutes by super-express train (特急）.　

ここからは日本語で。

九州は南の方は何度も行ったことがありますが、福岡は先月まで行ったことがありませんでした。

福岡、いいところでした。何と言っても、食べ物がおいしいんです。九州で一番の都会でありながら、郊外には豊かな自然が広がっていて、新鮮な材料が手に入りやすいのでしょうね。

福岡は食事やショッピングには最高ですが、観光が楽しめるところはそれほど多くありません。

なので、観光客は有名な大宰府天満宮がある大宰府市に出かけます。でも福岡からの遠足なら、私は柳川の方が好きですね。

柳川は自動車で一時間足らずで行くことができる「水の町」。かつて用水路として町中に掘られた水路に、今は観光客を乗せた「どんこぶね」と呼ばれる小さな船がたくさん浮かんでいます。

私も乗りましたが、本当にリラックスできて楽しいのですよ。船頭さんが歌を歌ったり、町の説明をしてくれます。

お腹が空いたら、お昼は有名な「鰻の蒸篭蒸し」を食べましょう。実際のところ、これ以外のものを食べるほうが難しいかもしれません。

時間があれば、「御花」で柳川藩主立花家の邸宅と庭園 の見学はいかがでしょうか。

小さいけれどのんびり出来る魅力的な城下町。それが柳川です。福岡に行くことがあったら、ぜひ足を伸ばしてください。

The view you must NOT miss in Kyushu 1: a magnificent wisteria tunnel of Kawachi Fujien

みなさん、こんにちは！
Hi everyone!

I just came back from a short trip of Kyushu Island, the southernmost (westernmost?) of the four main islands of Japanese archipelago.

A coupe of days before the trip, I happened to see a breathtakingly beautiful photo in a book of a wisteria tunnel, entitled "One of the superb views you must see in Japan."

I instantly decided to visit there, as I happened to have a plan to stay one night in Fukuoka City, which is not too far from the private wisteria garden, named Kawachi Fuji-en (河内藤園）.

Located in the midst of mountains of Kitakyushu City, the wisteria garden is not openly advertized, because the garden's owner is worried that too many visitors may cause the damage of the trees, even if they don't do any harm intentionally.

Even so,  this hidden touristic spot is becoming known in recent years by word of mouth, and I heard that it is very busy when the wisterias are at their best.

Well, do you want to know how I liked it?

Unfortunately, the day I visited was a bit too early and only about 30 percent of flowers were in bloom.

The entrance fee differs from 300-1,000 yen depending on flowering situation of wisterias, and they charged us only 600 yen.

But look! Not too bad, is it?

In the 6,100 sq.-meter garden 22 kinds of wisterias have been planted. There are two wisteria tunnels, 80 meters and 220 meters respectively. 

 

This is the inside of the wisteria tunnel. Since wisteria clusters start flowering from the top, two thirds from the bottom were still in bud, but their best time will come very soon -- maybe in a couple of days if the weather is nice. 

If you are luckily planning to travel in the north part of Kyushu island in May, you'll see the wisterias in profusion like the photo below.

http://photohito.com/photo/578008/

If you want to have a picnic under the flowers, bring your own food into the garden. Don't expect to buy something on the spot. There are no shops, no cafés and no vending machines near the garden.

There are some rules you have to follow
1) Don't touch the trees or stand on the roots.
2) Don't leave your garbage.
3) Don't bring your pets into the garden.
4) Don't take photos using tripods on the paths including tunnels, but you can use them at the grand trellis.

Address: 2-2-48 Kawachi, Yahatahigashi-ku, Kitakyushu-shi, Fukuoka Prefecture
tel: 093-652-0334
Open 9 a.m.-6 p.m.

If you have a car with GPS, you will have no problem, but it is hard to get there by public transport. If you don't want to rent a car, take a taxi from JR Yahata Station, and ask the driver to come back later, since it is almost impossible to hail a taxi near the garden.

Here are useful expressions

1) 河内藤園までお願いします。　　Kawachi Fuji-en made onegaishimasu  (To Kawachi Fujien please)


2) Ｘ時ごろまた来てもらえますか。　～ji goro mata kite morae masuka?  (Would you please come back around X o'clock?)

ここからは日本語で。
From here I'll write in Japanese.

先日九州旅行から帰ってきました。

先日　(senjitsu)  the other day
九州　(Kyushu)
旅行　（ryoko)  travel

北九州市の河内藤園に行ってきましたよ。

北九州　（Kitakyushu)
市　（shi)  City
河内藤園　（Kawachi Fujien)  Kawachi Wisteria Garden

旅行の数日前に偶然この藤園のことを知って、行くことを決めましたが、残念なことに、まだ見ごろには少し早かったようです。

偶然　（guzen)  happen to (know)
決める　(kimeru) to decide
残念(zannen)なことに　unfortunately
見ごろ　（migoro)  best time

数日後には満開になるはずなので、九州旅行を計画している人は、検討してみてください。
数日後　（sujitsu go) 　in a few days
満開　（mankai)  be in full bloom
計画（keikaku)する　　to plan
検討(kento) する　to consider

この藤園は宣伝していませんが、今では絶景として有名で、訪れる人が大勢いるそうです。

藤園　(fujien)  wisteria garden
宣伝 (senden)　する　to advertise
絶景　(zekkei)  a superb view
訪れる　(otozureru)  to visit
大勢　(ozei) many

ただ、行くのが難しいので、カーナビ付きの車を借りるか、タクシーに乗ったほうがいいです。

ただ　but
難しい　(muzukashii)  difficult
カーナビ　GPS
～付き　（tsuki)　equipped with
借りる　（kariru) to rent
乗る　(noru)  to take

Gotemba Premium Outlets: huge mall you can enjoy shopping and Mt. Fuji!

Hi everyone!
みなさん、こんにちは！

As everybody knows, Mt. Fuji is a symbol of Japan. I was very happy when this perfect shaped volcano was officially registered as a UNESCO World Heritage site last year.

Mt. Fuji, 3,776 meters high, is the highest mountain in Japan, and can be seen from many parts of Tokyo when the sky is clear. If you have a chance, however, try to see it from somewhere closer and you'll understand why this mountain has been so special to Japanese since ancient times.  

Do you want to stand on the summit of Mt. Fuji? Of course it is possible. Actually more than 200,000 hikers (in recent years about 300,000) including not a few foreign tourists and not-very-young people try to climb every year, and many of them succeed to reach the top.

But remember, you need to have stamina and be properly clothed and equipped. You can go up to the fifth station of the mountain by car, but from there you have to climb on foot. There are neither cable cars nor rope ways that take you to the top.

Moreover, Mt. Fuji is basically open to the general public only in July and August, which means most mountain huts are closed for the rest of the year. Even in mid-summer the temperature near the summit often goes down to 0℃.

Some experienced mountaineers climb in the off-season when the mountain is covered with snow, but it is very dangerous for amateurs to do the same thing. Even if you have problems in the mountain, no one will help you.

So, for the time being, why don't you enjoy shopping at Gotemba Premium Outlets mall, situated on the foot of the Mt. Fuji? I took these two photo below in late March from the mall. Aren't they nice?

 

On the vast site area (403,100 sq.meters) of this shopping mall, there are 210 stores where you can buy all the items at a 25～60 percent discount all year around. The stores include many high brands such as Armani, Chloe, Dior, Dolce & Gabbana, Gucci, Issey Miyake, Paul Smith, Ferragamo and Valentino. You can find a shop list on their English site here.

You may think it is a bit too far to get there from Tokyo, but it takes only 70-80 minutes by car. If you don't have a car, you only have to take a direct bus from major stations (Tokyo, Shinjuku, Shinagawa, Tama Center,  Chofu, Yokohama, etc) . The fee is different according to the bus company but usually around 3,000 for a round trip per adult passenger, and a reservation is required. For further info. about how to get there, click here.

Gotemba Premium Outlets
Address: 1312 Fukasawa, Gotemba-Shi, Shizuoka
Hours:  March-November,10 a.m.- 8 p.m.
          December-February,10 a.m.-7 p.m.
          Closed on 3rd Thursday in February.

ここからは日本語で。

富士山は高さ３，７７６メートル、日本で一番高い山です。


富士山　（ふじさん）　Mt. Fuji


去年ユネスコの世界自然遺産に登録されました。

世界自然遺産（せかいしぜんいさん）　World national heritage
登録　（とうろく）する　　to register

以前から年間約20万人の人が富士山に登っていましたが、去年からは30万人に増えました。

以前　（いぜん）　　before
年間　（ねんかん）　annually
登る　（のぼる）　to climb
増える　(ふえる）　to increase

お年寄りも多く登っているので、簡単な山のように思うかもしれませんが、登山には体力も装備も必要です。

お年寄り　（おとしより）　old people
簡単　（かんたん）　easy
登山　（とざん）　mountain climbing
体力　（たいりょく）　stamina
装備　（そうび）　equipment
必要　（ひつよう）　necessary

それに、一般の登山者は7月と8月しか富士山に登ることができません。

一般の　（いっぱんの）　ordinary
登山者　（とざんしゃ）　mountaineers

その他の月は雪が多く、山小屋が閉まっているので、危険なのです。

雪　（ゆき）　snow
山小屋　（やまごや）　mountain huts
閉まる　（しまる）　to close
危険　（きけん）　dangerous

ですから、近くから富士山を見たいだけなら、富士山のふもとにある御殿場プレミアムアウトレットでショッピングをしながら山を眺めたらどうでしょうか？

御殿場　（ごてんば）　Gotemba
ふもと　foot 
眺める　（ながめる）　take  a look

店の数は高級ブランド店も含めて２１０。いつでも２５～６０パーセント・オフで買い物をすることができますよ！

高級　（こうきゅう） ブランド　high brand
含めて　（ふくめて）　including

東京からも車で70分ぐらいで行くことができますし、車がなくても大きい町からならバスが出ています。詳しくはウェブで調べてみてね。

詳しくは　（くわしくは）　for further information
ウェブ　website
調べる　（しらべる）　check

Sakura is in full bloom!

Hi everyone!
みなさん、こんにちは！

Last time I wrote sakura (cherry blossoms) had just started blooming, It is now in full bloom!

Look! This is the photo I took from my balcony. It is fortunate that some sakura trees have been planted right in front of my place.

In this season sakura trees lining the streets make flower tunnels.  The photo below was taken in my neighborhood. Beautiful, isn't it?

  

We cannot enjoy this scenery long, though. Weather forecast says it will rain Friday in Tokyo region and make flowers fall. After that the trees will be covered with green young leaves. 

If you are planning to have a cherry-viewing party, be quick! You don't have to go very far. Luckily, sakura is everywhere in Japan.

ここからは日本語で。

前回、桜が開花したと書きましたが、今日はもう満開です！

前回　（ぜんかい）　last time

桜　（さくら）　cherry blossoms

開花　（かいか）　to bloom

満開　（まんかい）　be in full bloom

今一番良い時期なので、近所で撮った写真を載せました。

時期　（じき）　time

近所　（きんじょ）　neighborhood

撮る　（とる）　to take pictures

載せる　（のせる）　to put up

上の2枚はうちのベランダから、3枚目の桜のトンネルの写真は車の中から撮りました。きれいでしょ？

枚　（まい）　counter for something thin, like pictures

天気予報によると、東京は金曜日は雨のようです。

天気予報　（てんきよほう）　Weather forecast

雨が降ると桜が散ってしまいますので、お花見を企画している人は急いで！幸運なことに、桜はどこでも見られますから。

散る　（ちる）　to fall

お花見　（おはなみ）　flower-viewing party

企画　（きかく）　plan

急ぐ　（いそぐ）　to hurry

幸運（こううん）　lucky