Yukiokoshi Thunder is forerunner of snowing

Overcast spread over the sky. It's dark, even though it is morning. The heavy clouds are a stark reminder of the coming winter. Thunder will roll in the heavy clouds soon. Thunder in this season is called Yukiokoshi in Japan, it means "to wake the snow that has been sleeping for a year".
Cloud covers the sky, Yukiokoshi thunder roars, after that it will be snowing. And then this town will be covered with snow. This is begging of winter that will lasts for 3 months.

Thanks for species3618

You Can Read It in Spite of the Misspelling

Have you ever heard of a discovery that is called Typoglycemia?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Typoglycemia

I was astonished to see it on the internet.
This discovery says that you can read any sentences if the words in the sentence are terribly misspelled as long as the fist and the last letters are in the correct place.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I read it the Japanese version, so I’m not sure you can read it in English.
I’ll put correct sentence here just in case.
<Correct example>
“Reality TV” is a recent phenomenon in the American entertainment scene. In Reality TV, ordinary people are put into unusual situations to see what happens.
--------------------------------------------------------------------

For example,
“Raleity TV” is a rencet pnohemnoen in the Arimaecn entamertenint scnee. In Rieltay TV, oridanry peploe are put itno uunsaul sitauotins to see what hpaepns.

like that. I wonder if you can read　it.

But actually it is said this thing called discovery is not followed genuine research, so they say Typoglycemia is a pseudo-science.




<example in Japanese>
correct
リアリティTVは さいきん の アメリカの エンターテイメントシーン での おどろくべき げんしょう である。
リアリティTV では、ふつう の ひとびと が ふつう でない じょうきょう に おかれ、 そこで なにが おこる か を みる。

misspelling
リリアティ TV は さきいん の アリメカ の エータンテメイント シーン での おろどべくき げょんしう である。
リテリアィ TV では、ふつう の ひびとと が ふつう でない じきょうょう に おかれ、そこで なにが おこる か を みる。

Thank you for 陸.

ALIAS, The Wine Made by an Anonymous Group

I bought an interesting California wine today.
The owner of the liquor shop recommended the wine entitled ALIAS.

According to the owner, as the name “ALIAS” indicates, the wine was made by renowned winemakers with aliases.
The winemakers were against trends that raised the price of their wine because of its name, not its taste.

Therefore 8 people gathered from different winemakers and tried to make great wine while they hid their names.

I’m not familiar with wine but it was so good.
It tasted like… grape, rich grape.
Haha what a poor vocabulary.

Thank you for 陸.

Shinto and Buddhism affect each other

There are 2 main religions in Japan. One is Buddhism, the onother one is Shinto.

Yesterday, I was asked the question: Are Shinto gods based on Buddhism?

This is tough question to explain in English for me.

Generally, Shinto and Buddhism are separate religions.

Shinto is the original Japanese religion in which people worship nature gods, spirits, ancient heroes, and ancestors. No one knows when it began, perhaps it was in primitive times.

Meanwhile Buddhism was introduced to Japan in the 6th Century. In Buddhism people worship Buddha.

However, Buddhism and Shinto have been combined sometimes throughout their history.

We respect ancestors in Buddhist temples, and some temples enshrine gods of Shinto.

Some temples have shrines in their precincts, some shrines have temple as well.

Before being introduced to Buddhism, Shinto had never made  figures and statues of gods. But they were gradually made under the influence of Buddhism which has  large number of statues.

They have deeply affected each other.

So I can’t answer to the question “Were Shinto gods based on Buddhism?” with a yes or a no.. It’s roughly no, but there are lots of exception.

*Notice* I talked about “Japanese” Buddhism. Buddhism in each region is slightly or quite different.

Thank you for correcting me, Madox.

How Can I Explain Installation Art

I have a little problem.
I like contemporary art, especially installation art.
But I don’t know how to explain installation art well.

I’m trying to explain like it as follows.

It is one of the ways to showcase their artistic work.

It is mostly three-dimensional but not just sculpture. I think the way to display it is called installation.
One of its characteristics is that it uses a wider area than other art.
One artist fills a whole room with colorful mist, another wraps trees in knit, another creates unlimited space filled with twinkling lights by using mirror.
They are not always in museums.

I think explaining it will be easier if I could mention a famous example.
So I have a question.
Who is the most suitable example to explain installation art? Christo?  damien hirst? Annette Messager?

Thanks to Mark13

What Buddhism statues indicate

If you visit a Buddhism temple, you will see some statues of Buddha like those in the above images.

The image on the top indicates Nyorai or Tathagata, the supreme existence in Buddhism. The On the image below is Bosatsu or Bodhisattva, who is next to Buddha.

Both are important and popular deities in Buddhism. They can be seen in most temples.

But do you know what the difference is between Tathagata and Bodhisattva?

In short, Tathagata indicates a person who has been  spiritual awakened, whereas Bodhisattva indicates a person who is on the training.

Tathagata are spiritually awoken deities, because they have no desire for material possessions. Therefore they don't have accessories and luxury clothes. Bodhisattva wear accessories which means they still have material possession. It also indicates Gotama, the founder of Buddhism, who was an aristocrat in India before he became a saint.

It’s more difficult to explain in English than I thought.

Actually the system of Buddhism deities is a bit more complicated.

<Thank you for correcting me, MarkMcP>

KIRISUTE GOMEN : Authorization to slash and leave

This article is about the rights of the ruling class, the Samurai, in feudal times in Japan.

“切り捨て御免Kirisute Gomen” is called “authorization to cut and leave” in English.

It was one of the rights that only Samurai had in the past. According to the English Wikipedia, Samurai had the right to strike with sword at anyone of a lower class who compromised their honor.

It’s scary. I saw Samurai slash rude residents in movies and TV many times.

However, carrying out the authorization is more difficult than we, modern-day people expect.

Certainly they were given the authorization, but if they really did it, they were required to report it to an official, showing some evidence that they were right, along some witness.

If the official rejected the application, the applicant would be punished. In the worst case, they would have capital punishment. In fact, it was not easy to use the authorization.

In addition, slashing residents of other area was more difficult. Because it could have been received as a violation to other area's lord.

Despite that, they seem to be able to do that easily in movies and TV.

thank you for correcting me, Zhiyuan from lang-8

Exhibition : imagine formless thing through seeing concrete thing

I visited the exhibition of Sophie Calle, a French contemporary artist, at the city museum.

The exhibition began with following words.

“J’ai rencontré des gens qui sont nés aveugles. Qui n’ont jamais vu. Je leur ai demandé quelle rest pour eux l’image de la beauté.”

I couldn’t understand at all, but there was a Japanese translation of it. It said: “ I met people who were born blind. They’ve never seen. I asked them what their image of beauty is .”

The artist revealed the blind person’s image of beauty with lyrical photographs and their own word.

Dozens of photographs and words were on the wall in a large white room quietly.

Seeing the photographs made me imagine what they think of beauty.

They mentioned swimming fish, sculptures, the fur of wildcat, the view of a cliff, and others. Each person had their own each image.

I felt very peculiar imagining beauty without colors or brightness through seeing photographs.

There were very few people in the room. I looked at each photograph for a while.

As an aside

Before I entered the museum, I noticed I had the pamphlet of Sophie Calle’s exhibition in my bag. I didn’t understand why I had it because I had not gone to the museum yet. But the pamphlet showed it was Sophie Calle’s exhibition in 2013. In that morning, by pure accident, I had grabbed the bag that contained the  pamphlet printed 2 years ago.

*thanks クリスタル*

What? The name I knew on the Exhibition brochure

While I was organizing brochures I got at museums several years ago, I found a brochure that contained a name I knew. His name was Yusuke Kamata, we were in the same language class this year.

It was not until he graduated that I knew he was an artist.

I was surprised to know he was an artist, but the more surprising thing is that I’ve visited his exhibition.

But, I’ve forgotten visiting it since seeing the brochure.

Anyway it’s a curious coincidence.

thank you for correcting me,Tomo from lang-8

Memory of Sacrifice by Shiny Entertainment

Do you remember the game, Sacrifice that is developed by Shiny Entertainment in 2000?

I can’t believe it’s already been 15 years since I played the game.

The game was well known for its beautiful graphics, and the worldview that brought fantasy worlds to real time strategy.

However, what I really like is the characteristics of the 5 gods and their words and descriptions.

I only played  Japanese version so I’m not sure about the English version, but it had lots of in detail. Even its instruction book, which usually tend to be boring.

For example, the instruction book says the following.

[Fire form]

This is one of Pyro’s fruits of wisdom. Remember, the supreme defense is dead body. Fire form protects you from someone tries to approach you by burning them. If they died, they couldn’t attack you, right?

(The digest of the spell: You can wear a fire shield on whole body)

I’m not confident of the translation from the Japanese instruction book, but anyway it’s fun to read and makes me  excited.

It’s nice that they add digests to each explanation.

I'd really love to read the English version of it.

I hope I can find the English version text somewhere on the internet.

postscript

Suprisingly, my generous lang-8 friend gave me the English instruction book.
I couldn't thank Madox enough!

Seasonings for Philippine Food

I bought several seasonings for Philippine food, like Sisig, Adobo, Caldereta, menudo and so on.

Sisig was tasty but I’ve never had and seen some of those.

I’m Especially not sure of Caldereta. The photo on the product shows sauced meat and vegetable that looks succulent.

And I’m not familiar with cooking words, so it’s hard to read the recipe.

What is the word ”dilute”? I’ve studied English for a year and half but I saw that word for the first time.

Let me look it up..."to make a liquid weaker by adding water" OK, I see.

These seasonings will give me both exotic food and vocabulary.

Secondhand Outdoor Research Down Jacket

I bought an Outdoor Research down jacket cheap secondhand from Yahuoku, which is the official name is Yahoo auction.

(By the way, is Yahoo auction doing business somewhere besides in Japan?)

As the seller had explained, it has some small holes. A few down feather came out of the holes.

Since then, I repaired it with a needle and thread.

Although it looks a bit shabby it’s no problems to go trekking with it.

Cambodia and Rabbit (I got back)

Finally I got back to Japan.

I set my luggage out on a Tatami(a Japanese mat).

The Tatami made me feel nostalgic.

While organizing everything, I found a plastic bag, which was printed with a rabbits pattern on.

It was from Cambodia, but I don’t know why the Japanese word “USAGI” was printed on it.

Why was it made with a rabbit pattern? Why had they chosen rabbits?

If the pattern was of elephants I would be able to understand.

Cambodia is well known for its elephants but I don't think rabbits have anything to do with Cambodia.

But anyway it’s cute soI don’t mind. .

Angkor Wat, Amazing heritage

Angkor Wat, Amazing heritage.
It was so vast, astonishing that I can't express it.
I was moved by the difference between Cambodian temples and Japanese temples. One religion, Buddhism has been metamorphosed all the way from India to Cambodia, India to Japan.
I should have studied SouthEast asian Buddhism art. My major was Buddhism art but I studied only Japan's. So that I didn’t notice Angkor Thom was Buddhism temple but Angkor Wat was Hindu temple. Wait a minute, I certainly saw the statue indicating Buddha with snake umbrella there. I think it’s mixed with Hindu and Buddhism.

thank you for correcting me,Quinin

Meet "Balut" again in Cambodia

This is a balut which is  a very famous food in Philippines.

I haven’t eaten it in Philippines, but I was told  I would be able to have it in a market in Shem Riup by my friends, Cy&Jam.

I tried it and found it tasty. I didn’t expect to have balut in Cambodia.

By the way, the difference between Cambodian balut and Philippine one is Cambodian one has herbs, and slices of garlic. Particularly, Philippine one is served with eggshell, while Cambodian one is served as cracked shell egg.

Other than that, we found an extraordinary stand that sold snakes, insects, and worms.

I challenged myself to try snakes, but I was  too cowardly to try  the insects.

I’ll try them next time I visit Cambodia...

Thank you DD

Dress made of ballons

I took this picture at Tokyo, several years ago.

The dress grabbed my attention as soon as I entered the room.

The dress consists of myriads of rubber balloons in various colors.

You may realize why the balloons placed on the waistline are small, while the ones on the floor are large. An artist made it more dynamic by changing the size of the balloons used on each part.

Seeing it for a while, I feel as if it was a waterfall of balloons.

The interesting point of it is that the extraordinary artwork is made out of daily necessities.

You will be surprised twice for its being multicolored , and what it consists.

<thank you for correcting me,Ezro>

Everything is the same shape

An artist cut various ingredients into cubes of the same sizes.

At first, you will not recognize what it is. Since all ingredients have equal shapes.

I guess the red cube on the left may be a blood orange, the white one with purple lines may be purple onion, and at the top of the picture, the pink cube with that dark red grains may be pomegranate.

Common things were changed into peculiarly cut cubes.
Seeing this art, someone might enjoy the eccentric view, and notice the beauty of their patterns that you don’t usually see.

You may realize that when we see and recognize something, we depend largely on its shape, not the pattern.

Our ability to see is more uncertain than we expected.
I think that is what the artist tried to say.

<thank you for correcting me,Ezro>