Just last week all Year 8 Japanese students at my school experienced the fun and challenge of making their own kyaraben or character obento. Many of them realised that with some good rice, some handy tools and quality ingredients they could create their own edible masterpiece. Students were surprised to find the eating was just as good! Now I have found a great How To Guide for creating your own Kyaraben using some different ingredients at home. I'd love for my students to use this guide and see if they can improve on their original design!
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Something we might find difficult to appreciate here in Australia is the extensive brilliance of the Japanese rail system. And if that wasn't enough to impress us already, it just keeps getting better and better. The maglev (or magnetic levitation) train has just this week broken its top speed record at an amazing 603km/h! Have a read about the costs and implications of launch of these trains, which is still planned for over 10 years in the future. When my students study Pets in our Wan Wan, Gaa Gaa (Woof Woof, Quack Quack) unit, we usually start off by discussing some of the cultural differences with pet ownership, onomatopoeia and the Japanese's love for animals of many kinds. Case in point this week when the story of a strange pet living in uber-urban Tokyo came to light. Typically found in the Southern Sahara desert area, this pet walks the streets of Tokyo, sometimes dressed in some pet outfits. One thing is for sure, there's no pulling on the leash and it makes for a leisurely and enjoyable time of pet exercising! The Japanese Government has prepared a brilliant website in English named Menu Tokyo that highlights the most popular kinds of Japanese cuisine, their ingredients and the menus of some popular eateries. Likely in preparation for the influx of non-Japanese speakers to Tokyo for the 2020 Olympic Games, the menus appear online and in a multitude of different languages. They are a fabulous resource for:
Travel and tourism operators are reporting that Aussies are finally discovering Japan as the ultimate destination for a skiing holiday, among other fabulous reasons to go. Tourism to Japan has increased dramatically in recent years. Read the article to find out why Aussies are turning their sights on Japan :) When is your tripped planned?! Maybe you are one our lucky students heading to Japan at the start of their autumn - in which case you will be able to share your fabulous experiences with your family, classmates and friends. At the end of 2014, one of our students was lucky enough to take part in the six-week Immersion Program with our sister school in Nagoya. Xavier was quite forward thinking and wrote a blog during his first time to Japan. I encourage you to read through his first days, his experiences with Japanese food, with host families and with life at school! Welcome back, Xavier. We surely look forward to hearing all about how your Japanese has improved during those six weeks and what has inspired you about your time in Nagoya. This is Xavier's blog. With the ink drying on the signing of one of the biggest developments in Japanese and Australian Economic history, students of Japanese should be very encouraged by the broadening of their opportunities moving forward. The Japan-Australia Economic Partnership Agreement is one of the most ambitious and exciting treaties to date, with DFAT describing the agreement will "provide valuable preferential access for Australia's exports and is by far the most liberalising trade agreement Japan has ever concluded. Australia and Japan are natural partners with highly complementary economies. The agreement will bring our economies and societies even closer and underpin a strong relationship for many years to come." Students of Japanese are well-placed to develop their careers with Japan, Australia's second largest trading partner, in mind as preferential trade arrangements and liberalisation of business interactions mean huge and until now, untapped, markets await. Read up on the agreement and what other media agencies are saying about the agreement and what it means for Australians.
What possesses a modern-day girl, who has grown up outside Japan for the formative years of her life, to return to Japan and become a trainee geisha? I happened across this article in my morning news roundup and thought it would be great to share if you had missed it. Seeing a real maiko in Kyoto is a big treat for visitors to the city and seeing them perform is something more of a rarity and special event. Luckily I have seen maiko performing a few times and seen a little bit into this fascinating world. Have a read about life as a trainee geisha and consider what it is about this life that still attracts Japanese girls even in the modern day. I am always talking about the benefits of learning another language - about how it changes you as a person and gives you a different perspective on life. It's as though you have a different set of glasses on and can see things in slightly different tones and hues. Enjoy this article that outlines the benefits of being multi-lingual. Are you already multi-lingual? What do you have to say about this and is your opinion reflected in the linked article? Have you ever driven or walked passed a roadworks site and had to pick your way through gravel, had stones fly up or ended up dusty or with muddy shoes? Chances are you are not in Japan. The dedication with which service industry people go about their jobs is no more evident than in Japan where they go out of their way to ensure their customers are happy and attended to. In the case of road-workers, the general public are the customers and so great attention to detail is spent on ensuring motorists and passersby are not inconvenienced by their necessary works. This article has an interesting commentary and link to a clip showing the dedication of the surrounding workers in keeping their public site clean. Next time you drive passed one in your hometown, I wonder if you will recall this clip and be able to make a cultural comparison of your own? |
The image above is Copyright to Andy Gray, Japanwindow.com, 2005
Used with permission, 2014 Shin Senseiis a teacher of Japanese for secondary students. She studied at The University of Melbourne majoring in Japanese language and has lived, worked and studied in Japan. In Australia, she has also worked in private industry as an executive assistant and translator before becoming a teacher. Archives
September 2015
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