World Happiness Report

Accourding to the statistic by Unated Nations(UN), Japanese people seem not to be happy compared to other countries such as Denmark, Norway,Switzerland and so on. This reserch,"World Happiness Report" is anounced on 9th of September 2013. Interestingly, the ranks are not depend on the economic level of the countries. The USA is ranked in 17, and the second nig GDP country, China is ranked in 93 like the low happiness level of Japan. It is a very controversial report though, his report would help us to think about "What happiness is" exactly.

Fast-food restaurant

"What is your favorite fast-food restaurant?"

According to Maiboscom reseach, most people who using fast-food restaurant likes "McDonald's" (32.5%). Then, "Moss-burger" (27.1%), "Kentucky-fried-chicken" (9.4%), "Mister-doughnut" (8.1%).  The survey had reserched five times, the newest one was held in 2011. In this graph, there are 6 kinds of various burgers stores, but McDonald's and Moss-burger are runaway popularity in Japan.

 Favorite fast-food restaurant (an authority:Maiboscom)

　McDonald's has many kind of burgers and reasonable price. I think McDonald's is approachability. Moss-burger is really delicious, but more expensive than McDonald's. Parsonaliy, I want to use Moss-burger if I have a lot of money.

What is your favorite fast-food restaurant?

The World's Heaviest Smoking Countries

Annual per capita cigarette consumption rates. Gray countries have no data available. (Max Fisher / Washington Post)
October 19, 2012

This figure shows The World's Heaviest Smoking Countries. The ranking is like this;
1- Serbia
2- Bulgaria
3- Greece
4- Russia
5- Moldova
6- Ukraine
7- Slovenia
8- Bosnia and Herzegovina
9- Belarus
10- Montenegro
11- Lebanon
12- Czech Republic
13- South Korea
14- Macedonia
15- Kazakhstan
16- Azerbaijan
17- Japan
18- Kuwait
19- Spain
20- Switzerland

Russia is one of the most high smoking rate country, however recentry strict rule for smorking that prohibit to smorking in public place and advertising etc.

Smoking relates almost disease, so I wish smoker people decrease and people who die because of heavy  smoke is disaper in the future.

My favorite song!

Hello, every one! I want to share with you about my favorite song!

I like Michael Joseph Jackson. He was an American singer-songwriter, actor, dancer, businessman, and philanthropist. And also, he was called the King of the pop, his contributions to music, dance, and fashion, along with his publicized personal life, made him a global figure in popular culture for over four decades.
I impressed his song which I had  haerd his songs. The song is "cry". This is really beautiful song. The people tie thier hands and turn to the same direstion in this music video. Their faces are full of hope. There are many various generations people, children, teenagers, adlts and old people. In addition, there are different races people. Black, white and yellow-sikinned races. No matter of age and race, people become a one. The human-chain is very beautiful.
Moreover, the lyrics is wonderful, too.

You can change the world (I can't do it by myself)

You can touch the sky (Gonna take somebody's help)

You're the chosen one (I'm gonna need some kind of sign)

If we all cry at the same time tonight

 

We can guess that "cry" means "shout" in this song. We cannot change the world by myself. His song teach us many important thing. He is still telling it, even he died. We are the same, we are the one and we are freinds!

 

Sherlock Holmes

Hi,guys!
I have loved the novels "Sherlock Holmes series" written by Arthur Conan Doyle since I was in primary school. So I have many this novels in my room. I respect Holmes's deep and keen insight, and also like his cool wise saying. I recommend you this web site that you can read the all sereis in Japanese and English! In this web site, I would like to reommend you this wise saying at "The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, The Adventure of the Beryl Coronet".

It is an old maxim of mine that when you have excluded the impossible, whatever remains, however improbable, must be the truth. Now, I knew that it was not you who had brought it down, so there only remained your niece and the maids. But if it were the maids, why should your son allow himself to be accused in their place? There could be no possible reason. As he loved his cousin, however, there was an excellent explanation why he should retain her secret –the more so as the secret was a disgraceful one. When I remembered that you had seen her at that window, and how she had fainted on seeing the coronet again, my conjecture became a certainty.

The purpose of "Life" By Michiko

Hello, guys! Today I would like to introduce a one of my favorite movies that moved me so much! The title is "The Secret Life of Walter Mitty", and you can find a brief info. about this movie, here: In this movie, there are many great words that can give a power to live and face our own obstacles. I was impressed especialy by this messags, 　　　　　

To see the world, things dangerous to come to, to see behind walls, draw closer, to find each other, 　 and to feel. That is the purpose of life

This message let me remind of my purpose in my life and it also let me know what I want to do most as well. My dream is becoming a great Japanese Language Teacher in oversea, and I would like to experience as much things as I can. So the message showed exactly what I want to say as a purpose of life, this is why I was really surprised and impressed by this movie. If you are wondering about what you want to do in your future, I strongly recommend you watch it! Just in 2hours, you can find something wonderful that could change your life! Michiko Nara

Young people traveling the world

I found this article searching the web, and recommended it to my son, who's also in college. It seems many young people are traveling the world, and learning from their experiences. I myself took off from college in the middle, and made my decision to study African history. One of my seminar students took off in the middle of college and travelled around Asia for a year. When he got back he knew what he wanted to do with his life. I recommend you to try the same. It's a lot cheaper than you think, especially if you work while you're traveling.

In the summer of 2012, at age 24, I left home to travel the world. In just over a year, I backpacked through South America, South Asia, Western Europe, and the western United States. I hiked the Inca Trail, skied the Alps, hitchhiked through Patagonia, and trekked through the Himalayas. I worked at hostels, stayed at a Buddhist monastery, and gardened at an English women’s retreat center in exchange for meals and a place to sleep. And while I learned many things on the trip, what was most surprising was how many people my age were traveling just like me.

My Summer Plans ^^

Hey guys!Today let me share my Summer Plan for coming the next long break! In September Im gonna go to Hong Kong to meet up with my friends! I have 2 friends from China and Hong Kong, who I met in NZ ladt year. I got along with them and the other 2 Japanese gilrs, and we made a tie friend ship. We promised that we all meet up next year, which is this year, so thats why Im gonna go there^^ This is a pic of HK, I never been there before so I'm feeling excited visiting them heaps!

They speak Cantonise so I wanted to learn it though there are no Cantonise classes in Hirosaki uni, so I decided to study Chinese instead. My dream is talking Chinese with them someday and communicate well! So I'm dreaming about it and studying it;D That is my Summer Plan, I'd like to hear your plans as well! If U dont mind, lets takl about this^^ Seeya tomorrow guys~! Michiko Nara

Summer Plants ~Sunflower🌻and Garden balsam~

The flower reminds me of summer is exactly "Sunflower".  The color and image are all suit summer, I think.

Hearing the word "Summer" makes us think of sun, and I think the figure of sunflower resembles sun! So I feel summer in sunflower.

Also when I was a elementary school student, my homework in summer vacation is to grow sunflower! In addition, in Japan the word sunflower is a summer season word in haiku.

I love the picture that growing straight and high to sun.

Next plant is garden balsam. This plant is relatively famous in Japan. The characteristic of this plant is blow their seeds off when they get ripe. I think this is really cute! Flowering period of this is from June to September. So garden balsam suits summer, too.

Going to sea or eating ice cream is good in summer, however enjoy wathing summer plants is also wonderful!!                                                                                                                                                                    

Summer plants

Hello guys! Today's topic is "Summer plants". I would like to introduce you it.

When I was in Finland, I had 4 fost families. My 4th fost family love growing flowers. So, I could learn some flowers names in Finnish. In particular, I could find very interesting name's flower!

This is it!


This is called "Japanin Kello" in Finnish. It means Japanese clock in English.
I asked them the reason of the name, but unfortunately they did not know it.

These flowers are decorated in front of a entrance on house, especially in summer. This is a summer plants for them. Many houses hold it, and decorates own house by like these beautiful summer plants!

In my image of summer plants, it is a Japanese morning glory!
I guess most of people thinks so, too! In summer,  these are everywhere in Japan. I can feel a summer from the flower.
 Whta is your summer plants???

Edible Flowers

Hello, guys!;D Today's topic is "Flowers", which make people happy as decorative plants. I can be glad when I see beautiful flowers, however, there are many flowers which not only make people happy but also make them "full". Have you ever heard of an "Edible Flower"? It is a flower that we can eat as foods, and which is usually used for decoration. One of Japanese Traditional edible floweres is Cherry blossoms petals,which is used for Cherry blossom tea, a bean jam ban,and even cheeese! There are many kinds of Japanese foods which include Cherry blossom pickled petals. In wedding ceremony, Cherry blossom tea is drank because Japanese people consult omens. There is a Japanese saying,"Ocha wo Nigosu"; "Ocha" is Japanese green tea and "Nigosu" is to make unclear. So this saying means that be evasive, which is not good meaning for happy weddings,consulting onems green tea is rare served in Japanese wedding. Instead of green tea,Cherry blossom tea is served since it is very clear. After I looked for some imformation of Japanese well known edible floweres, I reconed Japanese people really like Cherry blossoms!:)) I hope you enjoyed my blog, thanks for your reading! Michiko nara

Free topic!

Do you know own blood type? Do you believe blood type-telling?

My blood type is B.
Blood type personality B is saying that optimistic, curious, and irresponsible!
Type A is serious, tidy, earnest and fastidious.
Type O is rough, rude, workaholic and sociable.
Type AB is rational, versatile and discriminating.

I actually cannot believe it!

What do you think determines your personality? What decive factor of your personality?
In my opinion, it come my family line and my experience.
 We should not decide personality by blood type, but it is sure personality is influenced by blood type.

What is your opinion? Do you agree with blood type-telling?

My favorite flower!

Hi, guys!
Do you like flowers? I love growing flowers because it makes me happy!
Japanese have always been taken with the cherry blossoms in spring season.
We love flower still in the old days!


This is my favorite flower "Lily of the vally".
The reason why I like this is very simple. It is very lovely. The white flower is samll and cute.
And also a lily of the vally is called "Suzuran" in Japanese. My name is "Tsuzura". Do you think it  sounds like similar to my name? When I was child, my friends say to me, "Your name is very cute because it sounds like a lily of the vally!" I was very glad to hear that. That's why I like this very much!

My favorite flower(s)

I like flowers a lot, and I have a page of Japanese flowers on my website, which I keep meaning to update. You can see it here. I think the two best photos there are of roses. I hope you like them too.

Another gaudy flower I like is the iris. They're in season now, although they will be gone soon. I took photos of many at the Akita Iris beds last year and put them on Facebook. I hope you like this one. If you're on Facebook you can find the album here.

Flower story

Hi, guys!

Do you know "birth flower"?
I think all you guys have heard about birthstone like July is ruby etc.

Like this, there are the thinking of birth flower in Japan, maybe in another country.

By the way, my favorite flower is hydrangea(紫陽花) because my birth flower is it.

I think Japanese girls are interested in the language of flowers.
Also I'm interested in it and I like hydrandea's it.

 -Hydrandea's  languags-

「移り気」~ficle

「浮気」~affair 

「高慢」~arrogant

「冷淡」~cold

「辛抱強い愛情」~patient love

「元気な女性」~energy woman

「家族団欒」~family gets together

Hydrandea's color changes by soil's prppeties (alkali or asid). Because of this, the word "ficle" is included in the languages. I like the word " patient love" because I feel it's just Japanese woman! So I feel real Japanese woman's spirit storongly in the flower "hydrandea".

 

 

I heard recently hydtandes are popular at the time of marriage. The word patient love and ficle suit for marriage. To live and walk very hard and long way of life with two, ficle means to be dyed your color. I love this thinking, it's really romantic.

what is your favorite flower?

 

Lovely make up!!

Hi, guys!

Do you know Ulzzang make?
"Ulzzang" (オルチャン)is Korean language, this means a face is really cute!
Of course, the make up are made in Korea, many young Korean girls are doing this make up. I like this make up very much. And recently the make up is spreading among Japanese girls.

There are three big characteristics in Ulzzang make.
First is long eye line. Eye line make eyes more bigger and clearly.

Second is big color contact. The color contact show eyes big and really cute.

Third is big eyes bag(涙袋). I think this is most important in Ulzzang make. Big eyes bag is very cute and surprising thing is girls make up their eyes bag! Girls make it by using eye shadow or  eyes bag pencil and make shadow.

 How about this make up? Do you like this?:)

Japanese summer feasts, Hiyashi-chuka

Hello, guys! It's getting really hot recently isn't it? Normally it's not such hot in Hirosaki tho, toooooo high tempareture these days... You might be irritated about this heat, right?? So, today I wanna introduce good cold feast in Japan! I'm sure you will come to look for very hot summer after you reading my blog! As you know, "Ramen" is widely known as one of the most famous Japanese dishs in the world. When I went to Auckland in New Zealand, there were many Japanese Ramen shops, and the taste was so similar to the original one! However, "Cold Ramen", which is usually called as "Hiyashi-chuka", is not as well known as Ramen is. In summer, you would often see the following catchphrase everywhere in Japan, "冷やし中華はじめました" When I see this catchphrase, I can feel "summer has come"! And I guess many local people tend to have the same feeling with me,haha Lastly, I just wanna introduce this funny video for you guys. http://youtu.be/X6AUxVRc2dk Thnx for your reading! Cheers! Michiko Nara

Coming of Age Day; Michiko Nara

Hello, I posted my Blog before, however It was about "Nebuta Matsuri",not Japanese National festival. So I'm gonna write one more blog just for in case! I would like to introduce "Coming of Age Day"! It is a Japanese traditional holiday,which is on the second Monday in January. This is the day for celebrating for those who have became 20 years old. In Japan, those who have turned 20 years old are considered as a one of adult, and you will be allowed to drink or smoke. Normally women wear beautiful "Furisode",which is very similar to Kimono, and men usually wear suits. Furisode is a one of kinds of Kimono,but It's only for the women who haven't gotten marriged. After this traditional day, young people can realise that they became adult. So this is a very important holiday in Japan! Thank you for your reading, Cheers! Michiko

Japanese Holidays and Traditional Festivals!

Japanese Holidays and Traditional Festivals!

 

1.    New Year

Most of people have a week off work over the New Year period, and families celebrate the new year together. New Year’s cards are exchanged, people eat traditional dishes called Osechi and Zoni, and visit shrines. Children get money as a New Year’s present from their relatives.

 

2.    Vacations

Aside from the New Year’s holiday, there is also a holiday from the end of April to the beginning of May called Golden Week, and a holiday called Obon, when the spirits of the ancestors are believed to return to earth, which many businesses incorporate into summer holidays.

 

3.    Holidays

We have 15 national holidays in a year.

・New Year’s Day

・Coming-of-Age Day

・National Foundation Day

・Vernal Equinox Day

・Green Day

・Constitution Day

・National Holiday

・Children’s Day

・Ocean Day

・Respect-for-the-Aged Day

・Autumnal Equinox Day

・Health-Sports Day

・Culture Day

・Labor Thanksgiving Day

・The Emperor’s Birthday

 

4.    Traditional Events

・Setsubun (February 3)

   Setsubun is the day preceding the first day of spring. People throw beans in   and around the house, shouting “Good luck in! Devils out!”

・Hina-Matsuri (March 3)

    Hina-Matsuri is a doll festival for girls, and dolls are displayed in ancient costumes to pray for the health and happiness of girls.

・Tango-no-sekku (May 5)

    Tango-no-sekku is a festival for boys, and people pray for the strength and health of boys, represented by the carp streamers hoisted outside. The day is celebrated as Children’s Day.

・Tanabata (July 7)

    Tanabata is a star festival. People write their wishes on pieces of paper and tie them to bamboo trees. This festival is based on the legend of two stars, Altair and Vega, which can only meet in the Milky Way once a year.

・Shichi-go-san (November 15)

    Shichi-go-san is a festival to pray for the health of children aged three, five and seven years old. Parents dress their children up in traditional or modern costumes, take them to shrines and pray for their children’s continued health.

Nebuta Matsuri - Giants Floats at Japanese festival

Hi guys! Today I'd like to introduce an awesome Japanese festival in Aomori!



At first, please watch this video! It’s
recorded by a foreign visitor and it shows how beautiful and powerful the
festival is well!

I guess you got brief ideas of Nebuta
Masturi^^

If you go to this festival, you can see a
parade of many enormous lantern floats!

Especially, they are extremely beautiful at
night!

Additionally
the floats can be up to nine maters wide and five maters tall, which depict gods,
historical or mythical figures from both Japanese and Chinese culture, kabuki
actors, and characters from the popular NHK Taiga Drama historical TV series.

Most importantly, you can feel the summer
has come when you hear the beat of taiko drum in Nebuta Matsuri! So please come
and feel that “real Aomori summer in this August!

Cheers,

Michiko

References;

“japan-guide.com  Nebuta Masturi”

http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e3755.html

(Last access 22/05/2014)