The Best of Japan

ABOUT JAPAN

Japan is an island country in East Asia. It's located in the Pacific Ocean and lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, the East of China Sea , North Korea, South Korea and Russia. Japan has 126.0 million population and is the world tenth largest and 9.1 million of them live in Tokyo. Japan is often called the 'Land of Rising Sun'.

The red circle symbolising the Sun against the white background. It's also known as the Hinomaru in Japanese meaning 'Circle of the Sun' or Nisshoki ('Sun Mark Flag') but is more commonly known has Hinomoru because Japan lies at the far west of the Pacific Ocean. The Sun rises spectacularly over the sea to the east.

As most of us know, economically Japan is one of the most highly developed nations in the world and our former Prime Minister, the 90-year-old Tun Dr Mahathir Mohamad says that Malaysia is better off imitating Japan in terms of economy.

Tun Mahathir's quote "I found the best way was to copy Japan. You lost the war but you rebuilt your economy. You must be doing something right," said Dr Mahathir, who recently visited Japan on a speaking tour. (See more at: http://www.themalaysianinsider.com/malaysia/article/we-are-better-off-imitating-japan-says-dr-mahathir)

JAPANESE VALUE & CULTURE

Greetings

Upon meeting each other for the first, second or umpteenth time, men and women usually bow, although the more cosmopolitan may shake hands. Often, people will bow and shake hands simultaneously! Ask your advisor for advice about how to greet people who are older and younger than you, your peers, and other categories of people you will meet in Japan. When in doubt, always ask someone, preferably older than you, for suggestions.

Use of Names

First names are generally not used in Japan. Most Japanese use the family name followed by san (Mr./Miss/Mrs.), sensei (literally, “teacher,” but used in addressing not only professors but also physicians, dentists, politicians), or the title of the person being addressed (e.g., Tanaka Kyoju / Professor Tanaka, Tanaka Bucho / Director Tanaka, Tanaka Gakucho / President Tanaka). If you are in doubt and there is no one immediately available to ask for advice, use san. Since your name may be difficult for Japanese to pronounce, you may be asked to provide a nickname, e.g., “Mak-san” for Mr. McDonald. Japanese may use nicknames or first names among themselves but foreigners should refrain from doing so until they are asked!


JAPANESE FESTIVALS

Ganjitsu(New Year)
It is a time to eat o-sechi ryori. o- sechi ryeori is a special dish that serve on first 3 days in the new year. the first 3 days they call as san-ga-nichi. To make this special dish, they just need a little cooking during the hoidays. So preparations methods and materials are selected to make sure everything to stay fresh for 3 days.

O-SECHI RYORI

SHIN-NEN IPPAN SANGA (New Year greeting from the people to the Imperial Family)
Environmental of imperial palace in Tokyo usually closed to the public, but on 2nd of January everyone can get in into the palace to congratulated the New Year to the members of the Imperial Family. After the world war 2 all residents given the right to visit the palace for this purose.

Hina Matsuri (Dolls Festival)
In march the daughters will make their dolls wearing official traditional dress to decorate the house and make a wish to give them good health and happiness.

HANAMI

On April, there is a lots of group came to the famous Sakura garden like Ueno garden in Tokyo. They came not just to admire the flower but to gather under the tree to have a good times with their family and with the people they love. They will eat, drink, chatting and make a good time.

JAPANESE TRADITIONAL FOOD

HANABIRAMOCHI

Hanabiramochi means mochi petals. This mochi usually served in the first tea ceremony of the new year.This tradition was started by the Imperial Family. Hanabiromochi has a special shape and color. This dish filled with green bean past. The shape and color are resembled the new year.

SUAMA
Suama is the dessert that made up from cornflour and sugar. Outside of suama they use red food color while in the inside they use white food color. This suama represented Japan. Mostly the outside part of suama is pink.

BOTAMOCHI

Mochi means sticky, pounded rice, Bota means botan or the tree peony. Botamochi resembled a tree peony flower. This Botamochi is only for spring season.

 JAPANESE TRADITIONAL CLOTHING

Besides, about Japan and their value and culture Japan also famous with their traditional cloth which are they called 'Kimono'. The word 'Kimono' literally translate as 'thing to wear' and up until 20th century it was the main form of dress worn by men and women alike in Japan.They wear a Kimono for a different occasion and season.Women typically wear a kimono when they attend traditional arts. Girls and young single women wear furisscode, which are colorful style of kimono with long sleeve that are tied with a brightly colour obi. For bride and groom will often go through many different costume changes. Shorimuku or Uchikake are worn by brides, which are heavily embroided white kimonos. Grooms will wear black kimonos made from habutae silk.

Here are the steps how to wear Kimono:

• Put on the tabi which are the white cotton socks
• Then the undergarments are put on followed by a top and a wraparound skirt.
• Next,'Ngajuban' (under kimono) is put on and tied by a datameki belt.
• Finally the kimono is put on on the left side covering the right side and then tied with an obi.
• When the kimono worn outside zori sandals are traditionally worn on the feet. 

JAPANESE TRADITIONAL GAMES

AYOTARI

Ayatori is a game where we can make at lot of different shaped made up from that rope. This game usually played by girls.

DARUMA OTOSHI
This game use daruma toy which consists 5 section. Each section is usually colored with rainbow color (blue,red,yellow and green). Played by using smart hammer that will hit enemy part from bottom to up.

TAKO (KITES)
In Japan there have many various types of shape, measured differenf decorations of kites. In kites fight each contestant  will try to cut their opponent thread to win the games.

TAKEUMA
This game based in how we try to balance ourselves in this two long stick. The longer stick the most difficult to balance ourselves.

FUKUWARAI
This game usually played on the New Year. The player will closed his/he eyes and they will try to attach eyes, nose, mouth to the face. 

HANETSUKI
This fame are similar to badminton they played in tradition style like their racket looks like bearer cricket or they call it as hagaoita. Visually placed by girls during the New ear. They have 2 methods to plat Honetsuki. Firstly keep hitting the shuttlecock as long as possible. Secondly,play with 2 players like badminton. The punishment for the loser is the winner will draw the face using ink.

JAPANESE MARTIAL ARTS

Koryu meaning traditionally school which are refers specifacally to school of martial arts. At least terms are used interchangebly with the English phrase 'Japanese Martial Arts'. There are many types Japanese martial arts such as samurai, sumo, judo, aikido, karate, jujutsu, ninjutsu.

KARATE

Karate means 'empty handed'.It is also sometimes called karatedo means 'the way of the empty hand'. Karate originated in Okinawa.Formerly known as the Ryukyu Kingdom, but now a part of present day japan. Karate is a fusion of pre-existing. Okinawan artial arts called 'Te' and chinese martial arts. Karate practice is primarily characterized by linear punching and kicking techniques executed from a stable and fixed stance. Karate can be practiced as an art, sport, combat sport, or it also can be as self defense training. Karate training is commonly divided into 'kihon' (basic or fundamentals), 'kata' (forms) and 'kumite' (sparring). 

SHINKANSEN BULLET TRAIN

As we know Japan is popular among their technologies and one of it is their bullet train. Shinkansen is a network of high-speed railway lines in Japan operated by four Japan Railways Group companies. Starting with the Tokaido Shinkansen (515.4 km, 320.3 mi) in 1964, the network has expanded to currently consist of 2,615.7 km (1,625.3 mi) of lines with maximum speeds of 240–320 km/h (150–200 mph), 283.5 km (176.2 mi) of Mini shinkansen lines with a maximum speed of 130 km/h (80 mph), and 10.3 km (6.4 mi) of spur lines with Shinkansen services. The network presently links most major cities on the islands of Honshu and Kyushu, with construction of a link to the northern island of Hokkaido underway. The nickname bullet train is sometimes used in English for these high-speed trains. 

Our Majalah 3 has given a full coverage of Shinkansen bullet and it is an eye opener for me. Based on the report by Majalah 3, the earthquake and tsunami that devastated Japan in March 2011 threw the country's rail network into complete chaos. The number of people who could not go home on that day in the Tokyo metropolitan area was reported 2.6 million people. The Tohuko Shinkansen bullet train re-started operations only 49 days after the earthquake. Around 8500 engineers worked around the clock  repairing points, train stations and tunnels  in order for the service to resume in time for the spring holiday season at the beginning of May.

CONCLUSION
During doing this blog I found that I gain an informative information about Japan. I wish some day I will go to Japan to fulfill my wish list.

If you are interested to know more about Japan looks:

1. https://www.insidejapantours.com/destinations/
2. http://www.facts-about-japan.com/interesting.html