“Miyamairi” (also called “Ubusunamairi”) is another special occasion which takes place soon after a child’s birth. Miyabairi is the first time the child’s parents will take him/her to visit a shrine for worship. The traditional dates differ based on gender, 31 days old for boys, and 32 days old for girls. In modern times, however, the exact date is not regarded as important as the health of the child, thus a day (or season) with better weather conditions is often chosen. Generally the grandmother would carry the child, while the new mother brought gifts to offer. Both would wear kimonos displaying the crest of the family. At well-known shrines you can often spot a family dressed up in traditional clothes for their child’s miyamairi.
Baby Gift Hunting?
I had a really hard time finding a gift for my friend, especially since I do not generally do a lot of shopping for baby toys myself. It can take days to run around from store to store trying to find the right gift for a new mother. I’m just glad we have online shops like Cocoen now, where even I can find the right gift for my friend without even leaving my house. Thanks Cocoen!
Naming Standards: Is Your Name Legal?
Although the regulations in Japan have undergone changes in this respect, currently names can only use characters listed as common-use characters “jouyoukanji”, or those in the standard list of name characters, “jinmeiyoukanji.” Once the name of the newborn has been decided, the name is written on the special heavy Japanese paper and generally placed as an offering in the “butsudan,” family Buddhist altar, or conversely in the “kamidana” family Shinto shrine. Traditionally, the paper bearing the name of the child would be preserved in a box and placed in the altar.
Once the name is decided and traditional ceremonies have been completed, usually within 14 days of birth, the parents complete the Notification of Birth registration at the city hall.
What kanji would you choose for your childs name?
Is it legal?
Oshichiya
Oshichiya (literally the “Seventh Night”) is a celebration that traditionally takes place, as you may have guessed from the name, seven days after the birth of the child. Although no longer practiced, originally as part of the ceremony, those who had heard rumors about the birth would gather on the first night, third night, and fifth night to celebrate. Traditionally, it is during the Oshichiya celebration that the name of the child would be decided as well. The parents of the child would choose some names that they liked, and of those names the grandparents would select one, making the final decision.
The grandparent responsible for choosing the final name would write the name and birthday of the child on a special, heavy form of Japanese paper called “houshogami,” subsequently adding the name of the person who gave the child the name. This document would be given to the parents with a gift in celebration of the birth.
Inu no Hi
For example, “Inu no hi” (literally translated “Dog Day” takes place in the fifth month of pregnancy. A belly band, or maternity belt is worn in celebration of the pregnancy and as a public declaration of the pregnancy, but also as a practical matter for support. At the same time, it is meant to help the to-be mother become gain a level of self-awareness as a mother. Incidentally, the celebration is called “Dog Day” in reference to the ease with which dogs give birth, and the hope that the mother also experiences ease in childbirth. Traditionally, an “auspicious day,” as indicated on the Japanese calendar, would be chosen for the event, and the future mother would face the “auspicious direction” as the maternity belt was put on.
Happy Birthday! Celebrating a New Addition to the Family in Japan
Over the weekend I had a chance to visit a friend of mine, who just gave birth to a beautiful little baby girl. In Japan, after a child is born, it is customary for the mother and child to stay with the mothers’ family for the first few months, so I had a chance to visit their home.Japanhas many unique traditional ceremonies that revolve around pregnancy and the birth of a child. How many can you think of?
Maybe Sweet?
Perhaps a bit less well-known worldwide, is Japanese curry. Japanese food in general is rarely spicy, instead evoking a slightly more subtle, sweet flavor. Japanese curries also maintain a relatively thick consistency. Both meat and vegetarian varieties can be made at home easily with the “rue” curry flavoring available at nearly all Japanese supermarkets. Alternatively, single-serving instant curry packs are popular among those who do not have the time to cook after a long day at work or school. Instant curry can be poured into a bowl for heating in a microwave, or left in the packet and heated in boiling water.
So are you sweet or spicy?
If you haven’t had Japanese curry before, try it and find out!
Are you Sweet or Spicy?
Not All Curries Are Created Equal
What kind of curry is right for you?
Are you spicy? Or maybe you are more on the sweet side?
Curry flavors can vary dramatically by country.
The first kind of curry that comes to mind to most of those in the west is the particularly spicy Indian variety.
Chinese curry is generally a lighter, yellow consistency that is slightly spicy. Curry fried rice and curry noodles are popular dishes in school cafeterias.
A variety of curries originate fromThailand, including red, green, and yellow curries depending on the variety of chilies used. Coconut milk is one of the more unique components used in Thai curries.
(Next time: Japanese Curries)
Beanbags for the Demons: Setsubun in Japan
Many Japanese flocked to shrines recently, celebrating Setsubun (often referred to as the Bean-Throwing Festival). Officially falling on February 3rd, Setsubun is a part of the lunar new years celebration, or Spring Festival, which was originally adopted fromChina and gradually made its way deep into Japanese culture.
Shinto shrines have a unique way of celebrating the holiday, many with performances of dancing demons which climax in a frenzy of airborne soybean packets, loose soybeans, envelopes with candy and even money thrown into cheering crowds of spectators.
And the fun doesn’t stop there. Many families celebrate the holiday in much the same way, with the man of the house generally dressing up as a demon, only to be pelted with soybeans by the rest of the family, as they shout “Demons out! Fortune in!” or a regional variation thereof. If dad is not keen on being showered with soybeans, families also simply toss soybeans out the front door chanting the same prayers for a good year. The ritual is meant to drive away the demons that cause all misfortune and ensure the health of ones household for the year.
The celebration is often followed by family members eating the same number of soy beans as their age, sometimes with one additional bean to keep them lucky for the new year.
Although originally limited to the Kansai region, the holiday is now celebrated throughout Japan, with each region adding its own unique flavor to the activities.
If you have a chance to visit during this holiday, my personal suggestion would be some of the lesser-known local shrines where you might actually have a chance to see the dancing demons and catch enough soybeans to keep you in fortune all year. Although the well-known shrines have the glamour, you may not be able to even squeeze your way past the torii gate entrance, and catch only a handful of gravel when you are trampled by a crowd eager for their share of this years’ fortune.
A famous Chinese game-Chinese Chess&How to play xiangqi(Chinese Chess)
When I was a child I`d love to play Chinese Chess.Maybe this kind of habit is influented by my grandfather. He likes to play Chinese chess very much. I always watched when he was playing with his friends, then I gradually know how to play Chinese Chess. I think it can be condidered a very good puzzle game.
Share it to you, hope you `ll like it as me.
Xiangqi is a two-player Chinese board game originated from military strategies in the Spring and Autumn and the Warring States Periods, by which time there had been official documents about the game. The early-stage xiangqi was composed of three components: chess pieces, dice and board. The pieces were carved out of ivory, with each player having six pieces; before starting a game, the two players would play dice; and the board was a square chess board. After a long period of development, the modern form of xiangqi appeared in the Northern Song Dynasty and caught on in the Southern Song Dynasty.
There’s no dice in modern xiangqi. And the game is different from its ancient counterpart in terms of pieces and board. There are a total of 32 pieces in red and black, with one person taking 16 red pieces and the other taking 16 black pieces. The red side has one “marshal”, two pieces each bearing “advisor”, “elephant”, “horse”, “chariot” and “cannon” and five “pawns”. The black side has one “general”, two pieces each bearing “guard”, “elephant”, “horse”, “rook” and “cannon” and five “soldiers”. The “marshal” and “general”, “advisor” and “guard”, “pawn” and “soldier” of both sides have the same functions.
The board is 9 lines wide by 10 lines long, with a total of 90 crossing points. The grids formed are square. The pieces are placed and moved on the crossing points. The area dividing the two opposing sides with no vertical lines is called “the river” and the area with two diagonal lines connecting opposite corners and intersecting at the center point is called “jiu gong”. The two players conduct a representational military battle on the board by deploying horses and chariots and organizing troops based on their understanding of the layout the game and the playing rules.
Currently, Chinese xiangqi has been introduced to the whole world, giving a boost to the effort to carry on and develop traditional Chinese culture.
Learn more tips and techniques on how to play Chinese chess from a chess expert in this free video series:
